One week to go

I've rather enjoyed this mini challenge.  It has been enough to make me think but not enough to make me think that I am wearing a hair shirt.  I haven't done a "normal" shop since 23rd October and I started this challenge on 27th October with a budget of £34.  By 17th November I was left with £14.50.

Yesterday I went shopping again and spent £8.15.  For the first time it wasn't just cheese and fresh food I bought.  I decided that the budget could cover wholemeal flour and three tins of sardines, together coming in at £2.12.  The rest went on onions, beet root, peppers, beetroot, cucumber and cheese.

If anything has surprised me about my spending this month it has been the amount I have spent on cheese.  Over the years my red meat consumption has reduced and cheese has become more important.  On several days I've had soup and bread (both home made) and a chunk of cheese.  Sometimes I've had a chopped salad and scattered grated cheese over it.  I've had a few jacket potatoes, again with  a little cheese and some salad or sweetcorn..  

Celery has been a great budget saver.  It has formed the base for salads, it's been a snack with a little cheese and it's been a great ingredient in soup.  Cabbage (both white and red), carrots, onions and celery are all fairly cheap and have been the mainstays of my five a day.

I've now got £6.35 to last me a week.