Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

lisakay_2

Justamum wrote: »

£4! I wish the cinema was that cheap here. It costs us £7 adults and £5 children for non-3D films (an extra pound I think for 3D! - and you have to hand the glasses back after). Children are full price from age 12. We rarely go.

It's normally more like your prices but as it was still early we got the early bird special. I'd just have thought that with it being school hols they would have accounted for the extra custom, they normally do.:) 3D films are an extra £2.50 and you have to buy the glasses on top of that, not a cheap do!

calicocat

NSD :j
At work so not spending and didnt spend en-route (as used to obssesively pop in to shop to grab any yellow sticker bargains). Granola for brekkie,carrot soup for lunch (which was really nice! will make it again)......and it will be carrot soup again for tea at some point tonight,with the freebie olive bread i gained yesterday which is fine toasted.
And YES....this is a bit like an itch you need to scratch isnt it and very addictive,but this is deffo a positive i think,and people are doing reall well. I will have to get my backside up earlier tomorrow and find food in freezer,still got all my veg left,used some salad,but have somehow gone through half my milk already so may have to get some in a couple of days. Gotta go as wrk busy. keep up the good wrk everyone.it keeps me going too.:T

[Deleted User]

Well we had a movie afternoon yesterday as the weather was horrible I got two films from Block&usters and we watched one yesterday, and have another one to watch today total cost taken from my 'treats tin' £6.50 for the amusement of three small boys cheap as chips I had a big tin of cookies and some squash so we all sat snuggled up on the sofa watching 'Horrid Henry The Movie' and this afternoon we have Spy kids Four to watch as the weather forcast is not good for today either.This morning I am taking the boys to the library as they want some new books then back to their house for lunch and the film in the afternoon.No food spending at all though which is good Back to normal on Monday when they are all back to school.Its gone really quickly these holidays and being as the weather hasn't been great i think the boys have been very good .Yesterday morning they had a competion to see who could declutter the most from their bedrooms (Granny's not daft, and a bit of competion makes all the differance )Henry even got a cloth and some cleaning stuff and did his windowsills down (He is 10 ) bless him)Tomorrow I am making a lemon drizzle cake and some cheesy scones for the week-end I may also get the last of the sliced apples from the freezer and do an apple pie for Sunday to take to DDs for pudding after her lovely dinner.Tonights dinner will be some fish from the freezer I think and some HM chips or wedges perhaps as I have some small potato's that can be used up.
Good luck everyone we all seem to be keeping on track with our spends
Cheers JackieO xx

Puddleglum

Lisakay I feel your pain! My two are getting a bit older now and family trips to the cinema are much more enjoyable but I still feel a touch of anxiety if a trip is mooted.

Well, day 1 went well. I am going to pre-empt the cries of "there's nothing for breakfast" by making porridge.

Dinner is coming straight from the stockpile and I'm taking a packed lunch out with me so fingers crossed for day 2.

Best wishes P

lizzyb1812

Been AWOL recently and haven't FF'd at all But starting afresh today and promise to post every day to keep me on track.

Day One - again

Made a large batch of pasta sauce using home grown tomatoes from the freezer - now back in individual portions in the freezer to use on pasta, in bolognaise or whizzed up for soup. Now got a batch of curry sauce on the go (Curry Queen's recipe from the Index) and will make 2 portions of chicken korma for today and tomorrow and freeze the rest.

Lunch will be a cheese and beetroot sandwich and home made soup.

If it's fine this afternoon I'll be planting veg seeds - using up last year's seeds which so far still seem viable so no spend there :T

With MOT, cat booster and the "snip" for pup coming up and tons of food in store/freezer I have no excuse not to do this!

Kiwisaver_2

Here we go then with another attempt, I am feeling pretty chuffed with myself, as I did my shopping and stuck pretty much to my list and I got almost everything I need for the coming week for the grand sum of $48.10 (24 quid).

I wimped out of buying salad though and bought some grapes instead, as I'm not really needing salad for the weekend at least and I'm pretty sure I can get cheaper from veg shop. I did however get a big bag of apples and some feta cheese which should also help out for lunches and should last into the following week.

We are out tomorrow night at a charity thing which involves a donation at the door and the inevitable raffle tickets and cost of drinks, so unfortunately it won't be an entirely spend-free week but will be for a good cause. :A

Wannabe01

I have just been reading through this thread with great interest. Although to a certain I already do this type of living. I will give it a go and try out the other frugal things.

At the moment I already fill up soap dispensers with cheap shampoo/bath foam/shower gel (depending on what needs used up at the time).

For the last couple of weeks I have been using up what has been left in the cupboards, freezer and fridge. Not sure if I can technically count today as day 1 as I will need to get some food in before I can start to live off what we have. I am going to do an online shop armed with a list and meal plans for the next couple of week. Another thing that I will do today before starting is to put some money into the gas and electric meter so that we do not have to be tempted into shops to top up.

One thing that I might try is to look out my craft book and get some ideas for things to make and if all goes well I will try and sell some. I will also look out knitting stuff and patterns and get some toys finished off for dd and will advertise what I have done and see if I can sell anything.

In the next 7 days I will allow myself one spend on Friday and take dd to baby group as we can get both get breakfast there and it only costs £1.50, therefore cheaper than making at home (if my calculations are correct).

Day 1 plans
:)Do a list of any odds and ends that are in the cupboards, fridge and freezer
:)Meal plan for the next 2 weeks – need to do one for adults/ child and another for dd
:)Shopping with a budget of £60 (2 adults, 1 child, 1 baby and a cat) using a shopping list.
:)Put credit in the utility meters
:)Find craft book and get some ideas of what can be made to sell or use personally.
:)Find knitting stuff and patterns and do some work on soft toys.
:)Fill up hand wash bottles with cheap foam bath
:)Work related tasks, which will make me money.

P.S I hope I have understood the concept of this challenge, however if I am misunderstood anything please advise me nicely x

Ninno820

Day 2 - and a discovery! I was tidying out the underwear drawer and came up with so many tights that I don't need to buy any for a while - some were brand new!
I then moved on to my wardrobe and discovered a top that I forgot I had that had fallen off the hanger and become hidden (gives you an indication of how untidy my wardrobe is!!) So - I am up one top and underwear without spending money.:j:j:j
Lunch is going to be a sandwich and sw chips (comfort food) with salad whilst dinner is a portion of chilli from the fridge with some roasted veg from the veg pile.

Right - off tow alk the dogs before the next bout of rain.:mad:

determined_new_ms

Wannabe01 wrote: »

I have just been reading through this thread with great interest. Although to a certain I already do this type of living. I will give it a go and try out the other frugal things.

At the moment I already fill up soap dispensers with cheap shampoo/bath foam/shower gel (depending on what needs used up at the time).

For the last couple of weeks I have been using up what has been left in the cupboards, freezer and fridge. Not sure if I can technically count today as day 1 as I will need to get some food in before I can start to live off what we have. I am going to do an online shop armed with a list and meal plans for the next couple of week. Another thing that I will do today before starting is to put some money into the gas and electric meter so that we do not have to be tempted into shops to top up.

One thing that I might try is to look out my craft book and get some ideas for things to make and if all goes well I will try and sell some. I will also look out knitting stuff and patterns and get some toys finished off for dd and will advertise what I have done and see if I can sell anything.

In the next 7 days I will allow myself one spend on Friday and take dd to baby group as we can get both get breakfast there and it only costs £1.50, therefore cheaper than making at home (if my calculations are correct).

Day 1 plans
:)Do a list of any odds and ends that are in the cupboards, fridge and freezer
:)Meal plan for the next 2 weeks – need to do one for adults/ child and another for dd
:)Shopping with a budget of £60 (2 adults, 1 child, 1 baby and a cat) using a shopping list.
:)Put credit in the utility meters
:)Find craft book and get some ideas of what can be made to sell or use personally.
:)Find knitting stuff and patterns and do some work on soft toys.
:)Fill up hand wash bottles with cheap foam bath
:)Work related tasks, which will make me money.

P.S I hope I have understood the concept of this challenge, however if I am misunderstood anything please advise me nicely x

hey wannabe :wave: lovely to see you over here

yup you got it the idea is not to spend any money whatsoever for a week or longer (exceptions are milk & petrol maybe also nappies in an emergency :rotfl:)

anyway woman I hear you are feeling under the weather. I am [STRIKE]ordering[/STRIKE] *advising* you to take a day of, sit around watching telly, drinking tea and recuperating x

lessonlearned

I'm on Day 2 of my second go - did the 7 day challenge then had Easter off.

For me I'm regarding this as a no grocery spend challenge - not for everything else. It's my grocery spends that I really need to keep under control. On the whole I'm pretty thrifty and canny - it's just that the food budget was spiralling out of control.

Today I've just spent £1-50 on vegetables. Should be enough for several days.

I noticed that I've got cabbage and broccoli in the garden too for next week. So apart from milk and bread I shouldn't need to buy any food next week. I'm aiming to spend no more than £10 per week until the end of April.

I've totted up what I've spent since starting this challenge and I'm saving a small fortune. With some of the savings I've bought some new bedlinen (in the sales of course) and some trees and fruit bushes for my garden.

By not shopping so often I'm also saving a lot of time too which I've put to good use by decluttering. I have a couple of piles of stuff for sale which should bring in at least £100.

So not only am I saving money I will be making some as well. How cool is that.

I'm loving this challenge and I think it will be more or less permanent for me from now on. I'm aiming to do my stock ups say once a fortnight and then just top with milk, bread, fruit and veg.

Aren't we doing well.;)