Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

forever_saving

No spending today. I may go shopping tommorow instead of Saturday, just to get it over and done with.
catznine, hope you feel better soon.
FS

calicocat

NSD again!
Had toast and apricot stilton,cornflakes,then found ancient veggie sausage in freezer so cooked that to make a sarnie but it was horrible(may be close to a year old though). Can't be bothered to cook anything now so will have another bowl of c/flakes in bed later.
Am finding the whole 'not going out for easter eggs' a bit depressing and will have to go and get some before sunday as shops shut then..........and am utterly clung to that M&? Easter advert with the pink pig easter egg....u think it will be strawberry chocolate??.....god may have to get one even if it is meant to be for kiddies.
Sunday should also be a NSD as am now going 2 family rather than me cooking for them,and will have got pressies sat or tomorrow.
Have a lovely easter all!

lessonlearned

Just had to buy milk, eggs and cream 4 coffee. £3-50.

I am so pleased I managed this. Will definitely do it again........and again.

I've made a list and will shop tomorrow.

One thing I will need to do is plan how and where to shop. I don't want to just go to one big supermarket because I do like to try and shop around for the best prices etc.

Any tips, anyone. I thought Home Bargains first, then Aldi or Lidl, then ASDA or Sainsbury's for anything I couldn't get elsewhere.

I really want to make those pennies streeeetch.:rotfl:

Spendless

Hello everyone. No FF from me yesterday, but was quite pleased with my purchases. DH took Nan shopping and she paid for groceries as her contribution to our w/end away. Later I went to get DS an Easter egg, cos kids get loads I try to buy one that has a gift with it, still easy enough for my 9yo DD, but no chance for 12yo DS. In the end cos he will have plenty of choc anyway, I bought him a book that was 1/2 price.

Yesterday evening, we emptied piggy banks around house and kids ended up with £12 each from them, plus £10 each easter/hol pressie from my parents, so they both have £22 as spending money without us having to take any out of the bank.. The £10 that was in DHs pig paid for a KFC, so we could concentrate on getting house tidy.

We go to Butlins later today. Think it's likely to be last trip with Nan, she's been coming away with us since 2001, but she was in hospital earlier this year and since being discharged, she's not 'right' and is struggling with mobility.:( Kids this year are both the right age for the 9-12 club so hoping they will want to do plenty of free stuff as well as swimming and any shows.:D

Have a Good Easter. xxx

calicocat

Well done lessonlearned......I have saved on my phone the times when shops reduce things and am going to try and shop according to this where possible.

taplady

morning!

Catznine - get well soon, sorry you missed the party x

we did our grocery shop and came in at over £20 under budget so am hoping not to touch that money so it can go in the holiday pot.

Lots of food in the cupboards so I'm hopeful.

JackieO - think you're right - invention is a key part of it, using our skills to be inventive with what we have instead of just going our and buying more.:T

off to work soon but hope you all have a great weekend x:easter:

luckycat99

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while but trying to do the FF. Felt I had to post as I've been ban-jaxed (sp?) by OH! Our 'system' is that he gives me half the grocery money for the month, I pay the other half and I do the shopping as I'm much better at budgeting than him. But, he is on leave for two weeks over Easter and did an online shop "to help me out". He has spent the equivalent of half our monthly budget on one weeks worth of shopping and didn't get any of the essentials we needed, which means that now he won't stump up his half of the grocery money to cover the rest of the month as he has just spent it at Sainsbugs! And I had already spent my half on groceries earlier in the month to stock up on things.

There is no way that what he bought will last us the three weeks til payday, and he'll expect me to sibsidise it which I can't afford to do. I'm so cross with him as it has messed it all up and now I have to make sure the food lasts while he's buying smoked salmon etc but not buying the washing powder that we need!! I am trying to hide how p'ed off I am as he said he did it to help but it's done the opposite!

Grumble grumble....

forever_saving

I was going to go shopping today but am going to go tomorrow instead now. So no spending for me today.
I am going to make a cake today, it needs golden syrup (not much) but i don't have any, could i use maple syrup instead?
For lunch i am going to cook the frozen sauage rolls i have left with a bit of salad. Tea tonight is chicken in breadcrumbs with salad. I have had a bit of a root around in the freezer and found a bag of crumble topping that i made a while ago, so will get that out and make an apple crumble.
luckycat99, i hope you manage to eek your food out so that it lasts.
spendless, i hope you have a lovely holiday.
FS

[Deleted User]

day 6 well, didn't spend a dime yesterday, as I was out all day with DD and she had changed up a Mr T voucher for restaraunt vouchers so we had a huge blow-out of Italian food (couldn't even fancy a sandwich when i got home I was still stuffed from lunch) we loved the theatre and I got home and just had a cuppa last night Today I am not going out as I think I can last over the week-end with what I have in store and the shops are shut on Sunday so that helps.Tomorrow I am off out to London again with my History group so will be taking a picnic lunch with me.My sis-in-law from Faversham is coming as well so this afternoon I am going to make some cakes and scones to take with us along with a few other bits and pieces.Only three weeks to go until my spring holiday break in Dorset so the less I buy the better.I have some left over tuna and sweetcorn that should have gone in a sarnie last night so I think I will streeeetch it out with some salad and new potato's for lunch today .I have some salmon in the freezer so that will me sorted for dinner tonight.I had a good search and I have more than enough to last me over the week-end i am out to dinner on Sunday anyway.So my purse will be firmly shut tight until at least Monday or Tuesday fingers crossed.

My rail fare to London doesn't come out of my food purse anyway that comes out of my 'entertainment' purse. I put some cash in there every month for trips out or the cinema and keep it seperate from everything else.Its my 'Happy Cash'.My late Mum used to say always have a little bit of money put aside for 'Happy Cash' to treat yourself to something ,even if its only a squashy cream cake and I always have.It makes being frugal well worth it as its often just a small treat that makes all the sensible budgetting well worth while.
have a great Easter what ever you are doing and keep a tight hold of your pennies :)
Cheers everyone

AlwaysHappy

JackieO I love your posts, and really like the idea of the Happy cash - sounds a fabulous idea!!!! I was always brought up to have an emergency fund - a flee fund as I called it, something that nobody knows about but enough to get you out of a tight spot. Well, when my son was little his Dad swung him around dangerously and I fled the next day with what I could carry and what we were wearing, and how I was grateful for a little bit of cash. Its amazing what you can do on a very small amount of money - I think I had £250 which had to buy car seat, cot etc etc, glasses, pans, well - you get the picture!! I never want to be in that position again - and hopefully wont be. I do like the idea of your happy cash though - just a little treat every now and again does you the world of good!!!