Long time no post!

9 months since my last post, slight coincidence seeming that I am 8 months pregnant as of yesterday! Well since that August day when I last logged on to update my blog a lot has happened...

First, we moved into our beautiful new home in Fish Hoek. I love it here. It is like living in a permanent holiday town. Walks to the beach, train trips into Kalk Bay or Simons Town and even just being able to hear the sea on a still night from the comfort of my own bed. Bliss!

My bedroom

To decorate the interior I have been lucky to have my mom to help me. She has a "showhouse" (garage) full of surplus furniture and decor that I enjoy "shopping" at. I like to change things around often so I tend to keep the canvas neutral.


We have made the most of the original characteristics of the home, knocking down walls to let in more light and creating uniformity by painting the interior all one colour. We also resanded all of the beautiful wooden floors and tiled the kitchen and bathroom in a more modern way.

Pantry - kept fully stocked and tidy

My husband, Shaun, has loved doing the garden. Again, trying to highlight the charm of the house we have stayed quite classic, planting iceberg roses, lavender and hyndrangeas. I love cut flowers so am really looking forward having some blossoms to trim to appreciate inside our home too.

The trick to renovating on a budget is to remain flexible, have many ideas and pictures for inspiration as well as being permanently glued to gumtree for deals on materials you need. We found a great builder who has two sons, one an electrician and another a plasterer/tiler. It was great because they worked together well and were able to finish everything quickly. They had a friend who did our plumbing for us too. We were lucky but I would never recommend this route if it didn't come highly recommended by a friend or family member. Remember to get a quote first and to pay weekly/once the project is complete.

There are still a few projects we need to tackle. For example, Wednesday is baby room day and Saturday is D-day for the bathroom tiles to go up and curtain rails to be put up in the lounge. Yes, we have lived here for 9 months without curtains in our living area... We were hoping to tackle the next stage of the project this year; building on an ensuite bathroom and fixing up the entrance to the abode but our priorities have changed just a tad since falling pregnant. We now live in the world of prams, car seats, epidurals and ultrasounds.

Woolies - eat in for 4 under R100:

ON THE MENU
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
SAVE 10.00
OR SELECTED PORK SAUSAGES (400 G)
SAVE 5.00
OR SELECTED LAMB SAUSAGES (400 G)
SAVE 5.00


+

BULK ROSA TOMATO SALAD (300 G)
SAVE 5.00


+

6 HOT DOG ROLLS
SAVE 2.00


+

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING (430 G)
SAVE 10.00


+

FRUIT JUICE (1L)
SAVE 2.50
OR COKE (1L)
SAVE 1.50
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

ANNOUNCEMENT: Update on our 'addictedtodiscounts' home

So, building is under way! The builder estimated the first phase to be completed by July 1st but unfortunately (as anticipated) they are still building. The first phase consisted of gutting and totally refurbishing the small cottage on the property. This is for Shaun's grandfather to move into as he is the current occupant of the house we will be moving into - hopefully ASAP! The photo below was taken about two weeks ago but sadly it doesn't look very different now. The builders have assured us that the new week will hold much progress...

We have already started packing up the main house, and let me tell you that packing a 3 bedroom house of a lifetime's belongings and trying to economise to get it all to fit into a 6 by 6 garden cottage is not easy! My mother-in-law and I have been there (her more than I) the whole week and the progress is slow, very slow. Shaun has however been very efficient by selling off surplus furniture on Gumtree (let's have a moments silence in respect for the wonderful creators of this genius establishment).

As soon as he has moved in and the builder's have done all their finishing touches we will start to renovate inside our home. This will also been done over a number of phases as money allows. We've tried to break it up into what is more important and make the biggest difference in the rooms we occupy the most. The house is very closed off and dark with a long passage dividing and blocking off light. We plan to rectify this by knocking down the passage door on the left to create an open plan lounge and dining room.

The floors are beautiful so we are going to pick up the carpets in two of the bedrooms on the right hand side to expose the wooden flooring. We are going to paint the whole house to create a little more uniformity in a warm grey/beige colour (aka. greige, copyright Cara) and repaint all the doors, ceilings, cornices and skirtings in white. There is a huge problem which is definitely essential - there is no plumbing for a dishwasher - so while this is being taken care of the geyser will be replaced too. This is all that will be done in phase one. After it is complete and before we start on the extensive second phase we will be changing light fittings, modernising door handles, sprucing up the kitchen and bathroom, doing landscaping and general decorating.

What I've learnt so far is that when doing building on a budget, the costs never end! There is always another list of supplies to be bought and problems occuring. We did find that Bathroom Bizarre had a great deal on a "package" of a bath, toilet and basin which of course didn't include the small, surprisingly expensive taps, toilet seat and plumbing. You need to shop around for these specials and talk to people who are in the same boat. We got this tip from the mother of my very special friend, Monique. I have also learnt that when you are unable to afford to do the whole thing at once break it down into things you hate and by correcting will bring you the most joy, also to keep the things you don't hate (thanks Tamara!) We also have paid our builder for the job and not per day which as you can already assume would have been much more expensive as they probably underestimated their time by half.

I can't wait to be on the other side of this journey - the after, but am enjoying the process and finding it so much fun!

PROMOTION: Ambassador Foods

On Monday morning, an equally 'addictedtodiscounts' devotee; my friend Kim, her 3 month old gorgeous son and I went on a "road trip" to Montaque Gardens. There we found the lovely Ambassador Foods which offers excellent prices and bulk buying of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Between the two of us we stocked up on healthy snacks. Peanuts and raisins (R12 for 500g), chinese crackers (R19 for 500g), dates (my favourite! R12 for 500g) as well as seeds and nuts for smoothies and salads. The shop is organised and neat with very friendly and helpful sales ladies. Please make an effort to go out there as soon as you can as it is definitely worth your while. The trip out there is not to bad and the shop is very easy to find, alternatively you can shop online.

Ambassador Foods
23 Bolt Avenue, Montague Gardens, 7435
Follow the M5 along Koeberg Road. Turn right into Racecourse Road (on the left is the Milnerton Medi Clininc) which changes in to Bolt Avenue. Ambassador Foods is marked by large flags at the end of the cul-de-sac where you will be greeted by a very smart and proffessional security guard.

Tel: (+27) 21 555 2810 / 11 Fax: (+27) 21 555 2809
Mondays – Fridays: 07:30 to 16:30

ADVICE: My Shopping Deals

A great website for vouchers, deals and cash back offers is MyShoppingDeals. They have a grocery comparison section which, for the past 3 months have been comparing prices between Checkers, Pick 'n Pay and Woolworths. The graph below highlights exactly how important it is to shop around and listen for specials as there is no continuously more expensive or cheaper shop. Although shopping at Woolworths may seem more expensive  at times their quality and value is uncomparable. Their sell by dates seem to be a rough guideling as fresh produce lasts much longer.

PROMOTION: Pick 'n Pay

It’s the end of the month (again? I know!) and it’s time to restock the pantry. Here are Pick ‘n Pays Specials which are valid until the 11th of July.


Royco sauce assorted R5.49 SAVE R2.00
McCain young & tender mixed vegetables R16.99 Per 1kg SAVE R7.00
Ola magnum minis assorted R37.99 Per 6's SAVE R9.00
McCain young & tender garden mix R17.99 Per 1kg R5.00
McCain real ovenbake chips: straight cut or crinkle cut R15.79 Per 1kg SAVE R4.20
Lancewood cottage cheese R11.99 Per 250g SAVE R5.50
I&J chicken flame grills breast fillets R22.99 Per 420g SAVE R8.00
Enterprise traditional: viennas, cheese grillers or country sausages R19.99 Per 375g SAVE R6.00
Sea harvest hake medallions R29.99 Per 585g SAVE R6.00
PnP all grain eggs large R28.99 Per 24's SAVE R11.00
Simba Lay's: lightly salted or caribbean onion & balsamic vinegar chips R8.99 Per 175g SAVE R2.00
KWV Roodeberg R49.95 Per 750ml SAVE R10.00
Borges extra virgin olive oil R79.99 Per 1.3l R10.00 (for other excellent deals on Olive Oil try Fruit and Veg City)
Garnier: ultralift proxulane day cream, anti-wrinkle roll on or SPF 20 day cream R128.99 Per 50ml SAVE R40.00
L'Oreal excell 10 hair colour R89.99 Each SAVE R36.00
Knorr pasta & sauce assorted R11.99 Each SAVE R3.50
Tastic instant rice R12.99 Per 250g SAVE R3.00
Goldcrest soup assorted R11.99 Per 400g SAVE R3.00
McCain young & tender country crop R15.99 Per 1kg SAVE R4.00
Bokomo super quick oats R13.99 Per 1kg SAVE R4.70
PnP cocktail samoosas assorted R29.99 Per 24's SAVE R8.00
PnP crumbed chicken nuggets R19.99 Per 400g SAVE R6.00
PnP crumbed chicken sticks R17.99 Per 400g SAVE R5.00
PnP smoked mussels value pack R37.99 Per 5x85g SAVE R1.00
Maq auto washing powder R38.79 Per 2kg SAVE R9.90 (Anyone tried this?)
First choice vanilla custard R14.99 Per 1l SAVE R4.00
Satiskin bubble bath assorted R29.99 Per 2l SAVE R8.00
Stork country spread tub R9.99 Per 500g R2.00
Garnier 100% hair colour R68.99 Each SAVE R30.00
Vaseline intensive care: lotion, moisturising lotion or body cream R23.99 Per 400ml/500ml SAVE R4.00
Bio-Oil R29.99 Per 60ml SAVE R14.00
Kotex pads assorted R14.99 Each SAVE R5.00
Horlicks assorted R24.99 Per 250g SAVE R6.00
Danone clover nutriday fruit yoghurt multipack R12.99 Per 6x100g SAVE R2.50
PnP pizza bases R19.99 Per 4's R5.00
ADDIS PVA butterfly mop R59.99 Each SAVE R20.00
Four Cousins: extra light or light rosé R24.95 Per 750ml SAVE R5.00
Sunlight auto washing powder flexi bag R39.99 Per 2kg SAVE R11.00
Jacobs Kronung: regular or mild instant coffee R69.99 Per 200g R10.00
Goldi frozen chicken thighs R24.99 Per 1.5kg SAVE R8.00
Blossom lite medium spread R5.49 Per 500g SAVE R1.50
PnP no name lemon dishwash liquid R9.99 Per 750ml SAVE R1.00
PnP no name wine: Dry red or Johannesberger semi-sweet red R49.99 Per 3l SAVE R8.00
PnP no name smooth apricot jam R10.79 Per 900g SAVE R3.00
PnP no name tagless tea bags R18.99 Per 200's SAVE R2.00
Namaqua range (excludes sweet rosé) R64.95 Per 5l SAVE R12.00
Saldanha: Pilchards in tomato sauce or chilli sauce R9.69 Per 425g SAVE R3.60
PnP pure instant coffee R44.99 Per 200g SAVE R4.00
Mr Min furniture polish assorted (excludes specialist) R15.49 Per 275ml SAVE R6.50
Pineware twin pack R179.99 Per pack SAVE R20.00
Addis 26 piece fresh stuff food saver set R69.99 Per set SAVE R40.00
Jungle oats R15.69 Per 1kg SAVE R2.20
Fatti's & Moni's: spaghetti or macaroni R6.79 Per 500g SAVE R1.20
All Gold: Indian, Italian, Mexican style or Mediterranean ratatouille tomatoes R9.99 Per 410g SAVE R2.50
Koo: mixed vegetables or curry mixed vegetables range R6.49 Per 410g SAVE R3.50
Cadbury chocolate slabs assorted R12.99 200g / 180g SAVE R4.00
Coke lite, Coke zero or Tab R11.99 Per 2l R2.00
Willards: crinkle cut and original s-cut chips assorted R5.99 Per 125g SAVE R2.00
TV Bar, Inside Story, Niki Bar, All In One Bar, Now Bar, Nosh Bar or New Look Bar R3.99 Each SAVE R1.00
Borstol cough remedy assorted R21.49 Per 100ml SAVE R8.00
Sunlight auto washing powder flexi bag R19.99 Per 1kg SAVE R7.00
Sta-soft fabric conditioner R22.49 Per 2l SAVE R5.36
Head & shoulders shampoo R37.89 Per 400ml SAVE R21.00
PnP cordon bleu kiev or creamy garlic kiev R15.99 Per 270g SAVE R6.00
Farmer Brown: crumbed breast fillet, crunchy tenders or schnitzels R24.99 Per 400g SAVE R7.00
White Star super maize R20.99 Per 5kg SAVE R3.00

PROMOTION: Woolworths

ADVICE: Toiletries and Household Cleaning Products

As recently mentioned Clicks is a great place to do your toiletry and household cleaning product shopping. My mom, Di Forster, compiled the following list of examples. She compared the exact same products and did not look for "house brands" or the cheaper options. Although the difference is not extraordinary the benefits of getting Clicks Club points back makes it worth while. The comparison was done at Clicks Cavendish Square and Pick 'n Pay Steenberg Village (the friendliest, most organised Pick 'n Pay Family Store in my opinion!)

ADVICE: Financial Planning

FROM: The Financial Planner

Hi, some shocking stats that should make us look at our retirement savings...



The PROBLEM of living too long - Out of every 10 65yr olds who retire, 4 are a burden on the state or their families, 3 are compelled to continue working, 2 survive on too little pension & 1 retires financially independent.
 
Do you have any Questions regarding your finances or do you want to know how to make your money work for you? Please contact Richard Eachus 076 1946 097

"Always plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark"

Websites for further information:
www.thinkmoney.co.za
www.persfin.co.za

ADVICE: Where to shop this week?

Grocery prices are escalating at a dramatic rate and I am battling to keep up. If you feel the same, maybe you will find the following interesting. I have selected a few necessities and have compared their prices at two different stores; Pick 'n Pay and Woolworths, as these are the only two stores offering online shopping - shocking! A further comparison at Checkers will be done shortly.

The cheapest option will always be chosen.

using http://www.pnponline.co.za/

loaf of bread                                                R5.49

2l fresh milk (2% or low fat)                           R14.99

2 ply toilet paper (4 rolls)                              R21.99

washing powder (1kg automatic)                    R23.99
cheddar cheese slices                                   R14.99
oranges (per kilo)                                         R6.99

mince (beef per kilo)                                    R38.95

eggs (pack of 6)                                           R9.99

TOTAL                                                        R137.38

using www.woolworths.co.za

loaf of bread                                                R6.95

2l fresh milk (2% or low fat)                           R16.39
2 ply toilet paper (4 rolls)                              R22.95
washing powder (1kg automatic)                    R29.95
cheddar cheese slices                                   R14.95
oranges (per kilo)                                         R7.95
mince (beef per kilo)                                    R54.90
eggs (pack of 6)                                            R9.95
TOTAL                                                        R163.99
*Most of the cheaper Woolworths products were from the new Essentials Range

Pick 'n Pay comes in R26.61 cheaper and if you have a Discovery healthy foods/credit card you are entitled to even more savings. Yet, I think I have made my point... GROCERY PRICES ARE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH! Good luck, good luck to us all!