This week I've kept up with menu planning, recording every spend in my spending diary but have gone over budget with my grocery spending. But only slightly... here's the lowdown.
Grocery shopping: £96.80 (budget £92 per week/£400 per month for four of us which includes food, household items and toiletries). I think I need to be more thorough in my stock taking as I didn't check every item and bought several items I didn't need. However, I'm still happy as it's under £100 and again I've only used cash for groceries.Spending diary: I had three no spend days this week compared to only one in week 1 which is something to celebrate. I'm enjoying using my spending diary - I've even copied a few quotes to motivate me into the first page.Clothes shopping: I haven't given in to any temptation yet but I'm very aware of clothing catalogues coming through the door. They go straight in the recycling unopened. I need to get my address off some mailing lists and look up how to stop this unwanted advertising coming into my house.Treats: We were treated to tea out at my parents-in-law on Friday. Other favorite treats were the beautiful sedum plant I bought Mum this week (it would have been their 53rd wedding anniversary) and the 30p doughnut which I bought my youngest for completing the first week of his paper round. Motivation: It's only week 2 so I'm feeling positive and excited about this challenge. Posting weekly updates hopefully will keep me going for the next 50!Temptations: It was book club on Monday and therefore a new book to read (The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa). Do I buy the cheaper Kindle version, the second hand option or a new copy? Arghh.Menu: The curry was aubergine daal (from Save With Jamie) and chicken korma. I couldn't find any curry leaves for the temper (flavoured oil) so after research I substituted coriander stalks, chilli and ginger - just as yum. Our roast was slow pork with roasted pears. The tagliatelle (correct spelling here not on chalk board - oops) was broccoli and pesto tagliatelle (from Jamie's Ministry of Food). We'll definitely have this again, the potato shavings made it deliciously creamy. And I do like to feed my family broccoli as you will note from my photos.So, how's your 'less spending' going? Any no spend days or enjoyable treats?
