No Spend 19 - join us!

[NoSpend19]

Hi all

So yet another name change for the No Spend 19 thread some of us have been discussing (not a TAAT - juts a spin off)

The aim is to reduce the unnecessary spending on "stuff". We're almost at the end of the year and so 2019 is a good time to start.

It would be great if as many people as possible thought it was feasible for them so there are no hard and fast rules but to give you an idea my rules are as follows:

Food and drink purchases are permitted (although personally I will also be trying to grow as much as possible myself, reduce air miles and reduce single use plastics in the food we buy. In addition I will be avoiding being tempted to pay extra for brands. Meals out and takeaways are also on our no spend list)

Essential household products and toiletries are permitted. So it is ok to buy washing powder but personally I will be avoiding buying six different types of stain remover, fabric conditioner, ironing water and all the other stuff we are told we need to do to clean a load of washing . Likewise we will be buying soap, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo as essentials but will not be buying hair masks, face masks, make up, face cream, serums, body sprays, nail varnish, showergels, body scrubs etc. Perfectly acceptable to use up everything you have though.

essential clothing etc is permitted. DH and I won't be buying anything unless absolutely unavoidable but DC are growing and will need shoes, trousers etc. We will aim to keep this to a minimum though.

Fuel and other travel costs are permitted

Normal household bills are permitted of course

stuff is not permitted. So toys, books (library is fine), magazines, CDs, DVDs, random household items like cushions, candles, stationery etc are all on the aim not to buy list. This Christmas will be prior to the experiment starting but we are already asking for experience presents for the DC eg cinema tickets.

We are just feeling a bit like consumerism has gone mad and so we think we can probably do this. In our household it is me, DH DS1 (13) and DS2 (11, nearly 12). Anyone up for joining? We start at the beginning of 2019

Disclaimer: before we decided to do this we had already booked and paid for our holiday for next year. It is a bit of a cheat but I don't want to delay this just because we'd already done that.

I may need significant to get me through

I haven't even been out of the house let alone spent anything today!
I want to go to the supermarket to buy a lemon, a lime, some tonic water and a few extra bits for a piece of art I'm planning. The thing is, it might only cost a few quid but being so far in debt I just can't justify spending anything on something that is not necessary, is only for me and we won't even really be able to eat/use it afterwards! Instead I found something in the garden and used that. So, for me, I haven't spent anything since New Year's Day (I said the other day that I'd not spent anything since the day before New Year's Day but I forgot we had a disappointing meal from Frankie & Bennie's and bought the dc some new school shoes each as theirs had holes in).

NSD today, yey!

Yesterday spent £12 on groceries and £15 on sports equipment for DS.

Definitely thinking about my spending more carefully.

Spent £1.50 today on some chicken wings and an avocado. Hopefully getting the go ahead for a mortgage in principle next week for our first home, it will be ready for May so saving is go go go!

Another NSD but.....

Tomorrow will see some of my student loan land into my bank so it may start burning holes in my pockets.

It will certainly be tougher from now - it's easy when you're skint and have no money to spend anyway.

No spend so far but have my food delivery due later this evening.
And the plan I had for acquiring a diary has gone slightly wrong but hopefully, I still have a freebie on its way to me

£33

Denghie
Straw
Pellets
Mixed corn
Not very exciting

No spend day here as I've spent all day in my pyjamas. I'm off work this week so need to make sure I don't spend any time online shopping which is my downfall - I don't actually go to real shops very often.

NSD here today. Went for a walk and brought own sandwiches to eat on way - I resisted joining my friend who bought their lunch in M&S (was sorely tempted by a croissant but thought of this thread!)

Hopefully NSD tomorrow but I hear you INeedAWittyNameChange - will be recovering from a procedure for the rest of this week and must resist online shopping. Have stocked up on library books which will hopefully keep me occupied :)

NSD
But it is Sunday and I've spent most of the day hungover

No spend weekend, bar dh dropping £400 on a deposit for a new car 😂 In his defence it was the deposit he got from someone else for one of ours.

I haven't been out all weekend bar going to see this van

Shopping today, weekly food shop £68 but we will need to top up the usuals in the week. 100% food, no extra bits.

I did not need to spend £24 in hobbycraft, but only £7.80 was for me. Dd1 is responsible for the rest.

I definatley did not need to spend £4.90 on two Costas. Sigh.

Back to work tomorrow so that should help.

NSD at last 😁.

I have set up a spreadsheet on my work laptop to track my spending. I'm such a geek.

Today I spent £12.01 on groceries. This should last me until Wednesday though.

And I spent £12 on lunch for me and my boyfriend. He does like it when I cook for him though, so next time it's my turn to get lunch I might do that as it will be cheaper.

Tomorrow could be tricky. I am travelling for work. It's three hours on the train and then we are working outside all day followed by three hours on the train home. I have made myself breakfast to eat on the train and will pack plenty of snacks and a bottle of water. Fingers crossed this will keep any spending to a minimum.

Well done to everyone who managed a LS or NS weekend!

Everyone seems to be doing so well. Dh and I had our first take away coffee of the challenge (6 days without which is fairly unheard of) and both had a cereal latte which was really nice and I enjoyed more for not having had any for a while. LOw spend day for me- the coffee, some onions and a bottle of milk. Everyone is back to work/school/nursery tomorrow so in some ways that will be easier to control spends but in others easy to fall into bad habits.

Nsd here. Ordered leather converse yesterday for DD, school shoes, £60. Last pair did her over 18 months so can't complain. Need to pay off overdraft so sticking to not spending on anything but food, petrol, necessary kids clubs and school stuff for as long as possible.

Accidentally got dinner in Macdonalds. We never do it! I was running late, feeling ill and it was there. I don’t even eat meat!
£12 gone.

High spend day here, mainly stuff for the kids, all things we needed though and was on the allowed list. Also picked up bread and milk as we were running low. I've meal planned for the week, so just need to stick to it and try to avoid buying extra things during the week.

I have spent £34 on groceries today. This is part of my weekly shop. Will probably need to spend another £50 but have meal planned so should last until next Sunday (6 people Inc all meals). I also bought a Panini whilst watching DD play netball. It was an unnecessary spend but in my defense I had a migraine and felt very sick and in need of carbs.
Tomorrow I have sports fees of £12 to pay but that is all I'm planning on spending.

Apart from putting £1000 deposit on our new camper another NSD. The camper is a planned spend but brought forward because:

1. It was a very good deal
2. We were going to wait until retirement in 3 yrs but I have lost another friend this year and we decided that we need to live life now and not keep hoping that we will make it to retirement.

Scary amount though when we come to pay the balance

Only spent £6 since the 1st. We returned a present and put a little more towards it to get something we wanted rather than swapping for something we didn't.

This thread is really helping me think twice before spending. The kids could do with a CD player rather than me using my phone for their audio books. I've dug out an old phone and will use that for now maybe putting the CD player on my 3yo's birthday list (grandparents prefer a list!)

Wish me luck as I'm about to do our Lidl shop and avoid the middle aisles

Obviously have spent on some groceries but that's all on my budget.

It's looking as though it may be another NSD again. I'm actually enjoying the challenge now. How long can I keep this up for?
(And it's a good way to clear out the freezer and cupboards)

3 pounds on a meal deal,nothing else,from Tesco.

I can't do a complete no spend - I desperately need a new front door and curtains (kitten has ruined the blinds). But I will not buy unnecessary items - U will use up toiletries and make up before replacing, try to lose the excess weight gained so I fit into all the lovely clothes that I already own.
I will still buy books - I'd be lying if I promised not to, but will get them on Kindle for me and only get paper copies for DD.
My pledge is to only buy what I truly need this year.

Two NSDs in a row here thought about going to Tesco on the way home to buy food as I haven't got stuff that would make the type of meals I normally make in (IYKWIM!) but remembered this thread and didn't. I'm have a bit of a "duuuuhhh brain dead can't make any meals out of what I've got" few days, even though there is actually plenty of food here.

One of the things I have got is an avocado! I'm going to buy some "thins" (I'm gluten free, and since discovering lidl sell gf ones I'm hooked!) and have avocado and something sandwiches for lunch tomorrow - suggestions welcome for what it could go with (I'm vegetarian, so not meat or fish). Probably will buy some greenery to eat with it cos, y'know, vegetables. Looking forward to not doing my usual, just spending £20 mindlessly in there like I have done previously when I go on the way in to work.

I need to meal plan next I think.