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?

Welcome Milton!

NSD for me today I was all organised from the Tesco shop for today.

Not had the best weekend money wise. Had a Starbucks this morning then got a few house bits from B and M Bargains. Not essential things at all. DH and I have just been chatting about it as this was the first time this month we have mindlessly bought stuff we didn't really need. Still well within budget though so shouldn't really complain.

Ivy - the new chair sounds like such a treat. That makes all the giving up of coffees etc worth it. You've inspired me to look for something to aim for at the end of February to help keep me motivated to stick to the essential spending only.

Wow ivy that's great ! I had a NSD today . But..... I went out yesterday to a fundraiser and spent £8 which was fine but £10 on a Taxi not fine ...
Also friends want to go out for food next week ...eeek want to see them so will try and make that my last spend for the month ....

Lunch out and some more plastic food boxes. We went to a small attraction we have an annual ticket but my niece was with us so we paid for her.
It is a good investment though, we can go for a short time if the DCs can't keep still.

Three NSD and more from tomorrow, sorry not posted before now, super busy at home at the min.

Everyone has done so well this month, learn as we go and change a few habits so as to not have to spend money unnecessarily.

I had intended on purchasing a chair - but from savings, so it’s such a bonus

Roll on February

Failed today DD2 needed a Prit stick and I had less than a pound in cash, so I went with her. And spent 16 bloody quid, then another £6 on coffee and cake

Oh I did avoid perfume while DD2 was spending pocket money in Boots. I saw 1/3 off and though “oooh bargains” but then my subconscious grabbed hold of me and said you don’t need it 👍

Well done on getting something you really like with the random spends money Ivy 😁

ivykaty44 Tell more about your chair!

NSD here as been in bed all day this thread really has made saving easier. I look at things and think ‘I want that’ but can now stop and think ‘I don’t need it’.

Chair sounds like a fab exchange for latte.

I'm off to get a gold sovereign necklace looked at today. It was my grandmother's, it could give a neat sum which I could use to furnish my children's bedrooms. Both badly need new soft furnishings.

I just feel so guilty. I loved her, she loved us. The necklace just sits there and it was given to me with the option to sell. I have ALL of my other grandmother's jewellery and haven't sold any, but that's because it's ALL fake.

I could sell, and make both my children's rooms nicer. Or keep it as the only piece I have from here. Actually torn.

Milton

Don't feel guilty. Your Grandmother would, I'm sure, be happy that you're using the money from her to make your children's rooms nice.

I sold a gold cross that my Grandmother left me - she was a staunch Catholic so wore it, I'm not and would never wear a cross. I used the money for something particular so it wasn't just frittered away.

Thanks chicken. I've been offered enough to spruce the rooms up and put a £100 each in premium bonds for them. Surely better than sitting in a box.

Most definitely!

Breakfast at Costa today (I have an early dropoff on a Monday for the DCs which means breakfast at/on my way to work. Hard to work out what to take with me given limited kitchen facilities and the fact that I hardly ever do this so I don't want to leave a whole tub of butter etc. So I do tend to go out for breakfast. But I have brought lunch - leftovers plus a yoghurt I hid from the DCs - they are yoghurt monsters).

I take soaked oats to work with berries and sometimes a chopped banana or a make hard boiled egg and put with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with black pepper.

I swam this morning after a two week illness break I’m back at the early morning gym - so take breakfast for mid morning

I have needed a chair since last summer - I bagged a cream/ white leather sofa at an auction for a song and already had recliner chair. I purchased a lively little tub chair in dark red and it sits with my nice raffier chair which I paid £3 for 😂 considering the lively sofa was £100 but original price over £1k I’ve done well and it all looks nice together

£6 in the charity shop, twas the pound rail that snagged me, but got lovely clothes for work, is it the 30th today? That's actually quite good for me, anyway, bring on feb😀...i rang up today and found out i an£35 in credit with the council tax and £3.50 with the water so really I'm still on a profit today aren't i?😐 (creeps out in shame 🤣)

Spend day on Saturday. New school shoes for all three DD and we had a meal whilst we were out.
NSD on Sunday. Needed a top up shop today, but kept it to a minimum.
Tomorrow should be a NSD, fingers crossed.

I'm impressed with how well everyone is doing.
Glad so many are keen to keep going as well. Feel like I should really see a difference this month.
Booked my car in for next week, about time I got that booked just wanted to know I had the money.
Is anyone else really enjoying not spending?
Am trying to reduce waste as well so feel really pleased.

6oclock think you can't really avoid shoe buying unfortunately.
I've had order forms home for uniform and pe bags for DS1 and I would normally be tempted to get him another hoody as he prefers them but he's got plenty of sweaters.

I’ve managed a NSD today

Coffee at work and stayed in at lunch time

Hopefully the rest of the week will stay that way

Though Wednesday we have a birthday so card and supper maybe in order 😂

Just checking in as have a weekend away coming up so trying to be extra frugal ! Today spent 2.95 on a bath bomb in LUSH totally a luxury item !
We are going to centre parcs which is a long booked holiday.. so will do a shop for there and budgeted for one takeaway or meal out . We are taking a friend of my DD & because my older teen DD is staying at home , we have to leave money for her to eat . Also I'm expecting to treat young DDs friend , but hoping it's fair enough to ask the mum to give her some money for round the pool etc ?

LSD here. £1 on parking to sell necklace, and 35p on a choc dip for DD for being good while the guy built a full profile of me for security to allow me to sell the necklace. Not bad. Dinner was leftovers from last night. I feel so frugal.

Thought I'd had a NSD then remembered I'd bought tickets for a fundraising event linked to work. Apart from that, no other spending and should have a NSD tomorrow.

NSD for me!

Lunch and dinner for me and DP was leftover from cooking too much last night - vegetable curry and spiced dhal.

I went to yoga this evening but I had already paid for that in a half-termly block.