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

My DS isn't back at school until tomorrow so this last week has still felt a little like we were still on holiday mode which didn't help the spending! Still pleased with my willpower yesterday of doing an extra 20mins at the gym rather than mooching around the shops before picking him up from his activity which would have inevitably led to an unnecessary spend.

Currently meal planning for the week and will go through the cupboards/freezer to see what we have to be used up.

Well week 2 starts here. I didn't do badly for week 1 but want to do better for week 2. I will need to get some stuff for GS as he's doing his gold DofE and needs some equipment for his expedition, practices starting this month, but that money has already been put on one side so I don't think I will count that. I am looking for bargains and hoping he can borrow some stuff.

Gran if you have to buy stuff make sure you ask for dofe discount or if gs is in scouts scout discount, I always use it in millets but I’m sure others do, or borrow from scouts

Well my couple of hours in work at 6am turned into almost 6 hours, run off my feet busy kind of hours 😢
that means I will be home alone when I get back and only have to feed myself but that also means I picked up a curry and apple pie and custard for dessert so definitely not a nsd today as that came to £10.66 but I’m going to go home, have a quick tidy round, shower then have my food in pj’s in front of the tv and do not much else today

I'm making a chicken casserole shortly to go in the slow cooker. Cheapish meal, plenty of veg and pearl barley going in it. Will have some tonight for dinner and freeze the rest in portions , should get about 5 portions out of that. Makes me feel virtuous!
Going to my Mums this afternoon, will be a NSD. Pleased with my progress so far.
I try to look at it as a game/challenge. Since I started writing down what I spend its really helped. I allow myself so much for coffees out, food, petrol. The only category I struggle with is miscellaneous! But there's usually something I need and it varies every month. I should probably tackle that!

Hi all I'm just back from my weekend away stuck to my £50 budget so am pleased 🙂

Taking DC swimming in a bit which is "free" as we have membership so using it lots before it runs out in march as I don't know if we will be able to renew due to cost.

I said the other day I bought a new kettle as ours broke well I've decided to take it back. That will save £20. Our broken one will do for now 😂

£80 online shop this morning am really pleased with that it's normally around £150 but we have lots in the freezer to use up. My task for this week is to empty it and make a list of what we have and what meals we can create. Although I'm also mean to be starting swimming world tomorrow so I'm not sure if that will be compatible tbh but will do what I can!

Also treated myself to a new dress but it was from vinted using my vinted balance so am pleased with that.

NS yesterday and today, I have the big oven on for a roast dinner that will hopefully do us another couple of meals in the week. I also have £100 credit in my Amazon account just by sending my unwanted orders back. There were quite a few little bits and I was suprised how much it added up. But that should enable me to get somthing for my mums birthday at the end of the month without anything going out of the bank account.

Well, I’m definitely pleased with myself - got the teens to sit down with me and even one with ASD managed to accept we needed to change music/subscription deals. So I’ve come off Amazon completely, no more sunk costs fallacy, and from what we’ve chosen re music etc I’m saving at least £180 a year! Plus there’ll be a lot on top, not buying from Amazon at all. Proud of the positivity in my house re money saving tbh.

Keep up the good work everyone!

NSD 3 (food delivery yesterday was on DH's card...), cooking the food in freezer today.
Try to keep weekly food budget 40-50 for a big lot of delivery, and some top up during the week around 20. I don't drive, so rely on delivery for large items.
2 adults and 2 DC under 6.

That's really brilliant. Not always an easy subject with teenagers so I think you did well to deal with it head on and your kids sound great. You have every reason to be proud, what a brilliant start to the year.

NSD here and ds2 made himself a packed lunch for his day out instead of asking for £5 to get a meal deal at the local shop. Good lad 😀

@Justgivemehotchocolate ahh a good boy! ☺️

@ancientgran thank you, I appreciate your response, parenting ASD/ADHD teens can be exhausting; poor DD14, even the smallest change is overwhelming for her. And they really helped double-checking I was cancelling everything fully/checking my analysis of best deals etc…DD14 will never be able to live independently but to have her even able to be a part of our discussion of things like this is huge.

My Amazon subscription has ended as has my Disney and Amazon music subscriptions and I've deleted the Amazon app. Dd isn't too happy about the lack of Prime but I've said it's just for a couple of months while we save for our holidays. She's ok with that. There's nothing we need from Amazon any time soon.
I have a birthday cake to make this week but I have left over icing from
DD's birthday so don't need to buy more.

That's absolutely lovely @Mashedpotatoesandgravy. So nice to hear about your DD.

Spends this weekend remain low
£50 (two way), accessible taxi for DH. Unavoidable if I am to get him home for the weekend.
£12 local shop, bottle of wine, Skittles for DH (the vending machine at the hospital is £1.30 for a tiny bag).
£6 pill box for DH to measure out tablets for the week.

I do have to exempt myself from hospital parking not counting as essential spends given DH is there long term so I have to pay if I want to see him!

Hi all, I'm a bit late but I would like to join this thread too if that's ok?
I had my first no-spend day all month today which feels like a good achievement.

I've just downloaded and filled in the spending wallet budgeting app.

I'm a bit horrified as I get paid on 1st of the month, and I've spent well over half of it already.

I had an unexpected pet bill, had to buy a lot of extra school uniform and shoes for children that I wasn't expecting. And had a child's birthday party.

Plus the term's sports clubs for me and the dc.

So I suppose when I write it out there are a lot of big things.

But I earn a good salary at the moment, and I'm considering changing job at some point. But every month I have to use my savings to keep going.

I'm a single parent, and I try to keep everything going and my head above the water. And I struggle to get organised at home or meal plan or cook properly. Plus I tend to say yes to social opportunities when they come up, as otherwise dc and I on our own quite a lot.

So I feel I struggle to get a grip on my spending. But I need to at least be able to live within my monthly salary.

A LSD today, £10 on two Too Good to Go bags and some fruit, as DD is back in school tomorrow. That should help with the NSD! Have also decided not to buy a new washing machine after the old one died two days ago: there's a launderette nearby, and it might even help with my energy bills at home. Let's see how long I last! 😂

Well today's NSD wasn't! I ended up spending £1.94 on milk and bananas! Lol
But that's fine. Tomorrow may or may not be a NSD , meeting my daughter for a coffee in Nero's. Hoping she might pay for me!

@frustratedashell essential food doesn't count so don't worry.

I need to buy a birthday candle and wrapping paper this week although I might use the candies I've got as ds loves blowing them out so the number of candies might be better than a number candle. I'll dig them out. They are unused. I have the cake board I used for dd's birthday that can be reused.

Morning all, hope you have a good low spend/no spend week.

Today I've only got to buy milk and cat food. So hopefully I can stick to that and not buy anything else without meaning to.

So about £6.50 total. 🤞fingers crossed I can stick to that!

Ahh I hadn't realised my electricity bill also came out my account today - and my national trust membership.

Even though these are bills I was expecting it does feel like money is just shooting out my account every day!

@AutisticLegoLover My DS had his birthday last week and the supermarket was sold out of number candles- and he was really happy with having individual candles to blow out - so that could be a small saving for you?

Totals for me so far: (excluding direct debits which I may need to take closer look at over the next few months)

Groceries £144
Own dc birthdays x2 £207

Other £48

Oh no I forgot the veg box so that makes groceries £159

Oh no - there was a weird problem with my card on PayPal and everything I randomly bought before and over Christmas has now come out in one lot. I actually thought it had come out at the time, but looking at it, it hadn't.

That leaves me with £200 until 31 Jan!
But I've got 2 x mobile phone bills, lawyers bill, counselling bill, and guttering clearance to come out. Regardless of fuel and food.

I've now disconnected my card from PayPal so can't use it again.

talkingfarm

this is why I have a separate account for all my direct debits and on pay day each month a twelfth of all my bills for the year is paid into the account.

that way what is left in my current account is mine to spend, save etc and I don't have to worry about the bills account, other than increasing the amount annually.

There are also several accounts presently paying 5% interest on money under £1500, so I can get interest on the account.

I don't have a debit card for the account as then can't spend the money - but stuff like MOT etc I transfer the money across once paid into my own account and pay by debit card

my total for food shopping £61.81
fuel £14.89

Haircut £22

tomorrow night Im out with friends for supper,

But Sunday and Monday are going to be NSD!