January 14th 2009

A lot has changed since the last time i wrote on here...the primary difference is that I left my husband in September. The three children and I are now living in Auckland again, on the Domestic Purposes Benefit.

I am very grateful for this benefit, though it is not easy making ends meet when your rent is more than half what you are paid. Additionally, I needed to borrow money to get in to this place (and to pay for beds, and seats etc). Luckily I was able to ask my brother for help, so I am not paying back any interest.

Our current grocery budget is $100 a week. It's not really enough to eat healthily, lose weight, be mindful of the children's food intolerances, and be eco-friendly as well...but it is enough.

This is what we managed to get this week for $94. I used some extra grocery money to buy more rechargeable batteries on sale. It also costs us $7.20 on the bus (return) to get to the cheapest supermarket. This also means 10 minute walk there and back (with the groceries). With 10-ride passes, the amount for me to take 3 children to the shop and back is $6.50 (children under 5 ride free).


From the Fruit Shop...
3kg Potatoes
800g Peaches
1kg Plums
1kg Pears
1kg sunrise and granny smith apples
2 large iceberg lettuces
2 ears of corn
1 large telegraph cucumber
1.5kg Bananas (everything else is from NZ, which is important to me)
1kg Carrots
1kg Courgettes
3 avocados
1 garlic
and because we rushed out without breakfast...
1 tangelo, 1 apricot, a apple and 1 pear

From Countdown (supermarket)
500g Premium Beef Mince
420g Corn-fed Free range chicken breasts
400g Sausage meat
400g Flaky Pastry
Loaf of Home Brand white bread (they don't make multi-grain)
1 60L rubbish bag (it costs $1.70 for a rubbish bag where we live- I try to use one a fortnight)
500g Soap Powder (I prefer to buy the eco-sore or down-to-earth one, but there isn't enough this week)
400g Raisins
Healtheries Rice Cakes (all the kids love these)
3 Raro sachet cordial...I never buy these, but just for a summer treat, and I plan to make ice blocks for the kids
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 tin coconut cream
500g brown sugar
250g Dilmah Leaf Tea
1L organic milk
1kg Colby Cheese
500g Butter
500g Popcorn
2 Milky Bar for treats while we wait for the bus

We didn't need to buy eggs this week, because we are looking after a friend's chickens. We have tomatoes and beans in our garden. I will probably go out in the weekend and buy more fruit.

Breakfasts are porridge, toast, cornflakes, weetbix, or eggs. Lunches are sandwiches, leftovers and salads. Snacks are fruit, popcorn, rice cakes, cheese, home baking. Loose Menu Plan for dinners this week...

Thursday Jalousie- giant sausage roll...I probably won't eat it, so hopefully there will be enough to freeze for another dinner, or lunch for the kids
Friday Chicken Laksa (1/3 chicken- noodles, stock, coconut cream, spices, courgettes, carrots and beans)
Saturday Spaghetti and Meatballs (half the mince)
Sunday Homemade Hawaiian Pizza, (ham leftover from Christmas) and chips
Monday Chilli con carne with homemade tortillas
Tuesday Satay Chicken and rice
Wednesday Macaroni Cheese