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

grannycake Motorhome sounds exciting! Where do you go away?

Frugal the flip to make the festivities fun http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/costoff_living/4673070-frugal-the-flip-to-make-the-festivities-fun

Hope that works, it's a really friendly thread. Range of financial circumstances but all wanting to be frugal, for whatever their own reasons.

Thank you so much! I bloody love MN ❤️❤️❤️

I have a cupboard food of odds and end but will add broth mix to the list. I will menu plan to eat around the odds and ends.

i don’t really use lidl as it’s the wrong side of town but we have one opening soon so will swap from Aldi for a bit. Though controversial Sainsbury’s are sometimes better price wise + nectar points specially the Aldi price match

Waves at other frugaleers

Yes Yes - I need to join this thread. Placemarking....will come back in January

I'm up for it! I really need to look at what my spare money goes on - I usually have £700 after bills and food which just goes every month on : petrol, kids, clothes, leisure, I've been tracking in a spreadsheet for the last four months. Christmas is going to be horrendously expensive as we have lots of meet ups etc but I've set a budget for each one.

Definitely up for this, I recently became aware of how much we waste! Personally, food shopping I'm going to have to amend as a lot of our spends is eating out so food shopping for meals made at home is allowed but Costa/Nero/Atarbucks is out!

@ivykaty44

This year we revisited some of our favourite areas in France & Netherlands - down the west coast and back up through the Pyrenees and the Dordogne. Then up to visit friends in the Netherlands with a coupe more stops on the way. Then we went to Brittany for 6 weeks Sept/Oct

Next year we want to visit Provence and the Alps then Netherlands and Denmark in September/October

@grannycake. Sounds wonderful
I was in Brittany myself in September, a tad wet so moved on. Want to return though as found a great campsite near Rostrenen which would be great for cycling 🚴‍♀️

We were luck with weather - better than we expected. We use an app called park4thenight. We had a great campsite for a couple of nights on the Nantes Brest canal which was lovely for the bikes. We don't often move the van in the day but use bikes to explore and go food shopping. Our dog comes with us and sits in the cargo bike like a little princess

So I suggested to DW that we should buy a set amount of alcohol for January socialising, and plan to have a night in rather than go to the pub. She one-upped me and said "let's do dry January, too"!

No thank you but best of luck to everyone who is

Good luck to everyone, some very sensible ideas but It would make feel a bit depressed not being able to spend money on little extras, if I am stretched I would do this but otherwise the odd coffee out and little beauty and clothing buys making the working week a little easier to get through.

I'm in! January is a bit tricky birthday wise, but I'll try and do that shopping in December. I have a very early payday in December so January always seems incredibly long, but this idea (I especially need to make a random food cupboard eat-up plan) should help.

I really need to do this

I'm spending far too much on things I don't need (but like!)

Mums bday in January so I'll grab her something soon for that

I’d love to join please. I had to stop work literally overnight a couple of weeks ago to become a full time carer for my youngest daughter for the foreseeable future. We really need to be tightening our belts and working my way through cupboards and freezer is a priority.

Yep I'm in, I love to spend and it would be fine if I could afford to!

I'm in too. I've been thinking about a no spend Jan for a while and some mutual support will help! Have a medical condition that's getting worse and so am working towards going part time, if I can pay off some debts...

Great idea! We've also just completed a low spend November after overspending by ££££ in Sept/Oct. It's been ok, just have to get into the habit of saying no (to myself!) even when something seems essential eg we have a half decorated room which I want to get finished but ive said no to a trip to b&q. It can wait. We've bought some Xmas presents already and we're really paring back so hopefully Dec/Jan can see us back on an even keel.

just seen elsewhere this woman saying

how many times do you think you went to the supermarket last months, people answered various amounts and then she told them to go and check their bank statements for the month

the answers where for those that said oh I went 5/6 times - they actually went 12-14 times

The top up shop is very dangerous and if we don't register were doing it, its even worse! As we pop in for milk and get £20 worth of food.....

Its a real danger to no spend days

avoid the top up shop by freezing milk and bread, buying part baked rolls etc. Or using the bread machine at the back of the cupboard

That's a good point. In lockdown I was spending over £120 a week with Waitrose who were the only ones who would deliver at the time. Now I rarely use Waitrose delivery and get most things from Asda on an almost daily basis so I'm spending more. It's pay day soon so I might go back to the big shop.

I used to be really good at buying my food for the week and that was that. If I ran out, I did without. Now with 4 children and a snack loving partner I find it really hard to remember to always get everything everyone else wants and I can’t cope with the complaining if they have to do without their preferred cereal/chocolate bars/apples so I’m forever popping in for stuff. That’s one area I can definitely work on!

Now with 4 children and a snack loving partner I find it really hard to remember to always get everything everyone else wants and I can’t cope with the complaining if they have to do without their preferred cereal/chocolate bars/apples so I’m forever popping in for stuff.

could you make them responsible and say its got to be on the list by shopping day, otherwise you'll need to wait until next week?

AutisticLegoLover

Asda do home delivery, could you use that instead? Or click and collect?