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Original poster

No spend January?

405 replies

Psychoticbreak · 27/12/2023 12:16

There used to be no spend threads every month on here although I appreciate Dec is a hard one. For me I am going to try not to overspend this month and clear off the credit card in full again as it was zero balance up till xmas.

Anyone else with me?
Stilly possibly to class Christmas day as a no spend but that was my day one and I spent nothing yesterday either.

OP posts:
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9
Needhelp101 · 27/12/2023 12:18

I'm in! I'm also doing Dry January so that will definitely help.

Liquoricetoffee · 27/12/2023 12:32

I’m in too! I’ve totally overspent this Christmas and need to be more mindful moving forward. I’m doing 1000 hours outside challenge with my DS so I’m hoping I’ll have my hands full.

Personally I’m happy to spend money on experiences and parking etc but no “stuff” as I really don’t need anything. I’m also going to sell a bunch of stuff and any money made I can keep on the account to buy DS clothes if he needs replacements.

PracticalPatricia · 27/12/2023 12:34

There is a no spend 2024 thread which I've joined. I'll also join here as may as well begin with January!

mickandrorty · 27/12/2023 12:41

Yes i am hoping for a new spend year but I'm going to take it month by month to avoid overwhelm. I have printed off my money saving challenges for next year and i have my budget planner i got for Christmas at the ready!

Rainbow1901 · 27/12/2023 12:44

I'm in too!
Although I'm hoping not to spend much in January of 'real' money from the bank - still have Xmas savings card for any food spends in Iceland if needed - and to be fair I always go over the top with foodie bits at Xmas so the longer we can go with NSDs the better. If you include Xmas Day, Boxing Day and today that is a run of 3 NSDs 😆- regular bills not included!!

Original poster
Psychoticbreak · 27/12/2023 15:54

We went out to a toy shop to spend money on lego and one of them needed to 'borrow' 9 quid which I will never get back but that is all I spent today and not going out again.

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Justgivemehotchocolate · 28/12/2023 11:41

I’ll join too. Dh and I did it last year and it really helped focus our minds on how much unnecessary spending we do. Ideally it will be a no spend 2024 but I’m taking a month at a time.

@Needhelp101 i did dry January last year too and it ended up being a dry 2023. Saved an absolute fortune! 😄

Peanutbutterismyjam · 28/12/2023 11:58

I'm in!
Our son's room needs an update which has been planned for a while. We managed to get some second hand chest of drawers in good condition and ordered his bedding. We also need to buy paint and a new mattress for him, plus some sensory stuff (he's autistic). I'll see if I can get some sensory stuff second hand. This has been planned for a while though so already included in the budget.

Our biggest thing is trying to get out food shopping bill down! We spend a small fortune on food so that's a focus for this year.

Good luck everyone!

mondaytosunday · 28/12/2023 12:16

I've got a service charge to pay and then taxes end of the month plus the Christmas credit card... it's going to be very tight so no extra spending planned - just food and essentials.

Nearlyadoctor · 28/12/2023 18:53

I’m in - like others hoping to do No Spend 2024 but will take it a month at a time. Went into town with Dd 16 today and did buy a couple of books ( to add the pile I received for Christmas) and a jumper but actually don’t need anything for the foreseeable. Would like to save for new driveway so hopefully that will help focus my mind.
I’m upping my hours to full time again from next week so hopefully I’ll be too tired to buy anything 🤣.

@Needhelp101 - also planning on dry January and reading a lot more books , hence above. Good luck

Needhelp101 · 28/12/2023 23:12

@Justgivemehotchocolate @Nearlyadoctor glad to join you for Dry January! I did 17 days dry this month which saved me lots of cash. A year is amazing, maybe I should aim for that 😁

Rainbow1901 · 29/12/2023 13:02

If I don't go out the front door today then that is 5 x NSD!! 🤗
Been sat this morning with spreadsheets and calculator, as it's been pay day and checking everything that is due to be paid and moving money around more than usual as DH won't be paid his first state pension until second week of January!!
Trying to budget extra payments to pay down credit cards but also increase savings as DH wants a transatlantic trip but we don't know if it will be 2024 or 2025 depends on DSSs plans.
The freezer is well stocked so need to make a list to menu plan to avoid shopping but will have the added expense of neutering the 🙀 in January plus more cat food. There is always something!! 🙄😆

MrsShortbread · 30/12/2023 07:24

I’ll definitely join! Month at a time, reduce food bill and no inessential buying. I’d like to save enough by the end of the year to buy something that is a dream come true - that needs to be my focus as it is possible if I try hard enough.

namechangedforthisone35 · 30/12/2023 07:37

I'm in! will start as of today but in a slightly different way.

I've got £66k left on my mortgage and would love to overpay the full 10% allowed each year so basically want to save £6600. Anything left over each month will go straight on that.

Once the £6600 is saved and paid, a new savings fund will start for another project - a new bathroom! That one will go well into 2025.

MrsShortbread · 30/12/2023 08:55

Just spent some time on Amazon, shocked at how subscriptions have built up (mainly child games but all on me) and cancelled everything - saving £40 per month total. Feel really stupid.

Original poster
Psychoticbreak · 30/12/2023 10:28

I am going to be honest and say I have to start again in jan itself. I spent 50quid on shite yesterday.

OP posts:
OrderOfTheKookaburra · 30/12/2023 10:53

Can I join in with it as a "low spend" January? I can't do no spend, as have my summer holidays with the boys off school, but saving for a house deposit so need to reign in my spending. I'm not too bad, I don't think, but I can, and need to, do better.

caramond · 30/12/2023 12:59

I signed up to the Buy Nothing New Month challenge that Keep Britain Tidy is promoting. Doing it for both financial reasons as well as environmental ones. I know I've got into bad habits of just picking up stuff I don't really need, and the £10 here and there really adds up.

Right now I know I don't need anything at all so apart from food and toiletries, going to attempt to not shop at all in January to hopefully break the cycle of mindless spending.

moimichme · 30/12/2023 16:06

I'm in! Did this last year, for over half the year anyway (before it fizzled out quite a bit due to the holidays). January will be tight (utility bill due plus after school club payment) and we also want to book flights to the USA for a trip this summer. Cost has gone up a lot since our last big holiday so I need to be frugal in other areas, in order to make that work!

Will try to eat as much as possible from the pantry this month. Hopefully that will kick-start the saving goal!

LivingInADifferentWorldFromYou · 30/12/2023 16:16

I'm a lone parent so on a tight budget.
I have spent the last few days outdoors walking miles, even though the weather is not ideal, still very peaceful and enjoyable. I'm staying well away from the shops and all the temptations. My house is looking tired and shabby but l refuse to go into debt.

FestiveHackathon · 30/12/2023 16:43

I'm thinking of a 'no-spend-where-avoidable-on-food' January. I need to spend money on some physio sessions to recuperate from an injury as that will make my commute easier.

I've inherited a lot of items from someone's storecupboard. They range from stock cubes with a Best Before of 2013 to slightly more recent kombu sticks and dashi flakes. It ranges from the mundane like tinned tomatoes to vegetables spreads and confit duck.

I thought that I would still need to purchase fresh fruit and some frozen vegetables but it would be worth trying some novel recipes and ingredients:

  • I can see what happens
  • I can't stand food waste but I wouldn't take risks with anything I thought could be spoiled
  • I can eat up my freezer ahead of defrosting it.

Tonight, I'm braising dried Chinese Mushrooms in a stock cube and I'll put some salted dried black beans in with them. We'll have those with rice, some Chilli Crisp, and white fish (from freezer) in lemon pepper with some steamed broccoli (freezer).

Nellieinthebarn · 30/12/2023 17:22

I'm in! I'm actually planning a no spend 3 months, which with the no council tax in February and March should be the start of a nice little nest egg.

I am actually starting the year in the black, which is bloody good going for me as I paid off the overdraft and managed to save enough to do Christmas without resorting to any form of debt.

Last year I did a financial overhaul so have saved on things like car insurance and have changed to a very basic phone contract. This year I am hoping to make monthly deposits into savings.

Rainbow1901 · 30/12/2023 19:03

Well the NSD run has ended - spent £10.85 in Lidl and £6.37 in Home Bargains also spent £20 in Iceland but using Xmas Club Card for that so doesn't count for spends!! I then went shopping with DD in Tesco and spent £11.25 on Jeans for me, 2 x T-shirts for GD, shorts/ T-shirt set and 3 pack of shorts for GS and little dress set for another GD. There's some really good deals going there at the moment. So I don't feel too bad about breaking my NSD run. 😏

moimichme · 30/12/2023 19:54

My NSD run also ended today. Paid £££ for hotel to visit family for Christmas 🎄 and £8 for two coffees during our drive home.

Hoping for a NSD tomorrow, but we shall see!

Passthecake30 · 30/12/2023 20:53

I’d like to join on a low spend January, the joint account and savings have taken a bit of a battering, so I’ll be trying to reduce food spending somehow. I’ve got lots of chocolate, twiglets and alcohol left over but will need to food shop as normal, and I do spend a fair bit on that (active job dp, 15yr old ds mid growth spurt in particular).

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