Frugal February!

[Psychoticbreak]

I failed in January but definitely need to reign in Feb or my mortgage will not be paid. Best of luck to us all!

Thanks for the new thread. I didn’t think I would manage a week so I’m shocked I’m still here in February!

lots of improvements to be made and have big saving goal I would like to met so I have every Incentive to not spend anything that’s not strictly necessary.

Trying get into the mind se of Shopping from Home rather than just using boring stuff I already have.

At the rate we are going - I'll still be here in five years time!! 😏

I'm in for sure. I have been following the January thread and really need the motivation for February. Hopefully the shorter month will help us all.

Here we go February. Hoping to end the month without having to send more money to the joint account. Also hoping to get back into home projects like painting furniture etc. and that this will help me avoid wanting to buy loads of new stuff.

though some supplies may be necessary im hoping to keep these to the minimum and focus on ones that use stuff on hand

For many there are no council tax payments in February or March if you have to pay in 10 instalments each year like I do. That will be very welcome for many. I try to stock up on stuff like toilet rolls, air fresheners, kitchen foil, bin bags, shampoo, conditioner, laundry tablets and fabric conditioner. Then it is just a bit easier in other months.

Present and correct for a good February.

Not claiming anything about January until it's gone midnight.

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I’m in & really enjoying this challenge. January was a success and I managed to save £600!! I was very strict with myself.

here we go again for February! I need this thread to keep me motivated and accountable!

Hello! I'd like to join this month. Funny I should come across this post, as yesterday I put a ban on myself for no unnecessary spending.

Reporting in for February, transferred £140 into savings which was not bad considering I had the TV licence, an unbudgeted two nights away, and a birthday I forgot.

Bought some storage boxes, 8 for £24 to try and get the larder sorted out and organised. Hoping this will help me keep track of what I've got and rotate the stocks.

Food spends for January were £222, which I didn't think was bad for two adults.

Joining again - thanks for the new thread! I am likely to be having to take a pay cut in the next few months, so getting the spending under control is more important than ever!

Joining January almost sucked our savings dry so need some major will power to stop bad habits

Joining in for February.
Just paid my tax bill (self-employed) so that's a good reminder to keep saving...

I'm so in again this month. I need to keep myself accountable. I must end this year with an emergency fund, less debt and a holiday. I can do it if I am strict on my spending!

Morning all, thanks to @Psychoticbreak for the thread, welcome to newbies and here's to Frugal February.
January was great for me, couldn't have gone better. I surprised myself mainly - for those thinking it's going to be difficult, honestly I am the worst for spending - money literally burns a hole in my pocket.
Changing my mindset, and seeing it as a fun challenge helped me.

I was thinking that today I need an online shop, but I've actually got food in so I'm putting it off til next week.

Good morning everyone, well done for January!

@Psychoticbreak Thank you for the new thread. New month, new opportunities.

So I ended January with another £40 spend, on some Jordan 1 mids for DD11 birthday. To be honest, I couldn't pass them up on that price as she wanted them and I can't see them being any cheaper again, and I resisted buying some for myself. Whilst I had to dip into savings to cover gifts in January, I'm fairly sure I can make it back in February.

Today I have downloaded a side hustle tracker, I was using notepad before but I feel I may be more motivated seeing where my extra comes in. I have signed up for a product testing site, and a website testing site. I need to go through my mystery shopping sites and see what I can line up over the next few weeks.

I'm going to start flylady again this month and focus on sorting the house out, and hopefully sell some bits on vinted,

Good luck everyone, we've got this.

Checking in. I've just been over last months numbers and over all it wasn't bad food shopping was £568.71 i was hoping for 500 but there are 7 of us so i still feel like it wasn't outrageous, also i set myself a target to start cooking different food so there was quite a few herbs and spices etc purchased. I did cook 9 new recipes though which i am quite pleased about. For my money saving challenges we put away £875 and topped up my monzo pots with £230. Only managed 7 totally spend free days which i would like to improve on & hoping to hit my shopping budget target this month as well.

That's such a good reminder, I had totally forgotten about no council tax this month and next - phew!

I didn't do so well in January, mostly as we have 2 family birthdays while still recovering from christmas expenses, but I am on it for February. I went through our bank statements and worked out we should be able to save around £600 by really tightening our belts. I've budgeted £56 per week for groceries for 2 adults and one 7 year old. We have all staples and cleaning stuff etc and a chest freezer full of things so hopefully this should be doable. We have a 0% credit card to pay off and I am tired of being broke for the last week of the month!

£222 for the month is great - do you have any tips for keeping food budget low, do you meal plan etc? Thanks!

Hello all! I recognise a few 'faces' here.

Came across the back end of the Jan thread the other day, so thought I'd join in with this one, seeing as it's a brand new month.

I've been getting a bit too Vinted happy lately, so hoping this thread will keep me on the straight and narrow. Think twice before convincing myself I 'need' stuff etc.

Waves to @Psychoticbreak and a big thank you for the thread.

Also waves ro @Akire long time no see, my lovely. How the devil are you?

I'm in. Spent too much money in January and really need to spend less.

Going for as many no spend days as possible (bills and food excepted).

Starting to look for ways to earn more money too.

@RainbowZebraWarrior good to see you! Yes still alive and kicking thanks.

Ive decided I’m going give myself cash budget of £10 a week for top up fresh veg and salad. That will not count as spending. I do main shop on Friday for stuff on meal plan but as a single person it’s impossible use up and eat big bags of things before they go off. Sometimes bigger bags are cheaper than smaller ones. This way if I need cucumber and lettuce on a Tuesday and bread on a Wednesday I’m not going feel bad ruining my no spend chart! So it’s in the budget for the month but more of a practical can’t buy everything on a Friday fix.

Anything left in the month will roll over so a mini challenge in a challenge.

Have two birthdays this month but I did 4 months worth of birthdays in my big card shop and gift shop in January when on a spending splurge. So just have to wrap them up, so another temptation avoiding wondering the aisles for stuff and buying for me.

I annoyingly get paid on the 20th so my months run weirdly. I had to pay my car insurance and we got a cat, so my 20th Jan - 19th Feb expenses are huge (to me). There is literally no fun money left for this month (my choice). Grrr to half term. I do have some savings but I don't want to dip into them and I also didn't want to put the car insurance on a credit card or pay it over 12 months as that added on an additional £136! I'd rather just have 1 tight month.

I massively want to reduce my food spend - it's roughly £500 a month, but that's everything, including the cat food, general food, cleaning and toiletries for 1 adult, 2 teens and a cat. How the heck to do you reduce it without resorting to beans on toast more often than not!! We all eat 3 meals a day from/at home. The kids take a pack lunch as school lunches would be more expensive. I buy cheaper/non brands where possible, make two nights dinner from one pack of mince or add lentils to bulk out. I genuinely don't know how to reduce this spend without resorting to living on very bland and basic food.

Maybe I'm being unrealistic with reducing my budget, without restricting the quality and choice?

I've got a few needs and wants around the house for this year which come to just over £2k, so no unnecessary spend months are required for a lot of this year. Count me in!

I had >25 NSDs for January. My spends were stuff to clean the fridge drain, a special supplement to make fermented dairy for someone who has had problems with intensive antibiotics and antifungals, and a heated wrap for a poorly family member etc.

I refrained from spending £500 on kitchen stuff despite amazing discounts on items I've coveted for years. (Grief I was wavering last night, there was 50% discount on NordicWare that I've wanted for >10 years. But I'd have had to tell you all if I bought it and I know this is a want and not a need.)