Notes From The Frugal Trenches – A Downshifting Journey

July 17- £4.70 – unplanned expense, became faint @ work and needed to eat a carb (my blood sugar was dangerously low) and as I’d already eaten my lunch, needed to go to the expensive sandwich shop (well my colleague went for me!) and have a carb with protein and a sugar drink to bring up my blood sugar/insulin level. I think it went low as I was busy and using more of my “own reserves”. Could kick myself though! Then decided to do my weekly shop that day as I was low on carbs @ home, so thanks to Sainsbury’s online I bought:

• 4 organic brown seed rolls = £0.99 =$1.98
• VERY small organic peanut butter = £0.52 =$1.04
• Raspberries £1.69 = $3.38
• Prepacked Broccoli (very small!) £0.49 = $0.98
• Four baking potatoes £0.73 = $1.46
• Celery £0.34 = $0.68
• Mini fusillini £0.51 =$1.02
• Basic digestive biscuits £0.22 =$0.44
• Cranberry Juice £0.88 = $1.66
• Low fat yogurt £0.72 = $1.44
• Organic skimmed milk £0.99 = $1.98
• Wild Rocket Leaves £0.99 = $1.98
• 2 Courgettes £0.99 =$1.98
• Organic grapes £1.99 =$3.98
• Two small personal vegetarian pizzas £3 =  $6
• Pack of radishes £0.59 = $1.18
• 2 vegan burgers £2.19 =$4.38
• 2 olive oil (buy one get  one free) £3.79 = $7.58

Total Spend on Groceries after voucher: £18.78 = $37.56

Dinners planned for the week:

• Vegetable pizza with salad (rocket, grapes, radishes)
• Courgette aka Zucchini,Beets and Broccoli pasta ( 2 meals)
• Baked potato with salad (rocket, grapes, radishes) and chick peas
• Vegan spinach burgers with tomato, carrot sticks, chickpea salad (2 meals)
• Vegetable stir-fry (carrot, broccoli, zucchini, frozen peas, onion) with brown rice

Lunches:

• Peanut butter roll with raspberries on the side (3 lunches)
• chickpea salad
• tuna pasta salad (2 lunches)

Breakfasts:

• Cereal with raspberries and cranberry juice (2 meals)
• Cereal with apple and cranberry juice (3 meals)
• yogurt with honey and tinned mandarin oranges (2 meals)

I have to spend today – I have a business trip next week and need to get my ticket (will be reimbursed!), need to buy a card for a friend who just adopted, need stamps and vinegar to clean with!!

July 18 – 12/18 no spending days!