No spend January 31 days...

[ivykaty44]

No spend January

Just the essential food with a meal plan for 31 days.

Fuel to a minimum

Withdraw the cash for food, essentials & cards go in the freezer

Anyone care to join me?

Another NSD. Crazy busy in work but at least it means no time to spend anything and so tired when I finish I can't face going anywhere but hom

I’m on a roll, as apart from essential food & fuel I’m on day 11 of NSD in 2018 🤗

I think this weekend will be the real test, I’m sure I’m going to buck at some point and purchase a coffee ☕️

I will make a lunch for the train 🚂 journey on Saturday but I’m not sure I can go an entire weekend without spending...

It's not going well for me.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were NSD, but yesterday and today weren't.
I got some stuff in the sales for DD2 upcoming 13th birthday which I was pleased about though.
Today was low spend though and I met a friend for coffee and cake which I definitely needed!
Tomorrow should be NSD.

Yesterday: Was feeling dodgy yesterday so walked to our local asda to get some fresh air after the afternoon school run, bought essentials only but ended up buying DD1 a mcdonald's later on after her swimming lesson as I felt so awful on the way home.

Today: Feeling a bit better but stayed in, a proper NSD today

On day 12 and hopefully another NSD for me in 2018.
The last time I spent money on none essential was 29 December as I purchased a coat which I had been watching - it final dropped to 70% reduction.

So how’s everyone else doing? How many NSD in 2018..?

I've just spent £18.67 on a top up shop for the weekend but have got some NSDs in! Ivykate your doing fantastic i hope to follow suit, only non essential purchase i can think i have spent is £2 on parking because a lovely friend took me and the kids out to Mumbles for the day! Didn't want her paying for everything because she's fab! Keep on keeping on, i love this thread and have found it helps me crack on.I want 4 NSD until Tuesday now!✊🏼

Ivy- just seen the 70% drop on the coat, that would have made the coat 70% more desirable to me excellent bargain, go you!

So in one way this has been awful so far for spending (we are on holiday this week so quite a few meals out, ski hire) BUT my main aim not to buy "stuff" is doing OK:
Necessary tights for DD, but eBay second hand.
Necessary long underwear for both DCs.
Voucher for DN Kings Day present.
Plastic boxes for the kitchen to replace broken ones.
Think that's it...

Oops I just tried to reserve a book I want to read from the library... Except I have some outstanding charges...

Well, yesterday and the day before were both NSDs bar bus fares, and today is looking like a real proper NSD. Only the second really truly no-money-changed-hands one so far this month, but all the spends are essentials except for flights for the summer, DC passport fee and posting a parcel for a forgetful family member. So I'm feeling reasonably pleased.

I’ve spent £1.25 on a hot Chocolat 👎

ivykaty I think you're allowed that as a treat, you've been doing exceptionally well!

Hmm, I’ve spent money today! We have joint money and then ‘play money’. I have only spent £25 of joint money - Top up shop and butchers visit. I did spend my money on a hair cut and a ‘sod it’ gel nails before I go back to work but then I haven’t bought any clothes even though I was tempted. Still no tat we don’t really need, I’m on budget for groceries.

Still sounds like we are doing grand...

NSD spend yesterday not today though food purchased today. My birthday tomorrow so it’s going to be challenging on the no spending front

NSD today, and resisted the Friday night urge to order a takeaway again, feeling very pleased with myself

Weekly food shop tomorrow, doing my list/meal plan now, will try and plan well enough to not have to top up for anything other than milk.

Popped on to ask - has/is anyone used the "ontrees" app? I've been looking for a spend tracker type app for ages, and found this one today. It's fab! Automatically compartmentalises spends. It's a real eye opener to see where your money is going!

DH just agreed we don't need a supermarket delivery next week when we're back off holiday - freezer is packed and we just need bread, milk and fruit really.

2.50 for coffee and cake, then some essential boring spends. On track to be on budget for food and fun spends (so far! The fun spends is very tight because we bought ds bday presents and party bits early).

FUCKS SAKE £400 in the car. All hard work out the window and back to where I was

elvis nooooo!
But your hard work is NOT undone- it's helped you cope with the cost! If you hadn't been tightening your belt you would still have been hit by the cost, and you'd have had a harder time paying it. So go you for actually getting ahead a bit!!!

Elvis, that is so frustrating!

Yes you're right, I'd only have had to pay out anyway and still be 400 worse off. But my account looks the same as last month dammit. I need instant gratification!

elvis I will be in same boat, need to book car in.
So far have spent about £21 on not completely essential things. Caved in lidl midweek and bought felt tips for the boys and bought a book for mumsnet book club. Although by buying early meant I could get a physical copy cheaply rather than a last minute more expensive kindle copy.

€1.99 for hair elastics for DD, and some used storage boxes for toys from eBay... Huge sum on lunch though!