Sometimes, we need to stop analyzing the past and start planning the future.
- Unknown
It's Sunday the 1st of January, day 1 of my challenge and I decided the best plan of action was to see what I actually have in my cupboards to eat!
We ALL have the odd tin right at the back that we aren't too sure if it's been there months or years. I know I'm not the only one who doesn't know EVERYTHING in her cupboards, so I wrote a list.
I went through all the cupboards and the fridge and the freezers and wrote down every single, in date, item that I had which was edible. Turns out I had quite a bit.
Side note - I was in the shops the other week and swore I needed OXO cubes so I bought some. After doing this inventory of my food items, it turned out I already had a packet! I could have saved myself £2!
After my food inventory I wrote down a list of evening meals for the week. Feels like I'm off to a good start. 😎
Day 1 - I spent nothing. I didn't need to. We had cereal for breakfast and then had a huge lunch/dinner at my Nan's house (free food, yay!) so nothing else was needed. Nice start to the challenge.
Day 1 - I spent nothing. I didn't need to. We had cereal for breakfast and then had a huge lunch/dinner at my Nan's house (free food, yay!) so nothing else was needed. Nice start to the challenge.
Yes I know I didn't spell potato and possibly some other words, correct!
Haha
But this was my meal list and my inventory.
TIP - Write down an inventory of food in your home and plan your meals for at least the week.
Day 2 - I was doing so well but ended up spending £3.50 today. £2 on laundry softener and £1.50 on a bottle of cordial. Now in my defence these were classed as necessities in our house. I was catching up on all the washing in the house and couldn't do it without softener and the cordial, well I just can't handle drinking water on it's own, knocks me sick. I'm totally ashamed but I have a sweet tooth, a really strong sweet tooth.
I was however pretty proud of myself for not buying any chocolate or sweets whilst in the shop so that's a bonus.
I have also started writing down in a little notebook every penny I am spending. I might learn a thing or two about my spending habits.
TIP - Write down every single thing you are spending money on, it might reveal a few things about your spending habits!
Day 3 - We haven't left the house, so haven't spent anything. Today is the last day before the children go back to school so it's been a day of cleaning, cooking and washing. What an exciting life I lead! We had Spanish Chicken today with rice for our tea. I loved it and it used all ingredients that I already had in from doing the food inventory.
Day 4 - I'm ashamed of myself. I caved and spent £1.50 on Gold Bars! Two packets! Huge huge fail on my part. Another big fail, I spent £3 in the corner shop on a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread, which doesn't sound that bad until I tell you that later on I went to Iceland and got another loaf of bread (for the freezer to use next week) for £1 (same brand and size) and I bought a bottle of milk for £1 instead of £1.50 like at the shop. I could have saved £1 if I had gone to Iceland in the first place. I did buy a few groceries there but all necessities, excluding the gold bars which I already confessed too.
Oh one bargain thing though. I managed to pick up two 3 litre bottles of the exact same cordial I bought the other day for £3 each. That should last the rest of the month! I got 725ml for £1.50 in the corner shop and just bought 3 litres for £3. Huge, huge price difference.
TIP - Buying in bulk can sometimes save you some pennies! But make sure you always check the price against the smaller items though. Looking at price per 100g or price per 100ml usually helps. This will be listed on the price label on the store shelf.
Day 5 - Nothing to report, I was a good girl and didn't spend a penny!
Day 6 - I did a big shop today but before I left the house I wrote out a list of meals, for next week and I then wrote down my shopping list and I made sure I stuck to it. Everything I bought was classed as a necessity so I'm pretty proud of myself.
Day 7 - Last day of the week. We managed a date day, ish. We went to the cinema to see Passengers. The way we got around this was vouchers haha. We had cinema vouchers from last year and then I took popcorn and a can of pop (soda for Americans) in my handbag for the each of us so today was another no spend!
We did have a treat of chocolate chip cookies though! Homemade from ingredients I already had in the cupboard! Bonus!
TIP - Use them vouchers if you like. I know a lot of people get vouchers for Christmas so use them, they were paid for before Christmas so technically it's money that's already been spent.
Over all how has this week been? It's been okay. I've learnt a lot by writing down everything I've spent and I haven't wasted food because I stuck to a meal plan and the only fail I really had was purchasing my dreaded addiction of Gold Bars (they should seriously start a support group for this!).
I think I will have a few meals for lunch for me and Joseph for next week too. The 2 other children have school dinners so me and baby Joseph can eat the leftovers from last week! After cooking a few meals I had enough left over for one more person so I popped it in the freeze!
TIP - Most leftovers you can actually freeze. Comes in handy for lunch or dinner on another day. Remember to wait for the food to cool before putting it in the freezer.
Anyway I have probably bored you enough so I will finish up. I've coped this week but it's only early days, the novelty will possible wear off. But I have saved money this week, which was my original intention so that has been popped into a savings account I have just opened. Yay!
You've got to start somewhere, right? 😁
Check me out on Instagram and Facebook! :)
This has really shown me just where my money goes. I recommend it.
Day 3 - We haven't left the house, so haven't spent anything. Today is the last day before the children go back to school so it's been a day of cleaning, cooking and washing. What an exciting life I lead! We had Spanish Chicken today with rice for our tea. I loved it and it used all ingredients that I already had in from doing the food inventory.
Spanish chicken! I loved it! Yummy!
Day 4 - I'm ashamed of myself. I caved and spent £1.50 on Gold Bars! Two packets! Huge huge fail on my part. Another big fail, I spent £3 in the corner shop on a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread, which doesn't sound that bad until I tell you that later on I went to Iceland and got another loaf of bread (for the freezer to use next week) for £1 (same brand and size) and I bought a bottle of milk for £1 instead of £1.50 like at the shop. I could have saved £1 if I had gone to Iceland in the first place. I did buy a few groceries there but all necessities, excluding the gold bars which I already confessed too.
Oh one bargain thing though. I managed to pick up two 3 litre bottles of the exact same cordial I bought the other day for £3 each. That should last the rest of the month! I got 725ml for £1.50 in the corner shop and just bought 3 litres for £3. Huge, huge price difference.
TIP - Buying in bulk can sometimes save you some pennies! But make sure you always check the price against the smaller items though. Looking at price per 100g or price per 100ml usually helps. This will be listed on the price label on the store shelf.
Day 5 - Nothing to report, I was a good girl and didn't spend a penny!
I behaved and kept my purse closed!
Day 6 - I did a big shop today but before I left the house I wrote out a list of meals, for next week and I then wrote down my shopping list and I made sure I stuck to it. Everything I bought was classed as a necessity so I'm pretty proud of myself.
Day 7 - Last day of the week. We managed a date day, ish. We went to the cinema to see Passengers. The way we got around this was vouchers haha. We had cinema vouchers from last year and then I took popcorn and a can of pop (soda for Americans) in my handbag for the each of us so today was another no spend!
We did have a treat of chocolate chip cookies though! Homemade from ingredients I already had in the cupboard! Bonus!
TIP - Use them vouchers if you like. I know a lot of people get vouchers for Christmas so use them, they were paid for before Christmas so technically it's money that's already been spent.
This was super yummy! Avocado mashed up and spread onto a slice of toast
with 2 poached eggs and roasted plum tomatoes. Only sharing in case you fancied trying it.
Over all how has this week been? It's been okay. I've learnt a lot by writing down everything I've spent and I haven't wasted food because I stuck to a meal plan and the only fail I really had was purchasing my dreaded addiction of Gold Bars (they should seriously start a support group for this!).
I think I will have a few meals for lunch for me and Joseph for next week too. The 2 other children have school dinners so me and baby Joseph can eat the leftovers from last week! After cooking a few meals I had enough left over for one more person so I popped it in the freeze!
TIP - Most leftovers you can actually freeze. Comes in handy for lunch or dinner on another day. Remember to wait for the food to cool before putting it in the freezer.
Anyway I have probably bored you enough so I will finish up. I've coped this week but it's only early days, the novelty will possible wear off. But I have saved money this week, which was my original intention so that has been popped into a savings account I have just opened. Yay!
You've got to start somewhere, right? 😁
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