2008
The €50 Challenge: Day Seven
Well, what a crap end to this week.
When I got up this morning, very late, I noticed that the kitchen window, which is always open a little to let the two cats in and out, was wide open. I noticed it but thought nothing more of it, went and got the papers, fiddled about for the day and then eventually decided to make some dinner (yes, I know I’m skipping over lunch and breakfast, of which more later).
Dinner made, I went to get the camera. No camera. I searched and searched and tried to recall where I last left it down. Then I remembered. On the kitchen windowsill.
Some rotten, scummy, low-life creep came during the night and helped himself. I am so annoyed, so entirely pissed off by this, and by my stupidity in leaving it by an open window, that I can barely write. It’s not a valuable camera, but it was given to my now 10 year old son a couple of years ago by a great friend, he liked it, I liked it, it had a certain sentimental value and it did its job without me having to know anything much about photography.
He was a cowardly little shit into the bargain. There was a full case of wine given us as a present during the week in the kitchen, my handbag was there too and a couple of phones lying about. I suppose I should feel lucky the lily-livered scum didn’t actually have the nerve to climb in and take all that stuff, but somehow I don’t feel lucky at all.
So no pictures of todays food.
I didn’t get up in time to bother with breakfast because a friend called round last night and we stayed up with the sometime camera-owning son until after 3am chatting and watching, of all things, the UK top 40 on MTV. Don’t even ask why because I couldn’t give you a good reason, and there wasn’t even drink involved.
Breakfast for the sensible person who went to bed, and therefore got up, at a normal time was apparently another fry up, comprising tomato, potato, mushroom and the last of the chorizo, which acted as a rasher replacement. I’m told it was “odd, but nice enough”. Then he and the son set off to spend the day at the amusements in Tramore leaving me happily alone for the day. They’ll eat “seaside fish and chips” for dinner, which is probably the budget out the window, but I am not going to be picky about that.
I didn’t feel like breakfast and just had a bowl of peanuts while reading the papers. I later ate a peach. I took a picture of the one I ate yesterday and may as well show you that, to take the bare look off this post. I actually like this picture. It was such a good little camera.
I made fish cakes for myself, with potato, tuna, chilli and onion which were really delicious. I haven’t the heart to post the recipe, will make them again sometime when I can take a picture and do it then.
Anyway, adding up today’s costs it came to a modest €3.73. But I am now going to console myself by eating the last two peaches and the rest of the cream before the boys come home and I have to tell them about the camera. The peaches will add €1.05 and bring the days spend to €4.78.
The Result: What did we spend?
Adding up the total cost of the meals each day (which I really did price as accurately as I could as I went along) that means that we were fed this week for €38.76. Which is amazing but doesn’t seem to tally with the money I spent, which was €50.86.
I may have inadvertently left something out or miscalculated here and there, but then there is quite a lot of food left over too - 2 turkey breast steaks, a tin of sardines, bits and pieces of veg (I still have useful amounts of celery, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, onions and broccoli plus half a pepper and a couple of spuds), half a mozzarella, some peanuts and kidney beans, a couple of cups of frozen soup and just under half a pack of crisp bread. Spending just a few euro more in Lidl would make that last another two days easily.
Anyway I think the point is that you can feed two adults for under €50 per week and feed them very well. Apart from my longing for steak midway though, we enjoyed the food we ate and were satisfied by it.
But I’m glad I don’t have to do it every week. It takes thought, planning and quite a lot of time to make the best of the food. I’m not sure I’d be prepared to do that every week. But I can tell you, give me another €20 on that budget and it would be as easy as pie - and €70 per week for two adults is, I would guess, a lot less than the average spend.
Tomorrow I am eating steak!