NO SPEND 23

[LaurieFairyCake]

I'm going HARD CORE. There's already a no spend January - I want to go ALL THE FUCKING WAY as far as possible

And I want to take YOU down with me

I confess it's easier for me as I am literally drowning in stuff even now. I've lost 6 stone in weight and I've got rid of 15 black full bags of clothes in last six months so I'm on a roll.

I also work all the fucking time so I have about 50 books to read and all the tv I want to watch. And I can't be arsed doing anything to my house so that's out.

I also want to do this for the environment - I already buy second hand as much as possible as I'm obsessed with EBay - but I could still do with buying much less

I've no idea what the rules could be, let's decide that if I get anyone on board.

My own thoughts are to get as FAR as possible.

I have bought a jumper in the sales already I don't need 🤦‍♀️ which is what kicked this off in my mind today - yadda yadda half price blah blah but I have 20 jumpers! And I had drunk half a bottle of port last night when I purchased it online...

So given my flawed premise anyone want to join me???

That was meant for the no-spend Jan thread but here will do too

NSD yesterday.

today was £46. £40 on a new pillow as mine is 10 years old and had it. This one has good reviews so I’d rather spend out more on a decent one than spend £12-20 here and there finding a good one.

£6 on a takeaway coffee, pupacino and home made dog biscuit. Worth every penny. We both enjoyed it on our lovely long walk thoroughly.

I'm happy with how I'm doing so far on the no spend year. I've just spent on food, a car service, fuel and the cattery. All of which are allowed. I don't do much online shopping. My main downfall is usually adding things to the trolley when food shopping that I want rather than need, take aways and eating out or going in any shop for one thing(like b and m, the range or home bargains)and coming out with 10 things😅 So far when doing food shopping I've kept to the list and avoid shops until it's absolutely necessary.

I read this thread at the start of January and decided I really needed to try and reduce my spending. Told myself I wasn’t allowed to spend anything on clothes this month. Have totally failed. Vinted has been my downfall. I think part of me thinks I’m getting a bargain so it’s justified but I think I find it even more addicitive because of that. I’ve listed a lot of stuff on there too and was hoping to offset my Jan spending but haven’t managed to sell anything yet. I really feel awful that I can’t stop myself. Don’t know how you’re all staying on the band wagon. Helllppp

@Cactuslover88, don't beat yourself up! I really struggled at the beginning of the month - I just felt such a strong craving to buy things. I've found that not going to shops / not looking at online shops / not looking on eBay / unsubscribing from marketing emails as I've received them have all really helped. I also allocate a small amount of money that I can spend on wants (rather than needs) every month, and this helps to focus my mind on what I'd really like, and also helps me not to feel that I'm not allowed anything ever. You can do this!

Last week I posted I had 177, I decided to go hardcore and I put 100 in savings leaving me £77 for the week. Have stuck to groceries, medicine, DC music lesson, and DC uni application fee (what a cheek that you have to pay to apply!!) and now have £16. I was secretly hoping to do slightly better but hey ho.

My stuff on vinted isn't selling either!

Food shop for the week done I hope, £130. Owch. That includes copious amounts of snacks for the “starving” teens.

Feeding teens is such an expensive pastime, I feel your pain!

I agree @CrapBucket and @Passthecake30!

NSD#7 yesterday for me (this is just 'my' discretionary spending as this is what I'm trying very hard to cut back on, I don't count food, clothes, household costs, kids' clubs etc - I know others are counting differently).

I've definitely got the January blues though. It's not much fun not eating any sugar/treats AND not being able to cheer myself up by spending money AND its dark side cold and miserable!

Discretionary spends weekly running total £4.49.

I'm in for this. I'm on the frugal thread and the no spend January too.

Today
£65 dog groomers for my very hairy two. I'm stretching it to an extra week or two but it's false economy sometimes as they take a lot longer to wash and dry after a walk and are mucky, which does stress me out 😂

£2.80 on a TGTG bag from Greggs, mainly to appease insatiable appetite's of the young adults in the house. First is ages but these are incredibly good value round here.

NSD! Actually making money today as I’ve sold a load of stuff on Vinted. I’ve got tons more to list too.

I had to spend today £88 on a new car tyre. Had one blow out on the school run.What makes it worse is they were fine at the car service on Saturday so could have lasted several thousand miles yet.
I did buy 6 rolls of wrapping paper and 72 gift tags for £2.70. Can be used for birthdays or Christmas so that's solved for the rest of the year😅

Good day, took lunch, book club at work, swim after work, spent nothing. Desperately need a new swimming costume tho <sits on hands>

Bought a month’s worth of Hay for the rabbits, about £40. Roll on spring when they eat more grass😃
sold something on eBay for £2.99. Probably not worth it after fees.

NSD#8 yesterday for me. Discretionary spends weekly running total £4.49.

I was in a charity shop today and had 2 x things for my kids in my hands, then decided we've too much crap already and put them back - £7.00 saved and no regrets.

We've not much planned for the weekend except a big roast dinner on Sunday so no/low spend for me I hope.

My eldest has prelim exams at the moment so I am planning to take her to Starbucks for a £5 FRAPPUCINO (I can't believe it costs that much!) when she's finished next week as a treat. We are both looking forward to our trip out and the end of the exams (for now!).

Keep going everyone, I keep reading the OP to this thread by @LaurieFairyCake:-

I'm going HARD CORE. There's already a no spend January - I want to go ALL THE FUCKING WAY as far as possible

And I want to take YOU down with me

This is hard core for me. I love to spend money. I also hate working! I was at one of my side hustle jobs today and was spoken to like shit by my boss and wanted to leave (not like me but I was really cross) but kept going as I need the money!

Doing well this week, no extra spending apart from a bag of popcorn as a little treat after yoga! Today I'm collecting my clothes order that I determined to just keep one thing and return the rest. Also having my hair done (but allowed in my spending though I'm going to try to stretch out to 7 weeks in between appointments). I also need to return sone bits to next to a retail park so I need to avoid the urge to shop!

Doing okay here too.

Spent £2.90 yesterday on a TGTG bag from Greggs, with a 23 and 21 in the house these are good value for us - it contained a chicken baguette, tuna salad roll, vegan chicken roll, two steak bakes, two mince pies and a shortbread.

Saves them raiding the fridge and eating all the more expensive items in it!

This weekend will be £50 on accessible taxis only.

Doing really well, definitely managed to change mindset to as thrifty as possible, and a really pleased. Daughter wanted a unicorn teddy but I said it’s a possibility for her birthday later in the year.

Okay I fell off the wagon because I am going into the office. This means somehow I get much more tired, think about takeaway, cabs etc. cracked and ordered pizza, coffee and cake.

NSD.

Today I bought yet more bastarding FOOD and some light bulbs. There was a woman nearby putting stuff back (self service tills) and I was too far away to discreetly offer to pay for it for her. Then I saw her drive off in a much much nicer car than mine so I didn't feel so bad after that.

I really begrudged spending on the light bulbs but actually being in a cosily lit home probably makes me feel warmer and less like spending on takeaways etc.

Its easily done! I try to save office days for when there are meetings with catering going on.

Kids haircuts today = £25.00. This comes from household costs. So NSD#9 today for me. Discretionary spends weekly running total £4.49.

I did well yesterday, I took two drinks and sone cheddars out with me, and got a free sausage roll with my o2 rewards app from greggs! I did buy a reduced wrap from Tesco for £1.09 when dropping off parcels, if I had been more organised this morning I could have made one but I feel this was a win as I didn't go to Mac Donald's when I was passing doing my jobs!

I managed to return clothes to next and bought 15 cards in card factory for £3 so that will keep me going for next few months! Also a valentines card for 99p so I can resist going to the shops again for a bit!

I picked up my clothes order and have decided to keep 3 skirts and 2 tops, they are dressy clothes that I do really need and with staff discount and being in the sale it's £31.50 for all, and that should now do me for clothes unless anything breaks this year!

I also booked climbing for my two children for half term on a buy one get one free session so £15.50 for them both. Not sure where to class this as it's an extra but also holiday activity and exercise and both have been asking to go back since the summer. Do people have 'pots' or budgets for activities?

Spent £7 on Costa for me and a colleague, but that’s my first this week which is a big achievement. Also bought on a gift card (£25 for £20) that I got pre Christmas. Got three points too as I used reusable so that’s £1.50 towards next drink.

I love this writing down spends, it’s v helpful. I desperately need a new swimming costume but am trying to sit on my hands.

@clary, are the extra £ giftcards offered for sale regularly? I'd like to get one and put it on my account. I've only just got the app, but I haven't used it yet. They've just sent me a 10% off my first order to encourage me.