No spend January

[ivykaty44]

anyone up for a no spend January?

just the normal utilities, food shopping and transport costs

then put the purse/wallet away and don't spend till February

a good way to rebalance the balance after xmas

@woodlandarchitect

NSD here as expected but I’ve spent most of the afternoon in hospital as I collapsed and there was a worry about having a stroke.

I’m 35 getting better now. Wasn’t a stroke thankfully.

But I feel really low about my health and career.

That sounds scary. Hope you are OK. Are they doing any follow ups?

Still nothing other than groceries for me here, even taken leftovers for lunch instead of canteen.

I've been offered free (well, booking fee only) tickets to a 90s night out tomorrow, wonder if that's allowed

NSD for me and DH has offered to pay half for DGSs school stuff so my spend for January is now £44.75 which doesn't sound so bad. I still haven't spent any real money (I'm counting real money as my wages and pension) I'd like to spend no real money this month.

Hope you feel better soon @Woodlandarchitect

I spent more ££ today 🙊
Went into M&S for milk, and had to pass the 70% off clothes rail 😬
BUT definite bargains - a top for £8.50, trousers for £16 and some leggings for DD.
Then spent joint M&S vouchers DH and I had received on groceries.

NSD for me and I even got a 'free' dinner as I went to my sisters!

@Woodlandarchitect so sorry to hear your news. Hope you feel better soon

a 90s night out tomorrow, wonder if that's allowed

going back in time it'll be much cheaper

Oh gosh @woodlandarchitect - hope you are ok and recover soon!

Another NSD and I've done a spreadsheet so I can log all my spending or lack of! I'm hoping I'm going to see a sea of NSDs.

I've set myself a weekly budget for food and anything I don't spend will be saved

How scary for you @woodlandarchitect! How are you feeling now? Try to rest.

Another nsd here.

My non essential spends so far are £17. (I think it will help me to keep track and be accountable if I list it here!).

I’ve been eyeing up luggage as I’ve got a weekend away coming up but I have a bag, I don’t need a bag!
It’s not until February but I got cheap train tickets by booking the return separately, I’m planning on taking lunch/drinks for the journey and all accommodation and food once there is free. I will need lunch on the way back and won’t be able to make it and it’s 6 hours so I’ll starve!

@Toffeecaramelapple

Definitely me.

I’m getting married in early 2022 and we will properly merge finances then but until then I am solely responsible for nursery fees and half the mortgage and it’s crippling me. I never have any money!

Why are you solely responsible for nursery fees?

@Woodlandarchitect how awful, and so scary. I hope you got some answers and are feeling a bit better.

Not a no spend day today. I ordered a stock pot from Asda £20 reduced to £13. I make lots of soup and my current pot has lost all its non stick. I really do need a new one so I’m ok with that . However I’m not sure how I can justify the matching pan set I bought £65 reduced to £32.50. My current pans aren’t perfect but there’s life in them yet. I used some money I was given for Christmas but that was really allocated to groceries this month. I will need dog food and some groceries tomorrow.

@Woodlandarchitect. So sorry to hear that. You say you are very anxious and have had a shock work wise. Might be connected to that?

Yesterday £60 tesco

@Woodlandarchitect how awful! I hope you feel better soon.

I had to spend some money yesterday on a birthday gift. I was going to put £20 in a card but then decided to pop into bookshop and got two nice books totalling £14.99. Worth the effort as it looks more thoughtful than the cash and £5 saved too. Off to Aldi today to try and spend as little as possible on the food shop for the coming week.

Spent £29.87 yesterday. But this was a deposit on my son's birthday cake and milk, bread and a can of Diet Coke.

January is an expensive month in our house - DS's birthday plus swimming lessons and music lessons due, MOT due as well as leftover Christmas expenses. I don't necessarily need to save money but I'd like to not go overdrawn. But if I can keep on no/low spend , I hopefully can break even for the first time ever!

@woodlandarchitect - so sorry to hear that. Get well soon!

I did loads of online shopping last night but spent nothing! A PP mention just put things in your online basket but don't proceed to the checkout. I will go back later this month to see if I still want to buy them.

Thanks everyone! It was a rubbish experience but thankfully the doctors and hospital were quiet & eerily peaceful! Also, I’m already under consultant care so I was well looked after it’s just so shocking to go through something like that.

Anyway, I have spent £34 today which was pre budgeted and expected.

And also had to buy cat food for Mr Mcfussypaws.

I did fritter £2.75 on a pastry brush but am not going to cry about it 😂

I’ve taken some stuff down from eBay as I can’t be arsed with doing anymore and I made £75 this month which suits me fine!

This weekends planned spends are
£9 on hot chocolates / coffees during family walk
£2-£5 on hot cross buns / sour dough / or other bakery treat

We’re having a huge garage clear out so I budgeted for treats to make life more enjoyable while we’re busy!

I would take a flask but it broke…

I did a survey this morning, if I get through the screening I will have 8 follow up next week so will have some money to put towards my hair appointment.

I need to get some bread/milk/potatoes today so it won't be NSD but nothing that isn't essential if I resist browsing.

Still 0 on non essentials. But something is sitting burning a hole in my amazon basket and I can't decide whether to buy it or not. Its time sensitive so can't really wait til February...

@woodlandarchitect

Thanks everyone! It was a rubbish experience but thankfully the doctors and hospital were quiet & eerily peaceful! Also, I’m already under consultant care so I was well looked after it’s just so shocking to go through something like that.

Anyway, I have spent £34 today which was pre budgeted and expected.

And also had to buy cat food for Mr Mcfussypaws.

I did fritter £2.75 on a pastry brush but am not going to cry about it 😂

I’ve taken some stuff down from eBay as I can’t be arsed with doing anymore and I made £75 this month which suits me fine!

This weekends planned spends are
£9 on hot chocolates / coffees during family walk
£2-£5 on hot cross buns / sour dough / or other bakery treat

We’re having a huge garage clear out so I budgeted for treats to make life more enjoyable while we’re busy!

I would take a flask but it broke…

You deserve that pastry brush

im on schedule for another no spend day

£6.10 spent this year

January is an expensive month in our house - DS's birthday plus swimming lessons and music lessons due, MOT due

I hated this situation with one month having more essential spending and dd used to do a lot of extra activities, so I included MOT and activities and car tax in with the bills budget and put the money in a separate account each month. That way I could just claim the money back to my current account for those spends

how does everyone do a budget?
We have worked out what we need over the year based on spending last year but now I wonder whether we need to have separate pots for each expense or whether we can just track it on a spreadsheet.
Our house insurance is due in March but I guess if we keep it altogether we could use the car budget (MOT and insurance in September) before "paying it back". So over the year it works out?

Another NSD should be on the horizon and I also got a voucher for a free hot drink and cake from John Lewis - I haven't had one of those for years!

I've spent £14.45 on bread/milk/fruit/veg but I did it with a gift card from surveys so it was essential but not real money anyway. I don't anything at the weekend so hopefully 2 NSDs coming up.