So I'm still thinking about this.
This is in the back of my mind now, everytime I spend money.
Like the other day, when I'd had enough of not sleeping and wanted to scratch my eyes out because my seasonal allergies had just become too much to bear. I went right over to the organic food store and spent $100. Natural allergy relief, supplements, good, nutritious foods. And they did help. Are helping. But since then I must've spent another $100 on other food and beverages, more supplements.
Oh, and this is after more than a week of trying other allergy medications like Claritin, Benadryl, etc.
I think that's probably a couple months' budget there, in the least!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Mission: Complete.
So heard on the radio today, while I was at work...
Minimum wage in BC is going up! Apparently by 2012 it'll be up around $10 something?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/clark-increases-bc-minimum-wage-after-decade-long-freeze/article1944813/
So, for that I take full credit. You're welcome.
Mission: complete. :)
Minimum wage in BC is going up! Apparently by 2012 it'll be up around $10 something?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/clark-increases-bc-minimum-wage-after-decade-long-freeze/article1944813/
So, for that I take full credit. You're welcome.
Mission: complete. :)
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day: 14 and 15
So I didn't make it quite to two weeks. Too many adverse effects. Just from 13 days of not eating properly - limited fruits and veggies, good quality whole grains, and variety in foods. The effects of such a limited diet are also very taxing on my overall thought process during the day - it's all I could think about, and not so much that I could do about. Tons of planning and number crunching didn't help a great deal. I could see myself becoming more moody, more subject to the ups and downs of a regular day, and lacking any desire to continue with my passions - writing and photography. And people wonder why those with little money have trouble digging themselves out of a hole.
I cannot believe how much the lack of nutrients in such a short period affected everything about me (think: Space Cadet). I even began having trouble with walking to and from work and school - the lack of energy and concentration led to me taking public transportation more and more ($2.50 a shot) - and even with basic things like crossing the road. I was in a daze and my judgement and reaction were so compromised. (I won't tell you how I almost got hit by a car). I look like total crap - like I'm not eating well, sleeping enough or enjoying anything.
My food choices have also become seriously skewed. Usually I would not consider going to fast food burger joints for meals, and coffee shops for anything other than a snack and a coffee. Forget vegan and organic. I didn't care about the quality of food I was eating. It was all about how much I could get in for the least amount of money. Yesterday I became a total rebel, against my own authority (I've always had a thing against arbitrary authority figures in my life). Here I was, Starbucks sandwich and a slice of lemon loaf ($6.51) for breakfast one day, crepe from Granville Island for lunch ($7.78), and then I went grocery shopping ($45.82) and bought all sorts of glorious things! Ingredients for my 7 layer dip (actually based on this awesomeness of a dip!!!) - rice crackers, avocados, tomatoes, serrano peppers, lemons, refried beans, sour cream, monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers, red peppers - (though I've used real sour cream and cheese in my version). I also got some fruit and nut mix along with my 10 grain hot cereal. Honey. Cadbury mini-eggs (told you I'd get chocolate), carrots, two big bags of Neal Bros' organic cheese puffs (these are my favourite!), and edamame hummous. The bean dip with rice crackers has lasted me two full meals and another snack for tomorrow at work. My breakfast is taken care of for at least the week. I forgot Soy Milk...so that's on tomorrow's rampage about town.
Then my friend showed up last night with a bottle of wine, which we devoured, and I busted out the Cadbury mini-eggs. Chocolate and wine always go together. My body must be totally out of whack, 'cause that half bottle of wine really went to my head, or maybe it was the sugar rush from the chocolate... this morning I stayed in bed until the last possible second. This meant - another breakfast and lunch out. (Anyone see the vicious cycle happening here?) So breakfast at ..... McDonald's on the mad dash to work. Hahahahahaha. Like a full on, 2 hashbrowns, sausage McMuffin, and massive coffee, meal deal that cost me just over $5. Then for lunch I went to....Starbucks again...a Grande coffee, a bagel with cream cheese and a double chocolate chip cookie - I think that's about $10 for the day. I would never eat like that on a regular day. It's just too unhealthy. Dinner was left-over 7-layer dip with the rice crackers and some tea. Also mini-eggs to snack on.
For the last two days (Day 14 and 15), I've said screw it. My body just can't handle the boring, bland, repetitive nature of such a limited budget on food. It's really not worth messing up my whole system to prove this. About a year ago I decided to actually take time to listen to what my body was telling me. Since then, I feel so much better, have tons of energy, don't have emotions swinging out of control anywhere near as often, and just love every day so much more. After just two weeks of ignoring what my system was telling me and going by the numbers alone - I just can't believe what a negative impact it has had on me. I am going to take a few more days of body resetting, and see where I am at.
Maybe there wasn't enough of a transition period. Maybe I jumped in headfirst and decided to see where it would lead. That's how I tend to do most things. I just jump in and give it a shot.
Let's see what I've spent recently:
Day 14: Breakfast - $6.51, Lunch - $7.78, grocery shopping - $45.82.
Day 15: Breakfast - $5.69 , Lunch - around $5 (forgot to get my receipts).
Coming to the end of Week 2: For the week I had a budget of $31.71. I spent - $87.52
Week 3: For the rest of the month, I have $30.19. That seems a little rediculous, considering there are 2 1/2 weeks left in the month.
So a few days of eating out and my whole month is thrown into absolute chaos. Not that it was ever under control. It's been balancing precariously ever since day 1 - even with the stocking up I did, and the fact that I have all the staples of a standard kitchen. If I really was stuck on $5 a day, I don't think I'd last long before I became super stressed out, and fell into a rotten cycle of bad health and no money. Having regular access to a variety of nutritious foods at reasonable prices seems like a basic thing to ask for, yet, so many people are stuck without even this.
I'm thinking that at least double what I've budgeted is much more reasonable for someone like me (and that's with careful budgeting and planning). I'm active, energetic, happy and busy. It takes a lot of food to keep that up. And not just filling junk - good quality, nutritious food. It's also about my state of mind. Having something taxing on you in your every waking moment is a serious blow to your ability to carry on in your day-to-day activities. Just 2 days after beginning the boycott of my own challenge and I feel happy, light, hopeful, energetic, and so much more at ease with whatever my day throws at me.
The fact that so many people in this city are making so little money, and having to deal with way more taxing financial situations than myself, just seems completely rediculous. I'm not sure who deals with minimum wages, who decides what they should be at, and who decides when they should be increased. Honestly I don't give a damn. It's disgusting that in a country that's suppose to be so awesome, that we treat our own residents so poorly and expect so much from them. When will someone wake up and realize that this can't continue? When will the people that are living in these circumstances make a stink and demand more? Maybe they're just to malnourished to fight back...
I cannot believe how much the lack of nutrients in such a short period affected everything about me (think: Space Cadet). I even began having trouble with walking to and from work and school - the lack of energy and concentration led to me taking public transportation more and more ($2.50 a shot) - and even with basic things like crossing the road. I was in a daze and my judgement and reaction were so compromised. (I won't tell you how I almost got hit by a car). I look like total crap - like I'm not eating well, sleeping enough or enjoying anything.
My food choices have also become seriously skewed. Usually I would not consider going to fast food burger joints for meals, and coffee shops for anything other than a snack and a coffee. Forget vegan and organic. I didn't care about the quality of food I was eating. It was all about how much I could get in for the least amount of money. Yesterday I became a total rebel, against my own authority (I've always had a thing against arbitrary authority figures in my life). Here I was, Starbucks sandwich and a slice of lemon loaf ($6.51) for breakfast one day, crepe from Granville Island for lunch ($7.78), and then I went grocery shopping ($45.82) and bought all sorts of glorious things! Ingredients for my 7 layer dip (actually based on this awesomeness of a dip!!!) - rice crackers, avocados, tomatoes, serrano peppers, lemons, refried beans, sour cream, monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers, red peppers - (though I've used real sour cream and cheese in my version). I also got some fruit and nut mix along with my 10 grain hot cereal. Honey. Cadbury mini-eggs (told you I'd get chocolate), carrots, two big bags of Neal Bros' organic cheese puffs (these are my favourite!), and edamame hummous. The bean dip with rice crackers has lasted me two full meals and another snack for tomorrow at work. My breakfast is taken care of for at least the week. I forgot Soy Milk...so that's on tomorrow's rampage about town.
Then my friend showed up last night with a bottle of wine, which we devoured, and I busted out the Cadbury mini-eggs. Chocolate and wine always go together. My body must be totally out of whack, 'cause that half bottle of wine really went to my head, or maybe it was the sugar rush from the chocolate... this morning I stayed in bed until the last possible second. This meant - another breakfast and lunch out. (Anyone see the vicious cycle happening here?) So breakfast at ..... McDonald's on the mad dash to work. Hahahahahaha. Like a full on, 2 hashbrowns, sausage McMuffin, and massive coffee, meal deal that cost me just over $5. Then for lunch I went to....Starbucks again...a Grande coffee, a bagel with cream cheese and a double chocolate chip cookie - I think that's about $10 for the day. I would never eat like that on a regular day. It's just too unhealthy. Dinner was left-over 7-layer dip with the rice crackers and some tea. Also mini-eggs to snack on.
For the last two days (Day 14 and 15), I've said screw it. My body just can't handle the boring, bland, repetitive nature of such a limited budget on food. It's really not worth messing up my whole system to prove this. About a year ago I decided to actually take time to listen to what my body was telling me. Since then, I feel so much better, have tons of energy, don't have emotions swinging out of control anywhere near as often, and just love every day so much more. After just two weeks of ignoring what my system was telling me and going by the numbers alone - I just can't believe what a negative impact it has had on me. I am going to take a few more days of body resetting, and see where I am at.
Maybe there wasn't enough of a transition period. Maybe I jumped in headfirst and decided to see where it would lead. That's how I tend to do most things. I just jump in and give it a shot.
Let's see what I've spent recently:
Day 14: Breakfast - $6.51, Lunch - $7.78, grocery shopping - $45.82.
Day 15: Breakfast - $5.69 , Lunch - around $5 (forgot to get my receipts).
Coming to the end of Week 2: For the week I had a budget of $31.71. I spent - $87.52
Week 3: For the rest of the month, I have $30.19. That seems a little rediculous, considering there are 2 1/2 weeks left in the month.
So a few days of eating out and my whole month is thrown into absolute chaos. Not that it was ever under control. It's been balancing precariously ever since day 1 - even with the stocking up I did, and the fact that I have all the staples of a standard kitchen. If I really was stuck on $5 a day, I don't think I'd last long before I became super stressed out, and fell into a rotten cycle of bad health and no money. Having regular access to a variety of nutritious foods at reasonable prices seems like a basic thing to ask for, yet, so many people are stuck without even this.
I'm thinking that at least double what I've budgeted is much more reasonable for someone like me (and that's with careful budgeting and planning). I'm active, energetic, happy and busy. It takes a lot of food to keep that up. And not just filling junk - good quality, nutritious food. It's also about my state of mind. Having something taxing on you in your every waking moment is a serious blow to your ability to carry on in your day-to-day activities. Just 2 days after beginning the boycott of my own challenge and I feel happy, light, hopeful, energetic, and so much more at ease with whatever my day throws at me.
The fact that so many people in this city are making so little money, and having to deal with way more taxing financial situations than myself, just seems completely rediculous. I'm not sure who deals with minimum wages, who decides what they should be at, and who decides when they should be increased. Honestly I don't give a damn. It's disgusting that in a country that's suppose to be so awesome, that we treat our own residents so poorly and expect so much from them. When will someone wake up and realize that this can't continue? When will the people that are living in these circumstances make a stink and demand more? Maybe they're just to malnourished to fight back...
Friday, March 11, 2011
Day: 11, 12 and 13...I think...
So I'm really losing track of the days here. It's either a day that I spend money, or a day that I don't.
This past week has been tough. I got a whole load of things I totally wasn't expecting, and a whole load of things, I totally was.
I had a lot of bland food...just when I thought I couldn't eat any more quinoa...I didn't have much choice. So I made an executive decision. I bought a burrito. Not just any burrito. I gotta tell ya, I've tried a few burrito/taco places and have never been impressed - in all sorts of places, like California, Ontario, the South Eastern U.S., and B.C. Then my friend told me to try out Chronic Tacos on Broadway in Vancouver. What an awesome joint. I love the vibe when I go in there, and my burrito always fills me up so I don't have to eat again for the rest of the day. And it tastes so good. Especially with the half bottle of hot sauce that I put on it. MMMM. So yes. I overspent. I spent just over $9 on a burrito (including tip). I even scored a free bottle of hot sauce (this rocks because I'm just about out!)... So did I really overspend? I guess it's all relative isn't it? According to my "rules" for this challenge...yes, I overspent. Just like I did on the $10 almonds. And just like I did on the Emergen-c. But in the long run - the next month - I'm actually spending less than I would if I were to buy these things in smaller amounts a couple times a week. It still doesn't mean I can afford them. But, do I have much choice?
My friend helped me move all my stuff from "storage" (yes quotation marks - it's a long story - but my stuff was held hostage until recently) to my new-ish place (4 hours, 3 trips, free help, free use of the landlord's truck - I repaid her with a single packet of Emergen-c ). Usually these things all cost money. My friend even bought me a taco (yes, I totally went to Chronic Tacos twice in one day) ...without me knowing until it was on my plate and paid for. Friends rule! Even though I'm only here for another 2 months, I had to move all my stuff. It's great to have all my things in one place again. Not for the sake of having stuff, but just because they are so darn handy. Things like my coffee maker, coffee filters, and coffee grinder that allow me to actually use the free coffee I got. And my tea pot. Candles - to make my room smell better after all the beans I've been eating (damn beans)... Laundry Detergent .... Shampoo ..... Conditioner ..... Soap ...... things I was running short of in my house, and now, because I saved them before I left a whole year ago, I've been replenished. And in case you are wondering - there was even toilet paper. Sadly (or maybe luckily), no chocolate was found.
Now, having said that...even though I only had $4 to spend for the rest of the week, I spent less than $10 in 3 days. I got a free 907 g bag of coffee. I got a free bottle of hot sauce. I got a free taco. Free use of a vehicle, and free help to move all my things.
So I can't find my receipt for my burrito...I'm saying it was about $9.50. That means that I've overspent by $5.70. Next week's budget = $29.30. Oh but wait...I still need to get through tomorrow and the fridge and pantry are all but empty. Hmmm.... this seems to be getting worse, rather than better.
Just did a quick look in all the places I keep food (no, I'm not a hoarder!) and tried to find something for dinner. I've got some sushi rice, quinoa, rice noodles, spaghetti noodles (one portion), veggie stock, soy sauce, hot sauce, cereal (one portion), soy milk (enough for a couple teas and a bowl of cereal), almonds, mandarin oranges, nori, tons of coffee, tea, sugar, agave syrup, earth balance butter, wasabi paste, ginger, rice vinegar, salt, olive oil. That sounds like a lot of food. I guarantee you, the only meal I can make out of ANY of that, is to use the rest of the cereal and soy milk and have a bowl of cereal for dinner. Sometimes, that's great. But to have no other choice? Hell, this sucks. So, even though I thought I was doing well this week, turns out, I've gotta go spend a whack of money to get me through the next 8 days. And I don't have a whack of money. I have $29.30. I have soy milk left for my coffee in the morning, but nothing for breakfast. All the hot cereal is gone.
Just to budget out loud here:
Soy milk - $4
Hot cereal - $4
Veggies - no idea
Snacks - $8 (for example, two boxes of granola bars)
Chocolate - You're damn right I'm having chocolate this week - $3
Without fresh fruit and veggies or anything else, that's already 2/3 of the budget. For the week.
Ha! This is not going to happen. I repeat: NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
I have to alter my budget to allow for more fresh fruit and veggies, more snacks in-between meals, and better quality food. If I don't, it could seriously be a danger to my health and well-being. That is not a risk I'm going to take without having a gun held to my head.
Epic fail, anyone? This is upsetting, but also quite vividly illustrates how freaking hard it is to live on $5 a day! I'm falling apart!
So, in light of recent events - today's lack of energy/concentration/general drive to do anything - I'm going shopping tomorrow. I might have to go over my budget, but I seriously need some nutritious food. I have no energy (which is severely affecting my ability to walk everywhere - it's my mode of transportation), my concentration is severely affected (writing this is taking way too much effort), and I'm finding myself physically clumsy (more than usual for all your smart asses out there), and I just feel...unhealthy. I am drained. Also, I'm lacking one serious joy in my life - cooking and eating (yes, that is one joy - if I cook it, I'm gonna eat it). I love it. I love putting together healthy, colourful meals that taste amazing and enjoying them either with friends, or even just on my own. My mood is affected because I just am not stoked to eat anything that I have. It's just sustenance at the moment. It just fills me up...sometimes. How did I think that I would be able to deny myself the pleasure of wonderful food, when my whole life has been filled to the brim with awesome, delicious, nutritious, filling food from all over the world (my mom and all my aunts and some of my uncles and my sister and cousins and friends are great cooks, bakers, chefs, or Thai food ordering masters)!?
After only two weeks - I'm finding this impossible. Even with all the free stuff. Even with stocking up before hand. Even with planning my meals, and barely eating out.
I have tomorrow to fend for myself - cranking my spending over the budget for the two weeks. I am at the point of not caring because I'm hungry, lacking nutrients, and it's affecting every aspect of my life. Wow, am I excited to eat tomorrow, but right now...all I can think about is pizza. Dare I order one? Now this is getting nuts...it's 10:15 and I'm thinking of ordering pizza because my day was not filled with awesome eating (two bowls of cereal, one bowl of left over pasta with a sauce using the rest of my veggies - onion and carrots, punctuated with about 20 almonds, 3 cups of coffee, 2 cups of green tea, 6 mandarin oranges, and a bag of chips). My body is seriously pissed.
By the way - I spent $1.25 in a vending machine tonight before my class. On a bag of chips. They were less than tasty. In real life, I would never do that. My backpack would be filled with healthy, organic granola bars, fruit, chocolate, juice, etc. This budget is affecting my ability to make healthy food choices.
So, I've just gone to the fridge. My side is empty. I've taken two eggs (there's about 20), and the water is boiling for me to poach them. I've also located a cheese bagel (in the bread garage along with 2 full loaves of bread) that I'm gonna put the eggs on. And then I will have a glorious feast. I'm hungry, and honestly don't give a damn about the rules. Tomorrow I will pick up some bagels and eggs to repay whoever I've taken them from, and also give myself some food. I'll probably also get veggies, hummous, soy milk, cheese, apples, bananas, hot cereal, nuts and dried fruit, yummy granola bars and snacks and CHOCOLATE! I'm still going to try to stay within my budget - the best I can. ($30)
I've just realized I've got nothing for breakfast. Will have to eat on the way to school. Oh...I also have nothing to pack for a lunch. Have to grab something in-between classes. Being so short on cash, leaves me ill prepared for the future (even if that future is as close as tomorrow), and my ability to even plan for it. There are so many people living on worse than what I'm putting myself through to prove a point. A lot of people are scared to do anything about it for fear of losing their job to someone who shuts up and just does what they're told. So where's the incentive for governments/employers to raise wages if there is always willing people to work harder and harder, for less and less in return!? Others are lacking education (or access to it - my three courses are $1500) and/or skills, or even just the contacts in whatever industry they are trying to get into (as a foot in). They have no choice but to continue working their current jobs because bills, children, healthy and hungry bellies will not wait for anyone. (I'm working 5 days a week at the moment, and taking classes on the other two days. I do not get a day off. If I continue to eat this way, I will most certainly be calling on all sorts of health issues and my immune system will be weaker. Sick days = even less money. And so begins the cycle. For me, this schedule is only temporary - for less than 2 more months. I couldn't do it much longer (even on $30 a day), if I can do it at all, but I know lots of people that try).
All I know is that these are the best, stolen, poached eggs on a cheese bagel I have ever had.
This past week has been tough. I got a whole load of things I totally wasn't expecting, and a whole load of things, I totally was.
I had a lot of bland food...just when I thought I couldn't eat any more quinoa...I didn't have much choice. So I made an executive decision. I bought a burrito. Not just any burrito. I gotta tell ya, I've tried a few burrito/taco places and have never been impressed - in all sorts of places, like California, Ontario, the South Eastern U.S., and B.C. Then my friend told me to try out Chronic Tacos on Broadway in Vancouver. What an awesome joint. I love the vibe when I go in there, and my burrito always fills me up so I don't have to eat again for the rest of the day. And it tastes so good. Especially with the half bottle of hot sauce that I put on it. MMMM. So yes. I overspent. I spent just over $9 on a burrito (including tip). I even scored a free bottle of hot sauce (this rocks because I'm just about out!)... So did I really overspend? I guess it's all relative isn't it? According to my "rules" for this challenge...yes, I overspent. Just like I did on the $10 almonds. And just like I did on the Emergen-c. But in the long run - the next month - I'm actually spending less than I would if I were to buy these things in smaller amounts a couple times a week. It still doesn't mean I can afford them. But, do I have much choice?
My friend helped me move all my stuff from "storage" (yes quotation marks - it's a long story - but my stuff was held hostage until recently) to my new-ish place (4 hours, 3 trips, free help, free use of the landlord's truck - I repaid her with a single packet of Emergen-c ). Usually these things all cost money. My friend even bought me a taco (yes, I totally went to Chronic Tacos twice in one day) ...without me knowing until it was on my plate and paid for. Friends rule! Even though I'm only here for another 2 months, I had to move all my stuff. It's great to have all my things in one place again. Not for the sake of having stuff, but just because they are so darn handy. Things like my coffee maker, coffee filters, and coffee grinder that allow me to actually use the free coffee I got. And my tea pot. Candles - to make my room smell better after all the beans I've been eating (damn beans)... Laundry Detergent .... Shampoo ..... Conditioner ..... Soap ...... things I was running short of in my house, and now, because I saved them before I left a whole year ago, I've been replenished. And in case you are wondering - there was even toilet paper. Sadly (or maybe luckily), no chocolate was found.
Now, having said that...even though I only had $4 to spend for the rest of the week, I spent less than $10 in 3 days. I got a free 907 g bag of coffee. I got a free bottle of hot sauce. I got a free taco. Free use of a vehicle, and free help to move all my things.
So I can't find my receipt for my burrito...I'm saying it was about $9.50. That means that I've overspent by $5.70. Next week's budget = $29.30. Oh but wait...I still need to get through tomorrow and the fridge and pantry are all but empty. Hmmm.... this seems to be getting worse, rather than better.
Just did a quick look in all the places I keep food (no, I'm not a hoarder!) and tried to find something for dinner. I've got some sushi rice, quinoa, rice noodles, spaghetti noodles (one portion), veggie stock, soy sauce, hot sauce, cereal (one portion), soy milk (enough for a couple teas and a bowl of cereal), almonds, mandarin oranges, nori, tons of coffee, tea, sugar, agave syrup, earth balance butter, wasabi paste, ginger, rice vinegar, salt, olive oil. That sounds like a lot of food. I guarantee you, the only meal I can make out of ANY of that, is to use the rest of the cereal and soy milk and have a bowl of cereal for dinner. Sometimes, that's great. But to have no other choice? Hell, this sucks. So, even though I thought I was doing well this week, turns out, I've gotta go spend a whack of money to get me through the next 8 days. And I don't have a whack of money. I have $29.30. I have soy milk left for my coffee in the morning, but nothing for breakfast. All the hot cereal is gone.
Just to budget out loud here:
Soy milk - $4
Hot cereal - $4
Veggies - no idea
Snacks - $8 (for example, two boxes of granola bars)
Chocolate - You're damn right I'm having chocolate this week - $3
Without fresh fruit and veggies or anything else, that's already 2/3 of the budget. For the week.
Ha! This is not going to happen. I repeat: NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
I have to alter my budget to allow for more fresh fruit and veggies, more snacks in-between meals, and better quality food. If I don't, it could seriously be a danger to my health and well-being. That is not a risk I'm going to take without having a gun held to my head.
Epic fail, anyone? This is upsetting, but also quite vividly illustrates how freaking hard it is to live on $5 a day! I'm falling apart!
So, in light of recent events - today's lack of energy/concentration/general drive to do anything - I'm going shopping tomorrow. I might have to go over my budget, but I seriously need some nutritious food. I have no energy (which is severely affecting my ability to walk everywhere - it's my mode of transportation), my concentration is severely affected (writing this is taking way too much effort), and I'm finding myself physically clumsy (more than usual for all your smart asses out there), and I just feel...unhealthy. I am drained. Also, I'm lacking one serious joy in my life - cooking and eating (yes, that is one joy - if I cook it, I'm gonna eat it). I love it. I love putting together healthy, colourful meals that taste amazing and enjoying them either with friends, or even just on my own. My mood is affected because I just am not stoked to eat anything that I have. It's just sustenance at the moment. It just fills me up...sometimes. How did I think that I would be able to deny myself the pleasure of wonderful food, when my whole life has been filled to the brim with awesome, delicious, nutritious, filling food from all over the world (my mom and all my aunts and some of my uncles and my sister and cousins and friends are great cooks, bakers, chefs, or Thai food ordering masters)!?
After only two weeks - I'm finding this impossible. Even with all the free stuff. Even with stocking up before hand. Even with planning my meals, and barely eating out.
I have tomorrow to fend for myself - cranking my spending over the budget for the two weeks. I am at the point of not caring because I'm hungry, lacking nutrients, and it's affecting every aspect of my life. Wow, am I excited to eat tomorrow, but right now...all I can think about is pizza. Dare I order one? Now this is getting nuts...it's 10:15 and I'm thinking of ordering pizza because my day was not filled with awesome eating (two bowls of cereal, one bowl of left over pasta with a sauce using the rest of my veggies - onion and carrots, punctuated with about 20 almonds, 3 cups of coffee, 2 cups of green tea, 6 mandarin oranges, and a bag of chips). My body is seriously pissed.
By the way - I spent $1.25 in a vending machine tonight before my class. On a bag of chips. They were less than tasty. In real life, I would never do that. My backpack would be filled with healthy, organic granola bars, fruit, chocolate, juice, etc. This budget is affecting my ability to make healthy food choices.
So, I've just gone to the fridge. My side is empty. I've taken two eggs (there's about 20), and the water is boiling for me to poach them. I've also located a cheese bagel (in the bread garage along with 2 full loaves of bread) that I'm gonna put the eggs on. And then I will have a glorious feast. I'm hungry, and honestly don't give a damn about the rules. Tomorrow I will pick up some bagels and eggs to repay whoever I've taken them from, and also give myself some food. I'll probably also get veggies, hummous, soy milk, cheese, apples, bananas, hot cereal, nuts and dried fruit, yummy granola bars and snacks and CHOCOLATE! I'm still going to try to stay within my budget - the best I can. ($30)
I've just realized I've got nothing for breakfast. Will have to eat on the way to school. Oh...I also have nothing to pack for a lunch. Have to grab something in-between classes. Being so short on cash, leaves me ill prepared for the future (even if that future is as close as tomorrow), and my ability to even plan for it. There are so many people living on worse than what I'm putting myself through to prove a point. A lot of people are scared to do anything about it for fear of losing their job to someone who shuts up and just does what they're told. So where's the incentive for governments/employers to raise wages if there is always willing people to work harder and harder, for less and less in return!? Others are lacking education (or access to it - my three courses are $1500) and/or skills, or even just the contacts in whatever industry they are trying to get into (as a foot in). They have no choice but to continue working their current jobs because bills, children, healthy and hungry bellies will not wait for anyone. (I'm working 5 days a week at the moment, and taking classes on the other two days. I do not get a day off. If I continue to eat this way, I will most certainly be calling on all sorts of health issues and my immune system will be weaker. Sick days = even less money. And so begins the cycle. For me, this schedule is only temporary - for less than 2 more months. I couldn't do it much longer (even on $30 a day), if I can do it at all, but I know lots of people that try).
All I know is that these are the best, stolen, poached eggs on a cheese bagel I have ever had.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Day: Something That's Not Anywhere Near the End of the Month...
How do people do this? It's driving me nuts. Today = pancake day. Everyone eats pancakes. Regardless of the reasons, I've always eaten pancakes on Pancake Tuesday. Any excuse to eat something so yummy. Actually, I go on pancake binges...make 'em everyday (sometime twice - breakfast and dinner) for a week. I'll put different things in 'em like bananas, or berries. I'll also top 'em differently depending on my mood (yes that can change several times during one sitting) - lemon and sugar, lemon and maple syrup, blueberry syrup, plain. It doesn't matter....they are so damn good.
None of this pancake awesomeness is happening today. Not for me. I ate left over lunch that I didn't finish from yesterday and supplemented with two little mandarins, an apple, a handful of almonds and some rice cakes. Hot cereal for breakfast with a few cut up strawberries, and soup left over from last night's dinner. Oh and I just about licked clean the jar of almond butter (not necessarily in that order).
I just seriously can't afford to get all the fixings for pancakes. I can't afford to buy the ingredients separately, or even to buy the cheapest, crappiest mix out there. And forget syrup. Real maple syrup. That's the only stuff I'll eat...None of this gloopy, fake, nasty stuff that doesn't even taste or act or look or smell like syrup (but it's cheap). Gross.
Now that I've vented about that...today was pretty damn good! I spent only $0.25. My work has a coffee maker and some coffee and sugar and honey and you can make a coffee whenever you like, for only $0.25 a mug (to cover the cost of coffee and filters). It's an awesome system...we just have no milk. Usually I like to go somewhere that has soy milk as an option 'cause it's non-dairy and also makes my coffee taste so great. But because I'm at the point where being picky is not an option, I'll take my coffee black with some honey, thanks. Honestly, when you have no choice...it still tastes pretty awesome.
The world has this crazy ability to provide you just what you need, when you need it. I know that coffee isn't a life-sustaining substance. But it seriously is a part of my day that I enjoy - and that makes me a happier person, and that tends to rub off on the people around me. So I would say, with confidence, that when I have coffee, the world is a measurably awesomer place. I don't even care if those words are made up. It's true.
So apparently I did really well at work the other week, and there was a prize for the person who did the most well (by pre-determined and impartial scoring, of course) and that was me. Wouldn't you know, that my co-worker and kick-ass boss (the almond and book deliverer) who organized the work challenge, and also got the prizes...decided that the grand prize would be a huge bag of coffee? A whole 907 g bag of Fair Trade, Dark Roast Espresso Blend!! It smells so damn good! I now have enough coffee for the rest of the month!!! You see why I like working where I'm at!?
Bring on tomorrow!!!
None of this pancake awesomeness is happening today. Not for me. I ate left over lunch that I didn't finish from yesterday and supplemented with two little mandarins, an apple, a handful of almonds and some rice cakes. Hot cereal for breakfast with a few cut up strawberries, and soup left over from last night's dinner. Oh and I just about licked clean the jar of almond butter (not necessarily in that order).
I just seriously can't afford to get all the fixings for pancakes. I can't afford to buy the ingredients separately, or even to buy the cheapest, crappiest mix out there. And forget syrup. Real maple syrup. That's the only stuff I'll eat...None of this gloopy, fake, nasty stuff that doesn't even taste or act or look or smell like syrup (but it's cheap). Gross.
Now that I've vented about that...today was pretty damn good! I spent only $0.25. My work has a coffee maker and some coffee and sugar and honey and you can make a coffee whenever you like, for only $0.25 a mug (to cover the cost of coffee and filters). It's an awesome system...we just have no milk. Usually I like to go somewhere that has soy milk as an option 'cause it's non-dairy and also makes my coffee taste so great. But because I'm at the point where being picky is not an option, I'll take my coffee black with some honey, thanks. Honestly, when you have no choice...it still tastes pretty awesome.
The world has this crazy ability to provide you just what you need, when you need it. I know that coffee isn't a life-sustaining substance. But it seriously is a part of my day that I enjoy - and that makes me a happier person, and that tends to rub off on the people around me. So I would say, with confidence, that when I have coffee, the world is a measurably awesomer place. I don't even care if those words are made up. It's true.
So apparently I did really well at work the other week, and there was a prize for the person who did the most well (by pre-determined and impartial scoring, of course) and that was me. Wouldn't you know, that my co-worker and kick-ass boss (the almond and book deliverer) who organized the work challenge, and also got the prizes...decided that the grand prize would be a huge bag of coffee? A whole 907 g bag of Fair Trade, Dark Roast Espresso Blend!! It smells so damn good! I now have enough coffee for the rest of the month!!! You see why I like working where I'm at!?
Bring on tomorrow!!!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Second Week: First Day and the One After That
If all the days in this challenge are anything like yesterday, I'm putting up my white flag and surrendering.
Work was harsh, and all I wanted to do was grab a big fat latte, a veggie soup and some mac 'n cheese from Whole Foods. But nope. I get bean salad. Damn good bean salad, but bean salad all the same.
Week 1 verdict: Ok. But no more bean salad.
Day 8's total expenditure: $15.48 on groceries I hope will carry me most of the way through the week. Rice crackers, Soy milk, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, a bag of mandarin oranges, an apple and a pound of strawberries. Really...that's not a lot of groceries for $15. The oranges and milk made up half of the bill on their own.
Day 2 of Week 2 (Day 9 overall). Super late night...2 hours of sleep. Late start...grabbed some toast on the way out the door and ate it on my walk to work. I am COMPLETELY out of coffee...and yes caps were necessary there...this is coffee we're talking about. So I spent a precious $2.18 on a Starbucks coffee...they gave me a Venti instead of a Grande, so I got my money's worth, and it kept me going for the rest of the day.
Yesterday a super awesome co-worker and friend of mine phoned me from Costco to see if there was anything I needed while she was there. Almonds! Got 1.36 kg for $10! Great deal...but also, most of the remaining money for the week. They're great snacks and super healthy, and I always like to have some around. Will have to seriously plan out my meals now...like...more than I am already.
Basically for the rest of the week, I have $4.05 (if I find any money, it's a total bonus...but I might have to start taking the recycling back to the depot for the extra change). That's Tuesday - Saturday. Somewhere in there, I have to spend an additional $4 because a friend and I are going out for burritos. They are only $8 and fill me up for at least 2 meals - but still...it's $4 over what I've got to spend.
Now, if I was living here longer, I could totally plan out a little garden and grow some veggies and herbs. It would be so much cheaper and healthier. It's so difficult to do that when you don't own a piece of land to use for sustenance...even a small one, due to landlords' restrictions, the fact that you don't live there long enough to plan out a garden and tend to it year after year, etc. Also access to land is so restricted! I know they are coming up with little community gardens all over, and that's an awesome step in the right direction. What's the long-term plan for us being reliant on ourselves for food, rather than the international marketplace, oil prices, shortages, natural disasters, etc.? To tell you the truth, I wouldn't sit around waiting for someone to figure it out for you. It's almost spring - start growing your own food. Compost. Hang dry your clothes. Take control of your needs so that you don't get "stuck".
My almond provider, from above, also took a book out of the library for me:
Sucking Eggs: What Your Wartime Granny Could Teach You About Diet, Thrift and Going Green.
I have just started it, but I'm sure it'll teach me a thing or two...Hell, I'm already re-using my teabags.
Work was harsh, and all I wanted to do was grab a big fat latte, a veggie soup and some mac 'n cheese from Whole Foods. But nope. I get bean salad. Damn good bean salad, but bean salad all the same.
Week 1 verdict: Ok. But no more bean salad.
Day 8's total expenditure: $15.48 on groceries I hope will carry me most of the way through the week. Rice crackers, Soy milk, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, a bag of mandarin oranges, an apple and a pound of strawberries. Really...that's not a lot of groceries for $15. The oranges and milk made up half of the bill on their own.
Day 2 of Week 2 (Day 9 overall). Super late night...2 hours of sleep. Late start...grabbed some toast on the way out the door and ate it on my walk to work. I am COMPLETELY out of coffee...and yes caps were necessary there...this is coffee we're talking about. So I spent a precious $2.18 on a Starbucks coffee...they gave me a Venti instead of a Grande, so I got my money's worth, and it kept me going for the rest of the day.
Yesterday a super awesome co-worker and friend of mine phoned me from Costco to see if there was anything I needed while she was there. Almonds! Got 1.36 kg for $10! Great deal...but also, most of the remaining money for the week. They're great snacks and super healthy, and I always like to have some around. Will have to seriously plan out my meals now...like...more than I am already.
Basically for the rest of the week, I have $4.05 (if I find any money, it's a total bonus...but I might have to start taking the recycling back to the depot for the extra change). That's Tuesday - Saturday. Somewhere in there, I have to spend an additional $4 because a friend and I are going out for burritos. They are only $8 and fill me up for at least 2 meals - but still...it's $4 over what I've got to spend.
Now, if I was living here longer, I could totally plan out a little garden and grow some veggies and herbs. It would be so much cheaper and healthier. It's so difficult to do that when you don't own a piece of land to use for sustenance...even a small one, due to landlords' restrictions, the fact that you don't live there long enough to plan out a garden and tend to it year after year, etc. Also access to land is so restricted! I know they are coming up with little community gardens all over, and that's an awesome step in the right direction. What's the long-term plan for us being reliant on ourselves for food, rather than the international marketplace, oil prices, shortages, natural disasters, etc.? To tell you the truth, I wouldn't sit around waiting for someone to figure it out for you. It's almost spring - start growing your own food. Compost. Hang dry your clothes. Take control of your needs so that you don't get "stuck".
My almond provider, from above, also took a book out of the library for me:
Sucking Eggs: What Your Wartime Granny Could Teach You About Diet, Thrift and Going Green.
I have just started it, but I'm sure it'll teach me a thing or two...Hell, I'm already re-using my teabags.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Day 7: Day of Rest?
Isn't the 7th day suppose to be a day of rest? Or does that only apply to certain really religious folk? I guess my 7th day is on a Saturday too. No idea. Too bad. I could sure use a rest.
Ended up spending $12.29 more than I was suppose to this week. Though I only spent $0.25 today on a cup of hot water from Starbucks (in which I put my own green tea bag). If I had taken my own mug, it would've been free.
That leaves me in a tough position. In danger of falling so far behind that I will not be able to catch up. Only a week ago, I thought I was in a good position to get ahead. How quickly things go sideways.
I'm left with $4.53 a day for the rest of the month. Basically my $35 a week is down to $31.71. Awesome.
Looking around today revealed a few things:
Enough instant coffee for one cup.
Enough soy milk for one cup of coffee.
Exactly 6 1/2 rice crackers - not rice cakes...rice crackers...the little ones.
1/2 box of regular cereal.
Hot cereal for at least 3 - 4 days.
Tin of beans for bean salad.
Tin of tomatoes for pasta.
1/2 package of pasta.
3/4 bag of quinoa.
Veggies for about 3 more meals.
Tea - should be plenty for the month. This will most likely replace my coffee. Pass the IBUProfen....luckily, I have enough of that to last me 2 months. Go figure.
Emergen-c for the month.
1/2 jar of almond butter - OH! I'm gonna grab a spoon of it to snack on while I finish my assessment. Big spoon + little jar = 1/4 jar of almond butter left.
I've started rationing my Shampoo and Conditioner - I have about 2 weeks left (I'm being generous here) of both. It's not like I buy the $2 bottle of cheap stuff either. I am pretty picky about what I put on my body and hair, and also what I wash down the drain, just like I'm picky about what goes into my body. Each bottle costs around $8 each. That's about 4 days of living.
Toothpaste should last at least another couple weeks.
Right....here we go...Week 2. Lemme have it!
Ended up spending $12.29 more than I was suppose to this week. Though I only spent $0.25 today on a cup of hot water from Starbucks (in which I put my own green tea bag). If I had taken my own mug, it would've been free.
That leaves me in a tough position. In danger of falling so far behind that I will not be able to catch up. Only a week ago, I thought I was in a good position to get ahead. How quickly things go sideways.
I'm left with $4.53 a day for the rest of the month. Basically my $35 a week is down to $31.71. Awesome.
Looking around today revealed a few things:
Enough instant coffee for one cup.
Enough soy milk for one cup of coffee.
Exactly 6 1/2 rice crackers - not rice cakes...rice crackers...the little ones.
1/2 box of regular cereal.
Hot cereal for at least 3 - 4 days.
Tin of beans for bean salad.
Tin of tomatoes for pasta.
1/2 package of pasta.
3/4 bag of quinoa.
Veggies for about 3 more meals.
Tea - should be plenty for the month. This will most likely replace my coffee. Pass the IBUProfen....luckily, I have enough of that to last me 2 months. Go figure.
Emergen-c for the month.
1/2 jar of almond butter - OH! I'm gonna grab a spoon of it to snack on while I finish my assessment. Big spoon + little jar = 1/4 jar of almond butter left.
I've started rationing my Shampoo and Conditioner - I have about 2 weeks left (I'm being generous here) of both. It's not like I buy the $2 bottle of cheap stuff either. I am pretty picky about what I put on my body and hair, and also what I wash down the drain, just like I'm picky about what goes into my body. Each bottle costs around $8 each. That's about 4 days of living.
Toothpaste should last at least another couple weeks.
Right....here we go...Week 2. Lemme have it!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Days 5 & 6: The Trouble With Things Like This
Yesterday was an expensive day. Allow me to explain.
I invested in food and my health for the next month. This meant a rather large expenditure (we're talking relatively here). After fixed expenses, you can usually spend the rest of your money how you like - including choice of meals, drinks, entertainment (including going out, etc.).
I was wondering when something like this was going to come up, and I was hoping it would show up in Weeks 2 or 3. But nope. Week 1. A deal too good to pass up - on something I am going to buy and consume anyway. (Anyone thinking Costco here?)
So let's start at the beginning, like one of those movies that gives you the ending at the beginning and then takes you through all the events that got you there. Yeah, I should write screenplays.
I got overexcited and made too much hot cereal (with blueberries!) yesterday morning, but it was good 'cause it filled me up for most of the first half of the day.
First thought into my head was: absolutely nothing to do with the amount of cereal I made. RENT.
Due 3 days ago, I had to ask my landlord if I could pay it on the weekend when I got paid, therefore avoiding the 3 days of interest I would have to incur if I borrowed the money from the bank. We're all living with our future paycheques in mind, aren't we?
My landlord is awesome. I have yet to have one like her (besides my boss from the previous summer, who also gave me a sweet home for three months for the price of a coffee a day, and my friends in the pub in England, but they're more like family than landlords), and I've been living on my own for over 10 years now. Anyway, when I asked to pay rent a few days late, she said: "Sure! And just make it $500 for feeding the cat when they go away for a few days." That's $50 off. And she provides me with toilet paper. In case you're wondering....I would have run out of TP 3 days ago...and it's not exactly cheap stuff. I would have to do the taking-from-the-coffee-shop-toilet-thing, and that violates one of my rules: No Stealing (though...this topic is highly debatable, as my friends continue to point out). So paying for it when it goes in, paying for it when it comes out. It's like dying. Sort of. As in, you can't even die for free. Funeral costs are through the roof. (Have I mentioned my A.D.O.S.S? - "Attention Deficit - Oh! Something Shiny!")
So in the middle of my split shift, I stopped at the grocery store to spend as little of my $16.76 as possible, while giving myself as many healthy food options as possible. Mixed beans for bean salad, canned soup, fresh red peppers, a tomato, 2 packages of rice crackers and a little tub of edamame dip - $11 exactly. That leaves $5.76 til the end of Saturday. Looking pretty good!
Then came the kicker. After my shift, I stopped at Whole Foods (one of my favourite grocery stores for their selection, local options, vegan and vegetarian options, awesome staff, and the fact that their produce tastes like the fruit or vegetable it looks like). I always go in there for a few specific things, like Emergen-c packets. I love them. Anytime I'm feeling a bit blah, or have the inkling that I'm getting sick (especially in the city), I throw one of these in some water and down it. So awesome. So...grabbed a couple packets ($0.69 each + tax) and headed for the cash, and wouldn't you know, these people have professional merchandisers working for them because the display of Emergen-c cases (boxes of 30 packets) on sale totally stopped me in my tracks. $14.99 + tax. Some quick math on my phone's calculator (a savings of $6.40 if I bought the case rather than the individual packets - more than a whole day's worth of living - but also more money out of my pocket initially) and some internal debates, and the packets went back on the shelf and I headed to the cash with the case.
This is the problem with projects like this. They are so flawed. I can never actually duplicate what it's like to live on a seriously limited budget. As it stands right now, I'm only doing this for a month. I may decide to do it for longer to better replicate the situation in real life (if I can hack it). But then, I'm also out of here for 4 months in the summer. For anything I want or need to buy, I can just wait til this is over and splurge on it then. There is an end-date for this. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. In my situation, I can always flake out and get support from a number of places. I've already had so many friends and family offer to give me food or money in the past week (This also makes me laugh, cause I'm not starving really, but I have started to lose weight). As warm and fuzzy as that makes me feel...it's not within my rules at the moment (no pity, no donations). I'm so lucky to have that support system. I will never be left homeless and on my own. I will never starve or be devoid of nutrient rich food...there are too many people in my life that care about me, and they wouldn't allow that to happen. Also, it's just me. Noone else. I can uproot myself whenever I want (I do this often) and start again (as long as I don't get too far in debt and get "stuck"). And I stand in the same position for others around. I'm there to support my family and friends in whatever way I can, if possible. Not everyone has that support system.
Get two people on a seriously limited budget that really care about each other, if one person pauses just for a moment to help the other person (because that's what humans do!), it leaves that person in a seriously compromised position which may take weeks, months or years to recover, if ever at all. That's messed.
So now, where do I stand? Already behind. There is no planning for the future on a budget such as this. It's all day to day. One day I might save a few pennies, or a few dollars, but in the next, something will always come along and take those savings from me. Even if it's thinking ahead and being more economical - like my case of Emergen-c. It's more money out of my pocket right now, which means less in the near future. If anything else comes along like this, I almost definitely have to pass it up for the right here, right now, consumption.
I guess the next step is looking at the month as a whole - get an idea of how the rest of this is gonna go down.
Quick self-assessment:
Currently on day 6.
Day 6 spending: $27.79 (whoa!)
Week 1: already overspent by $12.04.
2 days left in the week.
From Sunday, 4 weeks left in the month.
Budgeted amount left for the month: $140
Actual amount left for the month: $127.96
Taking me down to about $4.5 dollars a day for the rest of the month. Oh and today and Saturday's money is already spent.
Ha! The plot thickens...
Rice and beans anyone?
I invested in food and my health for the next month. This meant a rather large expenditure (we're talking relatively here). After fixed expenses, you can usually spend the rest of your money how you like - including choice of meals, drinks, entertainment (including going out, etc.).
I was wondering when something like this was going to come up, and I was hoping it would show up in Weeks 2 or 3. But nope. Week 1. A deal too good to pass up - on something I am going to buy and consume anyway. (Anyone thinking Costco here?)
So let's start at the beginning, like one of those movies that gives you the ending at the beginning and then takes you through all the events that got you there. Yeah, I should write screenplays.
I got overexcited and made too much hot cereal (with blueberries!) yesterday morning, but it was good 'cause it filled me up for most of the first half of the day.
First thought into my head was: absolutely nothing to do with the amount of cereal I made. RENT.
Due 3 days ago, I had to ask my landlord if I could pay it on the weekend when I got paid, therefore avoiding the 3 days of interest I would have to incur if I borrowed the money from the bank. We're all living with our future paycheques in mind, aren't we?
My landlord is awesome. I have yet to have one like her (besides my boss from the previous summer, who also gave me a sweet home for three months for the price of a coffee a day, and my friends in the pub in England, but they're more like family than landlords), and I've been living on my own for over 10 years now. Anyway, when I asked to pay rent a few days late, she said: "Sure! And just make it $500 for feeding the cat when they go away for a few days." That's $50 off. And she provides me with toilet paper. In case you're wondering....I would have run out of TP 3 days ago...and it's not exactly cheap stuff. I would have to do the taking-from-the-coffee-shop-toilet-thing, and that violates one of my rules: No Stealing (though...this topic is highly debatable, as my friends continue to point out). So paying for it when it goes in, paying for it when it comes out. It's like dying. Sort of. As in, you can't even die for free. Funeral costs are through the roof. (Have I mentioned my A.D.O.S.S? - "Attention Deficit - Oh! Something Shiny!")
So in the middle of my split shift, I stopped at the grocery store to spend as little of my $16.76 as possible, while giving myself as many healthy food options as possible. Mixed beans for bean salad, canned soup, fresh red peppers, a tomato, 2 packages of rice crackers and a little tub of edamame dip - $11 exactly. That leaves $5.76 til the end of Saturday. Looking pretty good!
Then came the kicker. After my shift, I stopped at Whole Foods (one of my favourite grocery stores for their selection, local options, vegan and vegetarian options, awesome staff, and the fact that their produce tastes like the fruit or vegetable it looks like). I always go in there for a few specific things, like Emergen-c packets. I love them. Anytime I'm feeling a bit blah, or have the inkling that I'm getting sick (especially in the city), I throw one of these in some water and down it. So awesome. So...grabbed a couple packets ($0.69 each + tax) and headed for the cash, and wouldn't you know, these people have professional merchandisers working for them because the display of Emergen-c cases (boxes of 30 packets) on sale totally stopped me in my tracks. $14.99 + tax. Some quick math on my phone's calculator (a savings of $6.40 if I bought the case rather than the individual packets - more than a whole day's worth of living - but also more money out of my pocket initially) and some internal debates, and the packets went back on the shelf and I headed to the cash with the case.
Week 1 Receipts. Day 6. March 2011.
This is the problem with projects like this. They are so flawed. I can never actually duplicate what it's like to live on a seriously limited budget. As it stands right now, I'm only doing this for a month. I may decide to do it for longer to better replicate the situation in real life (if I can hack it). But then, I'm also out of here for 4 months in the summer. For anything I want or need to buy, I can just wait til this is over and splurge on it then. There is an end-date for this. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. In my situation, I can always flake out and get support from a number of places. I've already had so many friends and family offer to give me food or money in the past week (This also makes me laugh, cause I'm not starving really, but I have started to lose weight). As warm and fuzzy as that makes me feel...it's not within my rules at the moment (no pity, no donations). I'm so lucky to have that support system. I will never be left homeless and on my own. I will never starve or be devoid of nutrient rich food...there are too many people in my life that care about me, and they wouldn't allow that to happen. Also, it's just me. Noone else. I can uproot myself whenever I want (I do this often) and start again (as long as I don't get too far in debt and get "stuck"). And I stand in the same position for others around. I'm there to support my family and friends in whatever way I can, if possible. Not everyone has that support system.
Get two people on a seriously limited budget that really care about each other, if one person pauses just for a moment to help the other person (because that's what humans do!), it leaves that person in a seriously compromised position which may take weeks, months or years to recover, if ever at all. That's messed.
So now, where do I stand? Already behind. There is no planning for the future on a budget such as this. It's all day to day. One day I might save a few pennies, or a few dollars, but in the next, something will always come along and take those savings from me. Even if it's thinking ahead and being more economical - like my case of Emergen-c. It's more money out of my pocket right now, which means less in the near future. If anything else comes along like this, I almost definitely have to pass it up for the right here, right now, consumption.
I guess the next step is looking at the month as a whole - get an idea of how the rest of this is gonna go down.
Quick self-assessment:
Currently on day 6.
Day 6 spending: $27.79 (whoa!)
Week 1: already overspent by $12.04.
2 days left in the week.
From Sunday, 4 weeks left in the month.
Budgeted amount left for the month: $140
Actual amount left for the month: $127.96
Taking me down to about $4.5 dollars a day for the rest of the month. Oh and today and Saturday's money is already spent.
Ha! The plot thickens...
Rice and beans anyone?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Day 4: Is it Really Only Day 4?
Today was a bit more interesting..a bit more like what I was expecting really.
I slept in, didn't have time to prep my lunch or grab something that fit in my budget on the way to work...so....the middle of the day was pretty food-less. I had a handful of cashews and a few animal crackers...and I was downing lots of water. But still didn't quite cut it. I will not do that again. I repeat: I will NOT do that again.
Fortunately I had a good breakie: bowl of cereal with soy milk and 2 pieces of toast with almond butter. Free McDick's coffee on the way and that did me pretty good...then a quick jaunt over to Starbucks for some lemon loaf, and another free coffee about half way through the day. Hit up the No Frills for some half priced blueberries and an apple, and that, my friends, was $6.33 for the day.
Free pizza for dinner - Thanks Icebreaker product knowledge sessions! (I lost count after 4 pieces...but I'm pretty sure I had no more than 5) and pizza leftovers means I get two free meals which eases the stress off me a whole lot more than you know.
$16.70 left for 3 days.
Tomorrow I'm eating like a queen...
On another note...I started thinking today about what would happen if something "happened" to me while I was doing this. Like, if I got injured and couldn't work. Or, got sick and needed some medication. Or if a friend or family member needed help. Or if I had to support someone - even a little bit. I would be royally screwed. It would be totally impossible to not go into serious debt. I can't work anymore than full-time. I've done the 2 jobs, 6 days a week thing, and it honestly almost destroyed me (that story, another time). There are so many people out there, making next to nothing, compared with what it costs to live a half-decent existence. Having to do the slog every day, week in, week out, year after year. And what are their lives like? Just surviving. What kind of life is that? Not the kind that I want to have any part in. Forget vacations. Forget buying a house (without going into further debt....and forget buying anything in Vancouver). Even renting is difficult on the wages around here. But with no down-payment saved up (because saving also then becomes almost impossible), what other choice is there, but to rent!? Stuck is the only way to describe it. See what I'm trying to say here?
I slept in, didn't have time to prep my lunch or grab something that fit in my budget on the way to work...so....the middle of the day was pretty food-less. I had a handful of cashews and a few animal crackers...and I was downing lots of water. But still didn't quite cut it. I will not do that again. I repeat: I will NOT do that again.
Fortunately I had a good breakie: bowl of cereal with soy milk and 2 pieces of toast with almond butter. Free McDick's coffee on the way and that did me pretty good...then a quick jaunt over to Starbucks for some lemon loaf, and another free coffee about half way through the day. Hit up the No Frills for some half priced blueberries and an apple, and that, my friends, was $6.33 for the day.
Free pizza for dinner - Thanks Icebreaker product knowledge sessions! (I lost count after 4 pieces...but I'm pretty sure I had no more than 5) and pizza leftovers means I get two free meals which eases the stress off me a whole lot more than you know.
$16.70 left for 3 days.
Tomorrow I'm eating like a queen...
On another note...I started thinking today about what would happen if something "happened" to me while I was doing this. Like, if I got injured and couldn't work. Or, got sick and needed some medication. Or if a friend or family member needed help. Or if I had to support someone - even a little bit. I would be royally screwed. It would be totally impossible to not go into serious debt. I can't work anymore than full-time. I've done the 2 jobs, 6 days a week thing, and it honestly almost destroyed me (that story, another time). There are so many people out there, making next to nothing, compared with what it costs to live a half-decent existence. Having to do the slog every day, week in, week out, year after year. And what are their lives like? Just surviving. What kind of life is that? Not the kind that I want to have any part in. Forget vacations. Forget buying a house (without going into further debt....and forget buying anything in Vancouver). Even renting is difficult on the wages around here. But with no down-payment saved up (because saving also then becomes almost impossible), what other choice is there, but to rent!? Stuck is the only way to describe it. See what I'm trying to say here?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Day 3: Situation Normal
Money spent today: $3.17. on an apple, red onion, and can of pasta sauce.
Dinner was so NOT exciting. Left over pasta and tofu from 3 days ago, and a bowl of cereal.
I found myself licking almond butter off a spoon at 9:30 pm - rationing my bread. I should've taken photos. Next time, because you know it's gonna happen again.
This is what I'm finding. I'm not excited about eating anymore. I'm just doing it as fuel, to keep me going, to keep my body in good working condition. This sounds all great, but I am probably not getting the nutrients and vitamins that I need, especially for the amount of energy I burn. Also, I enjoy the little things in life. And if I can't enjoy my meals...then that takes away a LOT of little things.
Oatmeal with nuts and fruit for breakfast. 2 (free) coffees with milk and sugar. Black beans with spinach, half a tomato, a handful of olives and some balsamic vinegar. Exciting (!!!) jungle animal cookies and cashews (2 handfuls left) to snack on during the day, and my boring dinner. I think I'm missing a lot of fresh stuff here.
The thing is, I normally eat healthy. Add about 5 more veggies, twice the volume, and way more variety to what I've eaten for the day (as listed above), and it'll be closer to what I usually eat. I'm finding that it's very difficult to keep this up. It's not that I'm hungry...I know from what I've eaten, that I shouldn't be. But my body is so not used to that.
Walking through the grocery store today, I realized that I really couldn't buy anything! It's all in the $3 and up range...it means that for next week...some serious meal planning and one big shop must occur.
Money spent in 3 days: $12.92.
Money left for the week: $22.08
Free pizza tomorrow night...hell ya and thank the stars for PK (product knowledge) sessions at work!
Dinner was so NOT exciting. Left over pasta and tofu from 3 days ago, and a bowl of cereal.
I found myself licking almond butter off a spoon at 9:30 pm - rationing my bread. I should've taken photos. Next time, because you know it's gonna happen again.
This is what I'm finding. I'm not excited about eating anymore. I'm just doing it as fuel, to keep me going, to keep my body in good working condition. This sounds all great, but I am probably not getting the nutrients and vitamins that I need, especially for the amount of energy I burn. Also, I enjoy the little things in life. And if I can't enjoy my meals...then that takes away a LOT of little things.
Oatmeal with nuts and fruit for breakfast. 2 (free) coffees with milk and sugar. Black beans with spinach, half a tomato, a handful of olives and some balsamic vinegar. Exciting (!!!) jungle animal cookies and cashews (2 handfuls left) to snack on during the day, and my boring dinner. I think I'm missing a lot of fresh stuff here.
The thing is, I normally eat healthy. Add about 5 more veggies, twice the volume, and way more variety to what I've eaten for the day (as listed above), and it'll be closer to what I usually eat. I'm finding that it's very difficult to keep this up. It's not that I'm hungry...I know from what I've eaten, that I shouldn't be. But my body is so not used to that.
Walking through the grocery store today, I realized that I really couldn't buy anything! It's all in the $3 and up range...it means that for next week...some serious meal planning and one big shop must occur.
Money spent in 3 days: $12.92.
Money left for the week: $22.08
Free pizza tomorrow night...hell ya and thank the stars for PK (product knowledge) sessions at work!
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