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

[BagelGoesWalking]

Like 7Days I don't think Primark is better or worse than some others, apart from the pricing encouraging over consumption. They have all cotton pyjamas which is a big 👍 from me. Their men's sweatshirts last for years!

[HoundOfTheBasketballs]

I also agree re: Primark. I buy a lot of DS clothes there. I can't afford to be paying much more for clothes that he will grow out of in a year. The quality of the children's clothes seem to be comparable with the likes of Next or M&S but at half the price. And wherever I can with his clothes I pass them onto family/friends or sell/giveaway on FB.
Their womenswear is a different matter though. Most of it seems to be poorly cut and the sizing is like a lottery! I prefer to buy my own clothes from more responsible retailers where I can.

[ememem84]

Hello I’m in!

For 2019 no persona spends on “stuff” unless absolutely necessary.

So no clothes (unless essential or with a gift card)
No shoes (as above)
No make up or toiletries until June (I have enough...)
No handbags
No hats
No new riding gear
No gadgets
No stationary - I tend to get loads of naice notebooks from clients/banks for Christmas so I’m good for this!

Clothes for ds are allowed. But will try and keep this to a minimum and/or second hand.

[BagelGoesWalking]

Re. cutting down on plastic/waste, this company has paper tape and string (a bit nicer than plain brown) for wrapping presents which is all recyclable. Got some bamboo toothbrushes to pop in stockings as my children always forget to bring when they come back home! 😬

www.plasticsfree.co.uk. Free UK shipping over £20.

[NoSpend19]

Just bumping this thread as we approach Christmas and the start of 2019 draws closer!

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

Joining! I feel a bit depressed about the environment so I would like to start here

[NoSpend19]

In terms of Christmas presents I've found it quite easy to come up with experience gifts for the DSs to use next year (relatives in particular always ask for suggestions). So far they have cinema vouchers, tickets to a show and vouchers to spend in a pudding restaurant that has recently opened locally and which they've been talking about. They'll love all of these and thats three fewer "stuff gifts" that will be entering the house.

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

Hello!

Happy to join you all.

[UghFletcher]

I'm in, we desperately need to cut down and I want to save for a mortgage in the next couple of years so being careful will help!

[NoSpend19]

Welcome everyone. The more the better!

[recently]

I'm in! I have so many toiletries that I think I could keep going for a decade without buying anything - not sure how I got to this stage! I'm going to get back into the habit of using the library a lot more, even though it's not great. We are redecorating our lounge in the new year though so that might have to be an exception!

[recently]

Books
Only from charity shops!

That sounds good but it's not good for authors - they get nothing from charity shop sales.

[NoSpend19]

authors do gain from library loans though, even the free ebook and audio book loans

[Snugglepiggy]

Joining in here.In recent years although I enjoy Christmas when it actually arrives I hate going anywhere near the supermarkets and big shops more and more. The relentless push to sell more and more stuff we don't really need.I am shopping locally at the farm shops, and small businesses.
We've already cut back a lot and reduced consumption by scrapping bin bags,fancy cleaning products and toiletries.We have clothes we've never worn to use up. Books still to read.Plants in the garden to divide.
We were going to fly somewhere next summer but have both come to hate the hassle of the airport and decided to have days out and the odd long weekend instead-keeping an eye out for good deals or visiting family who have kept asking us to stay.We love our home and garden and dogs anyway.
Looking forward to hearing how everyone is doing,and any good tips.

[Dragonlight]

I'm in!
We are not big spenders and what I do but (books and clothes) tends to come from charity shops. I'm still wearing jeans from 20 years ago!
I don't use make up and use eco friendly cleaners.

We eat very little meat (free range mince once a month), chicken twice a week and I grow some veg, herbs and fruit.

I do drive a lot but take the train where I can and fly maybe once every 5-10 years.

We use reusable bags but still need to cut down on plastic packaging.

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

I was planing on getting the kids a new bed and already this thread has motivated me to think harder about second hand.

Result!!

Generally holiday in the U.K. but was thinking about a holiday in February abroad and now rethinking due to sheer guilt.

I try to shop locally and U.K. made. It’s bloody hard though with three little ones who want plastic crap!

[Justmuddlingalong]

Bloody Nora! I never knew there were so many of us felt like this. My inability to control my own shopping habit felt like a dirty wee secret. Getting stuff delivered when DP is at work for example. Thanks @NoSpend19 for starting this thread, hopefully it'll make us all a bit more mindful and keep us on the straight and narrow.
We're away for Christmas this year, I've decided I'm only taking clothes I've never worn. The stuff I already have, still with tags on, is a total waste of money if it's never worn.

[Sigh81]

Joining! Am actually frugal on everything except beautiful clothes. But I really have an outfit for every eventuality so... no more new, unnecessary clothes for me in 2019.

[TwllBach]

Joining off the back of the DA thread. I started 2018 with good intentions and was better than I am now - we used to have our fruit and veg delivered by a man who grew or sourced it locally and got our meat from the butchers. Now I do the shop in aldi/Tesco but I do still buy meat from the butcher and I’ve cut meat consumption down to 2/3 times a week.

I’ve got properly sucked in by Christmas this year though for DS (2.5) and have bought him a lot of paw patrol figures and I’m disappointed in myself as the last two christmasses I didn’t.

I can’t cut my fuel consumption -8 work out of the house 4 days a week, 30 miles away. I’d have to get a 45 minute bus ride to a 40 minute train and then another 30 minute bus ride the other end followed by a 40 minute walk along the coast, plus I start work before the busses run here and finish at the weekend after the trains have stopped running. I could (and am long term) look for a job closer, but we live quite rurally so are realistically car reliant.

We dabbled in growing our own this year but didn’t do it properly, so will get on that.

I’ve only been on one abroad holiday in my 31 years and that was this year to Majorca. I do like to travel around the U.K. though, and my family live in Kent/Essex.

My pledge this year is to not buy anything new. Charity shops and eBay here!

[DoveOfPiss]

Ooo can I join too please?
I already use Ecoeggs for my washing and (rare) tumble drying, use solid soaps, beeswax food wraps, and get my recycled loo rolls from Who Gives a Crap. So don't buy washing powder or cling film or supermarket bog roll.
I do try and buy fruit & veg from the UK too. We eat a mainly vegetarian diet.
I haven't flown anywhere for 35 years and never long haul and my kids have never been on a plane.
I do need to drive though, I'm at uni and on placement 35 miles waay, placement could change to anything up to 50 miles away. Public transport and child care don't correlate unfortunately. As a single parent I have nobody to leave the kids with.

My biggest fail is buying shit I don't need but that's 'useful' from Amazon, eBay and those little adverts on Instagram. This needs to stop.
I feel really guilty afterwards and I know that as a student I really can't afford it. I also go through phases of doing it and have tried to link it to something: assignment due, assignment finished, shit day at placement, kids being arseholes etc. but can't.

So I pledge that come 2019, I will not be buying crap I don't need , from anywhere...

Thank you for this thread btw.

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

Do Ecoeggs work?!

[BagelGoesWalking]

Couldn't access the article as it's behind a paywall but this echoes what we've been talking about. A lot of people on Fb groups I'm on are doing the same; cutting down on spending, fewer plastic gifts, more things that can be used (food, drink etc) and more recyclable wrapping paper etc.

[HoundOfTheBasketballs]

It'd good to hear things like that Bagel. I find it really hard to tell how popular the idea of living a more "low-impact" life is becoming.
I've surrounded myself with like-minded people on social media and now I feel a bit like I'm trapped in an echo chamber.
Judging by the amount of people pouring in and out of Primark where I live today, it's clearly nowhere near becoming a social norm!

[Whisky2014]

100% in
I actually thought about the idea last week. This thread will be a good diary of how we get on :)