Saving money on the wife's birthday
This can be a dangerous time of year when it comes to spending money. After making it through the Christmas and New Year period and remaining well under budget there is alway the danger of splurging on Mrs Whitey's birthday and being forced to spend actual cash.
Unfortunately this year she insisted on a big night out. That can usually be accommodated, but this time Fitzies Cafe has been demolished and the China Diner was booked out for two weeks solid. With petrol back to $1.15 a litre, that left only the two restaurants within easy walking distance of Chateau Whitey, Lebrina and the more reasonably priced King Wah. Unfortunately Mrs Whitey insisted on Lebrina. Knowing the prices at Lebrina, I needed a plan.
Through coincidence of circumstances, it turns out Lebrina has a private room out the back and this can be hired separately, but only during the month of January. Getting Mrs Whitey to bring forward her birthday dinner was the easy bit, haggling down the room hire to just $100 on the basis that we would provide our own food and waiters was a bit trickier. After cutting and pasting from the King Wah take away menu, writing "Lebrina" on the top, everything was set.
I am sure none of the guests caught on and just assumed that all meals at Lebrina were served in plastic containers with a fork and spoon. Based on my culinary understanding Beef and Black Bean and Sweet and Sour Pork probably count as modern Australian. Another great money saver was decanting the Berri Estate Shiraz and passing it off as the world's best Shiraz from last year. The Fruity Lexia was a bit more difficult, but no outright complaints.
As I was able to change the prices on the menu to more properly reflect the venue, I had no trouble extracting $150 a head out of the guests, although there was one recalcitrant that won't be invited next year.
All up a clear profit of $1,322. So another wonderful birthday for Mrs Whitey.
Hip hip hooray!
Unfortunately this year she insisted on a big night out. That can usually be accommodated, but this time Fitzies Cafe has been demolished and the China Diner was booked out for two weeks solid. With petrol back to $1.15 a litre, that left only the two restaurants within easy walking distance of Chateau Whitey, Lebrina and the more reasonably priced King Wah. Unfortunately Mrs Whitey insisted on Lebrina. Knowing the prices at Lebrina, I needed a plan.
Through coincidence of circumstances, it turns out Lebrina has a private room out the back and this can be hired separately, but only during the month of January. Getting Mrs Whitey to bring forward her birthday dinner was the easy bit, haggling down the room hire to just $100 on the basis that we would provide our own food and waiters was a bit trickier. After cutting and pasting from the King Wah take away menu, writing "Lebrina" on the top, everything was set.
I am sure none of the guests caught on and just assumed that all meals at Lebrina were served in plastic containers with a fork and spoon. Based on my culinary understanding Beef and Black Bean and Sweet and Sour Pork probably count as modern Australian. Another great money saver was decanting the Berri Estate Shiraz and passing it off as the world's best Shiraz from last year. The Fruity Lexia was a bit more difficult, but no outright complaints.
As I was able to change the prices on the menu to more properly reflect the venue, I had no trouble extracting $150 a head out of the guests, although there was one recalcitrant that won't be invited next year.
All up a clear profit of $1,322. So another wonderful birthday for Mrs Whitey.
Hip hip hooray!
posted by Whitey at 5:25 pm
8 Comments:
Oh I am lovin this!!
Well done Whitey. I laughed and laughed.
But I'll never let my husband see this!
Hey Whitey, well done. Despite her enthusiasm for your blog, I despair of Rita being frugal enough to deserve to be president of your fan club.$10 is still a bit steep for a cheap eat (oh boy do we miss Fitzies Cafe!!).
Perhaps this post will be an inspiration to her....
regards
The Ex Pres
Ex Pres - I just wrote a response to your frugality challenge on the previous post! PLEEESE don't despair of me yet! I promise I can change!
This post was an inspiration for me.
BUT - I Googled King Wah NT and couldn't find them on the net. I think you lied!
159a New Town Rd
They are wise enough not to spend money on a website.
Hey Rita
A week of not dining out would be a good start, and an example to us all. Might be a bit of a hollow gesture if, instead of dining out, you spend money on lavish dining at home. Perhaps you will need to give details of your cooking? I think the state library has good books on "100 ways with mince", "good food on a budget" and the joy of lentils" which could be a guide to what your menus should contain. (I suggest going to the library rather than a bookshop as a further measure of frugality. Most bookshop proprietors get a bit grumpy if you spend a lot of time reading in their premises, and even more if you take pencil and paper and start copying down recipes from cook books. They flatly refuse to do photocopying!)
Of course the other frugal alternative (and I am sure Whitey would agree) is to dine out and get other people to pay, or to visit other people for dinner. Hosting a dinner party, if well planned, can also be frugal. Just ask each of the guests to bring something, and if you plan it right, there will be more than enough for the dinner, with the bonus of leftovers!
I look forward to hearing of your progress. Will you be posting on your own website, or reserving your gems of frugality to share with the cognoscenti here at Chez Whitey?
cheers
the ex pres
The blogsite "Will type for food" reports the following:
Thursday, February 05, 2009
The wit and wisdom of my Mum
On stealing things from hotels:
"Sampling the soap/shampoo etc is very sensible and can see you through for many weeks."
Posted by TimT at 10:10 AM 2 comments
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
How to travel internationally without leaving home
Move to the Gaza Strip, right next to the border. What with the Israelis annexing Palestinian territory, and the Palestinians attempting to reclaim it, you're almost guaranteed to be in a different country every day!
Passports not necessary. Dress sensibly, considering the weather (flak jackets, bullet-proof vests...)
Posted by TimT at 8:29 AM 0 comments
What do you reckon about that Whitey? If I didn't know better I'd say you'd started up an alternate blogsite!
Ex Pres - I have a few random points to make:
*I am and have been for the past 45 years a fully paid up and current member of the State Library of Tas. I go there every 3rd Friday evening and renew my 8 books.
*I am the little-known author of an old CES-production frugal cookbook for those unemployed members of society who should still eat healthily, with a focus on 15 different uses for mince.
*Turning 60, as I do in a matter of weeks, it is obvious I am from the old school who squirrel away everything on god's earth, starting with that old used envelope the Telstra bill came in today (put them next to the phone to write your messages on), to retaining all my vege scraps for the stock, to standing anxiously waiting for the kids to all open their presents on Xmas Day so I can grab the wrapping paper and string for that proverbial rainy day!
*You obviously have inside info on my dinner parties, as that's how I generally plan them - allocate everyone a course, then sit by in a relaxed manner on the night in question, offering drinks of dubious origin courtesy of my friend the food rep who donates all her samples to the cause.
I think I need to be circumspect with these gems of frugality, so will continue to post suggestions here chez Whitey, rather than cast the proverbial pearls to the swine on Rita's Bite!
Hey Rita
Gosh, what frugality!! I am SO impressed!!! You could probably set up in opposition to Whitey!!
I can see what you mean about pearls before swine on your own website - I don't think some of your fans would be able to appreciate the extent of your frugality (and we wouldn't want them to find out the truly frugal nature of your dinner parties!!)
You are obviously setting an excellent example to us all - and are very deserving of the role of president of the Whitey Fan Club!!
cheer
the Ex Pres
Oh Whitey, you're a card. Your wife is lucky to have a husband as willing to profit from guests as you.
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