Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

lally666young

Hiya girls, I am down with a bug so everything feels like a mountain today. I hate feel pukey lukey and I have isolated myself and mum is here. She is glad I am doing this and feels that it would be good for me. Hubby has been offered a job offshore and the money is well out of this world, but I dont want to move to Aberdeen. So we are in talks and I need him home to help me.
We have made tea from stuff left over in the fridge, organic mince, carrots, onion, mushrooms and tomato puree.
Mind she also bought goodies and outfit for my son all on sale BOGOF in New look mens and he is over the moon as he is off 2. A total outfit for £21!!! And some magazines for the family, CS stuff for me. So I suppose gifts are allowed as I havent spent the money, or so I kid myself lol!!! Hope everyone is doing fine.

atypicalblonde

Hi everyone :wave:

I am still here, just haven't had the time to post as much as I would like to. I didn't manage a no-spend weekend last weekend as I ended up spending £7.85 in Asda. However, I haven't spent a penny since Monday and won't be spending anything tomorrow either. I need to do a big shop on Saturday (which will be done at Aldi), and my spending diary has come back into use

Whilst I haven't by any means stuck to the Fiscal Fast for 7 days straight as I should, it has really helped me to re-focus and think about where my money is going, particularly on food. I see no reason why I couldn't do the full Fiscal Fast starting this Sunday and ending next Sunday and am going to give it a ruddy good go.

I hope you still don't mind me posting even though technically I am cheating a bit ;) x

catznine

Oh dear late on here today! First day of starting to feel better though and getting my appetite back. (((hugs))) to lally and anyone else with bugs, they really do slow us down! I guess the up side of this is that I haven't been tempted to spend on food though!:)

(((hugs)) to 7 week wonder as well - life can seem cruelly short sometimes, give yourselves time to grieve and don't worry too much about this challenge unless it helps to focus on something iyswim

Atypicalblonde - of course you can post! I have cheated/spent pennies on this challenge now for 2 days, not deliberately but through being ill and dh needing a dinner so he bought fish and chips. (Must teach him to cook) and forgetting about the veg box delivery, oh well at least I have some nice fresh veg and fruit in. Life butts in sometimes and so we just pick ourselves up and carry on because then we have some good successful days and that makes it all worthwhile!

I have divided up my spends into days so £200 grocery food challenge for me in March (31 days) amounts to £6.45 a day. So on successful days that is what I will transfer into savings! So far this week I have saved £6.45 :rotfl:but I have high hopes for today! Toast and honey this morning, prawn mayo whole wheat sandwich for lunch, lots of apple juice and last nights leftover pasta bake for tonight. I have had 2 dogs to walk today so no energy left to go shopping

I am loving all the recipes and will try them out soon. Has anyone else noticed that their grocery challenge is going better than normal? Halfway through the month and we haven't spent a quarter of the allowance yet! :j

Even if you don't manage a full week, the odd day or two's fiscal fasting will surely make a big difference!

Hope you are all managing to enjoy this lovely sunny weather!

Winchelsea

Fell off the wagon big-time yesterday! My DGD1 is getting married in about 10 weeks, and her mother (my DD1) asked me the other day if I'd got my outfit sorted. No, had not given it a thought!

Yesterday I was in town, so thought I ought to at least have a look round. Walked into D*b*nh*ms, went upstairs, and saw, 20 feet away, exactly the right dress! Tried it on - perfect fit, also a jacket which went with it, tried that on too, also a perfect fit. Both were reduced in a special promotion, so I didn't hang about making a decision! But I spent way too much, even though I did get a bargain in one sense.

Oh well, I don't have to worry about it now. Was just looking for ideas, and planned to go to dress agencies, the "posh" Oxfam shop, etc, once I knew what I was looking for. But don't have that stress now, job done!

Then today, DD4 wanted me to drive her over to Frome to L*dl, so I said we'd go, but I wasn't spending anything. Came back with three bags of shopping - more for the store cupboard! But we were very good - normally go for lunch or at least a coffee while we're over there, but didn't, and we did potter round some fabric and wool shops, but went home without opening our purses again.

Will try again for no spends from now on - for as long as I can manage. Good luck everyone else!

taplady

hello all! am back from my few days in Devon with Mum - had a great time but back to reality now - although I actually came back with some money:j:T:D

I'm going to try and join in as best I can - my plan is to get the grocery money out in cash and keep it in a separate purse then at the end of the week whatevers left will go into our holiday spending money pot. We're only going away for a couple of days to celebrate DH's 50th in June. I've booked 2 nights in a Premier in for £29 a night in Torquay - so I thought I'd try and pay for it all by being thrifty with my spends before then.

I've got a list of whats in the freezers so am going shopping tonight with a list and sticking to it. We are lucky enough to get 10% off at Mr Ms as our son works there.

Hope those feeling poorly are soon better x

Ninno820

Hi all - day 4 for me and another NSD. Off for a do paid for by work today and will take my own bottle of water rather than paying for a soft drink. I expect tomorrow will be a NSD as well - but I suspect that the lure of cellophane at Lidl my call me on saturday!

modern_millie_2

Evening everyone!

Taplady, that is more or less what I am doing, is very motivating to see money going in the holiday pot!

I have an idea for next week - I still have stocks of dried and tinned goods, cat food and toilet roll - and I have a £10 M&S voucher. I might just see if it is possible to buy basics with this, and have a cash free week for groceries.

Atypicalblonde, think as you say the FF has made me re- focus - extra spends creep in without you noticing sometimes.

Have a good evening all!

taplady

Millie - good luck with using your voucher for your shopping! be great to have a no spend week!:)

we did our shopping and managed to come in at nearly £23 under budget so I will be doing everything I can to not spend any more so that it can go into the pot. I may need some bread but that should be it.

DS works in a supermarket and we take him to and from work as he doesn't drive and its very hard not to go into the shop to search out 'bargains' I must be strong and resist as we end up blowing the budget with all the special offers we never knew we needed:cool:

take care all x

stupidmammy

Had a NSD day today that's 3 in a row now,chuffed. How I made homemade crisps. Wash vegetables,peel thinly (I use a potato peeler). Lay peelings out on a baking tray, spray with fry light or similar sprinkle with salt and bake in oven until nice and crisp watch they dont burn. hope yours turn out ok. Had a nice treat today. I had some chocolates left over from Christmas so I froze them. just tucking in to a box of matchmakers and a small dairy box. Naughty Naughty but I did share them. Keep up the good work everyone you are all doing so well.

taplady

morning everyone -
just wanted to share something we found out. DH likes to have long life milk in his drinks(not keen on it myself)
We found that the vaue skimmed longlife is as good as the semi skimmed longlife that is twice the price:money: so we'll be buying that from now on - its nothing like the watery skimmed milk you can buy.

I'm following a tip off jackieO today - making some jellies in yoghurt pots as inexpensive puddings. I've got some tinned fruit and some pears that are past their best that I can eat with them if needed.

Stupidmammy - well done on making the crisps:T and yum to the Christmas choccies:) its nice to have a treat when you are working so hard at being frugal.