Its worth a go isn't it?

linz

You could get a load of mince & some chilli sauce in a jar & make a big chilli - I do this for camping. Freeze it and when I set off take it out of the freezer, it defrosts thru the day & is a nice warm meal for the evening.

Edit - or do you have anything already in your freezer you could take - curry etc?

Itsarandom

Nothing in my freezer i can just take and go - although I have been meaning to try and make chilli for the last few days! Although it would only be good for maybe two days..? (we head out after work Friday, get back Sunday dinnertime) I can probably get it made for Friday and some for Saturday (if only for lunch!).

All I need is some kidney beans I think... shamefully after my last cooking disasters been a bit scared to venture beyond spag bol... but hell! Spag bol plus spice/beans = chilli right?!

*goes hunting through back posts for info about how to make chilli*

linz

Hmmm, if you made it on thursday night, i'd portion it and have one lot in the fridge ready to eat on friday when you get there and another frozen lot left to defrost overnight on friday night/saturday daytime. It's hardly warm weather so it'd take a while to defrost.

I get basics mince from morrissons & a chilli sauce in a jar which includes kidney beans. Rice aswell. Makes about 2-3 portions. I also get the cheapo tortilla crisps to eat with it. The other campers will be ded jealous when they smell it lol.

You could always do spag bol aswell though, and take pasta to boil

Itsarandom

Got some boil in the bag rice lying around here am sure of it...

Am thinking of making it up tomorrow/Tuesday - because then that also gives me some cheap meals this week as well! I have 1.5kg of mince lying around in the fridge that has been planned for spag bol when i got back but saving a few quid on camping food Just in case sounds like a plan!

Will go hunt around asda and see what they got in the range of insta-chilli sauce and the price vs kidney beans in a smart price tin.

Got stack loads of pasta - might drag some of that in wee portions bags as well... the problem lies with anything "snack" based... something you can open as a quick pick me up if you are feeling a bit low.

Hrm - cupboard raiding tonight! Am all excited! Feels like a target now!

To be honest - I wonder if I can not make this tenner last me until the end of next week?

linz

Sounds like a new challenge - how long can a person make a tenner last!

hmm cheapo snacks - smartprice crisps, smartprice cereal bars, smartprice sweets..i like the foam fruits they do - 34p a bag and good sugar fix if your out walking in the day.

Just pig out at breakfast, smartprice eggs, bacon, beans, you get the idea.. and you won't need lunch, just a snackette, then nice warming chilli for tea, mmm. God i wish i was coming lol i cant wait to get in the tent again, love camping

Itsarandom

I love camping - usually though we are a bit of a "out of the back of the car" campers - I couldn't live without me massive tent and a regular water supply to wash me hair with! Not a proper camper really

Right! Going to make this Tenner last me preferably at least until next week, and am going to go for a fortnight! Dunno how possible that is but we are going to find out...

But I best finish getting ready and let it to work! Day one of walking!

Itsarandom

Day one of my mini-challenge. Wow.

Firstly I like to apologise in advance - probably what I am about to say is going to sound shallow, even just plain rude - I don't mean it that way, I have just had my eyes opened for the first time.

Today I walked in, no probs and walked out! So that was 2.50 saved and feeling right chuffed with meself on that front. But Asda was an eye-opening experience.

Even with my debt at its true peak I have never, ever had to go "I cannot buy this food, because I have no money left". At its worst, with my head buried firmly in the sand and the lightbulb not even bought - let alone switched on - I never worried about what I wanted to eat or what I could buy.

Today I was walking around Asda and looking at things and I had to go "I cannot buy that, I literally don't have the money right now". That really chilled me to the bone. The idea, for example, that buying a cheap loaf of bread, or some orange juice, or a little container of milk and having to go "will this, in a worst case scenario, leave me with no money to go to the nearest BOS to get money out? Because that is the only way".

Today I also slightly failed because I forgot to put my sugar in my bag for the porridge i have, ended up buying breakfast at the work bistro at 85 pence... I didn't think about it until I was in Asda and i went "if i hadn't bought that, I could have bought maybe some more expensive kidney beans, or some mince... things that would last for a few days rather than a few moments!!" and I suddenly imagine how much I have been, well, spoiled!

I have never had to really think like that. Don't get me wrong - my debt busting has meant "I will not buy that! I will not buy this! Do i need it? Will I use it? Is this just so that for the next 5 minutes I will feel better?" has been my sentiment when shopping but never did I have to think "I physically cannot get the cash to buy this, what is there that is cheaper?" Even items at 19 pence have been a case of no-go because they are a luxury.

I then suddenly looked at the change in my pocket and went "this has to last me probably at least a week - with 4 quid saved so I can actually GET more money".

I spent 57 pence on a jar of chilli sauce (smartprice) and I felt guilty and worried because just buying kidney beans would be 40pence and I was furious because the smartprice kidney beans were gone and I realise it threw my budget to hell!

so:
.57 + .85 = 1.42.
BAD RANDOM:
.85

Its a chilling thought that had I continue being an idiot with debt instead of waking up as I have - I could be in this situation. I tell you for the rest of the week I will be redoubling efforts and a very important lesson learned today. Some days (before this month of fail) I felt so smart about my debts and patted myself on the back. Now I look at today and I realise just how far I have to go.

beanielou

Sobering lesson to learn though.
Huggles.

Itsarandom

Very sobering. Something that is going to stay with me for life methinks and I'll be honest, I am glad.

I feel like I have finally taken a very large step in debt busting - or at least my knowledge of it.

linz

How long til you are debt free do you reckon? I don't think there's anything wrong with being like that in life. When you are debt free and are starting to save think how much quicker you'll save up coz you aren't buying heinz beans, glossy mags, designer clothes etc. Always ask yourself if you really need something before buying, stops the impulse buys.