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

@Orcubed

I did an inventory at the beginning of the year and we had a groaning freezer and cupboards, so I'm menu planning and using things up.

It's amazing what we had five packets of pasta, four of rice enough noodles to feed China, six tins of tuna etc etc

Im doing a menu plan before I go shopping and sticking to just what we need. It helps that the teenagers have weekend jobs in restaurants and so get fed there.

NSD yesterday as it was cold and windy and wet, so we had a chill out day. DH is a bit ill, but he has some medicine now. Our ds played with Christmas presents and I caught up with my family (abroad) on video calls. We were talking about holiday plans and who is visiting who this year, but no money has yet been spent!

Two weeks into January, I have spent a bit less than £300 on everything - incl. budgeted subscriptions, petrol (we don't drive much and have a new to us - but very old - hybrid), groceries, one restaurant meal, two small kids' birthday gifts, ds after school club top up payment (I did have some £££ left over from last term, which helped). DH paid council tax and a big grocery shop so he has spent a similar amount to me so far.

So I'm slightly amazed and very chuffed about that!! Definitely less than usual, and much needed after all the spends at Christmas.

Keep up the good work, everyone - and get back to it if you fall off the wagon. We can do this!

@PurplePositivity I'm very impressed! I’ve been using up and meal planning etc and have reduced our spend by quite a bit but haven’t got it as cheap as you have. I do have loads of veg though so I’m hoping next week will be a cheap shop.

£5 in Coop on bread, doughnuts & ice cream. Only the bread was needed. Note to self don't pop to Coop before eating

Haven't RTFT need to have a catch up but no spend Jan is going pretty well here! Although there's been lots of spending we've been more mindful and even little things that ashamedly I haven't done before Luke checking through the pantry before the weekly shop rather than just click click click on the app. We've got 5 jara of pasta sauce for example!

Tonight we are having roast chicken then I'm hoping to make chicken fried rice and also chicken noodle soup this week.

NSD, day 13.. running total of £8 for non essentials ..

Another NSD here.
One of our biggest problems was popping to the shop for one item and walking out with a bagful of stuff. I’ve started using cash and only taking enough to cover the thing I actually need, then I can’t get tempted once I’m there. It’s really helping.

That’s exactly my problem too. Go to Tesco for one thing and leave with a heaving bag of stuff I didn’t actually really need.
On Friday I spent £6.80 and that was incl a beer for me for £2 which felt naughty but was a LOT cheaper than I would have got from anywhere else and also the perfect amount for the evening.

It was my turn to buy coffee this morning when out on a very cold cycle ride, so that was about £7

aiming for 5 NSD this week as Saturday I am going for afternoon tea and thats £35, plus travelling on the train to get there

NSD here

NSD here too, used some cooked chicken from the freezer to make a pie, used up the last of the veg to go with it, and the last of the fruit to make a fruit salad for pudding. Cheese toasties for tea, with h/m leek soup. Must go food shopping tomorrow though. Going to try and make it last 10 days again though.

Another one that takes cash to limit spends. It's a really good limiter.

£25 accessible taxi, unavoidable spends, £9 on Oat Milk at Amazon, by far the cheapest place, £1.50 a carton, the next cheapest is £1.80 and most over £2.

@needastrongoneagain I quite often make homemade oat milk, works out at pennies per litre and is surprisingly easy. The kids find it amusing to make oat milk to go in their porridge, they are easily pleased 🤣.

NSD here, spent the day reading by the fire then doing the ironing. Plan is NSDs all next week, and manage without a food shop till the following week too - apart from milk. Dinner today was gluten free chicken & leek pie and mash/veg, tomorrow it will be scotch broth and oatcakes.

Spent a bit this weekend. Most of it necessary but I added a couple of items to Amazon purchase of a piano book my son needed for his lessons which though low cost were not required and could have waited. We almost had lunch out today - prevented by place we were aiming for being closed. Shame at the time but it did prevent a spend!

Next weekend will be spendy as it's my sons birthday so got to hold it down this week.

Just spent £12 unexpectedly, but on a 6 book series for my DD14 who has enormous ASD anxiety around reading - she was so enthusiastic, I simply had to buy them. I do count supplies for the children (art/craft etc) as essential spending but have been trying to not even buy books for them and use library instead. This, though, I’m not going to count as me failing but as a huge success. I actually wanted to cry with happiness at her enthusiasm as I haven’t heard that from her about books for seven years.

Spent 54p on bananas ! Wohoo! Came home to penalty notice for driving in a bus lane. Didn't even know I'd done it, but photo proves that I did. £35 fine, which I've paid. Grrrrr. Will be a no spend day tomorrow.

£4.5 food shopping at Tesco.
Decide to challenge myself to only buy things that on sale, with voucher, clubcard price....if possible....
Keep up the good work, everyone!

Had to do a big shop and get petrol, so that was £122. But the shopping should last a good 2 weeks, and hoping the petrol will too. Also had to order some firelighters from Amazon as I couldn't get any in town. I'm counting them as essential though.

its blue Monday and the news is full of debt advice

so me and dd are making lattes and going to the park later for a walk and then coming home to watch a feel good film" a bank called Dave" and making homemade popcorn to sprinkle with garlic salt

nsd

pinchofnom.com/recipes/hibachi-chicken-with-yum-yum-sauce/

this is one of our favourite alternatives to a takeaway

I prep all the food on a Thursday night and have in Tupperwares in the fridge - then cook on a Friday

if anyone is looking for an alternative and missing takeaways

NSD today . I have spent on a few things that were needed this month but within my own rules for reducing spending. Running total of £8 for non essential items , day 14 😃

@Mashedpotatosandsausages , is it worth making oat milk? I'm a bit picky re the Barista type for my coffee!

Few spends today but none were frivolous!
£30 fuel
£3 coffee for DH in the hospital cafe.

Boo to the bus fine @frustratedashell

@needastrongoneagain you could look up basic oat milk recipe (oats & water lol) then look at the back of a Barista carton and see what’s different and tweak accordingly?

NSD day today, almost succumbed to buying lunch in work but was taken to task by my mate - and am glad she did!

Didn't take lunch into office as thought we had nothing suitable (no bread in the house for sarnies) but just spotted we did in fact have tuppaware of left over pasta. Grr. Anyway because of that not a NSD but I did only buy lunch