No spend September

[Kaloobear]

Right, I'm going to nick a little bit of space on this board to do a money diary like on MSE. Just for me really but if anyone fancies reading and throwing the odd encouraging comment my way that'd be lovely Likewise anyone who wants to join me is very welcome!

So, here are my rules:

Money spent on bills, insurance and pre-planned food shops is fine.
Everything else is not.

NO...
Coffees (especially not as an excuse to sit down somewhere in town)
Sandwiches
Magazines
Books (even on kindle, I have at least 10 on there I haven't read yet)
Music
Kitbag peanut butter chunkies (sob)
Meals out
Takeaways
Spontaneous 'presents' for DD (11mo) who is far too young to even realise or care, including clothes-she has plenty!
Clothes (even tights, which I have a weird compulsion to buy every time I see them )
Shoes
Unnecessary household goods-we have enough loo roll and bleach to last until 2020
Toiletries-I MUST use up the lovely things I've already got and stop buying more
Make up, under any circumstances
Alcohol (we don't drink much though so that's pretty easy)
Putting anything on the credit card except groceries (always pay it off and like to use it so we get the air miles-the problem is using it for little things, forgetting and then being surprised by the bill!)

YES...
Packed lunches for work
Walking or cycling to work-if I drive that's fine but I'm not allowed any more petrol so the half tank in there has got to last till October!
Reminding myself that we are lucky, we live well, and we do not need any more STUFF
Reminding myself that having bought a house we need to SAVE because our emergency pot is gone

Today and yesterday don't count because I only thought of doing this this afternoon, but for full disclosure...

Saturday 1st September
Cheese, crackers, beer and wine for friends having a BBQ, Tesco, about £15

Sunday 2nd September
2 snickers, 2 diet cokes, magazine , stupidly expensive corner shop, £4.86
Diary for work, Waterstones, £12.99
Big food shop, Waitrose, £86.94

Tomorrow I'm back at work for the first time in a year (sob, bye bye maternity leave) so the upside is that I shouldn't need to spend any money, and the same on Tuesday. On Wednesday I'm meeting my NCT group so I need to remember to take a packed lunch for DD and resist eating lunch in a cafe myself-I can wait till I get home! (I'd take a packed lunch for me but I don't think Starbucks would like it.) On Thursday I'm at work in the morning and then off in the afternoon, so think DD and I will go to the library and make sure we eat at home. Friday is a very long work day with lunch provided. Saturday I'm going to the theatre and do have to buy train tickets to get there, so I'm going to do that in advance and hopefully get them a bit cheaper. The theatre tickets were bought ages ago. Sunday we shall go to church and the park if it's nice weather, we will not go and spend money needlessly.

Fingers crossed.

Can I join for the rest of the month at least? The first half of the month has been hugely expensive and lots of it unnecessary but if I'm allowed I'm going to pretend it didn't happen and start again for second half of the month. Also just ha a letter to say my direct debit for gas / electric is going up hugely :(

My rules

Use up the freezer and store cupboards - I've just made a list and I have the ingredients for meals for the next 16 evening meals plus plenty of breakfast cereal

Only buy fresh fruit, bread, milk and salad ingredients. I've got plenty of everything else

No toiletries, no clothes, no shoes - got plenty of those

No trips to the Pound Shop as I always spend at least a tenner in there even if I've only gone in for one or two things (its a false economy)

No books, magazines or newspapers

Only coffee out on Saturday mornings when I have a long standing arrangement with a friend

No lunches out - again use up food in fridge and eat left overs for lunch

For once actually use the voucher I've got for WH Smith to buy birthday presents for parties dd has been invited to (£5 off when you spend £15 which for 3 parties will easily done)

If I can stick to all that I'll be doing well

Hi all,

welcome to @outontheedge.

Today my DS2 is sick so we have not been out. But had to send the other one up to the shop for some choccy. Have not had any for a week and really felt like some, so £1.80 for choccy.

numbertaker I did wonder! Welcome ontheedge

I spent 59p on a kitkat today and also paid the cleaner her £15. Also, we're getting takeaway, so there goes £15-but it was part of our meal planning for this week so no guilt!

Went into town today to go to the bank so spent £2 on parking, then a little treat for myself I spent £12 on a ring. I was happy with this because I almost spent £40 at the bead shop online but resisted temptation and cleared my basket.

Oh dear not very good at this.

yesterday was a NSD but today has been VERY bad.

Coffee shop - £9.15 for a round of drink and cakess for 4 of us
WH Smith - £22.47 for a stock pile of 5 birthday presents - dd always gets invited to loads of parties this term and there were a lot of good offers on in Smiths plus I used my £5 off voucher
Pound shop (so much for that rule) £1 for a roll of wrapping paper but I actually only came out with exactly what I went in for
Co-op £3.50 for bread, cucumber and various other salady bits

I've spent £36.12 and its only 3pm. I really am rubbish. On the other hand won't need presents or wrapping paper for a while and next week its someone else's turn to buy the drinks.

Will have to aim for a couple of NSDs this week to even things out

Rubbish day here too! Spent £50 on clothes for ds which weren't strictly speaking budgeted for but he is starting to outgrow stuff so if it wasn't now it would have been in the next couple of weeks.
Spent so long faffing around clothes shopping I was starving so spent £5 on Sushi for lunch.

Will also be having takeaway tonight so will spend around £25. Next 2 days wil be no spends.

£61 on an online shop with tescos. But that is 2 weeks worth of food, so I should only need milk and fresh veg/fruit which I'll get at aldi.

Tomorrow will be harder as we're off to take my elder son out for lunch (he goes to a boarding school), But seeing as the weather is nice, we'll probably just take a picnic, so although I'll need to buy that, it should be cheaper than buying lunch out.

I've been reading with interest. i'm not sure if I will post much as pregnant and knackered but will keep reading!!

I have had a NSD today because I'm in bed. Yesterday, broke the budget and took dcs to mcds, £20.55 later.

Thursday, I had mw and gp, so £1.60 parking plus took DD2 and 3 to soft play but was cheap night so £4 in total plus £5 odd on lattes, cakes, drinks and sweets.

wednesday, NSD

tuesday, £9 pre-school fees

Monday, NSD

Right, new rule-no one is allowed to say they've been 'rubbish' or anything like it! This thread is about doing our best, not chastising ourselves or each other when we need/want to spend.

Chastisement over ;)

I spent £4.30 in Sainsbury's today as I needed a leek, some cannellini beans and bread, plus a couple of kitkats...oops to the kitkats. I'm starting again with them on Monday as I've totally disregarded that rule so far.

I also went to Waitrose on Thursday after I'd posted here and spent £8.39 on diet coke and a magazine. I'm a bit annoyed with myself but I'm glad it's the only one I've bought so far this month as I'd normally have bought them all by now, so I'm not beating myself up and am going to eak it out for at least a week. So far I've only read the supplement it came with, so good going!

Good lord, I've just gone back to the start of this thread and I've spent £327.45 since September 1st.

That's an average of £21.83 a day.

How the fucking fuck have I done that?! That's with quite a few no spend days as well.

I'm going food shopping for the week tomorrow, and then next week I swear to God I'm not spending anything if it kills me until I pay the cleaner on Friday.

kaloo you said no chastising! September is only half way through, plenty of time to reign it in :)

I know, I'm not so much chastising myself as just appalled that it's possible to spend that much in such a short period of time, especially without feeling that I've treated myself at all...I haven't added up the different outgoings but I would guess no more than £150 is on groceries and probably £100 on baby-related necessities such as nappies and shoes which means the rest is mostly tat...it's just a bit shocking!!

my kid is sick so not getting out, but have spent £5.99 on a scientific calculator and 3.98 on modelling clay. both for home edd, calc had a saving of over £7.

Husband is totally on board and taking pack-ups, and a small flask for coffee, he was really bad with cafes.

Kaloobear, the only way to do it is to stay away from town, I have not been into town for nearly 3 weeks. This month we are living on top up from savings, so I have a real incentive to live cheap.

£57.62 in Morrisons today. Bit more than last time because we're having DD's birthday party on Saturday and needed a few nibbles etc.

I have spent £125.04 on totally non essentials to life, e.g not food or bills.

That can be reduced by £20 for two winter coats, and £20 for a bike helmet which were needed.

so £85. on Frippery, stuff. Still to much, if I doubled that till the end of the month it would be not good.

Numbertaker I share your pain.

This week I'm not spending a frigging penny!

Except that tomorrow I have to buy two books so I can prepare for a new tutee. Apart from that, nothing!

Well today has been better though still not brilliant

£5.50 for drinks for me and DP at the pub earlier
£2.74 in co-op for loaf of bread and 4 pints of milk (French baguette i got yesterday was wolfed down at lunch)

good news though - won't need any baby wipes for a while - found 8 packets i got on special offer before DS was born then put away and completely forgot about. Also think I've got enough food and nappies to get through until next weekend without topping up on anything but fruit

Running total of £43.86 since Friday. Not intending to spend anything else today and will TRY to have a NSD tomorrow

I knew today wasn't going to be great when it wasn't sunny enough for a picnic

So £14 on Mcdonalds for lunch
£12 in The Works (but that includes 3 xmas presents
£11 in wilkinsons, although I would have bought those items, and they'd have cost more at the supermarket, so is that a saving?
£30 in Clarkes as DS2 announced his old school shoes were giving him blisters!

Cars in for MOT and service on Tues as well

NSD for me, but DH had to do petrol fill up for work, but gets it back.

Was wobbling earlier and fanicied a chinese, but I pushed though and made home made pizza. I also streched a pan of leek and potatoe soup out for 3 meals.

Need some extras this week, but if I dont spend any, I reckon with my meal plan I can get to friday with a spend of £15, and thats just food. Need to be on lockdown this week.

Hope no one minds but can I post my meal plan for the next 10 days and ask what you think? It will be cereal for breakfast and I'll have left overs or sandwich for lunch - dd eats at school and DP eats in work canteen. i've been through my freezer, fridge and cupboards and can't believe how much food I have. This is what I've got in mind. though will need a few items of veg / salad stuff but otherwise I've got everything in stock. Does it sound alright?

I've got visitors staying at the weekend just to complicate matters and DD's very fussy friend coming round on Tuesday evening next week

Monday - cheese and tomato omlette, asparagus, new potatos
Tuesday - sausage and tomato casserole, veg, mash
Wednesday - pork and veg stirfry,black bean sauce, noodles
Thursday - roast chicken, roast potatoes, green beans, carrots, peas
Friday- lamb burgers, fried onion, salad
Saturday - fish pie, roast potatos, red onion and corgettes
Sunday - carbonara, garlic bread, salad
Monday- celery and stilton soup, bread and butter,cheese
Tuesday - fish fingers, chips and beans
Wednesday - mutton stew with garlicy roast potatos and mange tout

Can I come, my meal plan is much more boring. Do you over shop, and put it in the freezer?

Is that home-made fish pie, I think I will give it a go when we get paid.

My problem is that we nearly eat all organic and its blowing the lid off the budget.

That meal plan looks fantastic! I am a very uninspiring/uninspired cook. Tonight we're having stir fry which is about as exciting as it gets.

Foiled almost immediately this morning. Set off for work via Waterstones for the books I need, realised after half an hour walking that the shoes I used to wear almost daily but haven't worn for a year now for some reason are cutting my feet to shreds. Had to stop and buy plasters. Also have a sore throat out of nowhere so got throat sweets and then realised they were all on 3 for 2 so stuck in a pack of paracetamol for good measure. £3.08 to save my pounding head and bleeding feet...

Then had to spend £9.99 on one play, and they didn't have the other in stock. Joy.

Kaloobear, don't you do Amazon for books.

Meal planning only till Friday, any more would wreck my head.

Monday:Home-made pasta sauce, pasta, home-made garlic bread.(well part baked).

Tuesday:Omlettes, with salad/beans.
Wednesday: Something with beef, probably lasagne.
Thursday:Soup of some variety. poss sweet potato.
Friday:Chicken fajitas

Breakfasts, porridge/fruit/dried fruit.

Lunches, sandwiches, fruit, veg sticks.

VV boring, but Cheeeep.

I tend to scour the reduced shelves then freeze it - then I find I've got loads of food I haven't used and have the odd fortnight like this to try to empty the freezer.

SO FAR today has been an NSD but DD's swimming lesson fees are due either this week or next so doubt its going to stay that way.

Kaloobear its worth checking Amazon and ebay for books or can you order them from your library and renew them a few times if you need them for a while

And yes fish pie will be home made - for some reason I have a large bag of white fish and some prawns in the freezer - no idea why though