Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

craigywv

well done closemead,I running short of fruit again! I have loads of tins but son likes apples etc for packed lunch for school. also yogurts so I think I shall be having to get some stuff tomorrow night. nearly another week finished but not quite. still humungous amounts in freezers deffo doing another fast from Monday so I shall be here again. good luck all xxx

Tink_04

Hi, I've been reading this thread and I'd love to join! I have a dd 4 and a ds 7 months so going to have to shop for baby milk and normal milk once a week. I thought if I go out with the pram I can only really carry one of each and will save me on fuel too, as well as helping the waistline - i'm aiming to do Monday - Sunday as I'll get milk today, I've done a big shop but it's the popping out for milk/nappies/because I'm bored that's wasting the money for me so hopefully this will help.

craigywv

HI TINK, welcome ,I found I was bored blue and had to do something to combat it,i made jam one day,tackled the garden the next, it was sheer boredom that I went shopping as I have enough to feed us all for months in my freezers except fresh fruit and veg and milk. this week I am baking all week to free up some room in baking cupboards so freezers will be stuffed again no doubt this week its saus rolls as I bought about 20 large saus meat in ys for 5p each just after Christmas,so will prob use about 8 saus meat up. also, cupcakes, lemon cake, ginger etc to use up lemons fresh ginger. I already seeing a small improvement in cupboards not much but enough. so I heading to lidddls later for fresh stuff ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! she mutters to herself! then on the fast again tomorrow good luck all.xxx

Tink_04

Thanks craigywv, im hoping to clear some things in the house and have a good clean to keep my busy.

craigywv

hi,i went to lidddddddddddls and spent 14.00 on fruit and veg and milk and yogurts and that's it! ever so happy with that so fiscally fastilly starts again tomorrow, if I can spend just 14.00 every 2 weeks for a while and use up my freezers, some stuff in there for years I will be delighted. I plan on saving my grocery money and once freezers are empty I shall fill up with stuff I use regularly and sll ys again, good luck all

closemead

Hi Tink_04 :wave:
I am definitely a boredom shopper that is why I joined last week.
I am very pleased to say I have completed my 7 days it feels great to have that control.
This week I shall try again, I only need a bit of fruit, veg and milk from Lidl and should manage just fine.
My reason for doing the fast is to try and clear some of my overdraft which I stay within but I can never get out of it.

[Deleted User]

Well last day of the month and I have £1.99 in the food purse and absolutely nothing to buy at all this week.I have been using up stuff in the freezer and managed to cobble several unexpected meals together out of odds and ends:):) My food cupboard stocktake showed me that I have more than enough stuff to get me through at least several weeks so fingers crossed next month will come in under budget as well.So my £1.99 has gone into the holiday tin and Tuesday I will draw £60.00 in cash out to last me through April.
My eldest DD arrived this morning bearing not only Mother's day gifts :) but some carrots from a big bag that she had bought by mistake.There is at least a kilo so they will be turned into carrot and coriander soup tomorrow. Which will do for several days lunches.I also found at the back of one of the cupboards a large bag of lentils that I had bought in January for £2.00 in Tesco's.it is a 2 kilo bag so I will be using quite a few of them over the next month in various ways. My tinned stock is fairly good and I have decided that I will try a few of Jack Monroe's recipes as I have her cookery book.A lot of her recipes involve quite a few ingredients that I have in my cupboards so I shall be very inventive this month and try a few out.
I have made her cumin and bean burgers and they were lovely (although I had them with boiled rice as I don't eat bread or burger buns .but very tasty and a jolly good substitute for meat.
I also have in my freezer quite a bit of fish that i want to use up if I can.The more I can use up indoors the less I will spend outdoors :):)
Serious saving are my aim for the next few months as its only 19 weeks until our holidays so I want to get some spare cash for that and come September I, along with my DD will be helping to support my granddaughter while she is doing her teacher training.her bursey is only about £3k a year so DD and I are going to top it up for her.she is a lovely lass and even her boyfriend Toby is chipping in to help her out for the year. She finishes Uni this summer, and start her training in September. She will make a great teacher I think and its something she has always wanted to do.So a bit of belt tightening won't hurt for 12 months :)Onwards and upwards chums
If anyone has any decent lentil recipes I would be interested in seeing them
JackieO xxx

Tink_04

Well today is day 1 for me, lunch and tea prepped and going to busy myself in the house today! Got plenty to sort out and I've been putting it off for too long. Think I'm going to try and get a job done every day so I'm at least getting things done while I'm not shopping, today i'm going to finish sorting out the kids toys as we did there rooms a free weeks ago but still have a few things to clear out! Have a good day all xx

craigywv

The only lentil I know is. Ham and lentil soup which an expert like yourself jackio could prob make in your sleep, or just bulking mince etc out with lentils or collage making lol. Made quiche and a peach sponge this morning, so that's dinner sorted as oh on nightshift and he getting up soon and wants to empty kitchen to get a start on painting it yayyyyyyyy, I have been up cycling the table and chairs to a shabby cream and also did matching unit and found a great bargain on gum tree another smaller cabinet which now stores all my spices and dry goods etc,so I glad I no food to make later.away to remove curtains and get them washed have a frugal day allxxx

Tink_04

Day 2 and no spends - dinner is all prepped for tonight and made lunch from home too. It's weird I keep checking my account and it's the same! Not only the same but it's given the balance a chance to catch up with the actual balance on my online banking!

A thought I still never got round to doing those jobs.....