Anyone want to join for a No spend January

[ivykaty44]

As done in other years, a no spend January

But also perhaps a budget cooking month, to really keep costs down

the idea is we only spend money on transport & food shopping - so those items don't count, but lets try and keep the shopping spends low

I shall be following the likes of cardiff mum and taming twins for budget ideas for food, especially using slow cooker and doubling up recipes.

I shall also be cooking some slow cooker recipes in January and doubling up, that way can cook for the first 2 weeks of January and freeze for the next two weeks

Purchasing birthday present for January on Black Friday next week, that way getting a good deal.

Its a reset on finances which will be especially needed in the household to curb some unnecessary spending and leave me with money in the bank on 31 January. I did this about 4 years ago and had an extra £110 in my account.

doing free things, , freecycle after Christmas, walks, cycling, library trips, free talks etc

Some take it into February

Just checked, you can't just buy a Toby Carvery gift card on TCB, but you can buy a YouChoose giftcard and then swap it for a Toby carvery, so you get 5.85% back. I do a YouChoose every week for my Sainsbury's shop, it isn't alot but it does add up over the year.

I normally fill up on the 1st or 2nd of the month and in recent months it has been anything between £70 and £90 a month but I haven't used much in December so that is going to be another positive.

fuel was £1.58 in early December, then £1.52 just before Christmas - today it is £1.49

Ive done my grocery shopping yesterday for the week, have left over food to add to it so should get though till next Friday.

Yes lower price of petrol plus not doing much driving in December is a double positive. Hoping it will be half my usual spend.

I will join you all on this journey. I work in a supermarket and not a day goes by that I don’t pop in for something when I’ve finished and always end up with things I don’t need and could definitely do without.
we have a food delivery each Saturday morning and I pick up any fruit we need plus any unavailable/subbed items when I finish and then I’m going to try and limit myself to just a mid week shop on a Wednesday for any fruit/veg/milk/bread for the latter part of the week.
money is tight at the minute, I am part time as also in my final year of uni and partner has had to drop a day due to lack of work which avoided redundancies where he works so we are definitely feeling the pinch.
I cook from scratch most days but have started to think of meals that will last 2 days so tomorrow I am making stew with mash, veg and Yorkshire pudding then Monday will be leftover stew on chips. I am going to sit and try and think of a few more 2 day meals or at least meals which might have enough leftovers for lunch the next day.
Im hoping it might have a knock on effect and make me eat healthier as I could do with losing about a stone.
Spend wise for Jan, I have one birthday to buy for and youngest ds is getting ready for new trainers and school trousers so they might have to be bought. We have a holiday booked for April which is paid off but both kids need new passports and all of us will need a few new clothes for that so anything saved will go into the pot for that
Good luck everyone, I look forward to reading how we all get on

I’ve done my food shopping for next week and still have a decent cupboard haul. 2 Jan will need to put £50 in the car and top up school lunch accounts

that should be it next week that’s not planned for

Oh I forgot about school lunch money! That will need doing before they go back so that's around £170 plus monthly payment towards school trip so around £200 oops!

I've helped my step dad out as he's been in hospital the last few days. He's home now but needs taking to a few appointments, so I volunteered. He very kindly said to me fill up the car with petrol and I'll pay for it. I protested but he insisted. So been to fill up car, was £50. A great help. Feel very fortunate.

Grigorisangel I make a veg and bean casserole in my slow cooker. Chuck in allsorts, lentils, dried beans, carrots, parsnips, onion , pearl barley. I use a tin of chopped tomatoes for the base, and chuck in herbs, Worcestershire sauce etc. It's bloody lovely, cheap and nutritious and freezes well. Only downside is I'm rather windy afterwards! Lol

Has anyone tried this budget planner?

Clever Fox Budget Planner PRO - Financial Organizer + Cash Envelopes. Monthly Finance Journal, Expense Tracker & Personal Account Book, Undated, 18 x 25.5cm - Dark Teal amzn.eu/d/5PUtWva

That’s not cool dropping your affiliate links into a thread like this. 😔

How is it an affiliate link? Someone mentioned budget planners and I was looking at them on Amazon and like the look of this one but prefer personal recommendations. There are cheaper ones but they don't have photos of the inside pages. I'm more likely to stick to a budget if I have a pretty book to document everything.

Not used that but some years ago I had a lot of success with a notebook and some envelopes. Something about having it physically written down and cash allocated made a huge difference.

I just find it so much harder budgeting for an entire family rather than just myself!

Planned big spends in January
Car MOT
Ds Birthday
DD bus pass
Friend’s 50th party (involves night in a hotel and travel costs)

Also have DN birthday
DS’ friend’s birthday party

I have lots of vegetables and eggs so need to cook using those as much as possible this week, any suggestions welcome.

Not used it but it looks decent
money saving expert site have a full year one to

My apologies if it wasn’t an affiliate link…

I once read that it’s sheer madness to spend money on these “pretty envelopes” and I rather agree although it was in my Amazon basket over a year. If you want to use the envelope system, you don’t. Need to buy new envelopes. You go to your desk draw and pull out 10 standard white envelopes.

Dave Ramsey used to say it was bonkers… before he started monetising and selling them…

Anyway, today will be an easy no spend and the shops by me aren’t open until Wednesday (even for food). There is nothing I NEED online.

I’m going to join. I’ve already gone a bit mad on the sales and now have 3 packages to return..

I have a birthday that will need accounted for and a meal out, but other than that, I need to curb!

I have been using green chef though- because you can get a free box! I used my email then my husbands email to get 2 free boxes (you do pay for delivery.)

It’s free for 2 people, 3 meals a week, owned by hello fresh. So far has been very good. I’ll get a reward if you use the below link too.

www.greenchef.co.uk/plans?c=FIH-VNPSA69YSD57&plans_ab=true&utm_campaign=clipboard&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=raf-share-hpt

Happy new year!

Aiming for a NSD today. Although last night I did treat myself to a few bits in the sales with some Christmas money as needed to be able to show family what I'd bought with the money they'd given me. Vast majority of money just going into family pot.

So planned but not usual expenses for Jan...

£200 before DC go back to school on lunches for the half term plus cost towards a trip.

DC hobby subs are due think it's around £40

DC haircuts £26 but often we get sibling discount so hopefully £20.

I've got a night away visiting a friend. Budgeting £50 for money towards petrol, bottle of wine to take plus half the cost of a takeaway plus coffee and cake? Not sure if that will be enough actually 🤔

Then just the usual bills and food. Trying to get food down from approx £1000 a month but I don't know what is reasonable. It's so high as lots of food restrictions and I cook 2-3 different meals a night. Trying to shop at Aldi more rather than ocado although we have ocado coming tomorrow oops it's so much easier but I really need to find time to go to the shops.

Anyway I'm waffling now!

@frustratedashell thank you, that does sound lovely. I may look to do something similar. I’m coeliac so would need to adjust it slightly but that’s easy enough to do.
first of the no spend days today. I’m still lazing in bed on my phone, don’t think the kids will wake up for a while yet and we have no plans to go anywhere.
I have realised a big challenge no spend wise will be saying no to the youngest when he asks to buy things on his iPad, just yesterday he spent 3 times on Roblox but it was two lots of 89p and then £1.79 so it seems like such small amounts but they all add up through the month. I shall look to be stricter and say no once he has spent his spending money

OK I am starting today too! Have set a £10 a day maximum limit to cover all incidental costs after bills etc. Day 1 looking good, but it isn't lunchtime yet! Good luck everyone!

So happy to get started with this. I will fill the car up tomorrow but I know it will be alot less than usual. I have got 2 family birthdays this week but the presents are already done but I will need to get a card for the 2nd one, already done the first, and hopefully I have a stamp somewhere. GS (who lives with me) has a school trip but I've already paid for it so just spending money for that which will probably be cheaper than feeding him for the weekend (where do teenagers put all the food they eat?)

I've checked and I currently have £45 to cash out on topcashback so I will get a supermarket voucher with that, £85 in a survey site so that is coming out as well and any shopping I need this week will be paid for with nectar points at Sainsbury's so I reckon it will be the middle of the month before I touch my pension money other than for my usual direct debits.

This is going to be my first NSD of the month as I'm not planning on going out and not looking at the sales online.

Good luck everyone.

Day 1 hate for me too… although I think I should have started on 29th as that’s when I was paid! 🙈

I haven’t left the house yet but I’ve got to drive to nearest hospital this afternoon (40 mile round trip) to pick dh up who had surgery last night. He’s requested a Big Mac on the way home which I can’t refuse!

Well here goes! I need to buy some milk if anywhere is open today but that's all.

*started not hate!

It’s actually a 60 mile round trip 🙈

Hope he's OK. I think a big mac to celebrate the op being over and done with is definitely worth it.

NSD for me

ive got several points on my Starbucks Rd! So a free coffee 😅 I’ve got a couple of full Nero loyalty cards as well, so going to use them all up in January

Have held off spending so far, though very tempted by stopping at the pub for a coffee on my morning walk. Must remember to take a travel mug out with me tomorrow!

£90 on diesel but otherwise a NSD