Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

EricaDawnCali

Fiscal Fast Day 8(?) Loosing track of how long I have done this. Anyway, I had a very low spend day today. I needed an onion. I searched my spice cubboard, fridge, and freezer and found no onions. So I hopped on my trike and went to the store for an onion. It cost me just over 1 U.S. Dollar. I don't consider this breaking my Fiscal Fast as it was such a small spend and I had enough pocket money to pay for it!
I only have another week to go. I CAN DO IT!!! I think I have saved quite a bit of money, so I am very happy with that. I am actually really enjoying this fiscal fast. I try and make it fun by pretending I am a hermit. It is just THE LORD, Me and my cat.
I also pray my liturgy of the hours (Prayer of the whole Catholic Church) and my Rosary. I find it makes me peaceful, and greatful for everything I have. The Fiscal Fast continues, untill the 25 of this month.
I am also getting rid of things I haven't used in a year or more. I do need to get rid of some stuff that just lays around collecting dust.
'I think I can, I think I can!' You can do it friends!!!!! Love, Erica Dawn

Secretstasher

Hi all, thanks foryour support. I have just realised that I have gone 7 days ( 7days....). Had to say it twice . Without spending, not even on fuel out of my separate fuel budget. I really can't believe it.
Even the letter from Mr t offering me a £70 coupon if I spend £130.00 every week for the next 4 is not going to tempt me.... Lol . Only me and oh so no way am I going to be spending anywhere near that, however it made me laugh given my fiscal fast. I am so determined to try and do the next 7 days too, although I may have some low spends later in the week as I am running out of milk, and as much as I like fruit tea I just cannot do without my PG ! On the plus a pint lasts me 5 days, I could just fill up on the free tea at work and have fruit tea at home.
I have had a big clear out this afternoon of all my clothes that are way too big for me, thought about keeping them just in case, but as there Re winter clothes amongst them, I donated them to the clothes bank , which is run by the Salvation Army. At work tomorrow bright an breezy , thanks again for all your support, have a great weekend everyone.

mam_of_five

well yesterday was a spend day but, i only went to the local shops and got a few bits that i needed, so that will enable me to stay away from the bigshop that i would have done today, usually i can spend £150-£200, but instead yesterday i only spent £20 so getting there, well done to everyone else u all keep me going thanks x

saving4life

Secretstasher, I got an offer like that too, spend £110 a week for next 8 weeks to get £60 back. I suppose its like the Morrisons one but requires a lot more to be spent!

[Deleted User]

Best place for these 'offers' is the bin.I don't even spend £130.00 in a MONTH let alone a week.Its not saving if you have to lay out £1300.00 to get a £70.00 'free' shop that's just under a half a percent return on you cash even with our low interest rates ATM £1300.00 could earn you a bit more than that !!!

Tescos aren't doing you, or your purse any favours They have discovered that you can only fool some of the people some of the time, and folk are voting with their feet, and finding cheaper places to shop.

I have a huge local Tescos to me where I live and most of the time during the day its half empty .No where near the queues of people that there used to be.We are all tightening our belts, and being a lot more careful with our spending and are picking the best value for money now instead of walking out of the SM with overflowing trolleys as was once the case.
I have the time admitedley to shop selectively,so I choose what I need in advance and then search the net to find the best price for it.Aldi's have great offers on fruit and veg, Morrisons I get the best price for my monthly top-up for diesel.I buy my eggs at M&S (only for scrambled or boiled )cooking eggs I buy in Icelands for cakes etc.
I sometimes go to Sainsbobs late saturday afternoon if I fancy some salmon as they reduce it there.My local farm shop does an amazing array of herbs and spices minus the fancy jars ,just in cellophane packs for around 50p.Rarely do I bother with Tesco's as my local Metro one has gone far too 'upmarket' and installed chiller cabinets for almost everything and as a result upped the prices
Far too expensive I think.Today I will have a good look around for the price of tomatos and cucumber and maybe tomorrow I will sally forth to get a few bits but today my purse stays firmly shut:rotfl:

modern_millie_2

Hi everyone, finally caught up! Lovely to see the thread busy again, and people feeling motivated!

Having an unexpected bill (computer repair) when we came back from our break was a reminder of why I'm watching the pennies. Had a spendy day yesterday as it was the OH's birthday, but on things he needed - winter jacket and two pairs of jeans - bought from the factory shop so the bill was only £50. He wears his clothes until they fall to bits, so I'm quite happy with the investment!

Impressed by how well everyone is doing - looks like for most of us avoiding a 'big shop' and shopping around, if you have the time, is paying off. I tend to split trips between Aldi and Lidl nowadays, called in at Morrisons yesterday for a few bits and was shocked at some of the prices. I have £15 of my £100 food budget for October to last till the end of the month, wiil be tight but I'm going to do it!

Erica, well done on going out and coming back with one onion - I like it!

Very few hours left for me at work now, so I've started to make chutney and marmalade, hopefully to sell alongside my candles at a local fair - might even try out some other fairs if I can find some with a low table fee.

Definitely need to be back on the wagon now though, so only spends today are weekly paper and eggs from our chicken keeping friend.

Have a good day everyone, keep those purses closed!

thifty

Hi everyone,
I have had a minor slip again, went shopping for my dad and picked up instant porridge sachets for a pound and some soap powder as I have been using a new aldi one and my son has come out in spots which doc says is contact dermitiitus so I bought some non bio.
I know I can make porridge in my pan but the sachets are quicker when I'm at work.:o

I tried to make up for it today buy taking my travel mug of coffee to dancing while I waited for DD, didn't allow her to have choc out of the machines at swimming and went to the library. Normally I would have been tempted to take her in the cafe but we came home for lunch.

Next week is going to be difficult as it's half term. We have annual passes for a theme park place so we will be going there for sure:rotfl:
I'm about to make my shopping list and meal plan now , it shouldn't be a big one. I am doing a cake stall at a community market next weekend so will need to get some ingredients too.

EricaDawnCali

Thank You Modern Millie! I only put enough money in my purse for the onion and nothing else. Yes I had my ATM/Bank Card but, I was on a mission. (Cue Music from Mission Impossible...) I needed one ingredient for my dinner and that was it.
Of course I hurried back to the checkout detemined not to get distracted and look around, that only equals more money spent than was needed.
The fiscal fast is just making me greatful for everything I have. I think of all of the poor all over the world. Some live in houses/shacks made out of rusted metal, tin and whatever else they can find.
I find myself to be spoiled as I have RUNNING WATER (kitchen, bathroom) and ELECTRICITY in my little appartment. I have a heater to help keep me warm, and good clothes and shoes too. Just feeling humble and greatful for everything!!!
Only one more week of the Fiscal Fast for me, then I am done. I just think choosing to do the Fiscal Fast two weeks straight is a little hard because I run out of things faster. I am thinking maybe every other week, two weeks out of each month. Take Care friends, WE CAN DO IT!!!

[Deleted User]

Well done EDC though onions are expensive in the US at $1 for one. I would be tempted to try and either grow some even in a pot if you haven't a garden :)
Still you did well to walk in and out with just one thing .I have on my shopping list at the moment needed
1lb plain flour
3lbs S.R. flour
a packet of ginger nut biscuits
tomato's
potato's
I will search around to find the best buys for those either tomorrow or Monday.Stayed at home today as it rained all day so just pottered around at home and did some knitting this afternoon, far too wet to venture out and nothing on my shopping list was urgent .Made a sponge cake with the last of the flour and a big pan of carrot and coriander soup with the last of the carrots in the veg basket.I still have 1 large swede,three leeks,four parsnips ,a cauliflower, and a head of brocolli so apart for some tomatos and potatos I am ok for fresh veg.I have a punnet of plum,and a large bag of apples and some bananas in the conservatory to keep me going.I am going to peel and stew some apples tomorrow .Some of these will be used with a dash of cinnamon in some natural yoghurt for a pudding and also on some cereal when I run short of bananas.A bowl of stewed apples are quite versatile.They were given to me last week from my DDs in-laws as their trees were cropping very well this year.So quite a bit of stuff to use up next week.
JackieO xxx

EricaDawnCali

JackieO I live in a small appartment and there isn't any room for planting veggies. And with a cat, I am SURE she would knock the plants off of the window or table or eat the plant. My Mom's cats eat her house plants. Maybe I can talk my Dad into growing onions next year in his garden? I just have to see if Onions will grow where we live.
I only have one more week of the FF to go, it ends on the 25th. $1 isn't an awful lot, I've seen them priced for $2 or even $3 just for one onion. So I consider paying one dollar for an onion cheap, especially since it was a big one and I am still using it up!!!