A Very Frugal Week
Posted on by Forest in Uncategorized
Just over a week ago I got back from a great two week vacation that took me around Egypt (see my post about a Budget Egypt Vacation). On return I realized I had spent all my money (well I knew this would be the case), so waiting for checks to clear and money to flow I was stuck with no choice but to have an extremely frugal week.
And you know what? I really enjoyed the challenge of spending next to nothing!
On Monday and Tuesday eve I did do groceries as we was out of most things. My share of that cost was 76 Egyptian Pounds which works out at about $14. The food from the groceries kept me going all week.
On Friday eve I had to attend a friends birthday meal, luckily it was at her house and she insisted no one bring anything. That night cost me 17LE for Taxi’s ($3).
Then on Saturday, after a week stuck inside working I decided to reward myself and visit a cafe to work, something I normally do a few times a week. I spent 17LE there ($3).
Sunday went a little to hell though sadly. I had to go to the clinic downtown to get the last of my Hepatitis A+B shots… That cost me 175LE ($32) and we ate out…. shame on me! Eating out cost 50LE with tip and drinks ($9)
Overall Monday-Sunday was still very frugal even though I slipped up! I am mildly annoyed with myself but still I did well and intend to have many more weeks on this level.
I spent a total of approx $61 ($29 if you exclude the Hep A+B shot)…. A very frugal week indeed.
Reflections from my very frugal week?
I went without Junk Food for most of the week, except for Friday night when I ate Birthday cake and had some Diet Coke. My Sunday meal was a healthy meal of rice, bread and lentils but I did fall victim to Pepsi again! I don’t eat a whole lot of junk anyway but during my vacation I sure did and it was weird to suddenly cut it all. I am sure it helped greatly with my first full week back on Insanity Home Workout.
I wanted to eat out so badly all week… Eating out of the house is cheaper than USA here in Egypt so it tends to be my vice. This week I intend to abstain until Thursday when I have an eve at a new Thai Restaurant planned. We all need some rewards for our frugal hard work 
.
I refused to get cash help from my partner, she felt a little upset that I was seemingly stuck at home in misery. I didn’t feel that miserable but I must have looked it . I learned that I probably should take her help every now and then so she doesn’t feel like I think her help is bad and it eases my situation a little… This week of no money was a cash flow issue, not a lack of cash (however I guess if you justify one out of money situ it can move onto others and become a slippery slope).
I want more frugal weeks like this, it’s a good cleanse for the body and a great start to stripping my diet back to basics too.
Overall a very productive week in pursuing ultimate frugality.
Plans for this week…
This coming week could be harder as I have some cash in my account now so the temptation to spend on this and that is much more.
As I mentioned I will only eat out on Thur night and I still plan to skip all fizzy pop until the weekend.
I want to make Pizza, due to motivation from Eliminate The Muda’s excellent post: A Frugal Meal – Pizza, I will post about this if successful .
What are your plans for the coming week?
loading...
You May Also Like:
8 Responses to “A Very Frugal Week”
Leave a Reply
-
Cheapest Places To Live In America
-
Does A Minimalist Lifestyle Breed Laziness?
-
Cheapest Places To Live
-
Simplify Your Life: A Comprehensive Guide!
-
Frugal Zeitgeist is crap…. But that is going to change!
- Cost of raising a child
-
Turning your hobby into a real business
- How To Deal With Missing Out!
- Online Shopping: Getting the most out of your money
- Sponsored Video: When is it ok to go out for Pizza?
-
krantcents: I realize this a financial blog, but cost is the l...
-
Forest: Just dropping a comment to let everyone know this ...
-
-
Free Money Minute: It would be nice to see us move away from credit c...
-
Sirene Frinton: I have several blogs but my main one is on health ...
LeanLifeCoach
19. Apr, 2010
Please make sure to read through the varasano’s site first!
Along with Dr. Dean and Craig Ford it looks as we might have a pizza community growing!
We look forward to hearing how it goes!
.-= LeanLifeCoach´s last blog ..Combat The Closing Techniques – The Reverse Psychology Close =-.
loading...
Forest
19. Apr, 2010
Ha ha, I need to check out Craig but I asked Dr Dean to post his Pizza. I need to read Varasano’s site properly but one big killer is my shite oven in my apartment and not being able to find Sour Dough Yeast anywhere (yet, I have one place I want to try).
As for the Tom Sauce, I think I have a recipe that will be nice for this creation…. We need a Yakezie Pizza, wall of fame.
loading...
LeanLIfeCoach
20. Apr, 2010
I do a little woodturning in my spare time. I’ll make a Yakezie Pizza Recipe Award plaque.
How can we determine the winner?
.-= LeanLIfeCoach´s last blog ..A Letter to Mom and Dad =-.
loading...
Forest
20. Apr, 2010
Ha ha…. I have no idea how the winner will be determined!!
I am making flatbread pizza tonight… My Sourdough starter is started so expect Sourdough Pizza to pop up on the blog in 10-12 days or so
loading...
Simple in France
19. Apr, 2010
Oh WEAK! My comment detailing how you can make sourdough starter just went into cyberspace. . .well, you can make it by adding 1 cup flour to 1 cup water, stirring and leaving it out for a bout 5-10 days covered only with a cloth. You add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water ever 12-24 hours during this time to ‘feed’ the bacteria and yeast that begin to colonize your mixture. I’m making sourdough pizza this weekend. And you’re correct, perhaps we should have a Yakezi pizza wall of fame. . .Hah!
Also . . .if I were in Egypt, I have to admit that not eating out would not be my way of saving money. . .because you have this unique opportunity to eat Egyptian food. You could try street food if you’re feeling adventurous–with a slightly higher risk of food borne illness. I’ve eaten some great street food in my day and feel it’s worth the risk.
.-= Simple in France´s last blog ..Risks you’d take to live your dream =-.
loading...
Forest
19. Apr, 2010
Thanks for the Sourdough Starter…. I’ll follow yours from tonight… Was going to follow this but I prefer to keep the Yakezie way going
: http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/bread/recipe-sourdough.html.
I also just found out Egypt was possibly the first place Sourdough was used for bread so I have a unique opportunity here too from that perspective
.
I do eat street food here and love it! For a country that doesn’t understand the word Vegetarian very well (much like France, outside of Paris
) the street food is amazingly vege friendly…. Problem with Egyptian street food is it is damn unhealthy for the most part…. Although Koshari rocks (you can see a pic of it in my Budget Egypt post: .
Thanks as always for your great comment.
loading...
Money Funk
19. Apr, 2010
I read somewhere about making pizza using naan as a crust. I might just give it a try. Love pizza. But silly, I haven’t tried grilling one yet.
Sound ridiculously cheap to live in Egypt. Its funny how when you can’t eat out for frugal reasons, it can drive you mad to want it! LOL. We are playing it frugal, too. Since our arrival back from Maui. So, I know what you are going through. Even though I have food in my cupboard, I feel like I have nothing. *smirk*
.-= Money Funk´s last blog ..Sunday Brunch with Christine =-.
loading...
Forest
19. Apr, 2010
I’ve done that before, I have also used french bread, tortilla’s, my own homemade flat breads and normally toasted bread…. Some mozz cheese and homemade tomato sauce and it works wonders.
loading...