Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

March no spend ...

220 replies

Peachsnowpop · 26/02/2018 06:56

Who's in for March ?

I have to pay a £450 credit card bill and want to put £800 in to savings. This is going to make things extremely tight. But ! With budgeting and NSDs I hope I can achieve it. Good luck to everyone else for March

OP posts:
mamapants · 07/03/2018 19:31

Spent £11 on toothbrush heads.
Got a lot of money off vouchers for Morrison's through the post so will need to remember to put them in my bag.

MessySurfaces · 07/03/2018 20:13

YES! Proper really truly NSD! I even avoided bus fares by cunningly walking. Feeling most chuffed.

MessySurfaces · 07/03/2018 20:13

Oh crud, not an NSD after all, I bought milk this morning. ESOD it is...

Wigwigeconomist · 07/03/2018 20:29

Excited to report first NSD!
Harder than I thought it would be

Nicpem1982 · 07/03/2018 21:05

Well today did not go as planned

Was going well until late this afternoon when I'd had such a rubbish day I left the office to get some air

That air cost me 18.00 as I bought wine, cake, some books for dd and some bows.

Not catastrophic new day tomorrow

HampsteadHeathen · 07/03/2018 22:25

Today was a bit spendy:

£46 for theatre tickets (but budgeted as it is a Christmas present for a friend)
£24 for new pants from M&S (essential spend as really needed)
£10.20 for a glass of wine at book group in the pub (planned but still Shock)

MessySurfaces · 07/03/2018 23:01

Christ hampstead i assume your username is the clue as to where the pub is which charges a tenner for a glass of wine! Although to be fair, I've barely been out since DS was born 5 years ago, for all I know that's a bargain these days...

HampsteadHeathen · 08/03/2018 00:03

Messy it's lucky I'm not a big drinker these days! It was a large glass because I thought that would be better than getting a small and then being tempted to get another. I don't know how people afford to spend a lot of time socialising in pubs these days. Luckily my other book group meets in a café.

Wigwigeconomist · 08/03/2018 14:13

I echo messy that seems a lot for wine but likewise I haven't been out much since the children either
Book club sounds fun
So far not spent anything today. I never realised how much cash I frittered before as I'm finding this very hard

HampsteadHeathen · 08/03/2018 16:21

Spending fail today!

I was feeling very crap as it's TOTM so I thought I would take myself out to Costa for lunch and use the points on my card. Unfortunately their machine wasn't connecting so it cost me £8.50. It was probably worth it though as I really needed to get out. I'm self employed and I work alone most of the time and sometimes I really feel the need to be around other people.

Also:

£5.84 at Tesco on Bread, Milk and a few other essentials
£5.53 on Ebay for next book club book

Munchkin08 · 08/03/2018 18:49

Just petrol and milk today.

Chimichangaz · 08/03/2018 19:10

Not a great week for me, I think Monday was a NSD but that's it this week so far. Have spent £22 on a (planned) takeaway today, out for a meal tomorrow too and then new clothes shopping Saturday as I am job hunting so hopefully invited to lots of interviews Grin

Maybe next week I can be more 'on it'...

Strawberrythief87 · 08/03/2018 19:42

Aw I don't think my post arrived yesterday, must have been the dodgy internet on the way home.
Anyway this week I have managed four nsd's in a row so far (largely thanks to spending Monday and Tuesday in bed sick) But this is excluding the mothers day tickets I bought online on Tuesday but they were a planned expense. Tomorrow I'm having a date night with dh going to some comedy so that'll be some spends but hopefully nothing too much.
However I'm feeling a bit annoyed that I've wiped out most of the savings as I don't know if I can get a refund for train tickets I couldn't use when I was ill on Monday and the website is so caught up in refunds from the snow they're not answering, that'd be £70 down so fingers crossed i get it back as I'll need to rebook.

MessySurfaces · 08/03/2018 22:30

I was doing so well today! On a work trip all day- managed to avoid cabs, coffee for the train, buying lunch or water bottles... then slipped up right at the end and realised I needed a bottle of wine to turn up with when going straight to a friend's house for dinner. Argh! If I'd planned ahead I could have brought one from home...

MessySurfaces · 08/03/2018 22:32

Also- anyone on YNAB? My free trial is coming to an end. I really like it, but I'm struggling to justify the cost...

HampsteadHeathen · 08/03/2018 23:00

Messy I decided YNAB was worth the money as it gives me an understanding of my finances which I would not achieve otherwise.

Chimichangaz · 09/03/2018 06:42

I think YNAB is worth it too - you'll probably save what it costs you in buckets (of cash, obvs Grin). I think there's a pay monthly option so you could carry on for a bit and see?

Nicpem1982 · 09/03/2018 07:09

I'm using the monzo account and I'm finding it great for budgeting as I'm moving my spends money each week to I seem to be spending less generally.

I'm attempting a no spend weekend this weekend which is a first for me as the weekend is where my money goes

Original poster
Peachsnowpop · 09/03/2018 09:09

I have £1k to last for the rest of the month - that's between 5 of us for food going out and petrol. Should be doable, right ? I have some essential gifts to buy, they are in my Amazon basket but I can't bring myself to checkout as I'll then be below the £1k and I can see the balance slowly dwindeling from there. I also need to pay school £60

OP posts:
Wigwigeconomist · 09/03/2018 13:23

Yes peach should be doable, just lots of planning , simple meals-soup, stew

Have spent £15 today Sad entirely unnecessary, went to the beach to entertain the children and didn't take any sandwiches so had to pop to local shop for their lunch

But I used cash I scrabbled together in the car/my handbag so doesn't count right Wink?

It's so hard to walk into a shop and leave only with what you originally wanted, I threw in some cakes and chocolate too

HampsteadHeathen · 09/03/2018 14:00

Peach can you make a plan allocating the money you have for the month to your expected expenses? Then you can track your actual spending against the plan to ensure that you will last until the end of the month.

HampsteadHeathen · 09/03/2018 14:03

Wig that's exactly the sort of thing I would do. Don't worry about it as a one off, it only becomes a potential problem if you do it every day. I bet the kids had a great time!

Original poster
Peachsnowpop · 09/03/2018 15:47

Wig - cash found in the car/ bottom of ur bag/old purse etc doesnt count. I love it when I've scrambled around for cash Like that and have found enough for what I need.

I'm determined to make the £1k last, H will be the problem as he spends like mad , we only stay in budget by going without myself.

Hampsted - good idea I'll be doing that
3 weeks till payday and counting.

OP posts:
MessySurfaces · 09/03/2018 17:22

peach that sounds pretty unfair!!! Can you each have a cash budget and when it's gone it's gone?
FYI, we generally have about 900 for food, transport and going out for the whole month, and we are pretty extravagant on food (but very tight on going out and transport- and there are 4 of us). So you will be fine!

Wigwigeconomist · 10/03/2018 07:02

Yes peach my husband is like this, his nemesis is the supermarket shop. I go with him now Blush

Otherwise he's meant this month, I've issues an incentive if we save x amount, we get y amount to treat ourselves

And I give him a daily reminder of what I expect him to spend -nothing at the mo

We have joint account so I ca keep track too

Seems to be working this month

Swipe left for the next trending thread