Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

GreyQueen

Good morning campers from a chilly and rain-sodden part of the world. I tell myself the acquifers, rivers and waterbutts on my lottie need it badly but still feeling a bit p'd off as I have some annual leave and intended to garden and the weather is vile.

Hey ho, that's the luck of the draw.

Today I have nipped out in my hooded anorak to go to a not-Tesco supermarket and get a few little bits. I didn't want to "cheat" and do a big shop ahead of the Fast as I thought that wouldn't consitute much of a challenge. On the other hand, as I don't have a specific shopping day, I run low on things at random times, so I needed a few bits.

I've spent £4.25 on; 15 eggs, a pkt of bacon and a big tub of "spread" which is also suitable for cooking.

I also spent £1.58 on stuff which my PMT tells me will be needed sooner rather than later and £2 on chocolate, which I shall divvy-up and attempt to make last the whole 7 days.

Total spend pre-Fast = £7.83.

Strictly-speaking the chocolate is unnecessary but I know my weaknesses and it'll be that which will tempt me into a shop to break the Fast.

On the premises already; 3 pints of milk, 4 large carrots, 5 eggs, a small block of cheddar cheese and the heel of the previous block, a small freezer with a jumble of stuff (home-cooked ready-meals, some fish, some h.g. french beans and broad-beans from 2011, and a few other bits and bobs).

I have lots of store-cupboard items, plenty of breadflour and yeast and am in no danger on imminent starvation.

Let the challenge commence!:rotfl:

Kiwisaver_2

Still hanging on to my purse and eking out the salad rations, I already started to put the bones of a meal plan together for next week based on what I still have knocking about and can't imagine that I will be spending all of my remaining $51 on Friday.

Today we had tortellini and ready made sauce, with some garlic bread from the freezer that I bought as a back-up for the Christmas holiday period.

GreyQueen wrote: »

DId I recall someone mentioning that they were reading a book on disaster preparedness or similar? I'd be very interested if you'd share the title.

Yes, it was me but it is a local one entitled 'Are you Ready? A disaster survival guide for New Zealanders'. Since we have the everyday reminder of the sight and scenes of the Christchurch earthquake and are urged on daily basis to to be prepared for the worst and ave a plan in terms of all kinds of potential disasters such as tsunami and pandemic situations, as well as weather events, earthquake and volcanic activity.

I especially start to feel it coming into winter again.

calicocat wrote: »

STOCKPILES......I can't do it..it goes against my very being,I love having jars and jars of spices,herbs,and wierd things I have to look up,but I cook most things from scratch and need these things. Out of date stuff I'm getting rid of though. I feel quite insecure thinking about a basic stockpile..lol..maybe I have a problem.

It does go against the grain a bit I know, I was just meaning to streamline and start afresh with a better system of rotation. I recently used up a tin of water chestnuts that had been languishing in the larder for more than two years. Now I am torn, having forced myself to use them, should I even think about replacing them? Seems silly but I probably will now that I found a fab sweet and sour recipe to use them in. I have three bottles of balsamic vinegar, yes three all because I couldn't see the other two behind the rest of the stuff. I could go on!! :rotfl:

catznine

Welcome aboard Greyqueen! Don't worry that chocolate stash was a necessary purchase!:rotfl:Totally understand!

I am off the fast for a while now but will be popping in until I can join you again. DD is popping home to spoil me, Mothers day pressie was a trip to a spa and that's tomorrow! Then a few days later I am off up north to spend some time with my little grandaughter!:j She is crawling now and into everything apparently! Also chattering away so this will be fun! Driving up with my son as he is down here for a friends stag night. Then train back - right into the underground strike chaos! grrr so might have to find the money for a taxi!

I have finally finished the baby blanket for my dd's sister in law's baby! She is having a little boy and the yarn is bluebell blue so a strong colour for a baby but dd says it will be fine and that the stronger colours are now popular for babies. Hope so! I am just glad to have used up the wool as it was from my bil mothers stash, a lovely lady who was always knitting baby clothes for her ever growing family! Anyway I have finished it and it has washed up ok, now to parcel it up with a cute little romper suit ready to send off.

The heavens have opened here but I have to go out soon, hair cut time and on the wettest day for a long while! Oh well off to find a scarf and umbrella!

Glad you are feeling better now Lally! Ready salted crisps and lemonade are my fav cure! poss not very good for you though! lol

Catz x

Justamum

taplady wrote: »

Calicocat

here's the recipe for the crumblies. I reduced the cooking time to 6 mins and found they were better.

Do you know the time and temperature if cooking in a proper oven? I don't have a microwave, but these sound tasty.

GreyQueen

Thanks, kiwisaver.

You have a beautiful country (it's been my pleasure to visit NZ twice) but a striking set of challenges over there. Last time I was in Christchurch there was an extreme storm up towards Arthur's Pass and a whole tree was thrown, point-first, thru someone's house roof. Incredibly, the occupants were uninjured.

I live beside a river which is mostly well-contolled but is classified by the Environment Agency has having a "moderate" risk of flooding my neighbourhood but if it does flood it will be "severe". A lot of people have drowned here in the early 20th century and you can see markers placed on walls detailing the height of the floodwaters in various years. They were boating in the streets around here.

I keep an eye on that river and have a bug-out bag ready, plus an emergency plan to lift certain things on to the tops of furniture if necessary and there is sufficient warning.

Here's hoping you never have to bail out of your home in an emergency.

Kiwisaver_2

GreyQueen wrote: »

Thanks, kiwisaver.

You have a beautiful country (it's been my pleasure to visit NZ twice) but a striking set of challenges over there.

Indeed we do, it's not everyday you have to take a detour home because your local equivalent of B&Q got blown across the car park in a tornado but it does happen and like you've seen can be very localised and all over within a few minutes but the biggest issue for us is the fragility of infrastructure and old fashioned overhead power lines that are so easily wiped out when weather is rough.

I just sorted out my breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, now we might have to resort to a fight over what to do with the one remaining tomato for the rest of the week. :rotfl:

craigywv

Justamum wrote: »

Do you know the time and temperature if cooking in a proper oven? I don't have a microwave, but these sound tasty.

hi, i read the recipe earlie also and decided to make them i didn use micro but followed everything else i cooked them oven temp 190 for approx 20 mins cant EXACTLY remember how long for but watched them until they turned golden brown on top. verdict........gone ,vanished ate up me and dh (he on nightshift just came down from sleep to see what smell was)well we ate them all ab gorgeous more in oven now for ds aged 8 will do the lunch boxes as i have given up buying biccys.so i thank calicoat i think i spelt that right for the lovely recipe and i hope yours turns out good, enjoy!!

craigywv

taplady wrote: »

Calicocat

here's the recipe for the crumblies. I reduced the cooking time to 6 mins and found they were better.

Jam Crumblie

6oz butter/marg
6oz dark soft brown sugar
6oz porridge oats
7oz plain flour
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon aking powder
4oz jam

lightly grease an 8" square baking dish(I use my ceramic lasagne dish as its microwave safe)
Cream fat and sugar together
stir in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly
Press half the mixture into the dish
melt the jam in the microwave and then spread over the base
crumble on the remaining oat mixture pressing it down lightly
bake in the microwave for 7 minutes on full power
cut into squares and cool in the dish.

It is delicious and any jam can be used also a Christmas version uses mincemeat and has icing sugar dusted on top.

Will pop back later to update my post as I've got to dash out now!

TTFN x

thank-u i have just made and eaten a batch of these 2nd batch in now ab delish great recipe!!!!!!!!!!:T

Justamum

Thanks for that craigywv.

lizzyb1812

Day Five

Oh no! Not the jam crumblies again - get thee behind me :eek: (as opposed to going straight to my behind :rotfl:)

Wet, wet, wet - so no shopping and just a quick scuttle round the village toprevent doggy stir-craziness. But it's good for my potatoes which are juststarting to come through.

Tuna and kidney bean mayo for lunch with a baked potato, sausages, couscousand veg followed by rhubarb and yoghurt tonight - pud keeps me from snackinglater.

Have run out of bleach and need some bio powder for the stuff the gloopcan't cope with but will put off buying any until the seven days are up.