Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Does anyone fancy a No Spend March post?

8 replies

waitingtowork · 01/03/2026 07:38

Apologies if there is already one of these threads, but I really need to stop spending!

I've deleted social media which has made my spending more intentional rather than impulsive but I'm still getting too much of a hit from new purchases...

Anyone want to join for moral support? Anyone done this and managed to change their habits?

OP posts:
samenamenamesame · 01/03/2026 08:04

Im in

DilemmaDelilah · 01/03/2026 09:23

It's a great idea.... But what do you mean by 'no spend'? No groceries? No petrol? No bills?

Or no clothes, presents etc.?

Or no eating out, nail/hair appointments, treats?

If it's the first....I've already failed.
If it's the second, I will definitely fail - I have Easter eggs to buy and I will probably buy something on Vinted for an upcoming holiday. Most months I have a family birthday to spend for.
If it's the third, I could manage that about every second month. But we have a holiday coming up later this month, we are going to the theatre and I'm going to a concert In the cathedral with my daughter (tickets already bought, but hot drinks will be needed). In April we are going to the theatre again (tickets already bought) and travelling 6 hours across country to visit family, which necessitates a hotel stay and fuel. Only Premier Inn, but we still need to eat! And I'm having my bi-monthly (cheap) haircut.
May would be possible, no birthdays, no outings and no holiday planned.M
June -Not possible, it's my daughter's birthday and we're going on our long-awaited (10 years) honeymoon. And I will be getting my hair cut and highlighted.
July - should be possible....
and so it continues. Provided you don't include groceries and our regular direct debits for electricity, insurance etc.

MarmaladeSandwich7 · 01/03/2026 09:24

I’m in - think I have a real addiction. I definitely have to stop scrolling on Vinted, except to see how my items are doing. And I tend to use Clearpay or Klarna then get myself into a bit of debt trying to pay everything off.

Translatethedog · 01/03/2026 09:38

I’m up for a no/low spend month.

Last month was spendy but I had budgeted for it so the money was already there. Now I need to get back on top of my holiday savings.

I have a hair appointment and night out booked but other than that I don’t have any planned spends other than regular payments (bills, fuel and food).

TheChosenTwo · 01/03/2026 09:46

What does no/low spend mean?
What are you planning on cutting out?
I don’t think I’m up for it because I suspect it means things like not going out for dinner or not buying lunch out at work, not going for a sauna or not buying a replacement perfume when I already have others. All of those small things bring me happiness and I’m not cutting them out.
Obviously things like bills, fuel, birthday presents are considered non-negotiables?!
And it’s just any fripperies/nom essential spending?

waitingtowork · 01/03/2026 10:26

For me, I'm not going to count entertainment/eating out as I don't do it very often, and being able to go out and have a coffee with a few mum friends brings joy into the mundane.
My bigger problem is constantly feeling like I 'need' things like clothes, house items, pet items etc that I can manage perfectly fine without.
I divide my finances into groceries and bills, emergency savings pot, holidays savings pot, gifts savings pot and childcare pot. I then have a leftover 'spending money' budget but I feel the need to spend every penny of this every single month.

The problem I am seeing is, there never seems to be an end to things I want to spend on. So it's not necessarily the money, but the endless need of a 'hit'!

Currently, I want to buy a dog bed as the dog is getting too old to get on the sofa. A new sofa cover now the dog no longer goes on the sofa... And maybe some new scatter cushions for the sofa...
I also want some Adidas specialz. And a new trench coat. (I have trainers and a few coats already!)

I am also terrible for scrolling vinted. I somehow convince myself it doesn't properly count if you're buying second hand!

OP posts:
Translatethedog · 01/03/2026 10:35

For me it’s about being more mindful about my spending. Separating needs from wants.

Translatethedog · 01/03/2026 10:36

I am also terrible for scrolling vinted. I somehow convince myself it doesn't properly count if you're buying second hand!

I used to do this!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page