Low spend February

[Orcubed]

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

I have spent nothing since valentines day. For me that is huge cos I normally go to the shop every day for something or other.

Well done, @Pseudonamed- that's huge!
NSD for me on Valentine's Day and yesterday, £16 on soft play and snacks with ds on Wednesday with a friend.
Today a low spend £1.65 on a takeaway coffee at work. This is becoming a Friday habit, but I figure that a small reward for being (reasonably) frugal otherwise and keeping to the overall budget is OK!
@Orcubed I am also feeling tempted to buy skincare treats (% discounts! money off because it's my birthday!) that I really don't need right now. I have just received a few nice things for my birthday and have plenty to use up. Will try and hold firm!

Yesterday was £12 on kindling, £28 in the Aldi pet event and 0.89 on shampoo

We have had a lowish spend half term. Used Tesco vouchers for a few trips to the cinemaTook our own snacks and treated DC to a slushie/ starbucks . So only cost a few pounds
Went to clip and climb, £7.50 and then £7 on the arcades. Had lunch at home but did buy drinks for £8
Got a good deal on no7 skincare yesterday 3 for 2 plus £10 off , so only£12.50 for night cream, cleanser and toner . Sports direct had some good offers online so stocked up on some bits for DC.
Had a day at home today . Planning on NSD for rest of the month .
Managed to reduce our food shop bill by £20-30 everyweek for the last 6 weeks and have only done a couple of small top up shops , so really pleased with that.

NSD today! 🎉
I've been so lax over half term, and treated the dc to eating out 3 times!

Plus twisting DPs arm to go out for a drink tonight.

Being reckless but also need a bit of a change, as endless scrimping and saving can get you down.

However, not buying any clothes or unnecessary items at all.

Groceries spend so far: £308.89 (tracking lower than January)
Fuel: £97.34
Eating out : £48.65

So I'm still living within my means - really hope I can make it to the end of the month with no unexpected spends now.

Plenty of no spend days this week. Need to do the weekly food shop tomorrow. Spent 4.40 on two icecreams and 55p on a can of pop on Wednesday though, in addition to needing to top up with petrol early due to extra driving. Other than that it has been a good half term. Just hoping I get paid soon to cover it.

NSD Thursday. Mostly a NSD yesterday but then went to local light festival event last night. Tickets were pay what you want so could have got in for free but I always feel too cheeky to do that, plus it would be a real shame if the event couldn’t happen next year due to lack of funds so I paid the suggested amount. DP says I’m an idiot 😆

DN 18th today, also fil birthday. So £75 on presents. Then meal out with extended family tomorrow so that will be ££.

NSD yesterday. £10 in coop for bread,coffee,sugar and ice cream. £4 in bakers for rolls and custard slices

I'm in. I realise I am a little late to the party but really trying to get spending down and pay off credit card ect. Determined to get our finances in a much better position but also still live a little iykwim?

Did a big food shop at the start of the month and that should see us mostly to payday. With a top up of milk/bread/fruit.

All things considered it has been quite a low spend half term.

Im still not spending. That said I have been home sick most of the week and weekend and no chance to spend lol I do have to leave the house today and get a baby gift for someone but the same shop I also have a credit note for 30quid so I guess it is technically not spending. Im buying wine for later though so I can either go in to the shop and spend the 10euro on the bottle and walk out or I can do what I am prone to doing - buying a load of other shite I do not need. Could go either way.... Will update later.

Welcome @Grey13 and good luck with the saving.

Had a wonderful day out yesterday with DP where we used our voucher for our valentines meal.

Just bought a couple of drinks around the side which still cost a small fortune.

Today has been a NSD though.

Will be doing an Aldi shop tomorrow.

Have completely lost motivation for any meal planning. It does feel a bit relentless at times doesn't it?

I bought wine and donuts. That was it. sum total spend of 13.50. I like this me. I want to keep her.

NSD. We went to a country park about 35 miles away. It was a lovely day and we took the Motorhome so could make lunch/coffee. Weather was glorious and we escaped the building work in our house

Thanks for the welcome.

Not a great day today as we have booked a spa night away but thanks to lowering our spending this month I have been able to use my debit card to pay for it, normally would have used a credit card. Counting the days to pay day now.

Phew yesterday certainly wasn't a NSD! Was just thinking I could just about stretch my £150 out to payday, bearing in mind the few outgoings I knew I had still to come.

But then decided to pay tv licence in full as was having troubles with the direct debit.

Paid for dc sports clubs which I forgot about, and joined a gym which I've been planning for months- even though monthly fee is quite low for some convoluted reason had to pay loads up front.

All in all spent over £500 in one day!

Quite disappointed as Feb seemed to be one of my only months I could try to make do on my salary and not dip into savings.

Got a small holiday planned in March, April and May. Just camping but it all adds up.

It really is a fine line between living and just surviving.

Really conflicted about job hunting now- as had been considering something lower paid to ensure I don't get stressed versus actually having enough money to live without constant worry.

That sounds quite difficult, @talkingfarm. I'd love to take a lower paid and less stressful role, but like you I'm not sure if it would really work for my family. I'd be so nervous about never having a chance to replenish savings when I used up any of it!

I currently have spent around £100 more at this point vs. last month, not including ds' birthday party spends (funded from savings), but that leaves me with £120 until the end of the month, which should be fine hopefully. DH paid for a big shop this weekend, so we have plenty of food, and only a week left now until payday. Spent £30 for extra after school club sessions for ds this weekend, but NSD yesterday and today. Bringing food and coffee to work is boring sometimes, but it's helping me a lot to keep costs down.

Good luck everyone.

Oh thank goodness the pet insurance paid out, not all of it of course, but a good chunk. Such a relief. So this month should, fingers crossed, end up in the black.

Still here and doing pretty well. Only splurges have been a couple of recipe books. I agree though it can feel a bit repetitive.

£33 hairdresser and £42 Aldi on weekly shop. Need to make a payment to builder today of £1100 but this is planned and in a separate account

£122 in Aldi (stocked up on the bits I know are cheaper in there and got snacks for dd party)
£14 in asda getting the bits I couldn’t get in Aldi
£6 in coop getting tea bags and peppers

£1 toddler group
£36 opticians
£6 card factory

On the plus side PIL subsided family meal at the weekend so that was only £55

Dont even want to add my totals up 😭

This does make me realise how much I spend without realising it though because I keep thinking ‘I haven’t really spent anything’ and then add up the odd bits here and there and it comes to quite a lot 😳

Groceries: £481.75

Car: £763

Stuff for dd’s birthday party: £60.80

Birthday present for dd:£ 2.93
Birthday presents for others £75

Outings/food out £199.08

Toiletries/beauty products/supplements £178

Other £46.99

Next month I am going to try really really hard to only buy groceries and fuel!

I am spending so much money on food shopping, at the moment it's only me at home but the prices of food are so expensive. I did a big shop on Saturday, the only meat was a chicken for dinner, the only extra was a bottle of wine because friends were coming for Sunday lunch. That shop cost me 50 euros, it was literally one bag full. Yesterday I went back and topped up on tomatoes, mushrooms, yoghurts, bananas and lardon. It was another 10 euros. I seem to be spending ridiculous amounts on not very much.

So last night I received a welcome offer from Hello Fresh 36 euros for the week. That's food for 2 people for 3 days. Even though it's only me at home I'm happy to eat the same meal twice in a row, so that's a week's food. Hopefully it will work out cheaper.

February is not ending how I would have hoped but could be worse. Takeaway coffee and a bit of food shopping today which came to about £20.

I agree that just thinking about doing NSD or low spend, does make you realise what you are spending.

I've been trying to keep my spends low. Doing ok but was hoping to get it lower. I've realised the cats cost me more than I had previously thought, especially as as they are incredibly fussy so only eat certain food and like a certain litter!

Totals so far (hoping for a few NSD)
food, toiletries, cleaning - £234.18
Cats £49.25
Bus fare £23.90
London train Fare (IWM museum) £30.49
Gig tickets for me and dd1 £28.60
Sweets/treats £14.05
School disco £4
Prescription glasses £19.95
Underwear for dd2 £8.60
New hoodies for me × 2 as mine were bobbly & holey £18.
Spray mop as mine broke £18.99