my two weeks on a $50, $20 and $10 notes and a monthly metcard






Well we all know that most of you think that it is hard just to survive on $50 a week, but I will show that it is not impossible to survive on a little amount of money and no cards. This week I'm trying this new experiment of trying to survive on a $50, $20 and a $10 note (and a monthly ticket) in a week. I have no debit or credit cards whatsoever.
This challenge is all about using the things that you have got at home and not going out when not neccessary. Its also about student poverty and understanding the whole issue behind it.  I can use the food that I have in my pantry and fridge. I can also use discount cards and vouchers found in the entertainment book and from different clubs and societies. If I got a free drink I can also use my loyalty cards.  I can also use vouchers that people gave me for presents (which I should),  Melbourne Central student card and my RUSU membership card ( which I picked up at the start of the year) and goodies. I may be able to use any of the leftover food that I sometimes get from my workplace. I can also use some of the samples that I got with my showbags at the Show and at the supermarket.
It all started yesterday and finishes on Sunday 7/8/2011. I have bought most of the food for the week from the markets and costco on Saturday before I started the challenge. My rent and bills were paid just last week.
Day 1: 24/7/2011
Went walking around the Marybynong river= free
Cooked all my meals for the week= free
Had all my meals at home= free
Therefore day 1, I spent $0

day 2: 25/7/2011
Went to Melbourne Uni on the tram= free (well its technically not, but it doesn't count this week as I have a monthly)
Went to Crepes a la carte and bought a crepe= $6
Went to Breadelicious in Union house and bought a hot chocolate and mexician bun (oh and did I mention that the cheese stick was free before 11am!)= $5.30
Got a few free fitness magazines whilst I was in the womyns room= free
Had my three bean lunch, tea and cheese stick in the womyns room= free
Ate an apple ( oh I got the apples from next door) and vegetable sticks for afternoon tea= free
Heard that a man lost his wallet in the computer lab :(. I hope that he finds it.
Got some cookbooks in the post from my mum and dad= free
Cooked pasta dinner= free
Therefore day 2,  I spent $11.30. Hence I have left $68.70

Day 3: 26/7/2011
Could not sleep very well as my heating was disconnected by the power companies because my flatmate spent all our  money for heating on drinking at the pub. So now I'm left without heating for two weeks. I was so angry at her.
Did have a fight with my parents last night over my grades. My grade for one of my final subjects was not good and I was going to appeal the grade. So as a result I consolled myself over a block of chocolate which by the way was my flatmates ( I promise I'll buy her another one as soon as this is over)
Had leftover pasta from last night's dinner as well as a salad.
Had $4.90 sushi which included two hand rolls and an inari at Diane's sushi (as a snack to tide me over to dinner because I have late night classes)
Had a $2.50 mocha from Endevour College between 12pm-2pm when they had their $2.50 special.
Had my veggie sticks= free, made it myself at home.
Went for a walk around Docklands= free
Had dinner at home= free
Therefore day 3 I spent $7.40. Hence I have left $61.30

Day 4: 27/7/2011
Had museli at home= free.
Had a mocha, a big (and free) cupcake and a little cupcake at Cupcake central for $5.30
Had lunch and tea at RUSU realfoods- free because I volunteered there. And actually you know what after 4pm the leftover food (if we have any is free)
Had another free meal from RUSU realfoods because there was so much leftovers.
Therefore day 4 I spent $5.30. Hence I have left $56

Day 5: 28/7/2011
Got up really late and was in a rush to get to my train for the city. I went to the station and it turns out that another earlier train was late and I just managed to get that one. I didn't have time to validate my already validated ticket. About twenty minutes later was at Melbourne Central station and I showed my monthly to the guy at the barriers and he let me through.
I missed breakfast at home so I went to the RMIT Student Union's free breakfast and had a pastry and a bagel. The bagel was not too bad and it was a free feed.
In my bag I found some spare change totalling to $4, therefore I now have $60.
Hot chocolate @Mrs Fields= $2.50 under their coffee special.
Got the tram to Bundoora. Helped out at the free soup event. Got myself some free soup.
I had to scab some hot water from Refuel Cafe in RMIT because there was no good hot water in Student Union. I feel sorry for the guy who received not many people. I would have loved to have paid for it but I didn't have any money.
These last few days I saw some magazines that I really wanted but could not afford. :( Sorry to the guy at the Melbourne Central newsagency for just looking at your magazines all the time and not buying.
Had free drinks at Pearson's and Murphys and had leftover samosa and rice ball from Realfoods.
Went out to tea with my library group at 3 Degrees and ordered the $12.50 pizza special.
Altogether I spent $15.00. Hence I have left $45.00

Day 6: 29/7/2011
Went to Queen Victoria market and bought a bagel- $1.50
Also said hello to my friend who works at McIvers tea. Sorry I couldn't buy any tea from you. Maybe next time.
Went to Gozleme and had a great time- $7.90
Bought loving earth chocolate for the weekend- $4
Got to try lots of samples from the sauced stall as well as a fruit and veg stall. Sorry I couldn't buy anything from those stalls. Maybe next time.

Went to the Careers expo- that was free from Student union. Got to try another coffee there.
Went to South Melbourne Market and bought tea ($3.50), ice cream ($4) and popcorn ($2.25)
Also got to try some of the free cheese and bread samples.
Fritz gelato is really good.
Altogether I spent: $21.65. Hence I have left: $23.35

Day 7: 30/7/2011
I'm at home beginning to feel some of the effects of student poverty. I have another week to go and then I can earn more money.
Am beginning to worry about my financial status at this point in time.
Started studying today, but found it hard to concentrate without the heater on!
Am feeling a wee bit hungry so I had the student staple of soup.
My friends are all coming around for dinner tonight and they are all bringing a plate of food each, so I only need to cook one meal and that is vegetables. One of the guys will bring wine.
I spent $0 the whole day. Hence I have left: $23.35

Day 8:
I have so much leftover food in the fridge. This will last me a few days, provided that they don't go bad.
Went out with my friend from the country to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows part 2. I had scored free movie tickets for Kino Cinemas from another friend who works at Kino cinemas. He said that he didn't want them and that I can have them
My friend bought my sushi for me and shouted me lunch. I also had a buy one salmon pack get one free for sushi sushi.
I had a buy one get one drink free for Hudson's coffee so we decided to split the cost of one coffee- hence it was $1.90
I got a vegetarian sushi for $2.40 just to try it out.
Hence I spent- $4.30 and have $19.05 left.

Day 9:
It is so windy today.
Today I stole my flatmates can of baked beans for breakfast, because I didn't have any spreads for breakfast and I was low on money.
I also took a scoopful of their instant coffee just to make a mocha.
Had macaroni and a salad for lunch.
For dinner I finished all the leftovers.
Hence I have spent nothing and have $19.05 left

Day 10:
Spent $9.50 on toast and coffee after I woke up late and almost skipped breakfast.
Had a cold noodle meal which I made at home with all the leftover char siu, cucumber, carrots and beans.
Helped out today at RUSU realfoods and scored a free rice pudding.
Hence I have left $9.55 left.  (Spent: $9.50)

Day 11:
Free food day.
Actually woke up quite early this morning and had two pieces of toast.
Went to the volunteers breakfast and had a MAP coffee, crossaint and muffin.
Had soup and salad today for lunch
My flatmate and I made a cake when we got home. It was so delicious.
I am feeling a bit like a povo but in a few days time I will have more money to spend!
Spent nothing today hence I have left $9.55.

Day 12:
Woke up late and skipped breakfast. So at the RMIT city campus, I scored a free muffin and some fruits (I am running low on this)
Went to Monsieur truffe for a chocolate and spent $7.30.
I did however had to use my flatmates pads and shampoo because I could not afford them.
Spent $7.30, have left now: $2.25

Day 13:
Ate all my leftovers and now have to go shopping for food. I had to eat my frozen fruits in the freezer because there was no fruit in the house whatsoever. Oh well I can just borrow my flatmates food whilst they are overseas and then buy their food later.
I still have some food in the pantry. I still have about three packets of pasta, sauce, cereal, two minute noodles, tuna, rice, canned vegetables, tea, chocolate, baked beans, museli bars, flour etc.
Spent the day at home hence I still have left $2.25

Day 14:
Got my hair cut for free at my friends salon.
Had all my meals at home
Did housework today
Hence I spent nothing

Day 15: The end of the project:
Did nothing today
Went for a walk for free
Had fried rice for lunch at home with the leftover rice, corn, eggs, bacon etc.
Had a lovely green tea with lemon in it.
Did eat my frozen fruits
At the end of the project I have left $2.25.

My reflections and lessons learnt on the project.
*Learnt that $80 is not enough for two weeks for a student to get by without vouchers. Students can obtain vouchers by attending Orientation each year and by signing up for different uni clubs on offer
*Businesses should promote themselves more often especially the ones that are cheap. This is to ensure that students are not hungry. For example: South Melbourne Market should promote themselves by having a stall at RMIT and other unis
*More businesses should offer discounts to students.
*Students should sign up to Facebook and Twitter because thats where some of the discounts are being offered
*Budgeting weekly for students is a good idea. And for international students it is a better idea if you budget some of your money before you come to Melbourne. One way of doing this is by following blogs such as my one.
*Students are encouraged to research cheap eats on Urbanspoon.com before heading out. That way you'll know how much each meal is. In my blog I tell you how much each meal is when I go out to eat.
* Students should start working and saving money for uni as early as Year 10, so that they are ready to move out by then.
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