We have hit that time of year where we have hit our threshhold for prescritions and they are free except for one of mine which I have to pay $20 for....it saves us so much money every year, thankgod the govt has that incentive. 

I have been looking at new phone/internet plans haven't decided on anything yet...but looking, I am going to change our contents policy...we don't need to have it so high...to replace everything if we needed to..so going to lover it and save round $150 plus a year....have been menu planning so this week will do a menu plan for next month and do a big shop in the beginning of the month and then just what we need weekly...so far this week has been working out well..only time will tell in the long run.

I have started decluttering which is hard as I don't have a lot of stuff but my hubby and daughter do....but I will get it paired down more each month....and I have started spring cleaning a little...I know its not spring for another 5 weeks but cleaning makes me feel better.

New budget starts next month, will be tight but workable each other month should get better...and hopefully get more savings and money back into our ice acct

We sent our taxes in mid jan this year and yet they still haven't put up that they have received them and they definately haven't been done...wish the irs would get their act together...I have decided that we are not chasing them anymore for their incompetence....it costs us so much money each time I have managed to get through it has been 2 hours plus on a cell phone across the world and so not worth the expenses....we never get any paperwork from them in regards to taxes...so guess if not done in the next year or so we will follow up...I just can't be bothered anymore...not worth the hassle!!

So I decided earlier this month that I would start a new budget..back to basics, redo everything and start over and get back on track...not only have we gone off the rails we have flipped several times and ended up god knows where with everything that has been going on...so today went back to basics.

for the rest of this year I will concentrate getting $2000 back  into our ice acct and paying off the dreaded CC these are my main 2 goals to achieve this year once that is done we will start saving. Once we reach the $2000 in ice acct we will continue to add $100 a month to boost it up.

I have also divided up and opened up accts for different things such as car/pom/ins so I can keep them seperate...wasn't working to well having them all in the same acct...so those amounts will start going into those accts in august.

Come december I will open up a xmas acct and put $100 a month in it for christmas for the family & charities...usually I just budget in for december but thought this might make it easier on the budget.

I am back to menu planning and have that written up and then we will start shopping with only what is on our menu anyone wanting treats can use their own mad money for that...hoping this way we can save some money on groceries. We currently spend $1000 plus on groceries...but food is expensive our milk alone is $6 for 2 litres..but some things we won't compromise on.

All going well the CC should be paid off oct 2022, the ice acct should be at $2000 by sept...and starting oct we should be able to start saving something each month...that amount will vary each month..but any savings is good.

The CC is the only debt we have so once it is gone we will be debt free again. feeling positive about the new budget, will just need to figure out the best places to do our grocery shopping between stores and markets (fresh fish/fruit/vege..all locally grown)...but we will discuss that at our family meeting later today. 

Next thing to focus on is our health and that will take more research but can focus on that now the budget is done for not only 2022 but also 2023...if anyone has any suggestions then please leave them below for consideration..thanks

I did an online order the other day and the prices have gone way up...I have to say that we don't drink/smoke etc so we do eat good brand food for some things...it just tastes better and we have a certain milk that my hubby and DD drink as it helps his asthma/copd and settles better in her stomach (A2 milk) it has gone up in the last couple weeks from $5.20 per 2 litres to $6 😳....we buy eggs that are from our state and they are jumbo and $7.50 per dozen (but they last so much longer than others and taste so much better)...our food bill is going up...a whole waterlon was $30 online (no we didn't get one)....so glad it is winter and we use our slow cooker a lot so we can chuck everything in a big pot and just cook it all day and have a healthy meal for dinner with lots of vegies/lentils etc...we are looking up other things that we can all eat that may be fairly cheap to cook...hubby can't have any tomato based foods since his cancer treatment....I have food intolerances....so can be tricky but we do our best...trying not to raise our food budget more than the $1000 a month that it is now...also going to start going back to the markets now that we are starting to feel better...just hope they don't keep rising much more...and I can't wait till spring when we can grow some of our own food again....

This year so far has been a bust in every sense, health and wealth especially.....so I am going back to basics and getting back on track one step at a time...it is hard in winter with us all being down under the weather, unexplained seizures etc...which means we have also bought things we haven't necessarily needed but wanted or made our life easier...and also lots of take away (which we hardly do)...so going back to basics and writing up a menu again, only buying what food we need....and working on paying off the CC again...will take some time...but a restart is just what we need I think

Hope you are all enjoying your summer because I am hating this cold...only 55 days till spring!!

So my daughter went to bed last night and her waist down was in pain...she took some panadol and went to bed...I woke up at 4.30am with a feeling today wasn't going to be great...next thing I know my daughter is in my room in pain, uncontrollable shaking etc....we call the healthline and after a bit they suggested we take her to the hospital ...we organise for our youngest DD to pick me up as I can't be left alone due to my dizziness and falling...and my hubby takes my daughter into the er she is almost incoherent and then after I leave...she starts having seizures....she has never had a seizure in her life...scares the crap out of my hubby and daughter...they go into the back of the ER....and she keeps having them...after a couple hours I take over from my hubby (only allowed 1 person at a time) and she keeps seizing....she is exhausted in pain...had blood and urine done and apparently both come back clear.....was waiting for a cat scan to see anything....she must have had around 50 seizure in 4 hours.....so I am heading up there soon to relieve my hubby....hoping for some answers as it is bizzare to just start having seizures for no reason...has onyone else heard of this??

My daughters 3rd iui didn't work...she is a bit upset but okay....I keep telling her what every baby is suppose to be hers will be...and she believes that...she is pretty positive...her specialist is going away so she won't be able to see him till mid sept and then will probably try again in oct.

I have my ice acct back to where I want it, have some money in savings..will add more this week, and going to focus on paying off the CC again....thats my plan putting our money on the only debt we have till it is gone..then it will all go into savings.

Not much else to report I don't have much money so no point doing all our savings etc as it is minimal....but working on it. 

So my mom has decided to move back to the city, she left because of the rising costs and they haven't really changed but she needs to be clearer to better healthcare...so we are looking for apartments for her...something else I get the pleasure of doing....plus we are still thinking of moving ourselves (depending on our daughter) so more added stress, she is 84 this year so we would like her to be closer if she needs medical help, where she lives just isn't that great. 

On top of that my stepson and his daughter just found out that her nan (on mothers side) is in a home because of dementia (she has not spoken to her for 5 years)....her mother texted her and let her know...its the first time she has texted her in a year....but that is another story....they want to come down so she can see her but can't afford it...so we said we would pay bus fares...gas prices are just so high and its a 5-6hr drive....well last night he ended up in hospital having one of "episodes" ct scan came back clear but still incoherent etc so keeping him till moday where they will do another mri and compare with his last one...no-one can give him an answer to what is going on...hopefully they find something (but in a good way so he can be treated)..so not sure if they are coming down anymore or not.

Paid a majority of our bills...we need to go to the atm and take money out from one acct and put it into another one (us to aussie) but being a weekend we will wait till monday when the bank is open and more people around I just don't trust people anymore...not that anything has happened but why risk it when we don't need to..so will do that tomorrow..hoping to save some money this month

planted some more garlic today....a bit late but it should be fine....also ordered a kit so we can propergate our own seeds etc this year...it comes with everything you needs from gloves, soil, seeds etc...so will be handy...we are also growing things from the seeds and bases of things we use like celery...cannot wait to grow our own food again.

Have a few yearly bills that we have paid (we put money in our POM acct each month to cover them) so ambulance cover and car registration, were paid this month...also have the girls bdays this month....neither really do anything...and we give them $200 each...so have that coming ou as well this month.

Hope you all have a nice relaxing 4th of july!!