2020...My frugal year, for real this time

[NorthEndGal]

This year I really want to buckle down on wasteful spending, like grabbing a coffee instead of bring from home.
Buying a shirt for a night out, instead of raiding a friend's closet.
I know I said it last year, and fell off the frugal wagon a week later.😳

Anyone else looking to cut frivolous spending in 2020? Any tips for staying on track? I'm good at budgets and such, shit at willpower though...

Second win! I was out at dawn, going to the beach, hadnt had breakfast yet and was raging hungry. Drive past the McDicks (my dirty weakness) and made do with a granola bar I found in the glove box.

I felt so proud of myself, especially as I could have said it was a new years treat, or used Christmas money, but I really didnt want to give in.

I almost feel like my seaglass finds this morning were a reward for being strong. Silly I know, but whatever gets me through!

Also yes to batch cooking, I really need to get back into that

I'm going to withdraw £150 in cash every week to include food/petrol/treats. When it's gone, it's gone.

It's to stop me shoving everything on a debit card and wondering where all my money's gone.

Any money left over at the end of the month will be added to paying off my mortgage, credit card and put in a rainy day fund.

That is a good idea @56Marshmallow

I contactless everything and it’s terrible for me!

I am terrible! I look back at my bank account and it's a string of small transactions in food shops £2 here, £10 there every few days.

I need to properly think about where the money is going.

I started today. At a tourist attraction but now I'm thinking "do I need that £3 coffee? That's coming out of my purse".

I have unsubscribed from emails that can (oh so easily) tempt me to buy.

I use my credit card as it gives me cash back for every spend, but have got into the habit of transferring the money into my credit card account straight away.

Only baby steps, but I really want to stop spending on none necessities this year.

First and only purchase of 2020 was a packet of chicken from the extortionate co-op up the road as I had forgot to get some out the freezer.

I want to use up what is in my cupboards. I seem to have endless tins of green lentils - does anyone have a recipe suggestions?

Jamie Oliver vegetarian cottage pie! It’s on the guardian website.

We need to stop buying a rubbish sandwich at work each day. I need to think of some quick lunches I can take to work to save frittering cash away.

So many great ideas here, thank you, and keep them coming!
I like the idea of supporting and encouraging each other, every bit of momentum helps.

It's so boring and grown up but I menu plan and shop online, that way I'm not tempted by any extras and can budget to the penny.

I also have savings accounts attached to my bank account where money goes regularly by SO. There's pots for holidays, Christmas, vets bills, car, logs / coal etc. This means there's actually only about £900 in my account, the rest is squirrelled away where I can't immediately get to it.

Eugh, I am good in so many ways but budget has fallen out the window after unexpected building works meant we had to keep clear of the house for as much as possible meant I spent unbelievable amount of time in cafes... also sneaked some sales purchases onto cc that am meant to be paying off, also just bought a instant pot and expensive secateurs (am seriously sorting out garden now as we’re meant to be selling early summer so they’re an... investment ). Just need to get back on the straight and narrow.

@Joyfulincolour do you have a microwave at work? Since I started working at place that has a microwave, I make a big pot of soup on a Sunday and put it in separate containers to heat up at work. It's the cheapest lunch I can find!

Someone mentioned Quidco upthread. Is it worth it? Especially if I’m trying not to overspend. Will it just encourage me to splurge to get the cash Back?

Here's what we are trying this January;

Absolutely NO eating out
No takeaway coffees
Both deleted all shopping apps (I am lethal for Amazon, ASOS and the likes)
1 weekly shop for all food with £100 budget
1 large monthly shop for all household essentials including nappies & wipes for babies (we have 2 under 2) with £200 budget
Meal planning and batch cooking and choosing meals with similar ingredients
Shopping only in Aldi or Lidl

I spent the morning on the phone yesterday shopping around for better rates on electricity, house insurance, Sky package. Got a better rate for electricity which according to their calculations should save us £300 this year. Got cheaper sky package saving us £5 per month. No joy with house insurance though.

And we're looking at switching mortgage providers for a cheaper interest rate which will save us £109 per month in repayments and offering 2% cash back which will be used to clear off my car loan

Sticking to a shopping budget and not eating out will save us a fortune as we ate out at least once per week and approx 30-40 a pop!

We ran out of coffee today and I refused to go buy some more as we are not due to do our weekly shop until Monday

So determined this year!!!!

That is impressive Never! I really want to try this in January too. Not sure I could ever attempt a no-spend year but might be a bit more manageable month by month.

Running out of coffee could be my nemesis though

@Dorsetcamping yep I was impressed myself! We got lucky as our current term with the mortgage ends in Feb so we're in a position to switch.

Also, I've been on Mat leave since Oct and paying attention to what we buy & actually consume food wise...we were wasting a ridiculous amount of food each week so getting a proper handle on what we really need and only shopping in Aldi is going to make a huge difference.

Try it for Jan. that's what we are doing. I'm not committing to the full year, will just take it one month at a time but hope to have kicked at least some of my stupid spending habits by the end of this month

My goal is less frivolous spending this year. Today because I have had more self control I was able to give £12 to a man collecting to feed the homeless in my town. That was a much better use of money than late night impulse buys on ebay.
So, prioritising what fits with my morals is a good motivator for me.

A random tip off....The Works are doing 576 cards for £30, with 25% off, so £22.50 - available online. Or, if you can get to a store you can choose your own 20 for £1! Total bargain!

I have bought them, and although not top quality, they are perfectly adequate for many occasions, definitely kids.

www.theworks.co.uk/p/greetings-cards/box-of-576-greeting-cards---12x48-assorted-designs/5052089243736

There is another similar thread running (more on the organised side than frugality) where people are using whistlefish for cards....if you want a better quality of card.

Can I join this thread please? This is my intention too although I did break it today by buying a frozen pizza for dinner because I hadn’t done the grocery shopping today as planned and nothing at all in the house. But tomorrow s a new day! off go read thread now.

I'm doing well, but had to break the no spend to purchase a copy of "oh crap." We aren't having the best time potty training. I'm hoping if I can get DD potty trained I will be spending less on pull ups.

I’ve cancelled my credit card and put a double password on my amazon. I’m terrible for buying things on amazon parcels arrive daily. I’m planning on not being so frivolous and have also signed up to gusto to make a plan of cooking and eating homemade meals rather than order expensive takeaways

I should add that normally when I nip to the shop for milk (2 cartons- £2.10) i’ll Grab something for dinner (like the pizza (£4.40) and then a grab bag of crisps each for me and 2 DC (£3) and a chocolate bar each (£3) maybe some bacon (£2.50) and maybe something reduced in the hot food section (£1)

That’s £16 and I only went in for milk! Regularly it’s £20ish! And I could do that 2 times a week! awful. No wonder I’m skint.

My goal is to clear my £5k+ credit card debts by the end of this year. Although frugality won’t do that alone- I’m also having a massive clear out and selling whatever isn’t needed. And I’m working on some new angles I can do to increase work income (self employed)

@WireBrushAndDettolMaam I have the exact same problem.
DH is now going to do all of the shopping for our household going forward as he can actually stick to a list
I went to Tesco over Xmas to get fruit and 2 new bottles for DD.... I ending up spending £105!!!! Bought some amount of crap....clothes were all reduced and I ended up coming home with 5 Xmas jumpers for the kids for next year, new PJ's for me and a pile of crap food that we didn't need!

So I have self banned myself from all supermarkets until I learn to control myself!