No Spend Days

[AtalantaX]

I think I really need to concentrate on doing more of these! I couldn’t quite see the point( thinking: if I need something I need it and am already trying to be frugal, so what’s the point of waiting?) but maybe I was wrong. Does anyone find planning them useful in saving? Any tips, apart from the obvious “Don’t Spend!” 😆

Today, I bought some new leggings as my old ones have become indecent…but I took the other couple of things I’d added to my basket out at the last minute and only bought the leggings. Quite proud of even that.

I wish we could but there's always something we need, even if only a pint of milk!!

I find planning is really good for no spend days - often follow the thread for January no spend month on here.

I am cutting right back presently as just had a few big outlays and managed.

I plan my shopping and buy extra milk etc and freeze, this negates the popping to the shops for a pint of milk and spending £20 in the process.

I meal plan so we have takeaways, Friday fish and chips, so no need for takeaways but don't feel like we are missing out.

Its Heritage weekend this weekend, so many places are free to visit and next weekend. Armed with a picnic having checked which National Trust are free tomorrow we will have a free day out.

I also found a barcode for free NT visit up to the end of the year, so another free day out between now and then

We do homemade pizza topping and film night, home made popcorn

Baking afternoons and picking blackberries, finding apple trees in the hedgerow so we can make free puddings

This way I think we feel we are still having pleasant activities but not spending any cash.

My first place for looking for items is now market place and then eBay, before I hit amazon

Buy your milk in 4 pint cartons, then you need to buy it 4 times less often, so more no spend days, but crucially much cheaper per pint. Freeze it if you don't use it fast enough, although it generally does last a few days past the best before date.

But I think the aim must be to reduce spending on things like coffees and lunches, which are much more expensive than a packed lunch and home made coffee.

Otherwise it's a little pointless moving a necessary spend from one day to the next.

Could you sell old stuff on Vinted and use the pot of money to buy stuff you really need so you don’t have to touch wages? I’d also make some sort of calendar where you can ✅ the no-spend days and ❌ the spendy days. Seeing the green ticks add up helps keeping you motivated!

I've found these very useful in the past.

I planned them ahead. Also I had a list of items I didn't count - milk, toothpaste, medicine, sanitary items - because obviously you need those if you need them.

But they are very good if you find yourself tempted, or getting motivated for e.g. day puts with picnics.

Thanks guys!
@BarbaraofSeville I think you’re right, reducing wholesale rather than just postponing is what makes the most sense.

@MikeRafone I love gentle afternoons bramble-picking or ambling round nice places, we live very remotely so don’t have any National Trust places near us sadly but we are blessed with many miles of deserted sandy beaches. Blackberries and fish are always met with excitement here lol.

Today has been no spend - I was going to nip and get something for dinner as we’ve very little in the house (I need to do a big shop) but instead we are having pasta with a nice homemade sauce.

Off to check out Vinted but I use everything till it’s rags or give kids’ old bits to family in need in the village.

Plan for tomorrow is putting in a Morrisons click and collect, it’s a 40 min drive to pick up but much cheaper than local small shop.

No spend days are a good idea in order to save cash. I had one yesterday. I went to the local library.

ive managed 2 non spend days thanks to this thread

picnic and National Trust visit, we took Aldi muffins and a flask of coffee along with a pasta salad

today has been a non spend day

i like the idea of a non spend day spread sheet approach. Do you put the amount spent and what on in the calendar?

@MikeRafone that’s a good idea to keep a list underneath stating how much and what you spent on! But mostly I do it to stay motivated :) those green ticks are positively addictive!