The Big Challenge

Well my head must be up in the clouds today as I have left my camera at work so have no food pics for earlier. I think I'll just do a double post tomorrow instead!

So, I thought that while I have the opportunity I would talk about some plans I have around saving money, being a bit greener, and trying to be a bit more creative!

Over the last few months my spending has been going through the roof. This has mainly been spending on clothes and I have been using the excuse of losing weight and having no clothes that fit to justify my spending. To be honest, most of this spending was justified and losing weight to fit into fab new clothes was one of my main motivations for losing weight in the first place so I feel like I deserved to treat myself!

However, now the time has come to try and start to reign things in a bit. I'm setting myself a challenge, for the months of July, August and September spending is OUT. With the exception of planned holidays and special days like my birthday which have already been budgeted for, I won't be buying any more new clothes, accessories, DVD's, books, stuff for the house, nights out and I will be sticking to a stricter food budget. I will allow myself to buy second hand and vintage finds and materials to use to make or customise things but this will all have to come out of a set monthly budget of around £50.

I wanted to do this on the blog as I know that writing the blog keeps me very focused. Hopefully you will all find this challenge an interesting read! I'm actually really looking forward to being a bit more creative, I have loads of clothes that are just crying out to be customised and re worked into something else, luckily I'm not too bad with a needle and thread!

Before I start the challenge I do have a wish list of things to get before July starts:

Whey and Soy Protein

I'm running low on my favorite chocolate true whey from MyProtein, and luckily its on offer this week. I also want to get some Spirutein as soy protein powder is apparently better to use in cooking. I'll be getting the cookies and cream flavour after I have tested it out at the weekend thanks to the sample the lovely Sarah sent me to try.

Sports Bra

I really need a new sports bra. My current ones are a size too big. Bouncing boobs are not good! I like the Shock Absorber range.

Neutral support trainers

I need some running shoes that have neutral or dynamic support so that I can insert my special insoles as if I put them in my current running shoes that already have over pronation features it could push my feet too far the other way. These are Nike LunarElite+

Foam roller

To try and work my tight IT band in my legs which I'm pretty sure is contributing to my sore knee. This one is from Amazon.

More Tea Pigs

I've found a deli in Newcastle which stocks the whole range and I just can't help my tea addiction!

River Cottage Everyday Cookbook

I had a look through this at the shops and it seems to be full of some really good simple straight forward, thrifty and healthy recipes, or at least plenty of inspiration for me to make up my own recipes based on them.

I'll probably do another proper post to set out the rules of the challenge a bit clearer in the next couple of days. What do you think of my challenge idea?