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've just done my weekly shop at Aldi. I had a list which I think had a full week's shopping on it (did it in a bit of a rush) but it was so manic there, I ended up leaving without everything on the list.
All the way around, I kept thinking how online shopping was so much less stressful. I'm now sitting in my car, across the road from my house, wondering how I'm going to summon the energy to get my (mostly unbagged) shopping over to the house. Think I'll stick to online in future

I was doing really well with a couple of NSD then had a bad day and cracked and bought a packet of cigarettes Really angry with myself but am smoke free today and so far NSD.

clippity dh loves his slow cooker. He does lots of hotpots, stews and chilli’s. I’m a rubbish cook and have never used it!

I spent the grand total of £1.25 on vitamins today.

The breadcakes were mouldy and I had to travel between sites at dinner so bought my sandwich from Co-Op along with a bounty bar - my 1st bar of chocolate since 2nd Jan. I spent about £3. I've not bought anything else though.

Oh hang on, I did. My eldest wanted a reading book so I had a look on Amazon to see how much it cost. £6 brand new but I bought a used one for £2.40 + free delivery 👍

Books is what I’m struggling with. Not enough to read any that are sitting unread on my book shelf but still struggling

God, I could absolutely murder a KFC right now. Or a bounty bar. But I'm doing sugar-free January so I will make do with some oatcakes and peanut butter instead! 

I have spent £14.91 on more piecemeal groceries. I'm beginning to think I'm just not designed for doing "a big shop."

@Littlechocola, would a visit to the library help with the book buying cravings?

I cracked and bought a skirt for summer in the Hush sale but it was only £20. £29 in Aldi as mostly eating from freezer this week

@HoundOfTheBasketballs possibly although I can’t get to one. I don’t actually NEED new books.

My tea was burnt but raw at the same time so I couldn't eat it. Since we have been meal planning and did the food shopping accordingly I didn't have anything else in to cook instead (and tbh I couldn't be arsed) so I went back to the Co-Op and bought one of their fancy "Truly Irresistible" pizzas. So much for healthier eating this year!

Keep focussed, people!!
I went through my Aldi receipt last night and I think I'm going to have to get used to the more stressful shopping experience. The difference in price of each individual item is quite drastic. I've been kidding myself that there's not much in it but my receipt tells quite a different story I'll definitely have to choose a better time to go though.

Shopping was £35
Also spent 70p on parking at the dentist and £2.15 on ds' lunch, post-dentist. Managed to wait til I got home to have my soup for lunch.
Meeting friends for a coffee later this morning but not eating before I go so I can justify having coffee and toast while I'm out. That'll be my only spend today - unless I go back to Aldi for the rest of yesterday's list!!

clutter I swapped to Aldi a couple of years ago and now find I am really stressed in a normal large supermarket - I find the choice overwhelming. Aldi is also much quicker once you have been using them for a while and more or less know where everything is.

There are a couple of things I need to get elsewhere but tend to stock up on these monthly.

The savings ae definitely great

I have been a regular Aldi shopper for years but it's getting busier and busier. Also, it seems whenever I go, they're restocking shelves so the aisles are filled with huge pallets, creating trolley jams!!
My local one had a refurb last year and I still can't work out where everything is. There's a much bigger store about 8 miles away that doesn't feel as manic and I'm trying to decide whether I should travel further for a calmer experience

Clutter I go to Aldi/Lidl once a month (they are virtually next door to each other) and stock up on all the tinned or dry stuff.
The price difference is often half so I get really puzzled on those threads when people insist Tesco is cheaper 🤔

This is reliant on not hitting the aisles of random though 😆

I use Lidls and then Morrison’s for the bits I can’t get in there.
In the past I’ve been terrible for doing top ups in the local shop but I’ve stayed away so far! I was spending £20 each time.

littlechocolayes! It’s always £20 isn’t it? I’m also avoiding the local shop for this reason.Spent 50 on a home delivery yesterday and 20 in Aldi today all budgeted for.Also,had a love to shop voucher given to me so I spent that in the Argos sale this morning.Really thinking about my spending now,so much that DH has noticed 😂

If you do need anything,milk etc just take cash .
£20 each time is eyewatering !

QuiteFrugal - I'm thinking about doing a month's worth of basics and freezing the bread/meat and then just topping up grit/veg as I go.

Oh and my low spend day took a turn for the worst when I discovered some sod has nicked all 4 hubcaps overnight and on closer inspection, 2 of my tyres need replacing quite urgently
Will pick up the rest of yesterday's forgotten items of shopping while I'm waiting for the tyres to be done.

It works for me Clutter
Saves time and money.
Meal plan and write a list.

I freeze a months worth of meat from the farmshop .We only have once a week or so.
I also do fish if M&S or Waitrose has 3 for £10.
I was topping up at aroung £16 several times per week a few years ago
I stopped topping up if the teens ate everything nice,once it was gone it was gone and they could have toast.

Oh crap! Thats annoying !

£40 on food
£35 on trainers for ds

LSD for the last few says- £2.24 at Lidl today on fruit (we get through so much a week so we buy little and often), £2.20 on a coffee yesterday. Bought toiletries which were needed but used Boots points. So first week back at work and two take away coffees which is better than the 6 I was averaging before Christmas.
Hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

QuiteFrugal - yes, I'm going to try monthly shopping.
New tyres/tracking - £120
Morrison's shop while I was waiting for tyres - £35 This does include dairy-free stuff for one of my childminded children (irks me that it's so much more than normal food).
New hubcaps - £25
Coffee and toast with friends - £4.20

I'm not going out again for the rest of the weekend - going to try and recoup some of the money by listing some stuff on eBay.

Also, when I bought ds' pasty yesterday, I managed to resist the urge to buy one for myself (lunch out is on my banned list unless it's a special occasion!) but it's all I've been able to think about since so I've bought ingredients to make my own and will freeze the extras for Ds to have for his lunch/mid-afternoon snack. I'm not entirely sure they're going to cost less than the ones from the bakery tbh

QuiteFrugal2019 I’ve been taking out £100 for shopping each week (family of 5). Whatever is left goes in a pot.
I might try to reduce it by £10 then £20. I’m sure we would cope.

Clutter- ohno! That’s awful!

Littlechocola - I'm consoling myself with the fact I've probably saved that much by not buying anything in the January sales thanks to this thread

I'm trying to work out a food budget but not getting very far. There's only me and teen Ds but also between 3 and 6 childminded children at various times/days of the week.

Anyone use a reusable alternative to foil/cling film? For cooking and food storage?