Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

lessonlearned

GreyQueen wrote: »

A friend said something unexpected to me this afternoon: "You're early." I did a double-take at my watch and saw that it was half an hour after the end of my workday, and I'd been to the library but I would normally have done that and the shop before I dropped in on my pal on the way home, so that made me think about how much time my daily bargain-hunting was taking me, even though it was only in one small supermarket.

. GQ xx

Definitely agree with this - I'm saving time and money.

I did a quick count up of my spending so far this month. I reckoned I will have saved at least one third of my normal grocery spend and tbh I've not really tried that hard. I'm sure I could get it down even more if I put my mind to it.

Anyway I'm all stocked up now so apart from milk I should make it - unless I've forgotten something.

Today had cabbage from the garden. I've got some broccoli ready too so hopefully should have enough vegetables for the next few days.

Onwards and upwards.

Iera

Evening, all, looks like FF is really making an impact! Have learned so much already from your posts. No internet at the beginning of the week and not had a chance to get on until now. Shopping on Mon went well, spent a bit more as bough some reduced basics. Hoping that it will last me until the end of the month, saving about a quarter of my usual monthly spend. Planted the remainder of my seed potatoes today. No need to water the seeds I planted as it's been raining (brilliant as we've had very little for months). Raided the freezer this evening for the weekend and will take the opportunity to do some baking tomorrow when I use the oven. Will make normal quantity of fruit cake mix and then put it into 2 small loaf tins instead of one. Keep one out and freeze the other. Hopefully get time to make Twinks Hob Nobs too. Have a good weekend. Iera X

calicocat

NSD again :j

I've had cornflakes before work,and at work chicken with a salad of 1 tomatoe,cucumber,a few watercress leaves,radish,grated carrot,dressing.....and roasted chopped hazelnuts that were to be eaten by aug 2010 (if i dont come back i've poisoned myself :eek:)

Modern Millie...........ok then kiddo........war it is!:rotfl:

I darent even look at money,but still have i think (havent time to look through post) £50 ish in food pot. Used some of happy cash for prescription after the day 7(not such a happy spend really though,quite annoying) and also got friends pressie and card with it so i think have £50 left of that.

I have 7 days left untill paid and am going to try to make it untill then without any significant spend if i can,just basics........i can do it.

This also means i might be able to put another £250 in the bank towards my car fund as i dont like getting into debt with cars and buy them outright without any finance ( all being well have a 5yr plan for this and am on track so far)

The only thing i'm not so good at is paying my credit card off and then not using it.......i pay it off...then it feels like it's xmas and go out again with a clean slate to spend........know this doesnt make any sense but i enjot it. However i never let it get out of hand,and sometimes use it to help the odd friend out if they are stuck that month .

When i do go out to next food shop however the CRUMBLIE ingredients are going to be on there even though not essential,might half recipe to stop self eating too many at once.

Everyine is doing great,and love the support on here,and whoever was mentioning this threa being friendly...most definately..first time i've been onto a forum or taken part in one and didnt know what to expect ,but i have heard terrible things
about different ones from people at work.

Keep going folks.....you know it makes sense.

Walk away from the purse :T

taplady

morning Fiscal fasters!

shopping day for me today in readiness for my next 7 day fast.

I've cleaned the fridge out and started a list.

I'm going to make some veggie soup shortly with the leftovers of my cheap as chips Aldi veg from last week. Still struggling with my 5 a day but am trying to up my intake.

I've also just made 5 jellies in yoghurt pots(thanks JackieO:)) and have 2 past it bananas to use up so might make some custard and have another of JackieO's puds - banana custard:)

GreyQueen - I'm also a Pyrex fan - got lots picked up from carboots.

Modernmillie - well done - some excellent bargains there:T

Keep up the hard work girls x

Puddleglum

Good Morning!

By my calculations I am now on day 6. Six slices of bread from the last remaining loaf have been hidden in the freezer so that sarnies can be made on Monday. Breakfast this morning was porridge and a sort of hot black and redcurrant saucey/couli kind of thing. DD has gone off porridge in recent months and constant imagination is required to get it past her. There is leftover sauce in the fridge as well which may come in handy for something. Lunch is going to be couscous based hoping that no one remembers that couscous featured last night.

Best wishes. P

Kiwisaver_2

More by luck than judgement I stayed within the budget and now have just 0.44cents left of my $100 allowance. I have lost track but it seems ages now since I did a substantial or 'proper' amount of shopping. OH is starting to comment as he generally comes to help me get the bags out of the car. He says 'Is this all there, is? Just two bags?'

My shopping yesterday didn't quite go according to plan and I made a few swaps on the hoof. I decided the happy chicken was just too blooming expensive as there weren't any offers on and that was intended to be three days dinners. I bought lamb chops instead for Sunday dinner, which doesn't create any 'leftovers' so I'll just have to work harder and be more inventive for the rest of the week. The only non-food and off list thing I bought was kitchen roll that was on offer, not exactly needed but was a good price.

The fridge is looking a little sad and minimalistic but every cloud has a silver lining, at least I have room to shift stuff about and give the shelves a proper wash. Will do some baking and makes some soup tomorrow which will make me feel a little better to see more proper food available, rather than just ingredients.

I am going to have a go at making custard tart as I haven't had that for years and I keep having cravings for them.

Puddleglum

Well I wimped out of the couscous and instead made a lentil salad with a tin of green lentils and some saladings. Served with butteries brought back from the North East of Scotland which are probably the only food I miss from growing up there. DH has made noises about possibly making them and they look quite straightforward.

http://www.scottishrecipes.co.uk/butteries.htm linky for anyone interested.

Iera

Afternoon,

Alison, hope that you're feeling better and returning to form. Calicocat you're doing really well, love the comment at the bottom of your post. Of course you can do it, you know it makes sense.
Puddleglum that recipe looks good, will see if I can find lard over here to make some, in the mean time will try a recipe for digestives and make Twinks Hob Nobs.

Thought all going well for NSD but forgot that I needed to get flour from the mill today (much cheaper than in the shops) - normally only sells to public on Sat so had to make a journey but took stuff to the tip that I can't recycle (not far from the mill) so, perhaps it wasn't so bad. Making a lasagne this pm and doing some baking too to fill up the oven.

lizzyb1812

Butteries - just looked at recipe and thank goodness I haven't got any lard :rotfl:Sticking to posting during or after eating to avoid delicious recipe temptation!

Day 2 of mini fast. Discovered I had all the ingredients to make a demi-john of wine so that will be done after lunch. Harvested some rhubarb to have with yoghurt for tonight's pud and then sorted out the last of my stored apples from last year. Have got 18 left to peel, chop and stew so they will make me some nice puds too.

Think I need to change my routine - we've been having sunny starts followed by rain later but I tend to do my indoors jobs in the morning and gardening in the afternoon. Makes sense to change it round.

Hope you all have a good, frugal, weekend.

Made my deliveries and avoided the CS temptation - phew!

modern_millie_2

Hi all,

planned spend today was 1 newspaper, however Mr MM somehow has spent his tobacco money (something about sellotape for his craft group!) so I have had to stump up for that too. He is normally very good so I can't complain too much. Hopefully he can reclaim the cash. Also borrowed books and a DVD from the library, so that's my entertainment for the week! (DVD is a remake of Day of the Triffids, with Eddie Izzard - I'm intrigued).

I am also finding I have more time, the garden is benefitting and plenty of time to cook these days.

Having a go at HM pizza tonight, with whoopsied salad, will make scones or flapjack too for snacks.

Anyone else spending more money on petrol than food now? Wish I could find that whoopsied!

Have a good evening everyone.