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Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

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Original poster

February No Spend Day Challenge

64 replies

bluecarrot · 01/02/2013 01:31

I'm pledging 14NSDs this month. I'm abroad for 10 days otherwise I'd aim higher!

Main goal this month is saving for the trip. Ill be meal planning weekly with no top up shops allowed in between. Total grocery budget for the 18 days we will be home is £25 as cupboards are looking healthy. We are having a family cinema day in Saturday (£25 for two 3d movies for 3 people) I also need to advance book the bus to airport so I get discounted rate. (£16) and DD needs guide and swim money.

Should be under £80 spend this month ( excl bills!)

OP posts:

ComradeJing · 01/02/2013 02:31

I'm in!

Total fail for January here. Aimed for 15 and got about 7 in the end.

Going for 10 this time. It's already the 1st here and not a win so far!

MamaTo2FabBoys · 01/02/2013 06:48

Hi i would love to try this as im trying to cut down on my spending and i followed the January thread but never started. I would like to try for 12 no spend days this month and see how i get on. Thanks

TheHappyCamper · 01/02/2013 07:25

Hi,
I'm going to join again, as I am amazed I managed my 10/10 NSDs in Jan. The chest freezer is going down nicely and I can almost see the bottom now! Cupboards are looking a bit more streamlined but still quite full. Might need shampoo etc soon.

We do have half term to contend with shortly so I'm going to try to get a few NSDs in early on to get ahead.

Target is 10.

silverfrog · 01/02/2013 11:14

I'm sticking with a target of 10nsd. I managed 11 in January, but Feb is a short month, and have dd2's birthday (presents already sorted thanks to the Christmas bargains thread, but will need extra spends on cake ingredients/day out etc) as well as half term.

stormforce10 · 01/02/2013 13:08

I'm going for 10 this month. I aimed for 12 and did 17 in January but half term is this month so expect to find it harder to hit a high target.

Hoping today will be the first :)

Original poster

bluecarrot · 01/02/2013 13:58

Woohoo! Blossom hill wine just delivered- that's totally made my weekend :) DP has to stay home ( doesn't live with me) this weekend for family reasons so I no longer get to treat him to cinema tickets - £10 saved! Plus he's saving £40 by not coming up. The wine will keep me company instead.

Plus dd and I are having a pamper night tonight using recipes for face masks etc from a science book she got for Christmas. Will maybe use an Xmas lush bath bomb too :)

OP posts:

TeWiSavesTheDay · 01/02/2013 20:37

Hello! Just updated my spreadsheets and managed 10/10 for January.

Feb shorter month so only going to up it to an aim of 11.

Good luck everyone!

TinyDiamond · 01/02/2013 23:12

Hello hello! My target for jan was 15 and I managed to smash it with 16 and felt very smug. So then I decided feb target would be 17. But then I realised feb has but 28 days and also includes half term. Then I felt much less smug. So I am now off to quickly look at my diary and then come back with a realistic target.

Saving aims are our wedding in the summer. But more importantly the big honeymoon/holiday that will hopefully come afterwards!

TinyDiamond · 01/02/2013 23:16

Right my target is 12. 0/12 so far and doing pretty shockingly with an accidental online topshop splurge earlier. BUT it did include a birthday present for someone for March so won't need to worry about that AND I got NUS discount on it and free delivery so.....

0/12

MamaTo2FabBoys · 02/02/2013 06:47

Went shopping at asda yesterday and not sure about today but will def try to have 1 this weekend. I forgot it was half term when i said i would try for 12 but will just have to try my best. Good luck everyone

silverfrog · 02/02/2013 07:12

Managed my first one yesterday, and will be spending half of today in a tutorial so might manage another, although I suspect there will be vending machine temptation - must raid the cupboards before I go!

1/10

IamMummyhearmeROAR · 02/02/2013 08:52

I'm aiming for 10

ComradeJing · 02/02/2013 10:31

Damn it! A spend day here. Forgot about this as I merrily signed dd up for little kicks today. Ah well. My next non spend day is looking like WEDNESDAY now. Oh ffs.

0/10

stormforce10 · 02/02/2013 16:37

Yesterday was a NSD and since I'm not planning to go out again I think today so hopefully 2/

Just been invited to London for a couple of nights in half term so i need to find the cheapest train tickets. We have a family rail card so that should help. We will be staying with my sister when we get there but I'll feel the need to take her and her partner out to dinner at least once so that will lump up the price for February

IamMummyhearmeROAR · 02/02/2013 17:29

First no spend day here. Me and dds had the munchies so instead of spending nearly a fiver in the corner shop we baked fairy cakes with lemon buttercream from stuff I had in!

TheHappyCamper · 03/02/2013 07:44

Today should be my first NSD. Did a meal plan yesterday and grocery shopped for it all. Should only need bread and milk later in the week. We are still eating up frozen left overs etc so we are having xmas dinner today . DD thinks it's amazing and wants to know if FC will be coming again awww!

Some good offers in LIDL this weekend. Turkey steaks half price £1.69 I think, so we got 6 packs! Great for stir frys etc.

MamaTo2FabBoys · 03/02/2013 15:15

Yeepee 1st nsd here aswell so thats 1/12. Hope everyone has had a nice weekend.

hurricanewyn · 03/02/2013 17:21

Back in this month . 12 for me as it's a ahort month. None yet, but have managed to book a tree surgeon to cut down a tree in our back garden with the money saved from last month

TeWiSavesTheDay · 03/02/2013 17:28

1/10 today!

Resisting the urge to go back to the co-op and clear out all their reduced ferrer roche.

TinyDiamond · 03/02/2013 19:29

first nsd here as I was so hungover I couldn't be bothered. so 1/12

Twinkletoes91 · 03/02/2013 21:35

Aiming for 10/28 nsd's this month :D so far 0! Although I did stock up on persil washing up liquid on offer for 38p in asda on Friday :D
Do you all include your general food shopping on a nsd? Or do you set yourself a budget for each week and stick to that and use it as a spend day? :/

Original poster

bluecarrot · 04/02/2013 15:38

When I do the groceries, it is a spend day (even though its a planned spend - its not comparable to a childs dance lesson or a bus fare to work!) but that day, I also work out what Ill need to spend on the bus fares etc and set aside, "spending" it.

I also dont count direct debits or charity donations into a collection box on the street.

I count everything else.

Ive had 3 / 14 NSDs so far this month. :)

OP posts:

MamaTo2FabBoys · 04/02/2013 17:55

I managed my 2nd no spend day today so, so far so good 2/10

Twinkletoes91 · 04/02/2013 21:47

Yay! No spend day for me, 1/10. Hoping tomorrow will be a no spend too :D

TinyDiamond · 04/02/2013 22:35

2/12 by pure accident as was taken out for dinner

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