Live Below the Line - The Prep

Today was my last day eating as usual. I enjoyed it by eating a Sainsburys Tikka and Jalfrezi Meal for 2 (eaten with my friend Annie - I'm not that greedy!) a mini magnum icecream and a McDonalds double cheeseburger. Total cost = £5.79....more than the entire amount I am spending on food this week.

I went shopping earlier and this is what I got...

In case you want to know the list:

• One big bag of cornflakes (31p)
• A loaf of wholemeal bread (50p)
• Lemon curd (22p)
• 2 x instant pasta packet (tomato and onion flavour...) (2 x 21p)
• 3 x instant noodles (supposedly chicken flavoured) (3 x 15p)
• Long grain rice 1kg (40p)
• Chopped tomatoes 400g (31p)
• Red kidney beans 400g (21p)
• Tinned sweetcorn 198g (22p)
• Ground black pepper (25p)
• 10 veg stock cubes (15p)
• 1 baking potato (31p)
• 1 onion (14p)
• 2 carrots (21p)
• 2 apples (35p)
• 1 banana (14p)
• 1 egg (16p)

Which totalled at £4.70 ...with 30p to spare!

One thing that really struck me as I wandered the aisles is the total lack of choice I had. Whereas generally I can compare prices and see what the best value for money is compared with quality...this week, quality does not get a look in. I have gone for things that hopefully will just fill me up. I've tried to squeeze in some fruit/veg but it's really hard as you can't tell how much it's going to be until you get to the till!

Originally I wasn't going to get bread and was just going to concentrate on things I could cook. However after reading a blog of someone who did this a few years ago, they mentioned how good it was to be able to have a piece of bread/toast before bed so you weren't feeling hungry...to be honest that sounded good to me. 

I've been blown away at the number of people getting behind me with this project. It's been so encouraging! I've had people posting various articles and advice on my wall, others promoting my sponsorship page for me and lots of people sponsoring me. I have in fact already reached my target of £200 - WOOP!! However, I genuinely would love to raise as much as I can for Tearfund - they do such quality work with people living on this amount of money and less day to day. So don't let the fact I've reached the target put you off. Please still think about supporting me if you can.

Let the hunger begin.