Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

freyasmum

In the past week, I've spent 80p in hot chocolate.

I have 2 work days left this week and I have one tub of soup left in the freezer. Senior department manager is paying for a lunch for the managers after a recent inspection that we passed with flying colours, so that's the other day taken care of.

Going away for the weekend for my friend's hen do, and dinner, breakfast and lunch are all paid for already so shouldn't need anything then.

I have enough for lunches for my daughter for the rest of the week too.

I'll put a tenner of petrol in the car to last. And that should be me till Sunday. That means that in 13 days I'll have spent £10.80 - not including direct debits, of course.

I'm not doing this fiscal fast because I need to, I'm not short of a few pounds... I'd just gotten very wasteful over the past few months, and I hated it. Working very, very long hours made it easier to justify spending £10-15 in supermarkets most days. I'm well chuffed that this is focusing my mind! :T

[Deleted User]

day 11 today and still hanging on to my purse.I have developed a streaming cold this morning so I'm definitely not going anywhere near a shop.I have the school run to do then back home again I may even give the coffee morning a miss this morning as I'm sure my pals won't thank me for passing it on.Its pub quiz night tonight ,and I'll see how I feel by then.Food stocks are still aplenty at the moment and I have my menu's sorted until Friday when I hope to do a 'big' shop (well bigger than usual) then.This will take me through until the beginning of february so I will hopefully have done only three shopping trips this month :):)I still have two thirds of my food budget cash in my purse:):) So I'm really pleased at how well this month has gone.Right I'm off to make a hot drink
Cheers chums
JackieO xxx
P.S. the mincemeat traybake was lovely and used up the mincemeat a treat

Kiwisaver_2

JackieO wrote: »

P.S. the mincemeat traybake was lovely and used up the mincemeat a treat

You reminded me I have a jar of mincemeat to use up, so thanks I went rooting around the internet for something to make with it. I have chosen a Chelsea bun recipe that I will attempt this weekend, as I have two bags of bread flour also needing to be used.


I solved most of this week's lunch dilemma from finding a packet of outdated Ryvitas in the larder which I have been having with some Chilli Philly I bought for Xmas and never got around to using. The stupid thing is that I quite enjoy these things when forced to use them and then I go out and replace with same.


Dinner tonight was stir fried noodle dish, using up a small bit of steak that has been lost and lonely in the freezer for a good while.


Freezer has some pockets of emptiness and there are definitely some gaps appearing on the shelves of the larder.

gill5blue

Hi, after my weekly shopping last Friday I am on nsd 4 and don't see that I will to spend today. I am going to bake cakes today!
This thread is brilliant, I have cut down my weekly shopping bill and think/plan more about what I spend and eat.
Cheers

Need2bthrifty

Day 5 and I’m also hanging on tightly to the purse strings – in fact I’m confined to barracks as I managed to remove the skin from one of my heels whilst out for a walk (breaking in hiking boots) and until it heals a bit I don’t really want to go out in this weather in flip-flops :rotfl: :rotfl:

Anyway using up the freezer stores – thought I would make fishcakes using the last of the smoked salmon I froze from Christmas – never tried fishcakes with smoked salmon before just hoping the oil in the fish doesn’t make them too soft/sloppy - will just be careful and dry fry them.

[Deleted User]

Well done chums aren't we all doing grand in the great January use-it-up month :)
Today is Day 13 and I seem to have got so much more done indoors because I'm not losing an hour or so shopping, so its win-win.

I have enough for today,(and probably another month in the freezer) but tomorrow will go for the last shop of the month as I am running low on fresh fruit and veg. Milk stocks are still fine though, and I have two x half litres of long life in the fridge if I run short.

I made some custard yesterday from tinned evap. milk and used some over one of my shortbread mincemeat tray bakes for a pudding and it was really nice.I have three quarters of a litre in the fridge to use with some strawberry jelly I found in the cupboard as well.So no puddings needed this week at least.
Going through my stores I found I have around a dozen tins of chopped tomato's so some of the mince in the freezer is going to be used to make lasagnes and chilli's.I am determined to get some of my cupboards back into a reasonable state again instead of crammed full of tins and odds and ends.I can see me carrying this fiscal fasting on for awhile yet :) but its good for the finances at least and my holiday fund will be increased as a result :):)29 weeks tomorrow we are off on the annual family jaunt to the Isle of Wight :):)
Onwards and upwards chums

threepenny_bit

Had to spend today as we needed shower gel - had used all the samples and hotel freebies. They were on sale so not too bad but it means I have to start my 7 days again starting tomorrow
Took mince out of freezer for chilli at teatime and the last box of milk.

Kiwisaver_2

This week has gone so fast I don't know where the time has gone - need to top up on a few bits tomorrow. I'll try to stick to just a few essentials for the weekend, bread, milk and potatoes spring to my mind but need to have a proper think and make a plan.

freyasmum

I was working late tonight and could've easily bought a McDonald's or other takeaway.

I waited till I got home and had some soup; feel so much more satisfied with myself!

Still haven't been in the shops since last Monday, so almost 2 weeks. My shifts have changed slightly this week and I now no longer have a day off, will be 7 on the trot, so will do my weeks' shopping on the Sunday instead. It won't be a whole shop though, just to infill here and there where needed.

Love reading this thread. Writing down what I need really helps me concentrate

Frugalsod

Today was not good. My assistance in buying and setting up a TV was required so that went well but did not cost me anything but we all stopped in to the big supermarket beginning with A and I spent £91, though £50 was cash back for next month so hopefully will be able to avoid impacting my accounts next month. Also got things that I did actually need part from a few croissants and doughnuts. So will eat those over the next few days. So should be able to buy any milk and cream or anything else required without touching the accounts at all next month