Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

Winchelsea

Well, I did open the purse today - twice!

I have a cleaner once a week - not just because I'm a lazy moo, but because I do have health issues that make it hard to manage - and it was time to restock the cleaning cupboard for her. So went to Sa*nsb*rys for the necessary - also bought some coffee and salad stuff while I was there, as DD2 and her son were on their way and would need eats and drinks.

Then after lunch we went for a nice walk, and ended up at the garden centre. Not too much damage there, managed to admire and walk away. But then we went to the cafe - and I said it was my treat (how could I not?!) So after a nice pot of Earl Grey tea and cake all round, I trapped the moths back in my purse where I hope they will remain safely incarcerated for the rest of the week!

lisakay_2

:(I've just realised that my girls are both at a school friends b'day party next week end so I will need to spend something afterall.m I have cards in, but will need to buy him something, but I'm quite good at making small presents look impressive:p.
I've just found out that we're off to spain this summer:j:beer::T, but it's going to mean tightening our belts...a lot. DH's auntie and uncle live there and have invited us over to stay so it will be quite cheap while we're there, but will be expensive to fly.
i work in a school (cook) so strictly speaking, I can only go outside of termtime, looking at the prices though we'll save more by me taking a few days unpaid and getting cheaper flights. It wont go down well with the town hall though;).

I wonder exactly how long I can go without shopping...:rotfl:

catznine

Just logged in after a busy weekend and am so pleased to see so many of you having a go at this challenge! Welcome aboard! It is a great feeling when you realise that you can, with a bit of effort, avoid the shops for a while and get some extra savings under your belt.

I am back in from tomorrow, menu planning right now, hm muesli is made and ready - it makes great porridge as well. Gym in the morning so have to pack my own snack and juice!

mogwai

Morning all! Hope you had a lovely weekend! I was supposed to start this on Friday, but ended having a relaxing weekend thinking about nothing, so am starting today.

Ive already done my menu planning, store cupboard check and realised I have enough in my tiny cupboards to last maybe 1.5 months!! I have meal planned for the next month (just have to buy things like meat, fresh salad, milk etc) and Im really looking forward to seeing my cupboards emptying out!

modern_millie_2

Morning all,
well new week ahead, tomorrow will be my 'day off' when I go shopping and give Mr MM a pound or two for putting up with cutting down! Thought I would have to make 2 trips, but have renewed library books online so don't have to go to smaller town to do that now. I can see how this could become a way of life, hope it does in fact, so we have money for what we really want.

Off to work again today, so will catch up with you all later. Hopefully the draincleaners will have been and gone while I am out!

catznine

Good morning Fiscal Fasters! :wave:

I didn't get to the gym today as I was feeling too yucky! Got up and had a shower using up one of those mini gift bottles of shower gels. I must not buy anymore toiletries until these are used up. Anyway better now and have started to do a stocktake! It is truly shocking the state my cupboards are in:eek: and do I really need 9 tins of rock hard processed peas? :rotfl: The only thing to do with them (that makes them edible) is to make pea and ham soup and I can only face that once a week, so 2 months of pea and ham soup sorted (if I only had some ham! lol) Also found some big tins of spaghetti hoops, if opened for a meal/snack I will have to see if I can freeze the rest! I am going to ban myself from shopping at app foods or Big brands for a long, long while!

Toast & honey for breakfast, oatcakes and cream cheese for healthy snack, (must make some more oatcakes if I can find a good recipe) Spaghetti hoops and eggs for lunch followed by fresh fruit and Chilli con carne, rice and salad for dinner tonight. I must freeze down some bread slices to make them last the week! I am also getting ready to make some more yogurt which, now I know to put the thermos into the airing cupboard, should be ready tomorrow morning.

Sewing wise I have some pink bunting to make for a friends little girls bedroom, using up the remnants from the last lot of bunting I made up for dd's friends wedding. I have some tape on order (the only outlay) so hopefully I can get started on that soon. Knitting wise I am making up some more fingerless mitts for our MS centre and the wool was donated! The pattern is very easy (thankfully as I am not a great knitter) and I can just switch off and watch a film while I knit.

Hope you all have a great and frugal day!

Catz x

mogwai

Catzine, I need to install a shelf or 2 in my boiler cupboard, if only so I can make some yoghurt! I love HM yoghurt, my mum has the most fantastic recipe..

I have nabbed some freebies after opening my mums cupboard, and doing an impromptu stock take! lol
'hmm, you don't need this do you mum!' :rotfl:

Got some soup packets which will do me for low fat lunches (bonus!) as DH doesnt like them. Also got some tinned salmon which Im going to use to use up my sushi supplies which have been unused for better part of a year!

And some tinned tomatoes to use to bulk up tonights pasta dinner :T

Also, I was going to make some biscuits to take to in-laws this weekend and realised that I would need to buy some ingredients when my beady eye fell on the mountain of unused plain flavour porridge packets. Quick google search later, and hey presto, porridge cookies! :T

I could get used to this (the thinking outside the box bit, not raiding my mums cupboards!)

catznine

Great raiding from Mum Mogwai! My Mum always used to keep a good storecupboard and yes there was always tinned salmon and also tinned ham in there! Ah I do miss her! She would have loved this challenge!:)

Wonderful idea with the cookies! I love the way this challenge has got us all thinking outside the box!

My yogurt is now in the airing cupboard so fingers crossed! It is well worth making as you can also use up the leftover last spoonfuls of jam in it.

I've nearly finished the first mitt and after a long sleep (felt icky) I am now getting on with finishing my library books. The library is also another good resouce while on the Fiscal Fast, so long as you don't let the books go overdue and incur a fine. Looking forward to visiting again for more books.

boultdj

catznine wrote: »

Toast & honey for breakfast, oatcakes and cream cheese for healthy snack, (must make some more oatcakes if I can find a good recipe)

Catz x

If you go on the Debt Free Diary page and find Memory Girl's therad, the click on her name it take's you to her blog and she's just done a recipe for oatcake's.hth.

Ninno820

Afternoon all. I have survived today - dinner tonight is whoopised lamb neck fried off with onions, peppers and chillis. Then add a pack of Uncle Ben's paella rice - yummy! Pudding is some fat free tea bread.