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

You could buy a whole box of tea bags and a packet of teacakes for that price and have tea and teacakes several times over. Just puts it into perspective how ££ everything is

Myauntflow78 , yes you're right but I needed a treat. The treat was relaxing in a nice place with something nice. I needed to get out of my flat. I agree that's £5 out of my budget but luckily I can afford it. I'm frugal in other areas. Horses for courses I guess

<sneaks in late>
Can i join. I'm doing this as well as Dry January which will definately help with the No Spends.
My rules are basically anything I don't need.
So basically only allowing for

• food shopping and food in the house should be used up first where possible.
• car MoT next week.
• any necessary house maintenance (like the highly exciting drainpipe i bought yesterday)

Doing well so far, although driving past the garden centre 4 times a day on the school run with its big tempting 50% off sign is testing my willpower.

Food shopping for me and mil £57

@Orcubed that would be cheap for us too

if it’s budgeted and helps your mh it’s £5 well spent As lots of spending can have an emotional link to it

I've been good today and used what we have in for dinner. Scrambled eggs on toast for the dc and jacket potato with cheese and salad for me if it ever cooks in the air fryer. Lots of beetroot. Dd is making strawberry syrup out of our past their best strawberries.

LSD- £2.50 for soup and toast at work.
£50 on petrol.
Was hoping for Nsd tomorrow however the cat has gone off the fishy Felix the fussy madam!

Forgot to get dinner out of the freezer 🤦🏻‍♀️

DP suggested a takeaway. I said no and walked to the supermarket. Swapped out today’s planned dinner with one from next week and have removed that from the online shopping coming tomorrow 😇

Thank you, I have used it without today but will get some sort of liners and see how it goes. I'm quite pleased I've figured it all out, one basket, two baskets with the same temp/time or two baskets with different times/temp. I thought I might find it hard but it turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks.

That sounds like a good plan. We had sausage and mash, DH wasn't thrilled as he's not that keen on sausages but I like them and they did cook beautifully in the air fryer.

Well I signed up but haven't posted yet 🤦‍♀️
This week was good, only spent money on groceries and fuel. DH did mess up and spent money on Amazon (he tried to use his gift cards, but it charged the card instead). For him though, that's really good!
We are working on getting out of debt. We use a rewards credit card for everything with the intent of paying it off so we don't pay interest. We haven't paid any interest in years, although it has been a struggle lately.
We're planning on keeping spending to the bare minimum, as much as possible, so we are in a better position and can budget properly.
However, my windshield needs to be replaced soon and we still need to buy guttering for DH to install. He had someone come out to give a quote - $1200! He can do it for maybe $400! It's still money we don't quite have right now though. Oh and my phone screen cracked and I'm not sure how long I can handle it 😪

£8.50 on weekend newspapers - extravagant, but for 2 households, as DMum was coming out of hospital, and having extra stuff to read would encourage quiet recuperation, was my thinking. Also some chocolate for DMum in the hospital shop, while we hung about waiting to find out if she was going to be discharged. Which she was, hurrah!

So not quite NSD, but allowable expenditure, in the circs. Plan to bake a cake tomorrow with ingredients I have in, assuming enough eggs.

I spent £50.53 but about £8 was cold and flue medication and plasters for our first aid kit. Bought a large box of soap powder so should be over two months of washes. Few bits of frozen veg so pleased with what I got.
I had a gift voucher for a local shop so mum and I had coffee and cake. I had to pay 70p but worth every penny. It’s been nearly 3 weeks since I have been to town.

£88 on weekly food shop trying to keep this to under £100 a week, there are 4 of us and the cat, we do have dogs too but their food get order monthly so haven't had to buy any this year yet.

Low spend day for me yesterday, should have been no spend but I have had a dress in a online basket for my sil wedding in march that was £80 but it went to half price and I had a voucher for 30% off so ended up getting it for £26.94 which I thought was too good to miss so hopefully when it comes I like it and it fits nicely 🤞🏻
I have ended up getting up early to nip into work this morning (on my day off) as we are very short on staff so I said I would help out. Depending on how long it takes me to get done depends on whether I will have to spend anything. If I can be done and home in 3 1/2 hours I can go out with family (in laws treat) but if I’m longer I will have to pick up something for my dinner as only have the planned meal food in the house other than soup which wouldn’t be filling enough so will see how the day goes

I spent on Saturday, I desperately needed a haircut & got an appointment for yesterday, £22 spent. So much better and couldn’t have lasted another 3 weeks 😂

m friend wanted to meet in M&S for coffee to £3

Petrol for next week £15, fuel doesn’t count fortunately

total £25 it was a good run of NSD

I'm loving reading how everyone is doing. I've been doing no spend since Christmas. My goal is to save up enough money to take me and my two boys somewhere hot next Christmas. My house has been flooded for the last three Christmas' out of four, and while I can deal with it and am prepared, it's really got me down this year. So next Christmas I just want to close the doors and leave the house and whatever will happen.

The only money I have spent since 26th December is 40 euros on food and 50 euros on petrol. I do need to do some work on the house but am waiting until the sales start here on 11th January so hopefully I will be able to buy wall tiles a little cheaper and I want to buy a sander so I can do a lot of preparation work myself and therefore saving money there.

I'm a freelance English teacher and I've also taken on a couple of new students after work, hopefully this will be ok and I won't be too exhausted but I can put the extra in the kitty. The downside to being self-employed and freelance of course is that I don't work or earn in the summer. My plan is because I live in a very touristy area, I want to Air BnB my house and make some money that way. I will test the waters in August first and see how it goes and if it's a success then I will try for the whole of summer next year. I can always go and stay with family and friends (or go camping).

I'm relying on you all to keep me on the straight and narrow.

@brittanyfairies sounds like a really good plan re summer and next Christmas.

I have spent in Superdrug today, more than I wanted but I triple checked my basket and it was all essential toiletries plus first make up for over a decade as I have some very formal appointments this next month, so I’m trying not to feel disheartened. I bought razor blades in it, free delivery, and cancelled the razor blade subscription I had, so it’s been a productive spend but was funny how much I hated buying anything 😁.

that dress sounds like too good a bargain to miss

No other spends here and today should be the same, I need nothing all week until I get my fresh stuff top up and free lidl loaf

I spent yesteday more cash than what I thought I’d but it was mostly on food. A treat to my son for a milestone and a drink and cake for myself

spent nothing yesterday and all going well so far but am going out for a meal tonight so will need to be careful to keep it sensible! good luck today everyone!

Please can I join?

I am a serious wasted spend type! Think Costa every day, eating out 2-3 times a week, lunch out often etc as it’s easier than cooking, random spending etc…

my first week has gone great! I’ve taken lunch and coffee to work (have a barista machine so no reason to buy more!) Bank holiday Monday we went cycling and would usually have coffee and cake, but didn’t! No Friday night take away (I’ve cooked everyday) and no random trips to the shop for no reason! I think I’ve saved about £75 this week!

so it’s food shopping today and I’ve written a proper list and meal plan as last week we didn’t need any too up shops and it felt great! And filling up the car, neither of which count.

so first week of January is a £0 spend!

I'm quite pleased with how this week had gone. Haven't even looked at Amazon or any off my other online apps - so haven't been tempted to buy anything in sales.

Cooked from scratch each evening, taken my lunch (which is not unusual).

Only spend yesterday was my pre booked nail appointment.

My bank balance is looking reasonably healthy for this point in January (credit card not so much but as nothing else has gone on I'm hoping to get it down)

So far feeling quite pleased with myself

Friday was nearly another NSD but had to get some stamps - 2nd class but 8 of those is over £5 now

Last night went out for friends birthday so there was spending but home made card and gift = no spending on that bit

Also did some food shopping yesterday

just did an Ocado order for delivery on Tuesday as they sent me a 20% off voucher. So that was about £65. I did buy 2 lipsticks on eBay as the one I've worn for years has been discontinued. Managed to get 2 for around £16 - given my age they'll probably "see me out" as my grandmother used to say

First week of NS for me , has gone so well. My rules are no top up shops, no online shopping or buying things that are not needed.Avoid Amazon 😂 I am also being very mindful with meal planning and food shopping by checking what we have to use up first .

I made homemade soup for lunch from leftover veg and managed to save £40 on the food shop today ( we still have treat bits from christmas so that helped) I already take leftovers to work for my lunches during the week.

£0 spend for me !

Enjoying reading how everyone is doing 😊