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

Ah, thanks for GHIC tip @ivykaty44

This is the first overseas trips where we have to take Ddog into account - he's had his rabies shot, he will be all up to date with vaccinations and flea treatment and - IIRC - we will have to get certificates to that effect from the vet no more than 8 days ahead of departure for each trip. At a cost, ahem, of around £150 each time. Still, that's a matter for August and October, so will have time to make provision for that additional holiday expense.

Another day of work finished and my hopes to not pop to the shop didn’t happen but I did only buy bananas and almond milk, totalling £2.25. That means my top up shops for the week have come to £24.14 which seems an awful lot and something I will aim to reduce next week however that did include antiseptic mouthwash due to my wisdom tooth abscess (being removed on Tuesday 😢) plus spot treatment gel and plasters for teen ds which are not frequent purchases. Aim for next week is a top up shop under £15 (or even £10) which should be doable with proper meal planning

I spent yesterday, dentist & lunch with a friend.

One planned, one not but hopefully a NSD today 🤞

I've bought ds's birthday cake decorations today and his cards. I've brought a flask hot chocolate and sandwiches and crisps to swimming to avoid buying food while out.

NSD today, I had planned to do food shopping but felt too unwell, and had to have a PJ day. We have food for today, so will go tomorrow.

A bit late to the party but I’d like to join in 😁
DS13 just gone into town for a haircut so that will be £10 but otherwise we’ve all been at home so no other spending.

@AutisticLegoLover well planned re the flask and snacks! I still remember being excited by a thermos of warm whatever as a child 😁.

AutisticLegoLover How have you saved by taking your own food and drink to swimming?

I’ve used my free Nero card for coffee today

negotiated a girls night in tomorrow at a friends house, but have a meal out Tuesday evening, so will try and get through the weekend on NSD mode 😂

Just a top up shop today, £13.75. happy with that. Am buying cheaper fruit and veg, so basic stuff like carrots, parsnips and keeping away from bags of salad and strawberries etc

NSD managed today and homemade curry leftovers for dinner tonight.
Tomorrow's going to be a challenge but I'll try my best to avoid buying coffee. There's a child birthday party on Saturday so I'm going to save my pennies for a coffee at the soft play instead. Or make DH pay for it <evil laugh>. 😂

@ivykaty44 it was a swimming lesson that's paid for monthly. The timing is rubbish so we need to eat while out in the tiền where ds has him swimming lesson. It's either chips from the chippy or a picnic.

you all talking about ferry and holidays!! has got me searching...

not booked yet though!

I did buy bread and left with just bread, nothing else

Started my shopping list and think I can get mostly from Aldi and a few bits from Sainsbury so hopefully come in at under £40

got a new recipe www.thegoodbite.co.uk/recipes/crispy-chilli-beef-fried-rice/

5 days NSD in a row, can I make it until Monday?

@Probablymagrat hope you feel better soon 💐

Just a bill to pay today-£18. And Dd finally sent me the money she owed me for her phone bill so I used that. Plus she didn't need to go to her activity tonight so I've saved 30 miles of petrol too. Need milk and possibly bread tomorrow but I've a bit of change in my purse to get that. Quite a few bills to pay tomorrow though when I get paid 😫

Tesco £57 but that included 2 bottles of wine and a chicken for the dog 🐕 as we are veggie

Nsd here. 2nd day in row. But tomorrow spending £260 on the car in mot and service. Hopefully not spending this weekend

NSD again, so think that's 2nd, 4th and 5th as NSDs (though you could take off 4th due to eBay return debacle). Also sold a hoover we got for free when purchasing a new fridge (old one packed in just before Xmas - that purchase is main reason why I need to curb the spending now!).

NSDs while working seem quite easy to manage if I bring in lunch. Weekends will be much harder and this weekend I have a friends birthday drinks Saturday eve - long planned so I will go but keep spend low, funding out of hoover sale

Mot tomorrow, fingers crossed

hope it passes @frustratedashell
Right so far I've paid the milk bill (cancelled now just one more payment to go).
credit card
next account
2 Klarna payments wish I'd never used the bloody thing
weekly water has gone
Ds breakfast club.
Need £50 for petrol tomorrow (cheap petrol station near work), £15 for house insurance Monday, and £14 for Spotify Thursday (Dd pays me for that).
That leaves me £42.40 in the bank which I need to save for Dd dance payment next week. Just requested my Tesco Clubcard points early as had £5.50 so will sort the few bits of shopping needed with that and the change in my purse tomorrow.

Am so far sticking to the £10 a day, and am a bit ahead of myself, but will need to get petrol tomorrow. Thanks to the poster for the green chef tip - looks good and am going to try that next week. Am also going to gumtree a few items next week.

NSD for me yesterday and I managed to stay away from Vinted, I'm loving it but I don't need to buy anything else until I have a clear out!

Ive been shopping

£54.64 in Aldi, Sainsbury and lastly M&S for ramen. I think I purchased everything I need for the week.
I do need petrol, but am holding off until Sunday night

Hopefully no top up shops will be needed.

I also picked up my free books form the library

apart from that NSD on day 6 of the year

blue my dog would like to come and live with you. He gets more than his share of our roasts and whatever, but a whole chicken, just for him! "At last,' he'd say, 'I find my pe`ople, who understand what I'm capable of.'

Yesterday was my weekly shop by Sainsbury's, that was £52.76 but shouldn't need much else for the week just bread and milk hopefully plus I paid for our eggs from the farm today so that was another £3.40 so day six and 3 NSD.

I'm actually really happy, had a leak under the sink and called the plumber we use, he sorted it really quickly and won't charge me. I was expecting to have a bill for £30 or £40 so a real win there.

So far I've spent £60 this week (except for petrol and school lunches which will both last for the month) so I am happy with that. GS has also got a lift for football tomorrow, it's a 60 mile round trip so I've saved on petrol plus I'd have probably ended up buy a hot drink and something to eat so I'm feeling good about week 1.

Day 6. No spends. Have made flapjack with stuff from my stores.

£57 in Aldi today, the first shop since the christmas big shop. I was hoping for less, but I did buy more than a weeks worth of meals, so am hoping to not have to go again for about 10 days. This will save me petrol as Aldi or Lidl are around 8 miles away, so I have to buy a lot to make the petrol spend worthwhile.