Bora da

One of the few bits of Welsh I know - good day (in Welsh) on St David's Day.

So far I have trashed my New Year's Resolutions and my Lent abstinence.  Not good.  Time and again I come on here wittering about my good intentions and completely epic fail to do anything about them.  Sometimes I wonder if I could stick to a challenge or a plan of action even if there was a gun held at my head.

Part of the problem is that I don't have many physical resources, and I want to do more than is actually physically possible in the hours that we have.  The combination isn't great.  Add lack of will and a 'kitten in a feather factory' approach to all the different things I need to do and it gets worse.

But I am getting better.  Not by big, sweeping, Oscar winning changes but in tiny increments, just tiny tiny bits that keep things getting better and better.  It isn't good yet, but it will be.

From today, 1st March, I am going to count exactly how much I spend on fruit and veg and try and keep it to £150 per month - that's all fresh, frozen, tinned and dried for four, including trying to get veggies into a six year old in quantity.  I am not really willing to skimp on this.  I am going to count exactly how much I spend on meat and try and keep that to £150 per month - all tinned, frozen, bargain, non bargain meat including the ham for bear's lunchtime sandwich.  I am aiming for good value for money, so a nice roast to be stretched rather than steak.  Then after than I am aiming for £150 per month on the rest - that is, cleaning, snacks, flour, milk, eggs, cat food etc.  That is a really generous total.  Approved Food will have to come out of the latter £150, as will any extravagances. Any splurges for kitchen stuff from places like Lakeland will have to be paid out of any savings.  I won't be including alcohol in that, as darling father will happily pay for his, and OH doesn't have many vices.  Nor will I be including delivery charges, as I would have to get out of the house otherwise and they are usually better value than bus fares.

Everything else I am just doing my best until I get into the right rhythm the food.  So far this month (in the twelve hours it has been going) I have spent the amazing amount of £1.45 on the only bread OH will eat.  Once I have cracked food, I will move on to something else.