Low spend February

[Orcubed]

For those of us who want to carry on from January. Anyone new who also wants to join in welcome!

NSD today, h/m toast and h/m jam for breakfast, leftover roasted veg made into veg and lentil soup for lunch and cheesy vegetable pasta and salad for tea.

NSD today but just as well as I had a massive Lidl spend yesterday!! I needed meals but also snacks & packed lunches for half term, so hopefully it will even out with the DC eating cheaper food whilst they're on holiday.

I also got toiletries, cleaning products, tinned food etc - annoyingly though they didn't have one of DTS1's 'safe foods' (he has ASD and a very limited diet!) meaning I'll still have to go to Tesco/ Sainsburys at some point. That will be a very small shop!

I am being very tempted at the moment and I"m trying to resist but it's so difficult. I saw my friend the other day and she was wearing a beautiful pair of Doc Martens. I mentioned I liked them but that I'd looked at them before Christmas and they were too expensive. She told me she'd got them for £100 in the sale and that they were still on sale. I've looked, they are, and they are in my size. I've also got a further discount for being a first time customer, but I haven't ordered them yet. No doubt they would be useful, I would most definitely wear them, they would last forever, but I'm not sure if I need them so much as covet them. So at the moment they are in my shopping basket and I'm trying to resist the temptation but it's so difficult.

This kind of purchasing is my downfall. I read a good review or I see a bargain and I buy it.

I'm being tempted a lot at the moment too @brittanyfairies!

I'm a way it's ok in January because we've had such excess over Christmas, it feels good to burrow down and say no to everything.

But now it's getting a bit lighter and I feel like going out more- I definitely feel like upping my game a bit.

My one pair of trainers are 4 years old and totally broken. I now go running a lot. Therefore I shouldn't make myself suffer and should accept that it's not wasteful to have a pair of trainers- tough one as haven't budgeted at all

I'd think running trainers are essential (understand you'd still need to budget for them). As a fellow runner, who definitely needs to run for mental as well as physical health, risking injury using poor running shoes is something to spend money on, if available.

Should be a NSD.

Had to buy a new vat of conditioner, £10, was tempted the buy some hair oil too, but didn't. Tried out some pure coconut oil I already had and it worked well at taming the frizz, so that was a win :)

Tough one on the DMs price per wear sounds great but do you need them?

Agree runners are essential

Hmm tough one. If they were something I’d previously considered buying and they were a great price I’d probably buy them tbh. Sorry not helping you!

Following for some inspo - my first baby is due in July and I am absolutely dreadful with money. I just spend spend spend, and I really need to learn how to curb it. My big thing is lots of microtransactions on coffees, takeaways, general eating out because I don't plan effectively so I really need to work on that.

Have you got a decent thermos for food and hot drinks? I bought a contigo cup last year and it doesn't leak and stays hot for hours, I make a tea in it everytime I go anywhere! I've saved a fortune! Then everytime you make a meal, portion up one for the freezer, that way you always have a lunch you can heat up and put in a thermos. Ive always got 3/4 tubs in the freezer at any time! I also chuck a few snacks in my bag even if I think I'm not going to be out long so they can tide me over until I get home for a meal. Eg cereal bar, biscuits, crackers or some fruit. I dont cope well when I'm hungry, I get majorly grumpy and a bit lightheaded and feel sick! I also carry around a bottle of water, there's so many places now that you can refill for free.

@talkingfarm have you looked at Vinted/ ebay/ Facebook for trainers? You can often find some bargains if you don't mind slightly used - or you can specify new. I've damaged my foot running in knackered trainers and would rather buy cheaper ones but more often now, to keep them springy! I have a 'strained' relationship with DM and had the bright idea of asking her to buy me some new trainers as a birthday present, she kept asking what I wanted and I thought that would be a good option, next day delivery via Amazon - job done. I finally got them six weeks later and by that time the damage was done to my foot... lesson learned, I just buy my own now.

(DM solved the "I don't know what to buy you" problem at Christmas by not buying me anything or even offering!)

I would second the water bottle and snacks @BadgerLovesMash, DTS1 gets hangry very quickly and has a very limited range of foods that he eats (ASD) so I got in the habit of carting snacks everywhere! If we go out for the day I'll often pack spare drinks and snacks in the car (with cool packs if necessary) for when we get back to it as well. Can I ask which Contigo cup you have? I have a good mug for keeping drinks hot but it's not 'bag safe'!

£40 in Aldi for weeks shop and £55 coal and wood

Uurgh so annoyed at myself, I forgot to claim back car park money. Our local retail park you pay to park but then if you spend £5 you get it back. I've never forgotten before but wasn't feeling well yesterday and it slipped my mind. £2.30 wasted. Ah well.

Pulled it back today though. £40 on diesel (necessary) and also got loads of meat half price in the butcher's which I'll pop in the freezer. Love our butchers but prices are definitely going up so so it's great if you are there at the right time when they have the reduced bits out!

I’m at £15 for the week so far, which included lunch yesterday and a class & flapjack for DS today.

Im out tomorrow night so budgeting £30 for that & for a coffee at a birthday party soft play at the weekend. Managed to regift a duplicate Christmas present as a birthday present, and already have the birthday card, so taking that as a win.

Just under 2 weeks until payday & I’m aiming to spend no more than £100 until then.

Five quid in Co-op for milk, spuds and bacon. Very cross with DH as he ate what I thought would be a fortnights worth of bacon in a week just for his breakfasts. Its really getting on my nerves that we pay half each for the food, and he not only eats more than me but also eats far more meat, cheese, eggs and nuts, which are all very expensive. I try to remind myself that he is very generous in other ways.

£4 parking. Friend paid for coffee

I have similar feelings re DS! He's too blooming chilled out to make a sandwich (much cheaper) but will then eat say, 12 cheese and crackers, loads of the more expensive snack items we have in, demolish the fruit bowl etc. He lays board but.....

£100 Sainsbury's with a voucher, but a lot of cleaning items, an anniversary present, laundry stuff, shower gel and some joggers for DH, so not too bad. That said, no meat or booze in that!
£10 Amazon on Oat Milk, by far the cheapest place to get it still.

Will be about £12 in coop today for bread, milk & coffee. NSD yesterday

@Probablymagrat that would really annoy me! DP will be moving in soon and I know I will struggle with sharing bills etc. I can't really work out the best way to do it that I will be completely comfortable with.

NSD on Weds. But did a top up shop in Sainsbury’s of £49, nearly the same as my weekly shop in Aldi!

Was feeling sorry for myself so bought loads of snacks and treats, plus a lot of meat and nice cereals for the weekend.

Mon NSD. Tue £5 on lateral flow tests (had run out and DS ill). Wed £37 cycle helmet & £150 flights for trip later this year. Yesterday NSD - expect today will be too as feeling lousy so not venturing out!

I need to do my menu plan later today & get list ready for food shop tomorrow. I think I'm going to splash out on the M&S Valentines dine in but will try to keep the rest of the week's meals fairly frugal to make up for it. DD home for a couple of days so I have Monday off and will probably take her out for brunch somewhere.

After not buying anything unnecessary for weeks (and finding it very hard), I bought a postcard and scented candle yesterday.
I can’t begin to describe the happiness the 2 have brought me because it is such a rare occurrence now. And it all only came to £6.11!
The candle smells exactly like one of my favourite places on earth and I keep smelling it and feeling so happy.

Local business due soon for a quote for the new boiler, positive vibes welcome. The boiler is still going but it won't come on in the morning so I rush downstairs switch it off and on several times and eventually it gives in and comes on. Some days it just goes off and I suddenly notice the house getting colder and have to go through the whole performance to get it going. Awful this week as we have family staying and struggle to get hot water for showers. I am a nervous wreck every day wondering if this is the day we have no heat or hot water so I know we are going to have to get a new boiler but I'm just hoping it isn't too horrific when it comes to costs.

I can't see it being a cheap month.

I’ve massively fallen off the wagon this week. Stuck in with ill kids and have boredom shopped meaning I’ve spent more on party bags/ pass the parcel prizes/sweets/ balloons/candles/cake decorations etcfor dd’s birthday than intended.

Have also spent over £100 on a year’s supply of the supplements I take. Is a big saving compared to buying them a month at a time but feels like a big hit right now.

And I’ve given in to the moaning and bought lots of snacks.

On the plus side I got two of dd’s birthday presents on ebay and spent nectar points so they were free.

Will be back to update totals once I’ve added it up.

Hope the boiler quote isn’t too much @ancientgran

@LostCats what candle is it? Sounds like it was worth it!

It’s from the hieroglyphics exhibit at the British Museum. Called Amyris and Spiced Incense candle. Was £12.99 but as the exhibit is almost over, it was £4.99!