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Original poster

No spend January 31 days...

648 replies

ivykaty44 · 24/12/2017 15:05

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
FaithEverPresent · 20/01/2018 19:59

We spent £70 today! But it was planned joint spending - dinner out meeting family and then taking DD ice skating for the first time! It was nice to know there was plenty of money in the bank to cover it though!

I’m definitely carrying on through February! I really want to try to do the whole year like this and see how much I can save.

MessySurfaces · 20/01/2018 20:12

So nearly a really truly NSD today... until I caved and got the bus with DS instead of walking when it started tipping it down!
The odds are good for tomorrow, anyway.

champagneplanet · 21/01/2018 09:43

Last few days have been okay ish for me.

Thursday - took DD1 to play centre after school, that was pre-planned and included a meal for her and I had a good catch up with school mums so i'm going to let myself have that one Smile

Friday - had to pay to park, but that's all, no friday takeaway either. Sold some of DD2s clothes on ebay so about £50 in profit

Saturday - weekly food shop so ESOD

Sunday - should be an NSD, going to MILs for Sunday lunch

Would definitely join in with no spend Feb

mamapants · 21/01/2018 14:04

Seems everyone is doing well.
We paid to go swimming today but that is all. Got the timetable so next time we can see how busy the free swimming gets.
Also ordered cinema tickets with my tesco vouchers for future days out. Once the rain stops it's a bit easier to entertain the children cheaply. As long as we remember lunch.
Have started looking at holidays, seems now might be the time to book.

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 21/01/2018 14:50

Haven’t posted in a while but have been keeping a penny by penny diary. Not including essentials like groceries, electric, pet food, fuel I have had 17 NSDs so far this month. I’m pretty pleased with that. Still could have done without those spending days though as it was silly stuff like junk food. Weekends seem to be the culprit for me. Will plan the grocery shopping better to allow for snack food cravings over the weekends.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 21/01/2018 15:12

NSD here as still not well, so not been out of the house. So that’s 3 spend days in the last 21 and just 10 days to go

Need to top up on hot drink though from the supermarket- that’s been one big saving for me.

OP posts:
PollyShelbyLifeCoachServices · 21/01/2018 16:03

NSD! £2.10 in bank until Thursday.....

PollyShelbyLifeCoachServices · 21/01/2018 16:12

I'm in for Feb (mar, apr mayGrin)...

MessySurfaces · 21/01/2018 16:31

polly that's motivation...

NSD so far- and got out with a friend so not even sat at home!

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 21/01/2018 17:05

I think it is a case of planning - coffee and snacks

Free outings and stuff at home together, rather than lots of money on outside activities

OP posts:
PirateYellowbelly · 21/01/2018 17:41

Treated ourselves to lunch out today. Vouchers we got at Christmas covered the majority of the meal so only £6 ish left to pay. Have bags of clothes ready to take to one of the cash for clothes places unless anyone has a better suggestion? Really don't have time for putting everything on eBay.

AdoraBell · 21/01/2018 23:18

Tenner spent today. Bloody rough week, DH wanted to go out. I bought sugar laden shite (emotional eater), coffees and ice-creams. Tomorrow will be an NSD.

Littlechocola · 22/01/2018 12:26

I’ve been doing well! Definitely up for another few months.

mamapants · 22/01/2018 12:51

I think I might try and do this long term. I really need to make sure I have enough money for car fixing, birthdays, Christmas and at least one holiday.
I am pretty much neutral for payday, so next month should definitely be some savings as won't be starting off in my overdraft.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 22/01/2018 14:41

At the moment I’m on track for another NSD
Full fridge of food to last me till Thursday

So hopefully I will get through the week...

Saturday I am committed to spending £10 on sponsorship

So that and the shopping should be pretty much it this week.

Heading towards the end of the month so not long to go 🤗

OP posts:
PollyShelbyLifeCoachServices · 22/01/2018 14:56

Waves to messy...another NSD, anyone else feel like their head is going to fall off? I have had headaches, horrendous sour throat and my eyes hurt, my last two quid has gone on dog biscuits and throat sweetsHmm rather it was cake. I too am an emotional eater😀

drspouse · 22/01/2018 16:42

Bit of a rubbish day but mainly things we need, protective case for the iPad, curtain rail for DS new bunk bed, loaf of bread, but two coffees for me.
We need to book our summer holiday accommodation so that's £££ right there.
I am doing v well though I think, no fabric or yarn, no clothes for me, none for DS except long johns for skiing, and the same for DD plus second hand tights and some washable night nappies. No toys or books for them and no books for me.
I'm going to get them to pick some fabric from my stash for some new trousers I think. DS is getting a jumper I'm knitting and DD will get some "new" tops from DS old stuff.

PirateYellowbelly · 22/01/2018 19:03

A NSD for me. Can't believe how much we usually spend on eating out, coffees, parking and just all the bits and pieces that are so easily bought without thinking. I am delighted that we are well on track to be within budget with our food shopping for the month. Proper meal planning, one food shop a week and no top up shops is really making a difference!

Gah81 · 22/01/2018 19:04

ESOD here as did a food shop, but managed to snag some good deals :) payday on Thursday, which will be nice.

Tomorrow and Weds should be NSDs hopefully.

Thanks again to the OP for starting this thread and everyone for keeping it going - has really helped!

hollytom · 22/01/2018 19:22

NSD today and only essentials such as food at weekend so doing ok. I feel like normally I would be a bit more skint than I am by this stage of the month. I am definitely going to try to keep this going as the older I get I realise how much stuff I have, far too much and I don’t want to keep mindlessly adding to it which I have been guilty of in the past

MessySurfaces · 22/01/2018 20:15

Cheat's ESOD for me- bus fare to the shops where I returned some stuff I'd bought with vouchers, and then spend £7.50 of the vouchers on new wellies for DS, and tangerines from Waitrose to get a free coffee. Bank balance unaffected bar travel, but not quite in the spirit.
polly excellent use of your last two quid. I hope the 16p is also being spent wisely!

Totally agree with all the PP re how easily you get used to cutting out the frittering. We started belt tightening in the summer, and at first I struggled to keep to £30 per week frittering money (lunch, coffee, mags, postage, crap top up shops...). This month I started the month with £15 frittering cash-and I still have £7.

MessySurfaces · 22/01/2018 20:16

Ps- woot mamapants for keeping out of the overdraft!!

AdoraBell · 22/01/2018 20:39

NSD today. Used Nectar points to get Champagne for DH’s birthday. Need to buy dog food tomorrow.

elvislives2012 · 22/01/2018 21:43

Spend day today petrol £50, guinea pig stuff £30 and photos for £5. It's payday so that helps
I'm trying to pay back £8k in debt so this has ally helped. I'm on track for 18 months, going to be hard but so worth it

FaithEverPresent · 22/01/2018 21:51

I did spend today! Confused Needed a few bits until the big online grocery shop comes tomorrow. Still only bought what was on my list, I was hungry but waited to go home rather than buy snacks. That took some discipline but I’m doing the No S diet (so no snacks!) so they fitted together.