Angela, OGT Fundraising Manager: So, as of 12:01am tomorrow, this is my food and drink for the following 5 days. £4.76 spent meaning Ive got 24p left for emergencies eg a banana, a yoghurt or maybe a Freddo if times have been really tough (though gone are the days when a mere 10p would get you a bite of Cadburys...). I made umpteen lists based on my researched and scribbled costings and, after coming to my final decision, was surprised with just how nervous and anxious I felt going to actually hand over the money - it felt so final, as there was no going back or buying/ changing for anything else later! I toyed with cereal for a while but didnt want to take the gamble of the cereal being rubbish (as I would have to buy a brand I hadnt tried); and had initially planned on having eggs as a key part, with plans to make omelettes with peppers, but I wont have any oil and vegetables are so expensive (is it obvious I really cant cook?). Eggs also created an internal ethics debate for me, ending up with me deciding just to spend more for less and stay with free range. This is where the fact Im only doing this for 5 days, then going back to my own normality, is so evident. I decided against oats - I know thats what most people opt for and it makes so much sense but I didnt want to risk spending the money on something I end up not eating, as I really cant stomach porridge! Its strange, when Im abroad volunteering, I just eat whatever is available/ whatever the host family are having, as you obviously just have to accept what is there and dont have the luxury of being fussy - but I cant quite bring myself to do that here when I know that I do still have some element of choice. Im doing this in the midst of moving flat and starting in a new role at work, so trying to keep things as simple and easy as I can too. Its been stressful already though, and standing in the aisles in the shops with a notepad, marking down the prices of things feels really quite embarrassing and I felt quite intimidated but its so vital as the comparisons literally come down to pennies. I cant even convey how excited I was when I stumbled upon the huge tin of condensed tomato soup and would never have thought a tin of Heinz could bring such a smile to my face - I practically did a jig in the aisle! Fruit and veg are nigh on impossible to include. It must be so incredibly difficult to sustain this healthily or cook anything that is actually tasty and enjoyable. It may sound dramatic but it feels so hard to be giving up your freedom of being impulsive, yet I know that, come Friday, I can eat whatever I want again. Additionally, it has taken me a good length of time to plan and decide - to have to do that constantly would completely drain me so I genuinely dont know how people do it week in, week out. Help Oxfam to change the lives of the 1.2 billion people across the world currently living Live Below the Line by donating here: https://oxjam.everydayhero/uk/oxjam-glasgow-takeover-team Words of encouragement will also be most welcome! Thanks for your support! :-) Angela x
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:02:32 +0000
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