No Spend 2024....

[meemawww]

Or at least the first couple of months to make a dent in my credit card debt!
I feel like I need a thread to encourage me and hopefully get some tips anybody like to join? I earn an alright wage but my god am i frivolous with money since my earnings went up!

Hi there, I'd like to join in this thread too please.

I did the no-spend Jan thread last year - and it really helped me focus my mind and see how fast money just flows out my account.

I feel in a much more stable position than I was last year. But this year I have several holidays coming up which I didn't have last year. That plus my children's clubs and activities seems to eat all my money.

My supermarket spending as of yesterday was over £200 - which for the 3rd day of the month is pretty high!!
Going to see how long I can make that last with just doing little top-ups.

I need a new hand cream for work- but rather than pop out to Waitrose I'm going to have a good look at home tonight, as I'm sure there's something I can bring in and use. (Will also help me declutter!)

I have just been to Asda for essential groceries. Only bought what I needed. I did not look in the direction of George Dept. Got a couple of link savers so saved £1.90. Spent £11.87 but I'll only need to get a more milk and a cheap pizza at the weekend so should come in well within weekly budget.

03.01 Spends: 99p Kindle book offer (part of a birthday present)

£65 for a heated poncho for the relative we're looking after who is rehabbing from recent fractures. They need to mobilise regularly to prevent DVTs and to start modified weight bearing on the lower body. The poncho can be disconnected, retains some warmth while they move and isn't so bulky that it gets in the way of the Zimmer frame. We need to make it as easy as possible for them to mobilise as this will reduce the risk of DVTs, and encourage healing of the bones.

Sometimes, you just have to accept the need to spend the money because life happens (the name of my notional savings fund for this as I'm not happy using the phrase "rainy day" under the current wet January).

£85 in Lidl. All on my list. £6 in Coop for firelighters as Lidl didn't have any.

Bacon and cheese omelettes for meal tonight. Using up some Xmas cheese

Not spending is really hard isn't it?

I've just seen some picture frames in Next which have been in my mind for a while. They're £25 for 2.

Was really tempted as I've been planning it for a while. But truthfully they are to go on our small bathroom wall and that can't be my priority over everything else.

I've just reviewed my year's spending for 2023, and I'm really disappointed in myself.

All of my big spends came out of savings, so my savings haven't increased after a whole year - which they really should have done.

It's because I've been negligent with my monthly salary that I've had to reach into savings for everything.

The thing is that I don't buy clothes or even go out socialising or anything- it all goes on food and drinks!

Bit disappointing really.

Today is a NSD so far.

NSD!
The kids had a playdate which has been great with the weather. I did have to get some extra snacks in but that is covered by our weekly food shop (which is monumentally high but that's for another thread!)

£25.22 in Tesco for groceries - absolute basics like milk, bread, toilet roll and vegetable oil. Very carefully stuck exactly to the list of what we are out of.

Have also made masses of vegetable soup - enough for about 10 meals - out of what's lurking from Christmas and put it in tubs in the freezer.

NSD for me which is the first one in a while! I bought Xmas presents at the start o Jan for this coming Christmas in order to save so I don’t feel so stretched come next December. It helps they were half price too.

I was meant to meet up for a meal tonight with a friend but the weather is awful as it’s raining so much. There’s no access in and out of our roads so that helps as it’s nice to go out but hard when feeling the pinch.

Tomorrow I had soft play planned with a friend but now that’s been cancelled by her so hopefully another NSD. Trying to keep on top of my spending as much as possible as I find my money just goes so easily and I only have £100 left to spend. That covers anything I need and I have 3 young children aged 4, 2 & 1. That is meant to cover any days out, food out, extra clothes, shoes, bdays (theirs and other peoples). Hubbie & I agree not to celebrate our bdays as we literally can’t afford it.

Not a NSD today. My food shop was on budget but I did end up picking up other stuff not on the list.

I also spent on a new TV today. I'd ordered one on NYE but I still haven't received a delivery confirmation. I've found the same one £60 cheaper so cancelled the original order. I'm not counting it this year though, it belongs to last years budget. 😉

Broken car = £650 spend. Well needs a new cam belt.

I've been really trying hard the last week or so and have set up savings pots in my current account and worked out roughly what I think I need per year and how much monthly to add to each pot. Going to start small with a few and add a few more each month I think, amd see how much spare I have.
NSD 2/1 was meant to go to London but weather was awful so we went to a friends and spent six hours with the children playing and us drinking tea! I trimmed my Tesco shop back as much as I could and managed £84 for the week (with £11 of that being vitamins on multi buy and a money off coupon).
Failed a bit today as had brunch pre planned then needed to order tights and pants for my children as they moth helpfully told me they were too small!
This thread is really helping me though, I only bought those two things and took a dress in the same out of my basket. I keep saying to myself "don't need that"!

Can I join please! Got a CC that needs paying down plus 1001 other things going on including a very expensive hobby that I won’t give up 🙈.

Managed a NSD today, yesterday not so much as ended up buying 2 course books 🙄

Eating out of the cupboards at the moment as one of our resolutions is no more take seats (gone really expensive and don’t taste nice!)

will read the rest of the thread now and get to know everyone x

NSD today! Avoided getting a coffee at Costa and used food from fridge/store cupboard for all meals/snacks. Dog walk.school run/WFH. Not a shop in sight!

Hard yards today for me - work colleagues went and bought coffees and cakes and then Caribbean take out for lunch! I resisted and stuck to my pathetic looking packed lunch and used my tea bags. Really recognising that spending gives me a dopamine hit so am planning some regular treats of the non shopping variety. I think that being really mindful of trying to spend nothing is going to be really beneficial to my financial health. Looking at my on line banking app I very rarely have days like today with zero transactions.

I don’t know if I cheated today, or was sensible. The only food the cat will reliably eat was on offer, so stocked up. Which is sensible. But I’m aware I tend to overbuy food as have a fear of not having enough, and whilst these days I only do it with pantry / long life items, I don’t want to start semi-hoarding. Gah!

Food insecurity is something I recognise, particularly when there's a lot of stress.

It's one of the reasons that I was so willing to accept the pantry 'inheritance' from my relative.

Eating out of the cupboards at the moment

TashaG I'm doing similar (Pantry Challenge thread). The pantry items I've inherited cover a wide range of very different foods. It is interesting to see how long I'll be able to do this. (I have lots of dried vegetables and fruit. I'm already wishing I could buy a cabbage to make freezer coleslaw.)

AllTheChaos I think it’s sensible to bulk buy something you know will get used while it’s on offer. Cat food lasts a long time! I get my dog food delivered on subscribe and save, she’s fussy and it works out much cheaper.
I received my food shop delivery. I made sensible choices (eg I bought night cream from the supermarket, I can get it cheaper elsewhere but I know I won’t just go in and buy that!).
I also saved money - I wanted sticky tabs to label each article I have printed for an assignment. I realised I have address labels so I cut those up instead 🤣

not a nsd but only spent on items we had run out of/needed replacing (underwear).
being today was a costco shopping day i had set aside $200 but spent less.
so the mortgage/ploc got another tiny cash infusion and i'm now at 241.26/500 extra payment (so half way to my goal and only 4 days into the month).
i did spot two items that i had ordered in december which were not able to be delivered now being dispatched so my cc will have a couple items to pay off (basic jeans and pj's both at very good sale prices).

NSD yesterday, I recently discovered the (cheap) work tuck shop (cupboard with chocolate/crisps/juice and a card machine) so have taken to leaving my purse in the car so I can't be tempted!

I'm working another 12+hr shift today so hopefully another NSD. Just need to get through it!

4 Jan update: Technically a NSD as I spent the day at home having a clear-out, but the standing order to my savings account went out (£50). For the past few months, I’ve been transferring it back before the end of the month, so I’m hoping not to do that this time!

04.01 NSD

The big thing yesterday was I finally managed to have a conversation with DH about budgets and how much we need to save a year.

This sounds like nothing. However, he built up to yesterday's conversation by talking it through over several sessions with his psychologist. It's the first finances conversation I've ever been able to have with him. He has major issues with money and anxiety. Literally every other attempt ended with him running away in a panic or full body shaking so hard that he falls off his chair.

We're going to have more conversations although we need to space them to handle his stress. As I mentioned upthread, our expenses are about to increase so we need to agree where we're going to reduce expenditure and make savings so that we can cover these costs.

I know this is going to be especially difficult for him. He has a binge eating disorder. He's working on this and he doesn't want to know how much it's costing as he does want to face the reality of it, IYSWIM.

Given DH's MH issues, it's important that we put aside an appropriate socialising budget for him. But, we can't discuss budgets if we can't identify where the money is going.

@2024Hackathon I didn’t want to not acknowledge your message. Seriously well done and how lovely that you’ve managed to have the first chat about money. My DH took years to get on board so while we don’t have the same level, I know how hard it can be.

Thank you, @2024Hackathon, it’s reassuring to know other people understand. It’s hard to let go of, but I’m trying to gradually use up the excess pantry items. Helped by the discovery of an infestation of mice behind one of the cupboards - eek! All my carefully stocked up pasta had had to be binned, and I know that having no food hoard wouldn’t have stopped it, but it would have meant less waste. The pantry ‘inheritance’ sounds interesting, am going to find your thread and have a read through 😊

Thats what I tell myself, @NeurodivergentBurnout! cat food lasts for literally years! I only have a small kitchen though and am struggling with space, but the offer means a saving of about £5/£6 a week whilst they are eating the reduced price pouches, which is significant to me. They are both elderly and fussy and have health issues, so finding cat food they will both reliably eat was a bonus. It being in special offer felt too fortuitous to miss out on!

Not sure how to tag but well done @2024Hackathon for starting those conversations, it can't be easy but is necessary. Hope DH is ok x

Definetly not a NSD today but was expecting it!

£14 breakfast out for me and DD
£4 bus fare (did save on petrol and parking though!) DD free bus pass.
£3.29 glasses cleaner and face cleanser (DD)
£27.30 glasses for DD (buy 1 get 1 free, appointment was reason we were out!)
£24.68 Asda top up shop (£10 was stickers for DD album!?)
£7 trainers
£1.50 DVD charity shop
£5.75 Lunch

🙄That should be it now though - no plans to go out tomorrow or Sunday! Not sure I like this accountability . . . didn't realise how much I had spent!

DD definetly an issue when she comes shopping! hahaha

xx

We had a big expense already as the oven broke so we had to replace it.
ive deleted my Amazon prime account as it wasn’t being used anyway so that’s saved me £8.99 a month. I’ve also deleted my favourited items on vinted so I’m not tempted. No spend yesterday but today around £8 getting bread plus items for lunch/breakfast today and tomorrow as our food shop isn’t being delivered until tomorrow evening.
ive been looking at cutting down what we spend on our energy bills so avoiding using tumble drier and instead trying to use heated airer and tumble drier which is a lot cheaper.
have started saving for next Christmas and I have opened an online savings account which I’m going to use to save towards things like haircuts etc