Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

peony40

Good Morning all,

I had a large grocery shop delivered yesterday, so I am starting my fiscal fast today.

I am trying to build up a small emergency fund, so am determined to go as long as possible before opening up my purse.

My incidental spending on books was much improved during June, so I am going to continue watching this closely in July. Have my niece's birthday at the end of July but her gift is already accounted for in my budget.

My big project for July is to menu plan and to use up food that is in the freezer and pantry. I have beef burgers in there that were fresh, then I froze. They say to use in 6 weeks, they are past this date and I am not sure if I should use them? Years ago I never looked at the dates and I am still here! Also, got sausages that i have no idea how long they have been in the freezer!

Good Luck all.

nannygladys

Hello everyone

Another nsd for me, I've been at work today and I'm really tired I didn't get a lot of sleep last night as I have developed a really sore throat and this morning I lost my voice, but I dragged myself off to work and dosed myself up. Anyway felt better as the day progressed and at least I can talk again even if my throat is still sore.

So I'm off to bed soon as I'm off to work again tomorrow.

Nannyg

[Deleted User]

peony40 wrote: »

Good Morning all,

.

I am trying to build up a small emergency fund, so am determined to go as long as possible before opening up my purse.
My big project for July is to menu plan and to use up food that is in the freezer and pantry. I have beef burgers in there that were fresh, then I froze. They say to use in 6 weeks, they are past this date and I am not sure if I should use them?
Good Luck all.

peony40 well done you've had your light bulb moment and now its sleeves up and getting down to serious business of hanging onto your cash .

Re the B'burgers I always think of stuff frozen as in 'suspended animation' and so ignore any dates .
I have stuff in my freezer that has been there since January and I know it will get eaten without much of a problem.Its definitely a 'nose' test the worst that can happen in a freezer is freezer burn where its not been wrapped properly or the wrapping has become dislodged at some point.We had some bangers from my freezer at my Dds BBQ a few weeks ago that were probably several months old but were fine when defrosted. Stuff with a high liquid content such as strawberries tend to turn to mush when defrosted but whipped up in plain basic vanilla value icecream taste delish.

jlhmd66 Home made soup is cheap as chips to make, and so easy, and also helps to streeetch out a mea,l as soup as a starter helps to fill up the corners a bit. When my late Mum was alive and I was a little girl we either had a soup starter, or a pudding (usually rice or semolina) as, because of rationing, it was a case of learning how to streeetch food to its limits. I have always tried to do the same so dinner is usually two courses in my house.
Plus a big vat of soup in the fridge keeps very well during the week.I make all my past-their -best veg into soup rather than binning it.A quick swizz in the liquidiser attachment on my food mixer (but a hand mixer does the job as well) and I have enough soup for a week:)
Today is the last day of June and I have managed to stash my left over cash from my food purse for the holidays in August.Tomorrow is a new month and a new £60.00 food budget which I drew out on Friday is sitting in my little brown purse waiting.:):)

I am hoping to spend as least as possible this month and work through some of the food mountain in my cupboards and f/freezer.
Nothing on my shopping list at the moment that is needed so NSD ahead for me fimgers crossed
Onwards and upwards chums we are all doing grand .I wonder how Erica in California is getting on she's not been on for awhile
Cheers chums JackieO xxx

jlhmd666

We managed a NSD yesterday. I will be spending today as we need to buy paint for the bedroom and a heat gun to remove old paint off the woodwork. I have put fares and Friday night treat money aside so won't count that now. I also need to look at setting a shopping budget and will be shopping on a Tuesday from now on, which will hopefully mean less spend days each week.

peony40

Thanks Jackie, I will get the burgers out in a moment to defrost ready for tomorrow.

Hubby needs me, so will be back shortly.

Liz

GreyQueen

Evening all.

I had a notion a few days ago that I would spend as little as possible in July. It won't be zero as I'm not giving up my Tuesday archery class (£10) but other than that, I intend to spend almost nothing.

I shall read from the bookshelves, eat from the food already owned and stuff on the allotment, amuse myself in nature and just generally sit on my wallet.

Will keep notes of my progress, best wishes to all fellow travellers, GQ xx

nannygladys

Hello everyone

Another nsd for me, but as I haven't been very well (lost my voice and sore throat) I haven't felt like going out. I did see the Nurse practitioner though and she suggested toast and bran flakes!!!! To take the bugs off my tonsils apparently!!! So as I had both in I didn't have to buy anything.

Nannyg

Ninno820

Afternoon (just). Well I managed 6/7 NSD last week and then spent yesterday in the hospital waiting to have an operation (local) but needed to buy a drink. So today is officially the start of my NSD journey which should take me from 1st July to 22nd July (payday). By my reckoning I think that I should aim for at least 14 days NSD - today being number 1.


In terms of using up ingredients - be it freezer / storecupboard - I find that taking a picture of what I want to use up motivates me. This food has become "forgotten" and so taking a picture reminds me to use it up and provides some form of challenge. Today I have defrosted a chicken kiev that was languishing in the freezer, rescued a chicken leg to defrost for lunch tomorrow, made a sugar free jelly from a half sachet and defrosted the last of some REALLY frozen raspberries to serve in the jelly. The lettuce for tomorrow's chicken wrap is going brown on the outside but has a nice heart - I really like the idea of getting something for nothing!

boultdj

I realy need to get back on this, I'v had to have a new computor due to the old one literely going bang on me, so it's tighten the purse string's time, still at least I'v got a well stocked food cupboard to get trough........I can see some intresting meal's in my futre.

GreyQueen

Well, been to work and came home again and managed not to fall into any charity shops on the way. Will be going to archery class tonight which is £10 and the only regular spendy activitity which I do. Obvs, if I was completely penniless, that would have to be on hold, but I'm not there yet.

Am eating from the freezer and the storecupboard tonight and have hoiked two items out of the freezer to defrost; pack of bacon and a home-made chili con carne, which I'll have tomorrow. Have half a loaf of bread and oodles of bread flour and dried yeast for when that runs out.

I often spend little or nothing during the week, but the weekend will be the danger time, I reckon. Keep on keeping on, my lovelies.