Show not tell – how to save money

Saving is hard. Especially at the moment. Instead of telling you what to do when it comes to savings, we thought we’d show you how a week could look when you put a little money away every day.

Actually, we’ll have to tell you this part

We set our marketing executive, Lewis a challenge last week to prep meals and not eat out where possible. Seeing if he could try to avoid Greggs for a week (at least). With the aim being to put the money he would have spent, in a pot and see the savings that can be made.

Over to Lew…

First things first, I come into the office twice a week and tend to be easily persuaded to go out and eat (even if I’ve brought food with me). I have an average spend of £5.69  per visit in Greggs and £10.25 in Cardiff Market (thank you to Monzo for those insights). So, if we average those out to £8 a day, I’ve got my objective.

To prepare food for the week and stick to eating it and keeping track of the money I’ve saved. In preparation for the challenge, I did a weekly shop to make sure I had the right food to eat to help me resist the urge to pick up food on an ad-hoc basis.

My weekly shop was on Sunday in Asda, and I spent £26.65. Whenever I do the weekly shop, I make sure I’m buying meals that can be put together instead of individual items. So, in this shop, I picked up five evening meals and five lunchtime meals alongside a few healthy snacks. I’m not a big breakfast eater and I had things at home in case I got peckish.

Just another manic Monday – In the office

Monday, first day of the week and I’m ready for my money saving challenge. The fridge is stocked, I have a meal plan prepped and all thoughts of sausage rolls have been pushed to the back of my mind.

It’s an office day, so I know temptation will be a little higher than working from the safety of home, but I’m ready for it and have already been thinking of ways to beat the peer pressure!

My day started with a homemade toffee nut latte and a bottle of water – the water balances out the sugar hit, right?

Avoiding the hipster cafe that’s on the ground floor of the office is going to be tricky, the homemade latte doesn’t seem quite so exciting now I can smell what’s on offer here, but I stay strong, and head to my desk.

Lunchtime, there’s talk of where to go for lunch, what did everyone bring in or does anyone fancy a cheeky pasty? Oh pasties, sweet flaky pasties. Alas, it’s chicken and veg with a side of green beans and hot sauce for me. It’s not a steak bake but it does the job.

Back home and ready for dinner which comes in the form of a medium pizza from Asda and a can of San Pellegrino Limonata. To be honest, that feels like a pretty solid end to Monday. I’m full and have saved £8, we’re off to a good start.

Thirsty Tuesday – Working from home

Rolling into day two and I’m feeling strong. Knowing that I’m at home today will help curb some of the temptation to grab a chicken bake or two…

Breakfast doesn’t typically tick a box for me, so Tuesday was no different. Just a glass of water (it was a litre bottle of Buxton, I was thirsty).

Tip-toeing towards lunchtime and a visit to the fridge is on the agenda for today. Making use of that Asda shop and sinking my fork into an Asda-own Piri-Piri chicken pasta salad, I can feel one of my five a day coursing through my veins. It’s only fair that once I polish that off, a sweet treat is needed to reward me for being so healthy and savvy. A Yorkie chocolate bar hits the spot. A certain money-saving guru would be proud.

Work completed and before I know it, it’s time for dinner. I channelled my inner culinary-obsessed rat and prepped a rump steak to sit alongside sweet potato mash and some mixed vegetables and a big dollop of garlic sauce with a glass of blackcurrant squash. Just to clarify that was a steak and not a steak bake…close call today but in the safe zone still. Another solid day of saving and still eating, under my belt (pun intended). Saved another £8, at the risk of sounding like a very popular Irish band, we’re flying without wings here.

On Wednesdays we wear pink eat well – in the office

Wednesday, or Humpday as some call it (I try not to) and we’re back in the office so the temptation is rife to pop out and grab a snack. BUT I’ve prepped food for the office to help deliver me from the temptation of spending unnecessary pound coins.

I hopped, skipped and slid past the coffee shop in the office again (tick number one) as I had made a toffee nut latte with oat milk with my shopping at home (tick number two). We’ve started strong here.

There are biscuits on offer throughout the office and I won’t lie to you, I did have a couple of them. Shortbread biscuits have a hold over me, the upside being I didn’t spend a penny on them so we’re still on track (so far).

Creeping into lunchtime now.

‘But what did you prepare for lunch Lewis?’ We’re getting there don’t worry.

I went for a big, filling lunch of chicken breast with Cajun seasoning, Mexican rice, broccoli and obviously hot sauce, chipotle hot sauce to be exact. The team invited me out for a wander and the temptation to spend unnecessarily was higher than ever…

But worry not, I resisted the temptation and just enjoyed the vitamin d on offer which felt better than a sausage roll let me tell you (well maybe not entirely).

Another office day completed. Hopped, skipped and jumped onto the train home and believe it or not but I had a meal planned for the dinner! Two gluten free burgers in ciabatta buns were on the menu tonight, there are very few things I eat without cheese so that was grated as a savoury ‘cherry on top of the cake’ if you will. That was accompanied by a small can of San Pellegrino Limonata, which has quickly become a favourite of mine if you couldn’t tell already? Three days of the week down and ANOTHER £8 saved.

Tournament Thursday – volunteer day at Vale Resort

Inching closer and closer to the end of the week and Thursday was a wholesome one, let me explain quickly.

We all have four volunteer days to use annually at Hodge and we had a fundraising event with FAW and PureCyber at the Vale resort (we played football for six hours, what a day) here’s some proof – FAW x PureCyber – Tenovus & Maggies fundraiser

So, this was a spanner in the works when it came to my routine, and I know I said breakfast doesn’t typically tick a box for me but this time I had to tick it before a long day of football and fundraising!

I pulled together two pieces of toast and one of those renowned, home-made toffee nut lattes to fuel me for the day ahead.

After Hodge beat everyone in sight at the football tournament, we came to lunchtime and you won’t believe this but there were complimentary burgers, potato salad and chicken skewers on offer so lunch was sorted for the team, even if I did resemble Shaggy and Scooby Doo taking my plate back to the table, ruh-ro.

I know you’re itching to find out how Hodge got on in that tournament but that isn’t the point of this article, it’s about saving money (it’s here though).

Thursday evening after a long day of sun, fun and eating enough for three, surprisingly I wasn’t that hungry, so I had a bowl of cereal for dinner. Please don’t pull that face, cereal for dinner is definitely a thing! Thursday ticked off and another £8 saving.

Fresh Friday – we’re nearly there I promise you

The final stop on our money-saving tour. I was lucky enough that Friday was a day off for me.

But that does mean the temptation is at it’s highest of the week, the freedom and ability to eat anything means being super-duper sensible…

After a delightful lie-in, for breakfast I had, yes you guessed it, nothing but a glass of water. If there’s anything you pick up from this, breakfast is my least favourite meal of the day.

I was getting peckish leading up to lunchtime and decided to be creative(ish) and made myself a ham, cheese and chorizo sandwich as I had these in the fridge and at the risk of sounding like an aforementioned dog and his best pal, the sandwich was rather large. I did though purchase a pack of crisps for £1.25 (how much) to sit alongside it, I’m sorry! The temptation got me.

Off the back of that disappointment, you’ll be glad to know the epic sandwich and crisps combo saw me through to dinnertime.

‘How did you finish the week off, Lewis?’ Let me tell you how.

No rat pulling my hair for this one. Rump steak with steak seasoning, medium rare (or close enough), green beans and golden vegetable rice with garlic sauce (again). I know I did spend £1.25 but we still saved £6.75!