Anyone up for a Use it up and Don't spend January thread?

[nocutsnobuttsnococonuts]

I've sorted out my cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom today and realised I have so much stuff I have never gotten around to using and desperately need to use up.

we are on a tight budget and I seem to keep buying without using up the store cupboard stuff. I want to get to a point where we have 2/3 tins of each item and a packet of lentils/rice etc. not the 15 tins of chopped tomatoes, 4 bags of lentils and 12 soaps (Dr botanicals thanks to the bargain thread), 8 bottles of contact lenses solution I currently have!!!

we are in a smallish house and there's stuff everywhere so storing all this is ridiculous. plus I'm a terrible cook I have no idea what to do with lentils....

who's up for joining me? share your hoards and let's use up our cupboards up together 😁

apologies I did use paragraphs mumsnet appears to have eaten them....

I’m definitely up for this! We have lots of storage space luckily but not sure how much actual food stuff we have. Have lots of meat in the freezer; was toying with veganuary but I think it will be costly in what’s going to be a tight month.

Heck to the yeah I'm in ... soooooo many cleaning products I literally open the cupboard and stuff falls out
Open the freezer to put something in and need to rearrange What is already in there
I have soap and glory stuff I got LAST Christmas that's unopened
I'm determined to use ' stuff' and hopefully save money

Im up for this!!
I get a strange sense of pleasure and satisfaction using something up.

Yes! Having stocked up hoarded for brexit recently, I have a chickpea and tinned tomato mountain to get through. I did use a lot of freezer food to empty it out for Christmas, but the larder is still heaving.

yay!! so glad others are up for this always good to have someone to spur you on 😁

wontletmelogin it's better to use up the meat rather than let it go to waste. could you reduce your animal product intake and use what you have up taking a slower approach to going vegan which might make you stick to it in the long term. I don't eat dairy, most meats and limited eggs due to intolerances.

shinyshoes I also have lots of cleaning products, about 6 different zoflora scents.... I need new cloths but we have some old towels/t-shirts so I'm going to cut them up instead of spending out. funnily enough I had ordered some soap and glory in the sale as I love it but am going to send back as can't really justify spending £20 right now.

ph30b3 I also love the satisfaction of finishing something especially washing up liquid randomly!!

sproutsforlife we can work our way through the tinned tomatoes together 😂

Recipes using tinned tomatoes

Rather satisfyingly there are two recipes in that link that include chickpeas

I’m in. I cleaned out the kitchen cupboards before Christmas and made a list of the things I need to use up soon. I’m hoping it will be a good reference when I’m not sure what to cook.

Most of my other consumables are pretty much under control but I want to keep a tight grip on outgoings in January regardless.

I brought back loads of stuff when we moved back from belgium, so have countless toiletries, cleaning products and a pantry cupboard rammed full. I will be making a conscious effort to use it before I replace it. Looks like cous cous will be on the menu for a good while.

I received 8 (very nice) bars of hand soap this Christmas! 8! I’m not sure what everyone is trying to tell me, but I will add them to last Christmas’ soap pile and keep wading through . I am determined to stop unnecessary spending for 2020, so would love to join in. (Shuffles off to count up the tins of tomatoes in the cupboard...)

I’m in too. We seem to have a ridiculous amount of food left over from Christmas. The cupboards and freezer are heaving. I’m going to try and plan a head and only buy essentials or fresh bits to make up meals.

I’m also trying to have as many ‘no spend days’ as I can this year. If I don’t spend anything I will put £1 in my money box. Fingers crossed I will have a fair bit in there by this time next year.

I'm in - I want to try and minimise my spending for at least three months as it's out of control currently (six months + would be better!). I think I've got quite a lot of toiletries and quite a bit of brexit planning in the cupboards so should be able to work through the cupboards a bit.

I need to clear my toiletry stash as have things left from gifts last Christmas. Food wise, I really slimmed down what we bought this Christmas and virtually have had no waste. There’s a ton of chocolate and biscuits left but they will last until at least Easter if not longer is won’t need to buy any.

Last year I didn’t buy anything unnecessary for 3 months. It was hard but very satisfying. By unnecessary I mean no new clothes or shoes or accessories or household stuff except what is absolutely needed. Same with food. Will try for longer this year.

My issue is pork . I have a very large freezer and seem to have accumulated lots and lots of pork. Pork in every form, chops, ribs, shoulder, tenderloin, belly, sausage.

I have 17lbs of pork sausage alone. My mate, who has a farm gave me 23lb of pork belly not that long ago and now Ds2 has given me more as a Christmas gift (7lb). I have numerous chops, a couple of tenderloins and 2 shoulders went on sale for 89c a lb, I couldnt resist.

I think I will be eating pork in some form or another for MONTHS.

Lets forget about the tinned tomatoes for now please

A Christmas gift of pork?!

I'm aiming for this with my toiletries. I've got loads in my holiday/samples box and coupled with those bits that I got for Christmas and in the sales should certainly see me through the next six months at least.

Definitely in. I don't have masses but have too much. I particularly need to to cook more and not buy premade food.

Oh I'm so in!
I have stuff everywhere including loads of toiletry stuff of my Mums that came with me when we cleared her house after she died. I have enough perfume to last my lifetime!!!
I actually started clearing kitchen cupboards today. And I also Winter /Brexit stashed as we are rural so wanted to be prepared so have a pasta sauce mountain to get through 🙈

MamaKarmaLlama Yes a Christmas gift of pork

Ds2 always buys me meat products for Christmas, usually pork. I home cure bacon and make sausage and blackpudding and stuff, he is a chef and has access to really good, high quality meat. Pork belly is stupidly difficult to find around here specially with the skin still on so he buys it for Christmas. I usually get similar for my birthday and mothers day. Last mothers day I got a gallon of pigs blood

I'm in too! Trying to figure out some New Years resolutions and good habits I want to adopt - using what I have and buying less is definitely on the list! Went on a recent trip abroad and came back to a satisfyingly empty fridge - not crammed full with veg that will undoubtedly go to waste before I use it! Hoping to only buy what I need - think I might need to improve my meal planning skills though.... 😬

Or new clothes. That's my downfall

I'm in. Have been doing no new clothes for a few months now and it has been totally refreshing to not be battling with the sales for me. Did need to get the kids stuff as they keep growing (ignoring my Christmas sideways expansion).

The freezer is bursting at the seams, so should be fine apart from bread / milk.

Absolutely... I'm in... .. I was hoarding for brexit so have lots in stock... Most of its probably about to go o. o. d. so could do eating my cupboards and freezer empty!