For five days in May, Salvation Army captains, Chris and Karen Sandford and their three sons joined thousands of people across the UK living off just £1 a day for food and drink. They were taking part in the Christian Aid 'Live Below the Line' campaign to get a better understanding of the challenges faced by people living in extreme poverty and to raise funds for crucial anti-poverty initiatives.

Karen kept a blog of the experience, starting with the menu planning and budgeting before Day 1 of the project and monitoring the family's progress and feelings throughout the five days. Karen's account paints a vivid picture of the difficulties she had to overcome with such a restricted budget. On Day 5, the last day of the project, Karen said in her blog: "We did it! We fed a family of five, for five days on £25! I was very proud of the boys who made some great choices of what to eat to stretch the budget.

The things I have learned are:

• Food is fuel - I am determined not to go back to my old habits.

• Forward planning and a bit of imagination works wonders.

• We eat too much.

• I take too much for granted.

• I need to be more mindful, and grateful for what I have, and more generous.

• I am blessed beyond measure, with far more than I need."

To read the rest of Karen's account of five days living below the line, go to www.caterham-independent. co.uk and search for 'Karen's Blog'.

To find out more about the Christian Aid 'Live Below the Line' campaign, go to www.livebelowtheline.org.uk