To think we can do a 'no spend September'?

[CredulousThickos]

We've massively hammered our budget in the last few weeks, days out in the holidays, school uniforms, both boys' birthdays, DD's bed broke, DS1 suddenly shot up two inches so needed all new trousers, it's just gone on and on.

We'd really like to do a no spend month, or as little spend as possible. Any tips? We have plenty of food in the cupboards and freezer so I reckon with some planning we can do minimal shopping. No one needs clothes or makeup or haircuts or anything. Our petrol costs are only about £75 a month. We usually have a drink on a Friday night but can give that up for a month . The kids have had an action packed holidays so I don't feel bad about saying no extras this month. We have plenty of parks etc nearby.

If you've done a no spend period of time, how was it? What did you forgo? Was everybody miserable?

Any advice or words of encouragement welcome.

I do that too! Pop in for milk and come out with all sorts of nonsense.

I plan to declutter again when the kids go back to school, I did it a few months ago but things build up.

I actually do usually buy used books but they still add up. I think I'll go and renew my library membership instead.

I do know I'm very fortunate that this is a choice, by the way. I have been on the bones of my arse before but it's easy to slip into bad habits when you can.

Me too - or at least low spend. I have downloaded an app and am tracking everything to make me much more aware of where money is going

I'm trying that at the moment. It's a real eye opener, actually. I had no idea how much money I normally spend on absolute crap.

I will join you all if that's ok.

We have spent so much this summer and really enjoyed it, but need to reign things in now. I have done a 'freezer month' before on here which actually turned out brilliantly (I have a chest freezer).

I have sorted all school bits out for DD and have loads of food/toiletries so shouldn't need anything except fresh veg/milk. Will see how that goes!

We desperately need a new boiler as when it got fixed last winter they have done something odd, leaving us only able to have the hot water on if heating is also on, and full blast at that! It is too old to be worth fixing again and initial quotes are coming in at up to £2500 .

Total today was £29!!!!! Was very pleased, especially since last time we'd gone there it was nearly £70. The only reason it was so low is because DP managed to do a Tesco shop last weekend rather than a CO, and not only is there still a lot of veg remaining, it is still in very good nick. If it was from the Co I doubt the guineas would eat it now but I have no qualms with what is still in the fridge.

Fear this means I'm going to switch to a Tesco delivery instead. Looking at this morning's shop and including delivery cost and club card points against NUS discount and Co-Op points it would have been about a pound more from Tesco, but taking into account how long it'll last I think I'll save more in the long run from Tesco. I do feel bad not using the local shop, but, at the moment, I'm really having to think about money.

I am trying this too - partly to save some money but also to break frittering habits and use up the tons of stuff hoarded about the house. Running down the freezer, using the hoarded tins and bags of pasta and lentils. Found loads of face masks and nail polish in my bedroom drawers (stashed for best!), several half-used greetings cards multipacks in various places. I used to be strict about one online grocery shop a week, but have drifted into a top up shop habit. Need to get a grip on everything!

Sisyphus what a great savings plan.
Going to start the £1 this week. Despite being mid 40's I still see September as the start of the year

Sisyphus what a great savings plan.
Going to start the £1 this week. Despite being mid 40's I still see September as the start of the year

sisyphus I like that idea. I did it a few years ago but didnit backwards as I found that the run up to Christmas was always really spendy. So started with the big amounts in January and worked down.

I so need to do this. DD'S birthday at the end of August and a week away with PIL mean our finances are looking grim at present. Oh, and school uniform and shoes. How could I forget that

My tip is to take your credit card details off Amazon and leave your wallet behind on short trips e.g. school run.

I have two no spend months a year. I don't take my purse when I go out (to work, gym and swimming) and this way, I can't spend.

It's the non essential spending I don't do, so I don't buy the books I'd normally buy, no clothes/shoes or anything that isn't needed. The money saved goes in as an extra payment split between my LISA and ISA and my son's CTF.

I've also removed my card of Amazon so I have to enter it each time and if I'm on bed of a night, I have to go down stairs to get my purse. Usually I can't be bothered so I don't spend as much.

It's easy enough to do once you get into the habit but I often wonder if I've become a bit too obsessed with saving but this is due to dire debt from ex. On October 1st this year, I make my final debt payment and will be debt free. I now have lots of different savings for different things and can tell you where every penny of my money is.

So depressing that the annual mass tat exchange is already causing problems. If you don't have six months living expense stashed, you are utterly screwed if there is a job loss. It comes up so often on here.

That should be the target, not smelly packaged sparkly crap.

So I've just done the weekly shop including loo roll, pet food and cleaning stuff. Using what we've already got I have meal planned and the shopping came to just under £50. So I'm happy with that, that's at least £40 saved on a normal week.

I've wiped all the card details from Amazon to avoid temptation.

Feeling quite positive really.

I'm doing this too this month. The school holidays and back to school expenses have been bigger than we planned for, I've lost some work which has hit hard too.

I plan to only buy fruit, veg, bread, milk, butter and cheese and essential household things like loo roll and washing powder. The cupboards are full and due to the lack of work I have more time to get creative with my cooking.

Not getting coffee out will be hard, I have one free one at Nero save up for caffeine emergencies
My kids are young enough to be happy spending hours at the park and I'm a firm believer in "there is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes".
I have my daughters birthday in October which she is so excited about as she's having her first proper party and my other daughters birthday is in December and then Christmas. I'm going to attempt it through some of October and November too.

And the school prep continues. Stationary supplies for two for the year came to £130 we don't have any discount shops close by and we didn't have time go further afield. Another £130 -ish on trainers and sport socks. I forget to get bloody sports bras though, and tights.

Thanks for all the tips. I never save my card details on Amazon etc for exactly that reason allegretto.

I'm doing well. Not been to the shop at all this week. All meals and work lunches made using leftovers from fridge and freezer. Got a 40th party tomorrow so need to buy card & present and alcohol to drink at the party. Back on it Monday though.

How's it going?

I achieve savings and no spends with one hand and then spend with the other...

My mother used to call it 'going on frugals' when she was hard up. What she used to call 'dustbin soup' was a staple - anything you happen to have, any veggies, that one dried up rasher of bacon or bit of ham, lentils, pearl barley - any suitable leftovers that weren't actually growing fur at the back of the fridge.
They were always very tasty and I made a lot during our more broke periods. Still make them come autumn/winter - Dh loves them! Dds always did, too.
Grated cheese on top is an essential extra for us, and nice bread on the side.

I've done fridge soup/risott/pasta. My mother used to make pies and the scraps of pastry would be filled with either jam or raisins for us to munch on when she couldn't buy biscuits.

Going well so far, I've bought a couple of coffees out and some chocolate, but nothing else that wasn't needed.

Can I join late? Tax credits messed up and will take 4 weeks to sort. 3 to go.

Eating from cupboards and freezer at the moment.