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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
champagneplanet · 28/12/2017 11:25

I have a Christmas savings card for Asda which my lovely MIL gave me to go towards Christmas, it's got £105 on it so that will go towards my food shop once we've eaten what's already here.

Going to make a huge pan of vegetable soup and freeze it too.

DCs shouldn't need much in Jan and there's no birthdays or anything major planned so I'm hoping it'll be easier than I think....

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 28/12/2017 12:39

I cut back on everything a few years back, cancelled land line & just use mobile and have broadband through fibre straight to house.

Who do you get your fibre broadband with? I haven’t had a landline in years but I’m still paying for line rental and phone through sky. My contract with them is up at the end of January so I’m looking for a new package. I’m thinking of going with talk talk as it’s £20/month and they seem to get good feedback.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 28/12/2017 13:08

Virgin for my broadband and it’s a good speed, costs ok, no landline needed.

Been looking at free coupons to see what’s available from supermarkets for free.

OP posts:
DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 28/12/2017 14:11

Thanks ivy!

StayCalmMary · 28/12/2017 21:23

Goodluck to you all!!!

poorbuthappy · 28/12/2017 21:36

I’m in for no spend apart from food and fuel.
Slight hiccup in a night out on the 12th so I’ll go with no alcohol. And a lunch out on the 20th. Again no alcohol.
Then book holiday at end of Jan with savings. 👍

daffodil85 · 28/12/2017 21:38

I'm in Grin

Me and DP have just applied for our first mortgage so will need to save one wage for all the extras!

Nicpem1982 · 28/12/2017 21:44

I'm just putting together a 31 day meal plan so I'm in

Hoping to save a bit

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 28/12/2017 21:48

I’m getting ready to put me debit card in a safe place at home after withdrawing cash for the month on Saturday- as I get paid tomorrow.

I shall fill the car with fuel ⛽️ and that will last me a couple of months so I can divide what’s left over into 5 for food shopping for 5 weeks.

Roll on 2018 👌

OP posts:
cikecaka · 28/12/2017 23:04

Can I join, have a night away planned for DH's birthday but have the money for hotel saved already.

calzone · 28/12/2017 23:59

And if I want to go out for coffee I shall use my Waitrose card and get a free coffee.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 29/12/2017 08:11

Free coffee...?
Please share all freebies and how you obtain them 😅

OP posts:
ememem84 · 29/12/2017 08:30

calzone don’t you have to buy something in Waitrose now to get the coffee?

I’m sure that’s how it works where I am (Channel Islands) but it may work differently mainland uk.

They don’t keep cups near the machine in our Waitrose. You have to queue up at the till and when you pay they ask you if you want coffee. Ours doesn’t have a cafe though.

Chienrouge · 29/12/2017 08:35

I’m in! DH gets paid a week early in december so it’s a long month. We’ve just bought a house and there are loads of things we want to do to it so we are trying to save as much as possible in the first half of the year.
I’m a SAHM to two pre schoolers so won’t include things like the money for toddler groups/farm entry but will make sure we take our own food/drinks and find as many free activities as possible. No clothes/toys/comics etc.

Chienrouge · 29/12/2017 08:36

I have £100 cash in my purse so hoping all child activities for the month can come out of that!

Gah81 · 29/12/2017 08:47

I will join you. My cat has been very sick recently, which meant £900 spent in a space of 2 weeks! Hopefully the insurance will cover it but they take ages to pay out so until then, it is a no-spend January for me too.

Happily, I live in London so there is a lot to do for free here.

champagneplanet · 29/12/2017 12:24

I have a John Lewis card and get vouchers for a free hot drink and cake. You don't have to spend either.

Just remembered my car insurance is due mid Jan but the money is already there for that and it's a necessity.

WeAreGerbil · 29/12/2017 13:44

I have a John Lewis card but I haven't had a voucher for ages. With the Waitrose one you can buy a food item you'd buy anyway for your free coffee.

NeverEnoughSleep1 · 29/12/2017 14:45

Can I join? After Christmas and a few unexpected costs it's going to be very tight this month but I don't want to end up using credit cards or borrowing money, we have a full freezer and cupboards and DC don't need anything

the hardest thing will be my impulse buying and staying away from Tesco. I'm going to meal plan tonight when DC are in bed and make the most out of what we already have In the cupboards and do minimal shopping

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 29/12/2017 16:06

As for impulse buying - put your cards away at home and just have enough money for the food shop. This stops impulse purchases and if you still want the item you can purchase it on 1 February 😊

OP posts:
Gah81 · 29/12/2017 20:25

OK. Last clothing purchase for 2017 made (and several others (wo)manfully resisted).

Bring on no-spend January!

QuiteQuietly · 29/12/2017 21:07

I'm in! I'm sure that if I have a really big tidy up, I could find anything that I needed to buy anyway...

calzone · 29/12/2017 22:25

If I go into the Waitrose cafe with a friend, I buy a 25p banana and get a free coffee.

You can have a coffee as you walk around Waitrose but I don’t like that very much.

Original poster
ivykaty44 · 30/12/2017 07:47

Today ive written my shopping list for the week - I have so much food in cupboards I need about three items for my meal plan. So my first weeks money is going to go a king way 😋 I shall put this away for next week.

Tomorrow is the last chance to buy anything.....

OP posts:
elvislives2012 · 30/12/2017 07:59

Me please! I spend stupid amounts on crap we don't need! Children have enough clothes. Got NT membership for days out and I'm already meal planning and take my own lunch. Here goes nothing....