Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

gien

That's great Hoglet! I'm amazed too at what a difference it's made to really cut back. I haven't bern 100% perfect but we are now at payday with plenty left in the bank which is really reassuring. We're away for the next few days but I'll be fasting again next week from Tuesday.

GreyQueen

:T Wow, Hoglet, that's awesome.

I think you might be interested in this blog http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/

If you go to the list of all posts, there's several (all are good) which describe the power of making small savings regularly which turn into huge amounts over time.

I've paid £10 for my archery lesson but that's all I've spent this week. I'm out of eggs but have decided to hang on til tomorrow before buying more, as I'm getting addicted to my NSDs. No planned expenditures over the weekend, unless I get some fresh fruit, but I may just make do with what I have and forage for some wild plums, assuming I can reach them.

Keep up the good work, folks.

hoglet121

Thanks for the link GreyQueen - had a quick look just now and I'll give it a good read tomorrow - fascinating stuff.

Aim this week is to get $500 into savings (depending f the cat needs further treatment this week). Shopping is done - $131 including all food, cat food, some wine and cleaning materials, 2 bills are paid with another smaller DD going out in the week, theme park entry is paid for DH and mine will be $15, just dinner out with wider family left to pay for - that's an all you can eat, fixed price deal place so I can budget for that easily. I'll need fuel but that's it for the week.

Addictive this isn't it??

GreyQueen

hoglet121 wrote: »

Addictive this isn't it??

Certainly is. And doesn't it make you aware of how much habitual spending is just that; habit. And how you can cut it out and be just as happy as before, and sometimes even much happier.

Hope the puddytat is well on the mend and comfortable as possible.

Smart moves with the theme park, btw. It's always a bit awkward when feeling obliged to spend money doing stuff with family/ friends, when the funds are a bit tight, but you still want to participate. Sounds like you've got a pretty neat workaround. I've also heard of parents where on goes into the zoo (or whatever) with the kids, unless they can work a family discount, just to keep costs down. Not ideal, but life is full of compromises.

Have been to work, the pharmacy, visited a neighbour for a cuppa and am now home for the night having spent nowt and not intending to spend anything. I have stuff to do tomorrow, inc an appt at the flat, and will go out on errands in the afternoon. I shall buy those eggs and not buy any sweeties or biscuits or naughties whilst in the shop.

I 'treated' myself to 2 new books yesterday evening by going up to the central library and browsing the new releases. I shall enjoy them no less for not being able to keep them, and they haven't cost me anything directly, although I pay 8% of my net income in council tax, so feel like I've contributed to them that way.

[Deleted User]

DGD picked up the Sun on the way to my house and the voucher this week is for WH Smith so she has got that one and I will wait for the Morriesons voucher forThursday of next week.Bought no food shopping today but spent an arm and a leg in London.Good job it came from my Happy Stash Cash
:):)

hoglet121

GreyQueen wrote: »

And doesn't it make you aware of how much habitual spending is just that; habit. And how you can cut it out and be just as happy as before, and sometimes even much happier.

This has been the scary part for me - I'd usually have gone and bought a birthday card and wrapping paper for the family birthday tomorrow- (I buy lots of small presents through out the year when I see them at good prices so there are a good few things to wrap.

I thought'd try and save that cash - wrapped a box I found at work in brown paper and printed out pictures of his favourite cartoons. Most of them I'll stick on the box and just use plain wrapping that I already have on the gifts, and one picture I'll stick on some card I have at home and make a homemade card. I've make up some letters that spell his name in the shape of the cartoon characters (OK I print those out too, I'm not that creative!) and spell out happy birthday to him on the top of the box.

Approx $12 saved right there, and the gift is more personal.

GreyQueen

Yes, and I bet the packaging will be a big thrill and long-remembered.

I'm guessing that no one ever thinks of themselves as being personally extravagant or they wouldn't be living like that, but we often bleed small amounts of money all the time and have nothing much to show for the expenditures and nothing by us for a rainy day.

As Frugalsod wisely said, a few posts up-thread, money saved can then be used to pay bills ahead, which mostly gets you savings, which can then be used to live more efficiently/ economically etc etc. So one wise and thrifty choice is the first link in a chain of them.

I have been overweight for some time now, and not too happy about it, but struggling with my addiction to sugary carp, esp chocolate. It's no mystery why I was gaining weight; a sedentary job, minimal ability to exercise due to having ME, far too many calories, and middle age. But I haven't bought chocolate for a month and haven't even wanted to, and haven't felt that I was depriving myself, either. And have lost 3 lb as of today.

I know fine well that it could just be water-weight, but I'm having a very slow but noticable loss in the past 3 weeks and will hope that keeping good habits in the future will see that go further.

hoglet121

Congratulations on your weight loss GreyQueen! DH and I have been losing weight for about 9months now - slow and steady does it!

GreyQueen

Thank you, and congratters back atcha both. Don't want to lose it in a hurry and not have my rind shrink back into place, hey?

hoglet121

Absolutely!