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No more random spending for 3 months...........any takers?

246 replies

Collision · 28/08/2011 19:16

Starting from 1 September DH and I have decided that the only things on the cc bill will be

food

petrol

car insurance (due 7 Sept)

We are no longer randomly spending on ANY clothes at all. The boys have their uniform and I have new NEXT-sale boots and a warm waterproof coat and we do not need ANY MORE CLOTHES.

Proper meal planning and shopping at ALDI and Sainsburys.

No more Costa lotta coffees.

No more takeaways or cheapy McDonalds/KFC for the kids.

We will use the library for books so no need to buy any.

Packed lunches

Coffee in a flask if I take the children out along with snacks and drinks bought from supermarket and not random cafes.

The boys are pretty much ECO anyway and brilliant at turning off lights and water etc and they only have showers and not baths.

We want to cut down on spending to see how much we can save over time. DH has a great job and I work at school FT so it will be interesting to see what we can do.

GULP!




Anyone want to help join me??

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cubscout · 28/08/2011 19:22

I'll join you - I seem to remember a thread a bit like this a couple of years ago and for a few months it really helped me save. I just buy too much 'stuff', magazines, snacks at work, clothes < cutting back there
might be painful!>

I've got ds's birthday coming up, plus need to pay for some decorating on the house (just can't face doing it ourselves). I'd like to budget reasonably for Christmas.

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SockMunkee · 28/08/2011 19:23

I am doing this already, I have no choice as I am totally broke. We both need winter clothes, its ds's 16th and then there is christmas....sigh

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Collision · 28/08/2011 19:24

ooh yes

No more cheap magazines (as DH says the content is cheap but the price is not!)

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CristinaTheAstonishing · 28/08/2011 19:33

Collision - is it for money reasons or just too much crap? I feel swamped by things, no more. I try and chuck out 2 items of clothing for every new one I buy. Slowly reducing the size of my wardrobe.

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Collision · 28/08/2011 20:29

Too much crap Cristina!!

The boys' wardrobe is about to explode and as 9 yr old ds said to me, 'I can only wear one tshirt at a time Mum. Why did you get me another?' Blush

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 28/08/2011 20:31

I'm joining too

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coccyx · 28/08/2011 20:33

yes count me in. we are afamily of 6 and i always seem to have my purse out. I have told the older ones that i , or should that be we are on an economy drive

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JKSLtd · 28/08/2011 20:35

I was just thinking of starting a similar thread :)

I want to spend less money & accumulate less crap (whilst hopefully also getting rid of some stuff).

Thinking of writing down every penny I spend for a month (if i can) and really analysing what I buy. Want to start from 1st Sept.

Have already learnt to divert DS1 from his pricey junk magazines to a small chocolate bar s much cheaper and they get eaten so disappear :)

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HomeEcoGnomist · 28/08/2011 20:52

I'll be watching with interest - frequently think to myself that I waste money on coffees/lunch from Pret, but I have to admit I always struggle with the 'It's been a rubbish day/it's Friday etc so I am going to treat myself to [insert harmless but costly treat]' situation

I don't have a crazy social life, I have the odd clothes shopping splurge, but other than that, don't really do anything, so I have no majorly expensive hobby or anything that swallows my cash. So that's why I find myself thinking that a coffee or whatever is no big deal. However, I just found myself overdrawn by about half my salary (after all bills paid for the month) - so I clearly need to do something!

Plus Sept is a DREADFUL month for birthdays: Dad, 2 x brothers, DH, 2 x close friends, 2 x kids whose parties we are going to....

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wonderif · 28/08/2011 22:01

i am doing this as well trying to save money for a mortgage. :( sick of paying someone else s.

no more bottles of juice from vending machines or red bull when you can go to pd shop and get 2 for a pd 0r 4 cheap red bull for 1.50 in asda.

agree taking own snacks out and juice when out for days out .

kids juice bottles are being filled with diluted juice or water for school.

have started meal planning and using food in freezer before i buy . Also downgrade on some items and will see a big difference.

also not buying more deodarants or shower gels etc until i use up all the half empty tins lying about.

sept is a mad month also school funds, uniforms and birthdays.

good luck will watch with interest

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TartyMcFarty · 28/08/2011 22:18

I'm in but I buy all our clothes reduced so will be buying anything needed if I spot a bargain.

How do you get by in social situations without looking mean? I have a few things lined up that I should go to if I want to keep my friends, and I don't feel I can ask all of them to go frugal. I'm going to suggest that I meet some colleagues for drinks rather than lunch next week. I don't think suggestions of picnics are going to cut it come autumn! Other than that, we don't really have much socialising/entertainment to cut back on.

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honeytoast · 28/08/2011 22:25

Can I join in, especially after going to tesco for our weekly shop and spending £122 for a family of 4 and we didnt buy anything special just all the basic's that we need and I always menu plan. I didnt expect it to be that much as bought wash powder etc last week.

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PogoBaby · 28/08/2011 22:34

I'll join you, have got some money to do some work on the house and don't want to end up using it to pay off credit card bills for junk. Have got about £100 on the card that I need to clear first though and go to Center Parcs for 5 days next month Confused

A little harder here as I do seriously need some new clothes for work as I only have 3 outfits that fit are suitable Blush

Am hoping that cutting back on wasteful spending will reduce my waistline as much as my credit card bill......

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Popbiscuit · 29/08/2011 01:07

Can I join too, please? We just had a big clear-out at home and I kept thinking of all the money I had spent on a pile of old junk all those things. I have absolutely loads of clothes so no reason to buy anymore; the children should be good for a while as long as they stop growing. I'm trying to save up to go back to school and do some things to the house and I think the clutter really stresses me out. I have just bought a new winter coat as my final hurrah (Canada-necessary for survival!). My weakness is expensive groceries; I love to cook and try new recipes. Trying very hard to keep it simple and shop just at Costco which has already cut our grocery bill by two thirds. Am trying very, very hard not to go to Whole Foods which is 5 minutes away and so tempting and which I simply cannot afford. Feeling slightly anxious about December/January as we have Christmas and all three children have birthdays in the new year. CRAZY.

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cubscout · 29/08/2011 09:16

I like the idea of writing down everything you spend on to analyse where it's going. Might be that extra incentive to stop and think before I buy something. So, it's Monday, I got paid on Friday, so I'm starting today (and have to go into town for a birthday present and a retirement present for 2 friends...)

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Collision · 29/08/2011 10:57

I did a thread like this back in May and it worked well if you follow a few rules.

It is RANDOM spending we are trying to avoid.

If you have a night out then that is not random. You can have a meal and drinks etc

If you plan to go into town to buy your ds some shoes, buy the shoes but DO NOT buy a coffee, drinks for the kids, a magazine, some sweets etc

Presents for birthdays are necessary but try and shop around before you go so that you do no RANDOM spending.

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CristinaTheAstonishing · 29/08/2011 19:29

Random spend of £50 on lunch with friends at an Indian restaurant. Definitely not planned but we were in the area and had the time. I only got the kids one glass of coke each, next round was tap water.

Watching the Inbetweeners series on Four On Demand rather than sending for the DVDs. Feeling pretty good about that one, fewer things to clog the house and no cost either.

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JKSLtd · 29/08/2011 20:28

Done well today as we spent the day on the beach with friends for a bbq (and we only took food/drink we already had).

Tomorrow DS1 is booked into a holiday club (£18 for the day), not sure what else we might be doing.

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JKSLtd · 30/08/2011 16:40

Ok so far today:

£18 DS1 holiday club
£3 George (new loo brushes & a swimsuit for DD on sale)
£29 Asda (cereals on special offer, milk, new cereal bowls (needed & on offer) + other stuff)
(£10 off as took back some too small nappies)
= £50

And, on the reducing crap front:

Stuff out of the house:
charity shop box
broken chair to tip

So on balance a good day I would say.

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Abgirl · 30/08/2011 16:48

Hello, I would like to join in too, I work v hard and am paid well but never seem to have any money left at the end of the month :( Really need to cut down on vending machine spending and buying lunches at work when I do have time in the morning to pack a lunch. Have plenty of kindle books so no need to order more, love crafting but have a room of stuff to use and half-finished projects I can spend the next 3 months finishing off.

Want to use the money saved towards a desperately needed lounge re-decoration project, what does everyone else want to save money for?

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 30/08/2011 17:47

Have only bought a hot water at work to put my home brought in tea bag in!
Resisted the urge to stop for my usual Tuesday magazine. Smile

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boringnamechange · 30/08/2011 21:33

Ill join in too - need to major money save this month. Car tax, MOT and just had a car accident which needs the excess paid and already skint from a 5 week August and playing catch up.
Bad start though as on holiday for 2 weeks just now and get awful cabin fever.
New boots to be bought tomorrow then thats it. Have my meal planner at the ready and will try to stop the random spend.

If I dont need it I wont buy it! (well Ill try not to!)

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thehairybabysmum · 30/08/2011 22:00

I need to stop buying crap too! Have ds2s birthday this month so will need to buy some bits for that. No clothes though!

Also I have been sorting out and am just about to sell some stuff on eBay for the first time ever, will try and make some money instead of frittering it away!

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Collision · 30/08/2011 22:59

Went to the cinema today with tickets ds won so that was free!

Did buy sweets/drinks for the boys but as the tickets were free I did not begrudge them!

Went to Morrisons and got pitta, milk and escalopes for dinner. Under a fiver so all in all a good day.

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Abgirl · 31/08/2011 06:58

Collision, cinema sounds like fun - what did you see?

boringnamechange, have you thought about making a list of all the things you could do that are free so you don't succumb to the fever! - on my list would be readling all the books I already have that I haven't read, going for walks, crafty stuff, catching up on TV - do you have DCs and are they at home with you? If yes, I'd also add junk modelling i.e. cutting up cardboard boxes - keeps my DSs amused for hours...

kendodds keep it up!

Well I am on for a zero spend today on the random stuff as I am stuck at home off work with a twisted pelvis - it is as painful as it sounds so I can't sit in a chair mumsnetting all day! Do need to buy DS2 some name labels as he is starting school on 21st but am aiming that will be it for spends today...

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