No-Spend November - sign up for a frugal month ahead!

[PeoniesforMissAnnersley]

Everyone welcome, if you've been lurking then de-lurk and come and join in!

NSD - No spend day
LSD - low spend day

We are a friendly and supportive bunch, recording our spends, frugal wins and frugal fails daily/when we can. Lots of good tips on discount vouchers, household cleaning and maintenance, cheap meals and more!

[LoveVintage]

Ooh I'm in! Ds1 has his birthday mid November but I want to spend as little as I can apart from that, so I have money for going Christmas shopping at the end of the month. I am not one if those who buys in advance for Christmas, which I regret every year!

[Lottie4]

Can I join, as we really need to cut back on our spending. We moved house in the summer and since moving our expenditure has exceeded our income, not sure how as we should have some left each month even with cutbacks we've made. Not going to buy them until our expenditure has reduced but really need some new curtains as the ones that came with us are all short by about 20cm and I can imagine a few drafts in the winter!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thank you MissA

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

Ds 4yrs is Sat here waiting for daddy to get home from work and take him trick or treating DH hates going but we live on a 22 house gated development and about 6 houses have children so he only has to go to those - he was right muttering about having to apologise for disturbing people etcetc - my excuse is 36weeks pregnant n can't poss walk round everyone :)

Just got a bargain holdall for hospital bag as other one too small and debenhams had 70% off Tripp luggage so got one for £14 cheaper n nicer than argos hopefully arrives middle next week as have left it late this time. I am having a section so will have lots stuff to take for few days stay and then bag that's too small can be going home bag which I can pack ready for DH to bring in.

Have started batch cooking for freezer by cooking meals that can be bulk made so not an extra chore. So far we have 2 lots Bolognese, beef stew, chicken gammon n mushrooms pie.

[fuzzpig]

Thank you!

Fell off October for the last few days but back on it tomorrow!

[Singmetosleepzzz]

Great new thread name! Thank you

About to do a shopping list for delivery - what is your fail safe quick and cheap meal that you have really regularly? Ours in tuna pasta bake but am getting bored of it.

[ItalianWiking84]

Checking in... Currently in hospital visiting... Feel like a regular

[babsmam]

Right. Thought there were no big spend in Nov except Christmas shopping but forgot about the insurance for the big car. 2l sport turbo diesel :-! So not cheap but have a few ncd now

[bantamgirl]

Spent a bloody fortune today.

DS2 has a camping trip to go on from school, which was £30, but I've had to buy all the associated paraphernalia for it, which cost me £81. He will possibly get use of the waterproof jacket, trousers and thermal under layers but I doubt he'll use the walking boots, sleeping bag and sleeping mat again which were the bulk of the spend >.<

Also went out for lunch and spent about £20

And £6 on Halloween sweets, most of which have nearly gone. GO TO BED DAMN YOU !!!

[FantaSea]

MissA thank you for the new thread, what a great name you have thought of

Singme my fail safe meal is spaghetti bolognaise, very dull but everyone likes it. Sometimes I put in a tin of kidney beans and some chilli powder and it becomes chilli con carne. That's if anyone is bored of the chilli

bantam I know how you feel, these trips sound great, until you factor in all the kit you have to get them. How old is your DS2? The reason I ask is that DD(18)'s friends often stay at each other's houses after parties and things and sleeping bags are in demand then, so an extra one would be useful. I would hang onto that.

Italian hope your friend's baby is getting better, you sound like a lovely friend.

[Passthecake30]

I'm still in again, spendy first week with dds bday and then I will be frugal again! Need to get some xmas presents and make my pay streeeeeetch to cover that.

[chocolatedonut]

Hello everyone! Haven't checked in for a few days so had loads of posts to read and catch up on

October for me was an OK month I ended up having a very small amount (around £20) left over. Suppose this is normally £0 so a great improvement !

Plan for November:
Personal spends: £250
Food spends: £200

If I stick to these targets after paying all the bills I should be able to save around £1100.

We need to get the decorating done this month though and I've 4 birthdays before Christmas to budget for, as well as Christmas itself (presents and decorations!). So savings will probably be a lot less than the £1100 unfortunately!

Good luck to everyone this month!

[Iamnotanugget]

How exciting East! I tried to do some batch cooking before I went in but didn't get as much done as I'd hoped so I'm impressed with your organisation. Do you know who long you'll be in for? If everything is okay our local hospital chuck you out after 2 days after you've had a section

Welcome newbies and thanks for the thread MissA. I'm expecting to come about £200 over budget this month which is disappointing but not totally unexpected. I've got a separate account to cover Christmas costs so I'm not worried about that. I need to really try and pull back that £200 over the next 2 months or I'll have to take it out of savings so next year I start on a zero. Complicated but makes sense to me

[MyGhostIsFlummoxed]

I'll sign up although it's DH's birthday on 1st December so I'll need a couple of spend days.

Do you include all shopping (like a loaf of bread?) or just non-essential stuff?

[confusedandemployed]

Hi everyone. Been MIA as I fell off the wagon a bit, buying impulse Xmas presents...but on the plus side I've nearly finished buying for DD.
Yesterday was spendy: play centre 3.50, coffee there 2.45, lunch at Asda cafe 6.50 then a trip to Hobbycraft to buy a few odds and sods for rainy days / Christmas pressies 21.45. Pizza for DP and I £20.
Today will be LSD: swede and barley for stew tonight. Was meant to have that last night but got as far as cutting up the veggies when I realised. So DP picked up pizza.

[confusedandemployed]

Hi Ghost - I think we all include literally all spends. Good luck this month everyone.

[cheshcat]

Signing up for a v frugal November! insurance needs to be paid on Monday and a huge bill to be paid at the end of the month but it's just about doable.

Aiming for lots of NSD's, taking packed lunches instead of buying, no new clothes/toys/treats and planning free activities to keep DS entertained.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Thanks MissA hope you're feeling ok?

I need to go to tesco today to get the bits they didn't send

[northender]

Will catch up properly tomorrow. For now, marking my spot

[Sixforgold]

Hi everyone! Welcome newbies :)

I've been a bit slack in October too for daily posting - we seem to have had one big spend after another since September...I've realised that this time of year, the pre-Christmas quarter, always gets a bit manic for us. We've already got something booked in for every weekend now until December which comes from a combination of birthdays, wanting to see everyone seasonally and Christmas activities. One of the great things about posting on this thread is the mindfulness of spending it brings. Luckily I've been saving up money since January to cover Christmas costs and I'm already thinking ahead to how I can cut back next year.

Good luck for the month ahead everyone!

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

Checking in. Today is a planned NSD. My goal this month is to streamline spending so that it's not little and often, but focused on an "errand day" so that it's done at once. I'm working on the thought that all those little purchases are what add up and kill my budget. So other than some specific Christmas purchases that may have to coincide with sale dates, I am trying to hit 20 NSDs this month. Today is day 1.

[ItalianWiking84]

Nsd
Dp is working all weekend and DD and me will be visiting great grandparents

[574ejones]

LSD. Bought some veg £3, some bread £1 and a reserved fee on a library book £1. Been making soup with some older veg - Curried butternut squash, carrot and lentil soup and Spanish Chickpea soup and have plenty left over to freeze some of both.

[Singmetosleepzzz]

alice i think that is a really good idea and would help to reduce frittering. Nsd for me although DH spent 11 in sains as we were really low on food and delivery not due until tomorrow morning. Our delivery pass is working out really good value at 75 poinds for a whole year. We have used it loads and sometimes more than once a week although budgeting now removes this!