Live Below the Line, Part 2

Ok, I am two days into Live Below the Line Challenge. Three days to go. It's still light outside with hours until bed time and I cannot eat or drink anything more today except tap water and maybe (if I'm particularly desperate) some sliced white bread. Value of course.
Now, I'm not a particularly foody person (Kirsty is...she must be suffering) but this just takes so much thought. Here's a joyful picture of my shopping basket for the week:

The binge on Sainsbury's Value products was only stage one of preparation though. Next came sums. Erghhhhh!! I haven't done so much maths since I was 16. Did you know that a portion of porridge costs 8p. That is for an adult portion. I can only manage a 4p Jess-sized portion because I have no milk or sugar to make it with. It is gruel and tastes of sadness.
I think I'm doing pretty well though. Yesterday I only ate 52p worth of food all day (porridge, a banana, half a value pizza). Yes, that is not much food. I had intended to eat more but I didn't have a chance to do the proper shop before Monday. And you know what that meant: hungry grocery shopping at the end of the day, and with a strick £5 budget. Possibly the most painful thing EVER. No marsbar for the journey home for me. Minisob.
And today I felt genuine hunger before lunch. My stomach grew a small and very loud monster that growled a lot.
And then I get to the meals themselves. I mentioned the porridge already but dinner this evening was just so bland. And stodgy. And uninspiring.
Yes, yes...the food I cook is often uninspiring. I don't put much effort into cooking for myself normally. That's the beauty of working at a nice cafe that feeds me. Good food, no effort.
This challenge is just that: a challenge. I'm eating, yes. But I actually have to spend time both planning and cooking and I get nothing tasty. Sigh.
Of course, some of you reading this will put thought and love into your food on a regular basis. But that probably means you are good cooks and buy stuff like salmon, asparagus, steak... mmmm.... not rice, stock and frozen veg.
So it's difficult, and for my efforts, and Kirsty's (who likes food much more than me) you should definitely sponsor us by clicking here. Your money will go straight to UNICEF to help children who live like this...no much worse than this all the time.
Thank you to you kind and wonderful people who have already donated. For all of you, and in case you need more persuading, here is our charity video that is sure to melt the stoniest of hearts:
DONATE!!! by Kirsty Green and Jess Williams. Filmed by Amy Gomez.

Phone calls in vain.

Man, don't you just hate an 0845 number called in vain. Especially when you're calling to ask for money. Not only do they say no, you know that call has probably cost you a week's wages. Clearly that's not ideal.
So why was I asking for money? No, it was not to ask random companies to sponsor us for Live Below The Line (still time for you to do so though). I recently decided that a bit of education and delicious learning was in order. Namely an Open University history degree. It will take me forever to complete but that's ok. I love a project.
Trouble is, I already have a "degree." That is a foundation degree in Theatre Dance which was great but I only wrote about 5000 words for in total. And we all know I love to write. This means I already have a student loan to my name. And THAT means no more funding.
Sadness.
I suppose I understand. I already have one loan I'm 97% sure I won't pay back. Arty degrees are bad investments i reckon. Joyful, yes. Lucrative, rarely. This is a country in debt...maybe it's a little selfish to even ask for more monies. But what to do now?
Is it worth it to just study for no qualification at all? And will it work without any form of guidance? I don't know...
More importantly, am I that disciplined?
So self funding? Gulp. Maybe this Live Below The Line will continue indefinitely.
So now I have this negative information and the thing that annoys me most is my next phone bill. Because it was apparently unnecessary. 3 calls that got me nowhere.
In other, and better, news I did manage to speak on the phone with confidence and an excellent telephone manner. And Because i knew i was paying i was soooo efficient. I'm growing as a human being.
So thank Student Finance and OU. You have helped me after all.