I got a lovely email the other day, thanks Gail. In it she mention she was having 'withdrawal symptoms' after following along all through my last years shopping challenge. She was seriously missing the shopping photos and being able to compare our UK available products and prices with her local ones.
So especially for you, here's this morning's shopping. 😀
As the photo isn't brilliant ... it's a dark and gloomy January morning and the light is bad here, even under the skylight .. I will list what you can see in the photo and the price of each item. I shopped at Aldi as I wanted to see the new vegan ranges that they have in for Veganuary. They did have a lot of items, but I was very restrained as this sort of food is virtually all UPF and I am trying to steer away from most of it, but saying that a few new things did catch my eye and I thought it would be good to try them. Served alongside a half plate of vegetables it won't be the end of the world occasionally.
Wholemeal Seeded Loaf £1.09
Extra Large Breaded Cod Fillets £4.49
Garlic and Herb Dusted Basa Fillets £3.29
Titan Ice-cream Bars £2.49
Vegetable Nests £1.99
Mediterranean Style Fillets £ £3.29
Ready to Wok Noodle 2 x 85p
Cucumber 89p
Mediterranean Style Vegetables £1.59
And finally some savoury snacks, as I am trying to steer away from the sweet stuff that I've consumed far too much of since Christmas.
Eat Real Veggie Straws £1.49
Eat Real Hummus Chips £1.49
Snack a Jacks £1.35
Harvest Snaps 99p
Making a grand total of £ 26.14
This is the main reason that I have not shared anything about shopping this year, today is the first time I have been shopping and bought something for myself.
Alan paid for a loaf of bread for me when he was getting his own shopping on the 8th January, and on a different day ... I forget which ... he bought me a dozen eggs, and took no money for either.
This year is a strange one for me, and one that I have intimated about but not properly explained before. So here goes.
Although Alan is now in receipt of his State Pension he retires officially from the company at the end of this financial year which is the end of March. This means that we can then close our company down, and I will actually have no wages after my March pay-packet, I am effectively making myself redundant. There will be a directors dividends payment to come, but that will be much later in the year when all the final figures have been dealt with ... and then that is it. No more regular money coming in until I retire in May of next year.
My quiet mission is therefore to live off my three months salary for as long as I can, and try my best not to dip into savings. Of course it would have made a brilliant Challenge if I had still been of the mindset to do challenges, but instead I am quietly ticking over in my own time and taking stock of what I have.
Last years Challenge really helped me to prepare for this and to learn what I need, what I can do without and it got me into gear for a year of living even more cheaply than before. I also made sure that I completely cleared my credit card at the end of December, as well as the usual clearing of it on its due date at the start of the month, in fact I overpaid it by almost £100 so that I had a small buffer for January.
So this year is going to be an interesting one, as well as a very busy one. But when you're busy you have less time to go shopping and thus you can avoid all temptation to spend any money.
It will all be fine. 💖
Sue xx
Those frozen fish portions from Aldi are favourites of mine. I guess if you (anyone) normally do Challenges of one sort or another, it then might feel like an obligation or a bit of a millstone around your neck, which wouldn't be good if life happens and you can't keep up with the challenge. I don't really do challenges as such - except ones I keep to myself! I wouldn't want to feel pressured to keep doing something that I can no longer do for whatever reason. I'm sure you being you, Sue, you'll cope admirably well on reduced amounts of money - you've had plenty of practise at it!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at the low cost of your food. Here in California that haul would be more like $60-75 dollars. Congrats to Alan for his upcoming retirement and you as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really good idea to prepare for retirement... I thought it was coming up ahead of my plans at the beginning of covid, when I suddenly lost all my hourly paid school work. I managed to keep a lot of piano teaching going on zoom (although that had hidden costs, eg duplicate music books and paid zoom). Now I've let that dwindle to the last rather irregular (suits me) three students, but we've had time to adjust. It's so lovely to be without so many deadlines and demands on one's time.
ReplyDeleteSorry I have been AWOL, been away (in the van, yes it was minus 6 the first night, had a brilliant, brilliant time!)
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can make the last three paychecks go a long way it is YOU, but you must do this in your own way and not allow anyone else's interest to push you into lists and "challenges" which you don't need. Being away in the van for a week always reminds me just how very little we need, I always want to spend more to support where I visit but it is often hard because I do not need anything.
I bet Alan's counting the days till retirement!
ReplyDeleteAs Jane so rightly says, if anyone can live on a budget, you can. xxx
You can do this Sue as you have had lots of practice. Congratulations to Alan.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the eat real snacks-they are so tasty. Looking forward to seeing how you will manage until your pension comes in but I know you will be an example of how to eat well on a limited income. Catriona
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your upcoming retirements - Alan's and yours. I'm sure you will be able to manage very well on the money you have until the pension starts to come in.
ReplyDeleteWith all your challenges you are set to get this done and dusted. You will do very well.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.