Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

Kiwisaver_2

Welcome Kittendothroar and I am sure you'll enjoy the challenge. I am intrigued by your signature 'trying to find a work life balance' and wonder if you can point me in the general direction of where we might find it? :rotfl:

niksyg

It's the beginning of Day 4 for me and as long as I can find free parking this afternoon for my meeting I should be fine!

Going climbing tonight but it's OH's turn to pay, and he isn't joining in the fiscal fast so that doesn't count. He's good with money anyway - hence why it's only me in debt in our house!

It's absolutely pouring down this morning - the box to collect water under the hole in our garage roof overfilled last night - bit of a flood but don't think it's anything too major...haven't had a proper look though yet.... MUST pay to get that fixed as soon as fast ends.

Have a good day all and keep that purse or wallet CLOSED!

greent

Nipped to the shops yesterday for some f&v, ham, yogurt. Today also requires spends - £5 for DD's musical theatre class (can only be paid weekly and in cash - a right pain!) and WI tonight for me. Subs for DS2's BEavers are also due today - however, I don't really include any of those spends, because they're not avoidable spends, iyswim.

I've come to the conclusion that totally fiscally fasting is too hard - there arethings like the above which come up, but FF keeps me on the straight and narrow for other spending - the do I really need it school of thought. Wasteful spending is therefore being minimised and I can see the effect it's having on my funds, which is great

Aside from today's 'activity spends' it will be a nsd. Breakfast has been a mix of toast/ cereals/ yogurts for all (concentrating on using up the white bread we have which is only good for toasting - the rest will be frozen for toasting another day) Lunches are packed lunches for 4 of us and DS3 and I will eat from the fridge/ cupboards. He'll probably have scrambled egg and toast and I'll have a small portion of lo curry (itself made with leftovers!) with yogurt and mint sauce. BAnanas for afters

Dinner - DD will have soup and sandwiches and cake (quick tea - out before 6pm), DS1 will have pasta (soft and quick tea and orthodontist, and I have lo pasta sauce in fridge), DS2 sandwiches and hm cookies (again, out ebfore 6 for BEavers) and DS3 will have pasta with DS1. Am not sure I'll have anything ebfore WI (maybe a quick sandwich) - as I'll be running around after the school runs with orthodontist, getting food for them and then delivering DD and DS2 to their activities. Might be nice to DH and make him a steak, red wine and shallot pie (yuck, imo) - I have a packet of rm puff pastry in the fridge I can top it with

Need to make a cake for WI tonight - I have an excess of carrots, so carrot cake it is - also using up the zested peel from an orange and about a tablespoonful lo from a tin of crushed pineapple pieces. I ahve about a tbsp of sultanas sat in a packet, too, so shall throw those in - will be a mixed up affair, but it works well

taplady

morning!

just caught up with all your fab posts:T

Greyqueen - I've noticed my rubbish bin is far emptier than it used to be too:) I've heard the Sainsbugs fairtrade cheapo teabags are good - are those the ones you mentioned?

I had to have a mini spend yesterday - have had toothache for a couple of weeks(dentist tomorrow) and had run out of ibuprofen plus I needed some hairdye(far too much grey showing through)

I consider the hairdye money saving in a way as its far cheaper then going to the hairdressers!:)

Am almost out of marmalade for my morning toast but have jam so that will have to suffice. I have only 1 small slice of brown bread left(I'm the only one that eats it) but am deforsting a big granary loaf that came free from DHs work as it was nearly out of date. We'll eat that before buying any more.

Everything else is in reasonable supply:T

Have a good day all x

Kiwisaver_2

Definately scraping the barrel now, I've been keeping a running list of all the things that are finished or nearly gone that I would like to replace and it's getting rather long. :eek: The freezer is however still pretty chocka, although mostly meat that needs other things to make it into a meal. We've no eggs or tomato puree, the last of the bread was used for tomorrow's sandwiches and milk is very low, we're very low on rubbish bags and bleach, I'm also needing hair colour and I put the last of the salt and pepper into the grinders yesterday.

For tea today I made macaroni cheese with red onion and ham, with tomatoes on top. Decided to save the leek afterall, so that I can do leek and potato soup tomorrow with crumpets as our last supper before shopping on Friday. Certainly no plans to spend anything tomorrow, so should finally achieve the full seven day target. This in itself is very satisfying, I think we actually deserve a big spend up on Friday to replenish. :rotfl:

modern_millie_2

Morning campers!

Everyone seems to be doing really well, whether it's full-on FFing or a modified version.
Hi Ches, Kittendotheroar and anyone else joining.

We are a pretty low waste household as far as food goes - Mr MM will usually volunteer to eat anything past it's best! - but we are wasting virtually nothing now. I tend to keep bread in the freezer, as we don't always eat a lot, and recycle leftovers, but I think we have improved since beginning the FF.

I was contemplating a stock up shop today, but work hours (and pay) have been short this week, so rather than dip in to savings I am just going to buy the basics, milk, cheese, butter, wraps for DD and some f&v, hopefully less than £15, and £20 petrol.

I've made some hm cereal bars, will probably do veg spag bol tonight, or chilli - most stocks are running low, exceprt rk beans, which must have been breeding, and tinned spaghettihoops, which DD had a craving for and has now gone off! Any ideas chums?

Ches

Day 2. OH had LO mushrooms on toast for breakfast. Just toast for me and we both had fruit juice. Lunch was a tin of soup from the storecupboard with the last of the bread and a small pork pie each which OH bought the day before yesterday. Dinner tonight will be HM fahitas so the chicken is defrosting and I have onion, wraps and peppers in the fridge/freezer. We rarely have pudding but there is fruit and cream if we want. The breadmaker is on so I think all is under control food wise.
The weather here is dreadful and I get cabin fever if I have to stay indoors for more than half a day at a time. Pre FF I would be asking OH to run me to the nearest garden centre for a cuppa etc and a look round the clothes and indoor plant section. We went to one Monday and I saw a dear little body warmer that I loved and which would go nicely with other things in my wardrobe but sadly (or luckily) there were none in my size. Do I need it. No I defineately do not. Can I stop wondering if I can get it in any other garden centre. Well there lies the problem but I must not give in to it.

lizzyb1812

Day1. Good news, bad news and worse news :eek:

Good - MOT/service came in at just over half what I'd budgeted:T
Bad - foul weather so spent £1 on hospital car park instead of finding a free spot half a mile away

Worse - boiled a small gammon joint and pup snaffled the elasticated net wrapper and ATE it :eek: Now on dog watch, awaiting, er, developments IYKWIM. At least not being able to go out means I'm not spending! He's absolutely fine so far.

Had some of the gammon in a wrap for lunch and tonight it's some of my humongous pasta store plus cheese sauce and veggies.

Keep on Fasting peeps

Molly41

Im lurking but you are all giving me food for thought! I am haemorrhaging money at the moment and it has to stop before it gets nasty again as I was debt free but not now, but it can be sorted.

Food is a huge expense and we do have full cupboards and freezers as I so stock up regularly. I have been aware that I am spending less cash, although had to sub my eldest son a taxi to work as he had no money:mad:

Will carry on reading for inspiration x

kittendothroar

Kiwisaver wrote: »

Welcome Kittendothroar and I am sure you'll enjoy the challenge. I am intrigued by your signature 'trying to find a work life balance' and wonder if you can point me in the general direction of where we might find it? :rotfl:

Thankyou for the warm welcome :j

Erm will let you know if I ever manage it! :rotfl: