21 days of pain!!

charhen19

Hiya - I've been a long term lurker on here and always found the website helpful and the forums inspirational.

I'm currently paying off a DMP and although my situation isn't dire at the moment I could certainly try harder. I feel I need a challenge to focus me and reset my MSE ways back to super charged!

So - OH and I have agreed that as it's 21 days until next payday we will use that time trying really hard, focusing on using up bits in the cupboards, packed lunches every day, spending as little as possible and hopefully using any spare time wisely, jobs indoors and ebaying etc. It's only 21 days - surely we can make a difference in that time right?!

Here's how it is:

Most of my monthly bills have already come out of my account and I'm left with £336.00

£52.36 & £12.50 bills still to come out leaving £271.14

Divided by 21 = £12.91 per day. The aim is to withdraw £10 per day leaving me with an emergency fund in my account of £61.14 on Nov 22nd which can be paid as extra towards a debt along with any ebay money I've made.

So out of my £10 a day I'll have to account for:
*2 x birthday cards
*£5 to go in a child's birthday card
*Petrol (will deffo need around an extra £20 during the 21 days)
*Food (whilst trying to use up all random & store cupboard bits I will need some meat, veg and milk throughout the 21 days)
*I'm doing the "penny a day" challenge - I'm a few days ahead of myself and only 6 days out of the 21 aren't paid but I'd like to at least pay those 6 during the challenge to keep on track (around £20 but will do it in dribs and drabs)

I know there are people a lot worse off than this situation I just thought it would be good to set myself a personal challenge - I'm not expecting anyone to follow this, just needed to get it down in writing for myself :rotfl:

charhen19

Forgot to say - currently have £10.07 in nectar points and £3.35 in co-op points to utilise during the 21 days also

Choccygirl123

I think it's a great idea to break it down to a daily spend chargen. Good luck I hope it goes well.

redofromstart

Sounds like an interesting challenge - good luck with it. I did £20a week for everything that involved cash for a bit, mostly because I had to. That started with a storecupboard and freezer audit which drove a plan.

[Deleted User]

Good luck x

charhen19

Thanks for the positive words choccygirl & redofromstart.

If I succeed at this I'd like to roll it on and even reduce the daily spend to channel more at the debt.

Went to the gym in my lunch break (annual membership already paid so might as well make the most of it) and so avoided the pub which is where everyone else went. Got £40 cash out so that will have to last me until 4th at midnight and I'll draw the next few days cash out on the morning of the 5th.

Lunch was beef stew leftovers from the slow cooker last night (I'm hoping to use the slow cooker a lot during this challenge) and dinner tonight - chicken korma already in the slow cooker, with rice and garlic bread (no naan bread at home and garlic bread to use up!!) Think we'll have some funny meal combos these next few weeks!

charhen19

Thanks purplemumof2

So today is day 2/21

Spent £4 last night on salmon fillets on the way home from work, left 2 in the fridge for tonight and froze the rest. So I have £36 left in my purse to last until Sunday night.

Menu today:
Breakfast - nice boss bought us bacon rolls
Lunch - chicken korma & rice leftovers from last night
Dinner - stirfry veg & noodles with a soy, honey, chille baked salmon fillet

I plan to get one of the 2 birthday cards I need at lunchtime today - don't anticipate any other spends

redofromstart

Sounds like a good start. Chicken korma here too, but with oven baked pilau type rice and lentil dhal.

The odd combinations are what make it interesting sometimes, I quite like seeing what I can with what we have. Flatbreads are quite easy to make in a frying pan if you have plain flour and a few minutes once you have run out of garlic bread.

Hurrah for free bacon rolls. My evil and demanding boss bought me one today. Oh wait, that's me

ImpulseSpender

Sounds like a great plan and splitting into days makes it so much easier to visualise what you've got to spend. Can't wait to see what funny meal combos you come up with :rotfl: Reminds me of my uni days.

117pauline

Great idea and always teaches you something.

I, too, have a cash budget. I decided to see how little I could spend in November. So I bought a small sack of potatoes, large nets of onions and carrots plus sausages, chicken breasts, pork loin and turkey. Altogether cost €40 and I have enough main ingredients for me for at least six weeks. Good old lidl!

I've split the meat into portions, prepped all the onions and carrots so I have no excuse to think I need more food. I am back to cooking in advance, ie I prepare the next day's meal as I finish cooking today's. Also I intend to bulk cook a couple of meals so I have my own freezer ready meals for *** it days.

For your other spends, keep to the cash and write down every penny. If you like magazines, join your local library as most have access to ebooks and magazines.

Good luck with your plan.
Pauline
Also you could reduce the amount of washing liquid, fabric conditioner (use white vinegar or nothing!)you use. The old style threads are great for ideas.

charhen19

Flatbreads sound interesting redofromstart - what's your recipe/cooking method? I have a breadmaker (donated to me several years ago) which I intend to dust off once all the frozen bread is used up.

Thanks impulsespender - bring on the random meals!

Thanks 117pauline for some great tips.

I spent £4.30 at lunchtime on yellow sticker items (I love a yellow sticker ). I've learnt from experience only to buy YS items if I'm going to use them that same day or if they freeze.

I got a Tom Kitten 50p in my change and left it on a lady at work's desk who collects the special ones for her grandchildren. She's not in work today and will replace it with an ordinary one on Monday - had to leave it there today in case I spent it by mistake at the weekend!

Leaving me with £31.20 in my purse - didn't get the birthday card, nothing suitable.

I'll be stopping at Lidl on the way home for a nose around - haven't been there for years so thought I'd check out any potential savings. Anyone got any recommendations for good items from there?

Hoping to list at least 3 items on ebay this weekend too.