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Original poster

No spend January?

999 replies

corinewmoon · 27/12/2011 11:43

After he festive blowout and considering ive got some big bills in January, (MOT, car tax, insurance) I have decided to try a no frivlous spending month. There is nothing i really need to buy, (apart from new school jumper and coat for DS) .
So I will be taking my lunch to work every day,
I will avoid costas,
and i will limit my self to one bottle of wine per week
I will aim to spend £200.00 on food shop for the month
I will not go for leisurely stroll to the shops during my lunch break.

Any one else want to join in. ?

OP posts:
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 28/12/2011 11:14

Oh dear, I have spent already!

In my defence, I needed a slow cooker recipe book, tried the the library, the charity shops, and the sale sections first but in the end I went into the small bookshop and got a pocket sized book with 200 recipes in for 4.99 so pretty good, and I payed in cash.

zookeeper · 28/12/2011 12:49

Naughty,Dedlaus there are millions of slow cooker recipe books online. Mind you, I bought a new loo brush and stainless steel holder to put it in for £7.99 on Amazon last night - figured it didn't really count as it's not quite January...

Meglet · 28/12/2011 13:01

No great plans to spend so far. I popped to the supermarket yesterday but only spent £11 on fresh stuff.

Am using up flour and making bread today. I'll slice it and freeze it when it's done.

HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 13:12

I'm definitely in. We are completely skint after Christmas, so much so that I am driving as little as possible for the next few weeks to avoid using petrol. Having said that, I went to Asda yesterday and scooped up lots of reduced-price bargains - did our family weekly food shop for £15! Xmas Grin So lunch to day was spicy veg soup, a multiseeded bagel (reduced to 10p) and a slice of homemade Christmas cake (made a while ago) - yum!

I am going to try to use up lots of food in the freezer, and yes, do online shops - we live in a village so it's a fair drive to the supermarkets.

Tomorrow the dc and I are having a longish walk to the play park in the next village, and I'm trying to think of other free / almost free stuff to do.

goldbow · 28/12/2011 13:17

Has anyone got ideas on what free things to do with dcs out of the house?

HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 13:25

Depend what age they are, really. I took my dc (7 and 9) to the park this morning and made up an elaborate game with lots of rules and a 'backstory' to it, which kept them busy and active for ages.

If you are within striking distance of a library, that's a good one. You can also borrow DVDs from libraries for a week, normally really cheaply.

Umm...I'll be back later if I can think of any more!

goldbow · 28/12/2011 13:26

Yep parks always a good one and library. Smile

Meglet · 28/12/2011 13:30

goldblow IIRC the National Trust have printable wildlife / nature hunt lists you can find on their website. One of then might make a tramp through the park a bit more interesting.

Free local museums. Library.

Sometimes me and 3yo DD potter round town finding free things to do, only really works on quiet weekdays though. We like 'playing' the pianos in the music shop (we ask first), dabbing make up at the beauty counters, playing with the testers in Lush, watching the fish in an in-store fish tank and playing on the computers in the Apple store. One day I'll pluck up the courage to get some free samples at the supermarket deli counter too Grin.

HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 13:42

There are some lovely forests around. Spend a an afternoon walking fallen tree trunks? (Many a happy day here!) Smile

ronx · 28/12/2011 13:47

Count me in.

BoffinMum · 28/12/2011 14:31

Was very tempted to buy some clothes for DC3 and 4, but this thread kept me on track, and I will check what we have in the loft later instead.

Have just organised a Tesco delivery for Friday via my iPhone and have also been through the fridge and freezer to find useful leftovers to eat until then. Tonight it's chunky vegetable soup with stock made from the turkey carcass and the remains from the organic veg box I got for Christmas, then Tesco value frozen white fish fried with garlic (recipe from the book 'The Family Meal') with new potatoes, and finally fruit kebabs with all the fruit that is on the turn chopped up and put onto sticks. If I am feeling nice I will melt down some chocolate in my fondu kit and let the kids dip the fruit into that. Oh, and when the sun goes down we are going to light the fire and toast bargain crumpets with the children's friends the old fashioned way, on a a toasting fork.

Sparklingbrook · 28/12/2011 15:31

I went out this morning for ham. Just ham. This is what I came back with.

Ham (not naice ham BTW)
Shortbread (BOGOF)
Newspaper and magazine
Moist loo paper.
Birthday card for DSs friend.
Balloons for DS2s birthday
Thank you cards

This is my problem. Blush

zookeeper · 28/12/2011 16:06

mine too - I cannot walk into a supermarket and come out with one thing. I just can't. I've just done a big online shop and am going to try to simply avoid going to the supermarket and just get bread/milk etc from the corner shop and fruit veg from our local market. It's got to be cheaper

Original poster
corinewmoon · 28/12/2011 16:20

well i did spend 3.50 today on stuff i already had at home. A late christmas card for someone i havent seen yet , and cellotape. Part of the problem is that i am just not organised enough.

OP posts:
HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 16:24

Why not just take the cash you need? So if you are going into a shop for (say) a carton of milk, just take £2, then you won't have the option of overspending. I started that a while ago and it can be annoying if you realise you need something else, but overall it's a good saving idea (I think!) Makes you question the concet of 'need' a bit more.

I'm on a roll with my soups - I have made the most gorgeous potato and onion soup this afternoon - we have got some leftover Stilton and some bacon in the fridge so I'm going to crumble Stilton and crispy bacon on top. Smile

goldbow · 28/12/2011 17:06

Thanks for the suggestions! Smile

I have spent nothing, not left the house and not done any online shopping. (am here alone until tommorrow)

clippityclop · 28/12/2011 17:33

This sounds perfect for me. Was very good and didn't go to the sales for clothes/Christmas stuff at all but have just spent £200 on theatre tickets for May. Determined to only buy fresh fruit and veg and min. other groceries throughout Jan. and eat up all the stuff in the freezer before I do anther big shop. Christmas pudding sarnie anyone?Xmas Smile

Collision · 28/12/2011 17:41

oooooooh count me in!

I did a thread like this last May and it worked really well and everyone joined in.

I am doing main shop at Aldi for fruit/veg/tinned stuff/alcohol and the rest at Sainsburys/Waitrose.

I HAVE TO STOP POPPING INTO WAITROSE ALMOST DAILY THOUGH as i spend too much.

Meal planning
Walking more to help me keep fit
I need nothing for me, children, Dh or the house.

HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 18:17

Pooh Clipperyclop, fry the Christmas pud in butter, add a little brandy / other booze, and serve with ice cream or cream for a wonderful, extremely unhealthy post Christmas dessert!

HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 18:19

Haha - just realised that the predictive text on my phone changed my drooling 'ooh' into 'pooh'!!!! Sorry about that! Better proofreading next time, methinks!

clippityclop · 28/12/2011 19:09

Brilliant idea HoloferneseHead! Will do that for afters in a bit. Was just about to pop to shop for fresh bread for ham and cheese sarnies for tea in front of the telly but will make them with the stale stuff, and dip in egg and milk and fry off french toast style. The ducks can do without. Frugal is my new watch word. We're very very lucky, both working and comfy (but don't take it for granted one bit) I just need to be more mindful, less impulsive, and save more. Think this thread will be a big help.

HolofernesesHead · 28/12/2011 19:20

That's what I need too, to be mindful and less impulsive. I love cooking, it's just that my life is pretty busy and it's hard to be well-organised and mindful when you've got 1001 things to do already. We overspent for Christmas Blush and here I am, sat with a Keycamps brochure, thinking about our 2012 holiday - so if I want to be able to spend money on going on holiday (which I most definitely do!) I'm going to have to rein in my spending for the next few months.

clippityclop · 28/12/2011 19:28

Exactly Holo. We intended to spend less at Christmas because we've booked to go to Florida for the first time as a surprise for DDs, and it's a few months earlier than we normally go abroad too so less time to save . However when I look back we've spent as much as ever really. Also Dh has booked a surprise trip to London which is wonderful but pocket money needed. Which Keycamp?

alemci · 28/12/2011 19:31

I will try too. I will go to Lidl more and pay cash and try and keep down the food shopping bills. I have spent so much and the sales were tempting too.

I find my teenage Dd's are the ones who rob me blind. always need cash and stuff.

Original poster
corinewmoon · 28/12/2011 20:42

yes making do with whats in the cupboard instead of just popping to the shops makes a big difference .

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