Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

PenguinOfDeath

Managed 3 NSD's and 2 LSD's this week - as well as buying 2 pieces of second hand furniture that I've been after for ages - should have cost over £100 but I spent less than £50


Today's grocery shop cost more than planned but circumstances meant I had to take OH which is always a recipe for disaster lol. I did manage to divert him away from thoughts of a takeaway this weekend by suggesting yummy alternatives inc. home made pizzas (but we've not had them in forevvveerrrr!)


Another Xmas present bought this week too but it was half price so permissible in my eyes, a whole fiver

Frugalsod

I have only had one spending day this week and am gradually planning for a online shop. This week Morrisons were the cheapest for my shopping basket on MSM but they are not local nor do they have an online delivery yet. So am looking to split my order and do the bulk items which Tesco seem to do well, and then will pick off the rest at Asda as and when need then and I will walk there. It is a nine mile round trip walk so will get fitter as well.

threepenny_bit

day 6 and we went to the movies - had a free coupon for 2 that included a drink each, then went and had supper out using another voucher. Really nice free day
I just found out that we have been invited to a bbq tomorrow and will need to take something - not sure what we have as we are going away Tuesday and so didn't do any shopping at all. Hmm have to have a think

hoglet121

Day out at the food show today and managed to spend nothing at all. Sampled an incredible amount of food and wine, and as it was the last day of the show we manGed to wangle a few free bits to take home. Got 1.2 kg of potatoes, some seasonings and some coffee beans all for free :-) also got some vouchers for future purchases. A very good day which could easily have been a silly high spending one.

GreyQueen

hoglet121 wrote: »

Day out at the food show today and managed to spend nothing at all. Sampled an incredible amount of food and wine, and as it was the last day of the show we manGed to wangle a few free bits to take home. Got 1.2 kg of potatoes, some seasonings and some coffee beans all for free :-) also got some vouchers for future purchases. A very good day which could easily have been a silly high spending one.

:T I just love this, and what you posted earlier about the theme park day out, and how you finessed that to make it much cheaper without much loss of quality.

It seems to be that you've made a quantum leap in thinking and managing your resources in a creative way, rather than doing what so many of us do, which is just trundle along mindlessly in our comfortable little ruts, with no thoughts about the why of it all.

Many pats on the back and long may you prosper.

I'm drinking tea and reading an article on MMM before heading out for the best part of the day on my allotment. There is a clear blue sky out there and I will walk up the cycle lane, which is urban but effectively like an English country lane and very pretty.

The article I'm digesting now is this one http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/02/09/brave-new-life/

I didn't get the term 'marginal utility of money' when I started reading, then I recognised that I did understand it, just had never heard it called that.:rotfl:

I recognised a long time ago that spending money on the things which society tells us will make us happy doesn't actually float my boat, in most cases. And that even when it does, it's a purely temporary buzz which evaporates by the time I've dragged a purchase home, or am halfway through the experience.

I realised what I really like is autonomy, to be busy about what interest me, not what society and marketing told me I should be interested in. So I applied to my employer to consolidate my working hours into 4 days instead of 5, a couple of months ago, and love it. Three day weekends, every single week, pure bliss.

I also called to mind a pal who works at a very high level in IT. I've been around his home and he has to let his landline roll over to voicemail, because he's constantly pestered by specialist IT employment agencies trying to headhunt him. He works long hours but is a single man, and essentially doesn't need a fraction of the money he earns for his pretty modest lifestyle.

I remember something he said to me about his high salary; After a certain point, it just becomes a way of keeping score.

I've often thought about that. He's not happy, is often harried, has a string of health problems which could probably be resolved by working fewer hours or at a less-stressful job, but feels trapped in his life because you'd be a bliddy fool to turn your back on earning shedloads, wouldn't you?

I hope he doesn't work himself into a premature grave.

So today, I will enjoy the trees, plants and birds on the cycle path, and pause to look at the lilies in the river and admire the ripening blackberries. I shall pick a few wild plums off the tree as I pass, and spend some time digging out weeds and getting enormous satisfaction from the sight of the temporary weed-free patch I shall leave behind. Lottie pals are almost certain to drop by for a natter and I have a flask of tea and a snack to keep me going.

And none of it involves bought-in entertainment.

hoglet121

Thank you for your very kind words GreyQueen :-)

I guess I know I will never stick at this if I feel I'm leading a boring life, constantly telling myself I can't do something because it costs money, so I'm always on the lookout for fun for as little money as possible. My friends all bought shed loads today - one said she couldn't understand why I wasn't buying anything because there were so many good deals on. I just said that I didn't really need anything and headed off to sample some more wines... ;-)

I'm reading the MMM this evening too - currently way back in 2012 as I'm working through it systematically. Since reading it I've realised that paying the mortgage off in under 6 years (as opposed to 28 years currently left) is achievable and I've felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. I know that if I continue to save well I won't be tied to working for the next 30 + years, I can almost taste the freedom! Living simply and not working 12+ hrs 5 days a week, I can take a few years of mortgage blitzing to achieve that for sure :-)

Frugalsod

Concentrating on debt clearing is a very sensible plan. Especially if asset values collapse when the next banking crisis strikes. Longer term it will give you more disposable income or the ability to cope with a drop in income, which I suspect is the reality for most people.

craigywv

hi all and welcome new folks I been missing for a while as mum had an operation shes home and alls well.xxx so I have deffo had near a full week of nsd as been nowhere but hospital and mums. tomorrow I need fruit and veg and some dairy items and that's it! still got 3 freezers full to busting and I working on eating them out..........well not single handed! Hoglet well done on not buying at the food festival I know your a braver woman than me as I would probally have come home with kangaroo bumhole just to try it out and ended up wasting whatever I bought.sent away for borax online as want to make my own washing powder come the autumn as refuse to buy anymore in shops , got ylang ylang and various other smells here to use up.grey queen I just love your posts you should have a book out! jackio as always your so sensible I hope I be like you and enjoy your holidays. well away to put sc on with chicken for tea tomorrowmaking chicken and mixed peppers ys 10p chicken was ys 85p and ys noodles 8p will do garlic and onion sauce type thing. will make soup with the bones and sandwiches with the exta chicken . night night all its great to be back and getting "normality" again after hospitals for a week xxx

[Deleted User]

Good Morning all and another Monday morning.Today as I am at DDs looking after her little tribe there will be no shopping at all.Although I do have to nip home around 11 as the gardener comes to cut the lawn and weed the flower bed.It sounds quite posh having a gardener, but its not really I budget for him for twice a month and as I can't bend very well (old age and arthritis) it means he keeps my back garden looking respectable with a nice patch of flowers at the bottom.He gives the pensioners a decent rate and he is such a nice chap that I am happy to pay him.

I also have a window cleaner once a month which is budgetted for as well.Not a good idea when you're getting on a bit to go climbimg up ladders etc :):)
I have quite tall windows and my DD does the insides for me and Jason (the cleaner ) does the outsides (also at pensioner rates) both the gardener and the window cleaner are self employed men who found themselves without work and decided to set up on their own.So I am helping support the local economy as well :):)
Money well spent I think, plus I can look out of my sparkling windows and my neat lawn and nice flowers :):)
We are counting down the days now until our holidays and the boys are getting quite excited.They are going to help me make some bicuits this afternoon, an event that we all like doing and the creativity of what they make is really good .last time we made some shaped like Darleks from Dr Who and decorated them with small currants.Cheap and easy to do, and something to nibble at when done :):)
Hope you all have a great week and GQ your lottie sound great and very relaxing.

At some point this week I am going with the boys to see if we can find some blackberries for free from the country park locally.I love to open freeze them and bag up for the long winter days when an apple and blackberry crumble with thick gloopy custard reminds me of sunny days back in the summer.
Enjoy the sunshine if you have some chums
JackieO xxx

Frugalsod

Yesterday was a LSD as I had to get some milk. I must have been a little early for the YS clearance and so did not get much in the way of a bargain. Though now have enough milk to get me through a week.

One thing that I have changed during this sunny weather is to use my solar kettle as much as possible. Combined with an insulated mug I find that I can avoid using the kettle and by limiting the numbers of cups to what I get out of the solar kettle each day my electricity usage has fallen by about 1 KWhr a day primarily because I am not opening the fridge as much.