Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

[Deleted User]

Well done tappers isn't it great when you can see what you have saved in your hand by just being a bit more focussed on what you are doing in the kitchen .
I think of it as my kitchen being my business, and the turnover and profit, my rewards for putting that extra bit of effort in.

I am off to the shops this morning and what I buy will keep me going until hopefully next week-end.I can probably get away with around a tenner, fingers crossed as my list isn't long, but necessery bits to use with stuff I already have.
Tonight I am having a treat as I am using the last bit of rib-eye steak for dinner with garlic butter ,mash and peas from the freezer.Lunch will be another blooming wrap, but they are going down at least, and I have almost finished up the last of my Philly that I bought on offer ages ago when it was on bogoff.I use it instead of butter when I do a sandwich or wrap.I must check to see if my lettuce is still ok in the fridge as I have my friend coming for lunch on Monday I am making her a lemon drizzle cake this afternoon as its her favourite.I also have a fruit flap jack tray bake recipe that my Dd makes for the boys which is easy peasy so I may make some of those as well,I like to use all the shelves on the big oven when I put it on and not just use one shelf.
My tutor made us all a lovely meringue with fresh cream and strawberries and sliced kiwi fruit on it yesterday as it was our breaking-up day .It was gorgeous and looking in the cupboard I see I have quite a few surplus eggs so I may make one tomorrow for Monday Well the shell of meringue, and fill it on Monday morning I have some nice crushed pineapples in a tin in the cupboard so a pot of cream won't break the bank I think.
Hope everyone has a brilliant week-end the sun is trying to burn off the mist this morning in Kent and we are forecast a good week-end
Cheers chums
JackieO

Kiwisaver_2

I agree with whoever said it was hard work, I seem to have spent most of the afternoon in the kitchen but have managed to conjure up another meal or two that I hadn't planned.

The day started badly though when I burned four slices of toast. I still can't believe I did that; wasting my precious bread. :mad:

I happened to be looking at Jamie's Ministry of Food and mysteriously the page fell open at Sweet Potato and Chorizo soup, I don't even recall noticing soups in there before. Anyway it reminded me I had a large sweet potato in the veg basket which was growing a beard and a stray chorizo in the freezer of dubious age and provenance. So soup was duly made, without the celery or parsley but seems alright and now in freezer for another day.

I made four individual apple pies with the last few apples I salavaged off the tree last weekend, so that was pudding for today with a tiny bit of ice-cream. Have just enough ice-cream to do same again tomorrow with the remaining two pies.

Made chicken fajitas for dinner and decided there was a bit too much chicken for two, so put a small bit aside and will make some sweet and sour tomorrow with leftover pineapple from yesterday's pizza.

taplady

JackieO wrote: »

I think of it as my kitchen being my business, and the turnover and profit, my rewards for putting that extra bit of effort in.

thats a great way of thinking of it:T

I have been munching my way through the 9p fruit but am not too keen of the pineapple - thought I might be able to make a small pineapple upside down pud - but never made one before, thats if DH doesn't eat the pineapple first:D The melon and grapes are lovely:)

We're off out later - taking our flask and last few whoopsied cookies with us:)

x

catznine

I've been missing in action for a while! My family came for a visit with my lovely little 10 month old grandaughter:j, so we had to jump off the fiscal fast for a little while. This was their first visit since her birth so we wanted to make it special, zoo, seaside etc., Luckily dh covered the additional expense from savings as this was a rare treat.

They have just left and I have been checking out how much food is left, a cheeseboard will save me buying any cheese for a while, lots of eggs that weren't needed, a loaf of bread, a little organic veg, some petit filou desserts and some yogurts. Also an extra pack of mince and a little diced steak. Now to make it last as long as possible! I'm thinking pies, omelettes and stir fries. Mind you we also have a tin of sma formula and some baby porridge:rotfl: but that can be sealed up and tucked away for when they visit again!

I might make a minced beef curry(needs using up as defrosted by mistake:o) tonight, saving some of the curry to make curry pasties, my Mum used to make these using some cooked potatoes to stretch the left over curry, she used shortcrust pastry instead of puff pastry and they were so nice.

Glad to see so many joining in and doing so well! :T

catznine

taplady wrote: »

thats a great way of thinking of it:T

I have been munching my way through the 9p fruit but am not too keen of the pineapple - thought I might be able to make a small pineapple upside down pud - but never made one before, thats if DH doesn't eat the pineapple first:D The melon and grapes are lovely:)

We're off out later - taking our flask and last few whoopsied cookies with us:)

x

I once got some reduced fresh sliced pineapple and when we got home and tried it, it fizzed!:eek: Great bargains though!

I love taking a flask and snack out with us, reminds me of happy family picnics!

lizzyb1812

The flask will be in action here too - taking pup to the seaside with a flask of HM soup and some HM bread for lunch - much better than shopping

Will miss my Saturday night glass or two of wine, but I'm having HM pizza tonight - haven't had pizza for ages so that will be a treat. Well it will be if I get on and make the dough!

firesidemaid

i made both a pear and an apple cake earlier in the week to use up very ripe fruit.

i shared some of this with friends and received their hm cakes and a loaf of bread in return. we also swap jams and chutneys too:).

we have an allotment which pretty much supplies us with veg all year round plus i still have lots of frozen blackcurrants if anyone has any good ideas / recipes that aren't jam?

so, i have done a quick freezer review and we have lots (!) of everything - so only doing a short list for the shop. have already crossed off satsumas and pears as i have a couple of tins of peaches to use up.

guess i should then make a fruit compote with the blackcurrants and berries to also have with yoghurt.........

as others have said, NOT going to the s/market also saves lots of time and petrol too.

Thrillho

This thread really is inspiring! I have a freezer full of whoopsie meat and frozen veg and a cupboard full of essentials so next week I'm going to see how long I can go without spending money.

I've been thinking I'm fine as I have no debts however I never save any money and am always down to my last few pounds at the end of the month. I think I will leave my cards at home so I can't spend any money. I work in the city centre so I tend to "treat" myself to nail polish or something from boots on the way home from work. It is getting stupid, I have a big box full of polish in my room half of which I don't use. I spend lots of time shopping for polish and make up and never spend time doing my make up, what a waste.

Lunches are another total waste of money for me, instead of going to Greggs I'm going to make my own sandwiches for work. Saves time as well as I only get a half hour lunch break.

I need to get out of the habit of spending money pointlessly, I have masses of books I don't read and beauty products I don't use so I am going to go "shopping" in my own house from now on.

camNolliesMUMMY

Day two....all is still good, got a homemade Korma pilou rice homemade naan on the go... This is our sat night treat a curry which we used to order in or a Chinese.....I've saved lots of recipes for me to try with what we have in the cupboards as well as being better for us as I know what's in them too.
No spends at all today.... Very happy
Tomorrow will be cooking two chicken thighs and a breast for our roast tomorrow as we normally buy a whole chicken and have loads of meat left instead I'm using these.

[Deleted User]

Well I spent a bit more than I intended but at £14.54 I haven't broken the bank, and still have a good amount left from my £100.00 monthly budget.I did buy extra vegatables and fruit but nothing at all for the freezer as its my aim to get it empty if I can to defrost before I go away at the end of April.I also had to take £2.00 sposor money out of my purse for my DGS Mikey who did the Sportsmile at his primary school yesterday,I am proud of him as he is only seven, and to see him and his little pals marching proudly round to 'do their bit' yesterday morning was lovely.So really only just over £12.50odd was spent on food which isn't too bad.I am hoping that I can go through until next Saturday without spending anymore and the residue will go into my holiday fund.
I made a banana custard this afternoon as well so that will do a couple of days for pudding and on Tuesday I will make some more HM soups I think as that helps to streetch the meals out a bit .I found a big pack of lentils in the cupboards when I was sorting them out so possibly some curried lentil soup will be on the menu next week.I also found a bag of 'country soup' mix that I had forgotten about behind the Rice so thats going to be used up as well next week good job I like soup really
Have a great weekend everyone
Cheers JackieO xx