Who says there's no free lunch?

Nickolas Grace, the actor who made his name in Brideshead Revisited, is better known these days as a professional party-goer. The canapè king admitted recently that he takes £50 out at the cash point each week and survives by scoffing tiny snacks and glasses of bubbly at London's many lavish bashes.

But how easy is it? So, armed with £50, I put on my best high heels, scrounged a wad of invitations and set out to see if I, too, could survive seven days on a diet of spring rolls and quails' eggs.

First thing to buy was a Travelcard (£18.90), which would enable me to get to all the swanky dos without taking expensive cabs. I decided to go without breakfast or lunch on my first day, but by 3pm I was sick with hunger. A friend treated me to a bag of chips that I scoffed down in less than a minute.

Fortunately, it was our office party that evening. I walked straight in, sat down next to the table laden with trays of sushi and sandwiches, and refused to budge. If anyone tried to strike up a conversation I glared at them and carried on chewing.

It's amazing how resourceful you become on an empty stomach. Late Thursday morning, having skipped breakfast again, I remembered the Jamie Oliver Sainsbury's ad in which he stuffs his face with free samples at the deli counter. I ran there and told the lady in the supermarket that I was hosting an enormous dinner party and hadn't a clue what to serve. After testing a huge number of samples I told her I couldn't face it and would order a takeway instead. All I bought were a few essentials such as bread and milk.

I had an invite to the opening night of the musical Return to the Forbidden Planet and sat through the show wondering what food there would be at the after-show party while coughing every time my stomach rumbled loudly. They had laid on a proper dinner and I was even more pleased when Lady Victoria Hervey left before they served up, so there was all the more for me. (Money spent: Sainsbury's, £5.87, wine in pub before show, £3.50.)

Friday lunchtime I headed for Harrods food hall where I stocked up on free samples of mince pies, pastries, cheese, crackers and olives. I ate as much as I could because I was meeting my new flatmates for a Christmas meal and I knew this would put me well over budget. I arrived late for the meal, drank tap water, ate the free bread and stared at my friends, hoping they would leave me some scraps. They didn't. (Money spent: zero)

By Saturday I longed for a fry-up, an M&S salad for lunch and a restaurant meal. I had a constant headache, was tired from going out and exhausted from the continuous panic about what food would be served at each party. I had a recurring nightmare about turning up at a bash and being stuck behind a rope while I watched fat, famous people stuffing down all the food and leaving me nothing.

And this was more-or-less what happened to me that evening. I went to a friend's birthday party and was devastated to find there was nothing to eat. I ended up getting hideously drunk on free cheap wine and dancing madly to techno house in a nightclub until 5am. (Money spent: entry to club, £10, minicab home, £7.)

Hideously hungover the next day. Luckily, this meant I was unable to face anything to eat until the evening. I'd heard that the Fun Lovin' Criminals were having a post-gig party in Brixton so I dragged myself there. I realised I had the wrong party when I walked into the bar and everyone stopped singing Happy Birthday and stared. Desperate for food, I smiled, helped myself to snacks and cake, made my excuses and left. It was so embarrassing but, boy, did I feel better for it. (Money spent: zero.)

A friend told me that the Hare Krishnas helped the hungry so I set off for their temple in Soho Square for some body-and-soul nourishment. What my friend hadn't revealed was that you have to attend a lecture first. After listening to the teacher expound on the eternity of the soul and the evils of consumerism for an hour-and-a-half, I was given a plate of vegetarian food.

Normally, I'd be a bit sniffy about the unappetising nosh placed in front of me, but I gobbled it down. I felt guilty, but thanked them for the food and said I had to rush since it was the Attitude magazine party at the Shadow Lounge.

The party was so hot and sweaty that I drank as much as I could from the free bar to cool down. I helped myself to a few spring rolls and hid them in my handbag. They would do nicely for breakfast. (Money spent: zero.)

The Hare Krishnas' food had upset my stomach - must be karma - so I felt very off-peak the next morning. I bought some vitamins to keep me going. That evening, I went to a party hosted by the Italian Trade Commission. My face lit up when I spotted trays laden with delicious food. I scoffed my way through several seared-tuna canapès before grabbing plates of salmon and rocket, risotto, towers of grilled vegetables and several portions of tart.

I had become adept at holding more than one plate and a glass at the same time. I attracted a few surprised stares from fellow guests, but this was the best, and most, food I'd had all week. (Money spent: vitamins, £4.60.)

Time to go to the cash point again. My canapè hell was over. I even had 13p change from my original £50. I would take my hat off to Nickolas Grace if I ever met him. Sadly, this is most unlikely as I never want to go to another party or eat a canapè again.