Was I up to the challenge?

The 'proof is the pudding', but seen as pudding has been off the table for some time, here are some receipts (I have highlighted the items bought for me, and specifically for me to consume during the challenge week):

Receipt the first: total expenditure - $20.10

Receipt the second: total expenditure - $2.27

Receipt the third: total expenditure - $1.49

Stuff I already had: estimated expenditure - $5.50

Total= $29.36

So far so good, but this figure does not include many incidentals such as butter, spices, and seasonings.

Wait, what’s this?!

Uh oh. I forgot my lunch for work that day.

…double uh oh:

I took my boy for an early evening walk and he got ‘really thirsty’. I was thirsty too.

Both of these items were on the no-no list, and just those two items brought my total expenditure up to $38.42. I was also gifted a coffee from Starbucks during the week.

Despite planning meals more thoroughly than I usually would, buying items I could use in multiple dishes, spending more time cooking, and drinking nothing but water, I failed to stick to $31.50.

This is a very challenging budget simply for subsistence, not to mention the ways in which a social or family life complicate eating and drinking rituals.

Lifestyle often gets in the way. I was at work, and had forgotten my lunch, but it was going to be a long day and I was already hungry. I was out for a walk with a thirsty toddler, and it’s hard to resist the odd temptation.

Could I live off $31.50? Right now, the answer is no.

Recipe pics and details next time.

Tom