Nearly there

I've just about made it to the end of the week without going overboard on spending next week's money already.  Yay.

I took ten euro out of the bank yesterday but also brought lunch with me in my wide-neck flask so while I did go and meet colleagues in the canteen for lunch I didn't buy anything there.  Of course later yesterday evening I dropped my bag and my lovely new flask, which I have only used four times (although I bought it in May when I was in France) went smash.  I had a quick look on the internet as I was still in work and it turns out Thermos products are all made in the Far East now and they don't ship replacement glass parts as they're too delicate for shipping.  I had to steel myself to throw it out but in the end gave it straight to the guy who was cleaning the office.  I kept the lids, which will be handy as spares if I manage to find another one but there was no point bringing the rest home and trying to convince myself I would somehow clean it of all the little slivers of glass and use it just as a non-thermos flask.  It would just sit there getting in the way. 

On the way to choir I bought some chips and that was dinner along with the one small slice of quiche that was left.  Still less than half of what I would have paid for lunch in the canteen and, as everyone was very tired, we didn't go for a drink after rehearsal either.  So today I still had seven euro burning a hold in my pocket but that was all to the good as I needed to send my sister her birthday present and card.  That, plus a scratch card (gave in to the temptation, didn't win), some bananas from the fair trade shop and an egg from the biosupermarkt have left me with just a few cent in my purse but soon there will be banana bread to eat so it's all good.  As I was coming home a slightly different way to swing by the later opening post office I also stopped into Drogerie Markt to pick up two things that were on my list for this weekend: washing soda and distilled water.  They had  no distilled water (typical, they must be expecting a big order, there were a few cleared shelves) so I bought a bottle of toilet cleaner as well as two packets of soda to bring the total up to a relatively reasonable amount to use my EC-card (debit card - but still lots of places insist on a minimum charge of 5 euro).  It was still only 3.53 but she didn't say anything. 

I have a long list of things I want to buy at the weekend.  Saturday week is going to be a busy day.  The biogarten is having a party so I will be there for most of the morning and afternoon and in the evening, it's the second month of film club.  I'm choosing the flim this month and that means sorting out the food as well.  At least it's held in someone else's place (they have the biggest telly and most space) so I don't also need to worry about what my house looks like.  But as I'll be busy all day I won't have time to cook so I am making stew or shepherds/cottage pie and a bean casserole, which taste better on the second day anyway.  But that means buying everything out of this week's money.  So I've been making a list and trying to write down ahead of time what everything is likely to cost.  This has been a continuing problem in my attempts to budget to date - normally I set an amount of money and just spend till it's gone and then can't get anything else or, all too often, 'borrow' from next week's money.  Hopefully I will manage.  I am telling myself now that I will not buy lots of tomatoes in a frenzied attempt to make the most of the last of the fresh ones available by making more salsa or chutney or something else time consuming and instead will just concentrate on buying a few things to make some lovely meals for eating immediately.