No Spending 1/20 (darn that’s a LO.O.O.O.NG way to go!)
The funny thing is, however happy (elated in fact!) I was to reach my goals in July, I’m finding it *very* hard right now. Have done over the last couple of days. Right now I want a cheese pizza from dominos with garlic dipping sauce, truly, I keep trying to distract myself, I allowed myself to eat more dinner (Bulgar wheat & broccoli salad!) I’ve surfed the web, checked email, read my book….but I just can’t get that pizza out of my head!
Grrr!!!!!!
I really really want it!!!
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I feel your pain
has it gone from your mind yet?
No, sadly I’m still obsessing….!
Think I have a problem???
I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks and I really like your writing style. It appeals to me since it’s idealistic and expressive yet succinct. Was your educational background in the liberal arts, in business such as marketing, or in something else entirely?
When I’m on a health-kick and have cravings for pizza, I make a quick, healthy version with pita bread, tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and herbs. You can add garlic and any vegetables per your preference. I bake it in the toaster oven for 8 minutes at 300 degrees. It’s very refreshing with a side salad with romaine hearts and a lemon vinaigrette dressing.
J – thanks for the compliment and recipe! Sadly I don’t have any pita bread but I’ll store this one for later!
My educational background is in something else entirely!
And sadly I’m still craving that pizza!
I sent you pizza!
However it wasn’t as big as I thought, lol
I almost went out for dinner too but made exactly the same thing at home and it tasted pretty good. I really, really wanted my first no-spend day of the month!!
isn’t it interesting that frugality can be a lot like dieting? cravings can be for stuff as much as they are for food. I vote you behave like a person on a diet. Give it time, and if you determine that it’s something that you really *do* want, then you make room for it in your plan (no spending plan). These indulgences make dieting (of the caloric or money variety) more sustainable over the long run.
Or you could just ignore my ruinous suggestion
If your Mediterranean Wraps (from your grocery list) are like the ones we have in the USA, you could use one of them to make a pizza. I use wraps or flour tortillas often, to make pizza just like J does.
I am worried about your grocery budget for the month…you mentioned you have 5 shopping days this month due to how the calendar falls. I am concerned that you will have a dangerously low food intake on these 5 week months. That’s not fair to you—-a very tight frugal lifestyle is tough enough already!! I think it would be better to budget 20 pounds per weekly shopping so that you would get 20 x 5 = 100 this month and 20 x 4=80 most other months. Over a 52 week year, it will even out without unduly restricting your food allotment.
Laura, I didn’t get it are you sure you sent it to the right address
Margo has a really good point and I also use this budgeting technique. While most of my expenses are monthly, some (i.e. food, gas) are weekly. To reflect this, my monthly budget includes a “5-week” fund that is accumulated and then used every 3 months.
Now I’m thinking about how nice it would be if I knew how to bake bread, make pasta, and grow my own vegetable garden. All of my cravings for pizza, garlic bread, and spaghetti would be satisfied!
Neiman that’s a really good attitude! Thank you!
Margot that’s a great idea, thank you, hadn’t even thought of that! My craving this morning is gone, but if it comes again I’ll do that!
Re food: I have a cupboard filled with lentils, chickpeas, bulgar wheat, cous cous, rice, peanut butter, crackers plus a couple of apples left and a few other bits and pieces. I think you’re right £20 would be better, but I’m away for 5 days this month and have a couple of lunch meetings. I may not be able to do it and I certainly won’t go without healthy food. Thanks for the reminder it is OK to go over budget!
J that’s a really good idea re a 5 week fund!
And I so agree about having your own veggie garden and knowing how to make pasta and bread!
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Good to hear you resisted the temptation, FT. I think that’s something we all get from time to time and there are times when I do give in to my cravings but because I usually don’t, I don’t beat myself up over the times that I do. Luckily I can make my own pizza and garlic bread but pasta… that’s a different story. I always have plenty in the cupboard though and can usually rustle up a relatively healthy pasta salad if I fancy something more interesting than plain fruit or veg to snack on.
Do you have a little freezer I wonder?
Anyway, just popping by your blog – glad you found mine again! Thank you so much for all your comments. Have been away for a few days so just catching up.
Don’t forget to reward yourself with a little treat now and again … you are so worth it!
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