Going Below The Line

So most people have found out by now that I'm doing the Below The Line Challenge this week, although no one really knows what that is. It's a fundraising event, where people get sponsored to live for five days on £5 worth of food. That gives you £1 of food a day, or 33p a meal. I'm doing my week to raise money for Save The Children, if you want to sponsor me then you can do here. The reason why £1 is set as the amount per day is because that is the "technical" poverty line - to be living on $1.25 a day - or £1. However, for me (and most other people doing the challenge) that amount is only for food. For people actually living in poverty, that pound has to cover heating, water, housing, education, transport. I'm finding it hard enough as it is.
I did my Big Shop on Sunday with Mum (she's the organised one). This is what I have bought.

With any luck, that food will get me though till midnight on Friday. I know looking at it, it seems like quite a lot, but in reality it feels like an awful lot less. It's been tough, and it's only the first day. It's been odd knowing that I probably won't have a full meal when I get home. I usually have a snack when I get home from school - today that was a quarter tea spoon of jam and some carrot sticks that I saved from lunch, because I was paranoid I might need them later.  I can still have tea but not with sugar, and I have to measure out how much milk I'm using. And even so, I'm enjoying it. I think.

To last till Friday I have:

1. A loaf of wholemeal bread
2. A jar of strawberry jam
3. A can of sweetcorn
4. A can of kidney beans
5. A 'stew pack' containing carrots, parsnips, an onion and a turnip (This was the most expensive item I've bought; £1.50)
6. A jar of pasta sauce
7. A carton of UHT milk
8. A bag of pasta
9. A bag of porridge oats
10. A box of 80 tea bags

I think it'll go okay. For breakfast this morning I had a cup of tea and porridge with a spoonful of jam (same as Bonnie Wright - campaign ambassador). For lunch, two jam sandwiches and some carrot sticks, some of which I still haven't had the heart to eat. Later I'll be making a batch of soup to eat later in the week, and hopefully be having some pasta. Wish me luck, Starlings x

Some useful links:

My sponsorship page

More information on the challenge

Information on Save The Children

A video from Charlieissocoollike about the charity and the IF campaign