No more random spending for 3 months...........any takers?

[Collision]

Starting from 1 September DH and I have decided that the only things on the cc bill will be

food

petrol

car insurance (due 7 Sept)

We are no longer randomly spending on ANY clothes at all. The boys have their uniform and I have new NEXT-sale boots and a warm waterproof coat and we do not need ANY MORE CLOTHES.

Proper meal planning and shopping at ALDI and Sainsburys.

No more Costa lotta coffees.

No more takeaways or cheapy McDonalds/KFC for the kids.

We will use the library for books so no need to buy any.

Packed lunches

Coffee in a flask if I take the children out along with snacks and drinks bought from supermarket and not random cafes.

The boys are pretty much ECO anyway and brilliant at turning off lights and water etc and they only have showers and not baths.

We want to cut down on spending to see how much we can save over time. DH has a great job and I work at school FT so it will be interesting to see what we can do.

GULP!

Anyone want to help join me??

Ouch Abgirl that sounds sore! Hope your better soon x

Yep 2 little monster DD's (4+2) thats why cabin fever sets in lol
Thankfully they are at the CM today and Friday and we have the dentist planned tomorrow before nursery so dont see us spending too much and will probably just go to the local glen and see the animals.

Pay day today and sorted all finances out and just about to do my meal planner and shopping list. My plan is to just be super organised so I wont have to random spend. Fingers crossed it works!

Oh and odeon have a 40% off voucher from martin lewis site - DH and I going to use these on Friday night to save a little. And as Im on WW it will be zero point carrot sticks for snack :)/:(

We saw Mr Popper's Penguins which we all loved!

Everyone has great ideas to save money. Got the opticians today so that will cost me for the eye test etc but nothing random today!!

Saw the 40% off deal for Odeon, that is good. We have movie nights at home on a Friday, buy in some popcorn and watch a film with DSs - it's a nice way to end the week when we are all knackered! We normally only go to the cinema for the kids club but DSs are only 6 and 4 so the films aren't always suitable.

Have sorted through the school uniform this morning to check we have what we need for the new year, just need to get some trousers for DS1 and (eeek!) the dreaded trip to Clarks this Friday - no doubt will cost a fortune...

Can I join too..........I have decided to use only cash to sort out my finances. Lose track too easily when using cc. I do pay full amount each month but what we spend is ridiculous and there is only me, hubby and DS............

Am going to use what's in the freezer before I buy anymore.

No more take-aways

Once freezer is empty I'll do meal planning before shopping for more.

Going to stop buying crap ......full stop.

I have been trying to live like this for at least 8 yrs... to be honest, it gets a bit old! But makes you boggle mind at how other people manage to find money to buy so much unnecessary stuff. I allow myself the occasional "binge" in charity shop browsing, finding bargains like cleats for 7yoDS (2.50 vs. 25 quid new) or a new credit card wallet (don't need yet, but I wear them out quickly, & hard to go wrong for a pound).

Abgirl- Ouch! How did you manage that? Sounds awful
shaz- Meal planning v. good idea. You'll quickly get the hang of it and it really does help. We stopped getting take-aways too and I learned how to cook a really good Thai curry so we have "homemade take-away" on Fridays or Saturdays.

Love the idea of movie nights; we try to do that too. We've been invited to go and see Spy Kids this evening. Looking forward to it but really begrudge spending the better part of $100 (4 of us, snacks etc.) on going to the theatre when we could wait a few weeks and watch it at home for $5.00.

Popbiscuit I was exercising! Going to stick to swimming and aqua-aerobics in future where there's less chance of injuring myself! It's our anniversary on Sunday and we are meant to be going up to London with our DSs for a trip to the natural history museum so I really hope it is much better by then.

Do like the idea of home-made takeaways, might have to have a mooch through the heaps of recipe books I have.

Thought so, Abgirl. I busticated my pelvis last summer while running. It's better now but still not 100%. Swimming much better. Is good for you and um....far less injurious . Natural History Museum trip sounds great; just take it easy.

BBC Good Food website has lots of recipes for take-away style things; type in what you fancy and you'll get lots of options.

I would like to join in. Have been sorting out everyone's clothes today and realised that the children do need new clothes but that I had an awful lot I wasn't wearing at all. Need to stop buying random things that really aren't needed (although have DD's birthday in September and DS's in November which will use up money, although it will be Planned :))

Tomorrow feels a good day to start being September :)

Ok, my problem is clothes/accessories so I am pledging to buy no more between now and Christmas.

I really, really must do this as I have 3 bin bags of massively expensive clothes to eBay and I've taken 5 bags to the charity shop. And my house is FULL.

Yikes, we do all this already - no clothes, no extras when out, (bring own drinks and fruit/nuts) no holidays this year - we went on free trips / free exhibits / museums and no travel costs as have got rid of car, so we walk.

Meal planning and bulk buy and cook and freeze. Never a take away - we have omelettes or grilled fish for quick meals. I cook from scratch.

Have cleared a 3k loan this year.
Am looking into plastic wrap for windows to reduce gas heating bill.
Are there any other tips there for us?

Laurie - my problem is clothes/accessories too - so no more! I can only wear one thing at a time!

I thought I might challenge myself to wear a different thing every day next week when we go back to school and see how many outfits I actually have! It might take my mind off spending.

Boys need nothing now as we are back at school and they dont get changed when they get home from school so they only wear playclothes at the weekend.

Collision - if I don't unpack the stuff in my loft I have 84 outfits to wear before I need to do my washing.

It's bloody ridiculous.

Lawrie and Laurie--Having a good clean out is one of the most frugal things you can do. Then you can neatly organize your clothes and accessories and actually see all the nice things you have and appreciate them (coming up with new combinations in the process), earmark the "nice things that don't fit/suit" for ebay or consignment, make a pile to give to the less fortunate and figure out what (if anything) you really need to fill in gaps in your wardrobe. My closet was such a bloody mess that there were things in there that I had forgotten about . Plus it makes you feel all bright-eyed and bushy tailed to have a clutter-free bedroom. Also, be realistic. I stay at home with kids so I don't need to dress up just to do the school run . Jeans, nice jumper and trainers much more appropriate for dog walking/scooter chasing and makes me appreciate dressing up even more.

I was rubbish at this thread in the spring. I need to knuckle down as I've spent all my savings (essential house maintenance + first school uniform). So I want to squirrel some away again in case of an emergency.

I'm going to try and Gumtree / cheapcycle some stuff this weekend.

I think I could cut down quite a bit on random spending when I'm out with the DC's. Going to the park instead of more expensive places is good, especially if we could take our own coffee in a flask instead of going to the cafe. Went to Brewsters with a friend yesterday and was rather expensive, even though we had soup and children's buffet.
Need to make sure we eat more and better at home. Maybe have some lunch at home and then go out for afternoon. Eating out is so expensive !
Also I'll be looking for a new job to see if I can get more money coming in !
When I'm not working there's even more temptation and opportunity to spend as well.
No random spending is a good philosophy - how's everyone doing with it?

Me too.

I have cut back a lot since moving job location as there is less temptation (no coffee shops, book shops etc) but I need to do more as we are on a two year pay freeze at work and less than one year in I can feel the bite.

I need to bring my lunch to work at least some days of the week and
I have too many clothes already so the last lot of stuff I ordered is going back. And I am not buying any more.

I need to start menu planning too.

Met friends for lunch which was OK but £20 on chips/brownie and drinks!!!!

Took coffee and biscuits to the park though.

I think I may join you!

I'm a commuter and it's bloody expensive not just from a car parking, railcard point of view buy also a coffee, magazine, krispy kreme doughnut point of view. I will not spend, I will not spend! I may lose a few pounds in weight but not in money! I will not spend!

Well today was a planned trip to a butterfly/bird/park/farm place.
Ds2 has SN so he + 1 adult got a discount which is handy :)

So:
£25 entry
£2 for DS1 on a digger thing
£4 drinks (took some but not enough & I needed a tea!)
£0 in the shop on the way out, yey!
£15 window cleaner
= £46, of which I would say £6 is avoidable, so not too bad.

Tomorrow is the 1st when I start for real, still have to do the uniform check but have sorted shoes already.

I wouldn't mind if I spent money on clothes, at least I'd have something to bloody where. I just waste mine!
And I buy a ridiculous amount of toys for my DS.. he's 16 months, he doesn't need all this stuff!
Right... 1st Sept it is! No more wasting money on stuff!

Wear! Not where!

I'm in aswell I've been on some of the other threads. I've got a few expensive months coming up. Both dc's birthdays and christmas. I'm not getting off to a good start taking ds (16) out to celebrate his exam results. Pictures and a meal although I have an odeon card and have one free ticket on it.
I've also started a "tradition" we usually go out for tea day before dc's go back to school/college. Not good for my waistline either!!
I take my own lunch 4 days out of 5 and usually spend lees than £1 when I'm at work so I don't do too bad.

Hello everyone who has joined. Did really well today as only spent money on the planned name labels for DS2, and not a sausage else. Am back to work tomorrow for as long as my back can manage sitting in my office chair so it may be a bit more challenging - have leftover pasta ready in the fridge to take in for my lunch though.

Going to add sorting my wardrobe out to my list of free things to do - it isn't too bad atm but could do with a tidy up.