Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

EricaDawnCali

Hello all. I am ready for a new year to start, and I am going to start it off with a Fiscal Fast starting tomorrow will go untill January 5. I will have rent and bills to pay but, those are necessary spends. I bought myself a VERY SOFT and WARM PLUSH BLANKET (bought with Christmas money so not a real spend) for under $9 US Dollars. I have only had it since yesterday but have found I don't have to use my heater (electric) so much. So it IS WORTH THE MONEY!!!.
So my New Year's Resolution is to Fiscal fast every other week in each month. Also to use up all the food in my cuboards and freezer. I also need to get into the habit of writting down what I spend my money on.
I also want to try and use up ALL of my Yarn stash. Take Care Fiscal Fasters!! Here's to another Frugal year. "Frugal in '14" I think that will be my motto this year.

Frugalsod

I regularly have 6 NSD but will inevitably have to replace the milk, which means a shopping trip. Next year I am trying something different. I will get some money back via cash back on my next shop and then use that for all my spend for the rest of the month. As I am on my own I think that I could cope with £40 a month.

phyllisellen

EricaDawnCali I love your saying from the Great Depression, I will use it as January's mantra and put it on my kitchen boiler.
My eldest daughter needs to hear that everyday as she slowly realises that the bottomless bank of Mum has actually dried up!


My intention is withdraw £273.00 from the cash machine on the 1st and budget from that for the month! Real money in front of my daughters may encourage them or at least make them realise that this is for real! I have the £0.06 in a jar !


I also have £50.00 Mt T vouchers for extreme emergencies which may happen as the month wears on ! About £30.00 of Sainsbobs points and a huge jar of what we call 'shrapnel' loose change that suddenly I feel the urge to count!


Here is to Day 2 !

parsniphead

Hello all

The fiscal fast was broken today as I needed a few bits. I'm not going to spend anything else until Friday when I have my big fortnightly shop so will have a mini FF. Will start again on Friday afternoon.

Take care all. Have to go. DH is pestering.

phyllisellen

Stuck to plan !
A family swim cost £10.20 and I used Xmas money, so not counted for me. It provided energetic boys with great exercise as weather here dreadful even for ducks!
No spend on food and tomorrow looking ok as lots of drink etc left over from Xmas to moisten New Year.
Tomorrow I withdraw the months spendable cash and the challenge begins!
I counted the 'shrapnel' and it amounted to £29.00 and I found my first free coin of the New Year, well almost New Year, on the pavement, 5p! Its tucked up in the 'road kill' jar!:rotfl:

peony40

Hello, I'd like to join you in 2014 please.

Erica, love your phrase frugal in 14. I will write it out and put it in my purse (think you call it a wallet?)

Your new blanket sounds lovely and excellent if you don't need the heating on as much.

I succumbed and bought myself a fleece onesie to wear indoors and it is excellent. I too, don't need the heating on as much and it also helps with my fibro by reducing the neck draughts.

I have started working on my budget for 2014 and. It isn't pretty. Have done first internet grocery shop to be delivered on 6th jan and used gift vouchers that were given to us for xmas. Will put the amount into our savings.

Need to go as hubby is back home.

Look forward to getting to know you all in 2014.

fairy3

Hi all,having fallen off the grocery challenge wagon for December due to lots of things including being unable to resist lots of yellow stickers I hope to join the FF starting NYD 1st - 7th as I am working tomorrow and off Wednesday so plan to organise the cupboards and plan the menu.

Will be reading with interest

boultdj

Morning Ladies, I'm going shopping today for basics using vouchers and then it's the start of a week ff for me, help's that I'm at work tomorrow, and hopefully I should start to see gap's in the frezzer at the end of the week.

[Deleted User]

Good Morning everyone and tomorrow is the start of a New Year for us all and its climb back on the frugalling wagon for many I think.:):)
I am at my DDs until tomorrow and then it will be home and a general sort out of the food mountain thats in my cupboards and fridge freezer.I am determined that this year will be the year I use as much up as possible before buying anymore .I have 6 cupboards stacked up with foodstuff,dried pulses and God knows how many tins of different things.My DD says I have cornered the market in tinned sardines :)and tomato's.
NO more shopping until the stores are run down a bit.Yesterday in Sainsbobs I was with DD and spotted jars of sweet mincemeat at 30p and bought 2 of them.When we got home I remembered that I still have a jar in the cupboard at home from last year so there will be a few mincemeat tarts on the menu in the New Year I think :)This hoarding of food has got to stop as its hard cash sitting in the cupboards.So good luck everyone with the new f/fasting Day one for me starts tomorrow when I get back to my home(although I won't be going near a shop today that's for sure :))
Happy New Year to one and all
JackieO xxx

peony40

Morning all,

Jackie, i am with you on 2014 being the year to use up what we already have in stock. My weakness is also tinned tomatoes together with tinned kidney beans!

My frugal fast will start today and will last for as long as possible. I am having a grocery shop delivery on monday 6th which i am using gift vouchers for which is a great help at this time of year.

2014 is looking to be an expensive year as our car needs work doing on it, my oven and freezer are limping along and during the recent bad weather have discovered that our two front windows need replacing. Also, I am concerned about what we shall live on in our retirement years, especially as I will have a limited pension as i was unable to hold down a full time job for many years due to fibro. I guess it's because 2014 is my 50th birthday which is why I feel the need to try and save more. Hard to save in these times though isn't it?

Managed to put some money into savings yesterday but they will be called upon in January for house insurance etc., but from January's housekeeping I will be able to make a start on savings for 2014. Not sure yet how I can manage to save for long term savings but I will think hard about this today.

Sorry for the ramble!

Peony x