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!

Just remembered DH spent £10 at McDonalds yesterday from the joint account bringing us some quick sustenance halfway through my 14 hour work day. So not strictly a NSD but only a tenner. We would have spent that on the cinema today anyways but we decided to stay home. Overall it’s been a low spend weekend.

Today - a couple of subscriptions came out of the account. I really cannot be bothered to leave the house for milk so I’ll get that tomorrow - black coffee for DH in the morning. DH ordered from Amazon to replace something he broke - it could have waited, but I pick my battles. I still need to order from ikea too but might put that off for a couple days.

Other than milk and beans, tomorrow and Tuesday will be NSDs.

I'm feeling quite positive,after a false start in January due to (human) reactions to events beyond our control. We're both (oh and me)on same page,and we both want to have some savings we can use this December to book a holiday for next year👍good to see others doing it too 👍helps keep the focus going

NI changes mean as both working an extra £100+ between us in salary last weekend - that I’ve adjusted DDs to save - maybe something others notice too

We've spent £80 so far this month though it's higher than I want it is less than normal.

I've spent £150 this weekend but it was mostly on shopping which I'm ok with. We needed soap, washing powder, etc.
I'm not planning on spending anything for the rest of February as I don't need anything.
I'm going to be accountable here.

No spend weekend here. Very pleased, and today is looking like a N9SD too.

I was going to pop to the shops for a card, and use my vouchers that expire soon but I know I'll end up buying bits I don't need and end up spending more. I've just cooked dinner in the Ninja so no excuses for going out today. I have a flylady list to do that should keep me away from online shopping temptation.

Good luck everyone for the week ahead.

NSD day and made a meal plan for the month which almost have everything for bar few fresh things. So feeling very pleased.
thinking a lot about all the money I used to waste.

Need to clean under the sink and collect up all cleaning stuff that tends to breed under there. Could well last awhile. Hope everyone had a decent day.

I had a NSD although I wanted a coffee at work this afternoon! I'm a bit fed up of how busy my work is, just now. I guess it's helping with not having time to boredom shop!

Meanwhile planning ds' birthday related fun. DH knows I'm busy so he has organised the cake. 🎂 He's a good one. 😊 (Most of the time!)

Another two weeks and it'll settle down. I hope! Well done, everyone.

Bought milk and kidney beans at the shop today plus loaded up on tissues, kitchen roll, and laundry tablets.
Lunches packed for tomorrow and no spends planned til Wednesday.
I’ve been invited to a wedding later in the year and I can’t see anything suitable in my wardrobe. Only have very dressy and work dresses, nothing in between that would fit the venue. Keeping an eye out on Vinted but have plenty of time to find a good deal.

Well, my Feb start was a bit spendy but it was only a food shop.
This is why I tend to fail at things like this - I'm all or nothing, I'm a perfectionist and I'm not always realistic !
So, getting my act together today and focusing on the positives.
I've enough shopping in for the next 3 weeks, I'm not going out, I'm on a health kick ( no wine), and I need to lose 7lbs !
By the end of Feb, I can achieve limited spend, I will drop some lard, and because I'm not drinking, the house is scheduled a clear out ( which incidentally I really enjoy !).
Ahhhh, that felt good.

I’m so glad January is done. Both DH’s and my birthdays are in January, we visited DDs, at Uni, and of course both needed supplies 🤦‍♀️

This month I just need 2 birthday cards for friend and her DD. We don’t do presents.

Hope everyone is doing well.

NSD apart from once a month Iceland delivery that I’m not counting! Is much easier this month not to be an Amazon app every hour “just looking”. Stuff I do like I’m saving in a wish list so still feeling like have that fix and can take things on off depending how I feel, it’s scratching the buying itch.

Spendy day today. Bought cat food, paid for driving lessons and tests, paid for travel visas, and spent £35 in various shops as it seems all our staples ran out at the same time and DH is moaning at lack of ketchup. I don’t need to go to the shops except for milk and bread until the end of the month now. All of this was budgeted for and classed as essential spends. We did also buy cinema tickets for Friday, which wasn’t essential, but they were the cheapo tickets with our phone contracts for a cheap night out this weekend. I’ll pack snacks from today’s shop to avoid high cinema prices too.

Yesterday was NS except for travel costs to work. Tomorrow is planned to be the same.

Hope everyone’s doing well!

All good here. I've not spent anything the past 3 days. I can do this when I don't take my bag / purse to work. Appreciate not everyone can leave the house without personal belongings!

Tuesday was a NSD but small child was sick. Managed ok all of tuesday but the TV broke so that will need to be replaced. I can get a loan of one for a while as i'm debating with DH over the size. I think a 32 inch is perfectly fine but he wants a 43 inch. The one we can borrow is a 32 inch so hopefully he agrees that its ok.

Yesterday i broke and went shopping to pick up some easy groceries to keep the small child fed. I was all set for feeding just DH and i but a sick child wants particular things and i'd very few easy options and no energy to make some. So €80 spent but i also got some basics we were out of and so we have enough for a week at least i hope.

@pistachiosanscream hope your little one is feeling better soon. 80 isn't too bad. You've stocked up for the week and the little one has what they need ❤️

I’ve had a couple of spendy days as was my small ones birthday. Was really hoping for a no spend day today after 2 spendy days however we’re running really low on lots of things.

hoping I can rustle up a soup from the fridge bits & do a big shop tomorrow. Fingers crossed for me!!

thanks @Amdone123 they are fine, over the most of it but still home to make sure. It does show me how much spending is emotional. I'm sleep deprived due to this illness and not feeling the best myself and i just wanted an easy life.

Hey thats what money is for am by minding it most of the time i can afford to loosen the reins when necessary.

have checked the joint account today and subtracting what will come out for bills we have €500 approx let for groceries, petrol and incidentals. my months run from the 25th - 25th so hoping to have a nice bit leftover to put towards the new TV.

I'm really pleased with my progress.
This morning I saw an unexpected payment in my account. Not a lot, £120. I was half way to ordering a shop online when I looked in the cupboards, etc and saw that we have enough for a couple of weeks.
So, I've given dh half and put the rest in my savings account.

Mim spend day. February seems to be going at a speed compared to January. Planning use cash more as sticking to budget is much easier when you see it in cold hard cash.

NS today, but I must get my tyre sorted out. I will give the garage a call tomorrow and book it in for Monday.

I made some chicken stock from the bones of the roast last week, after picking off all the meat of course. Stock takes up too much room in the freezer, so I reduced it down from 3 pints to a pint. I then poured it into ice cube trays, and froze them. When they are frozen I will transfer them into bags. It made 20 little cubes of concentrated stock for free.

Good work everyone and I hope the poorly ones are feeling better soon!

I had two NSDs and two low spend days this week, but one day I spent £65 or so, on various treats and pizza because it was ds' birthday. 🎂

Mine is next week, and I've bought a nice top to go with a lovely skirt I have (for birthday date with DH) plus £16 (after £15 voucher) on some cream for ds/the household and a lipstick for me. Beauty/skincare is an area I have to be careful with, so I'm happy with my relative restraint there (e.g. not buying extras to get free samples, etc.).

Hoping for a low spend weekend with a trip to the library tomorrow. Good night all.

@Nellieinthebarn I do the same with stock! So lovely to have h/m stock on hand whenever needed. I have some lamb bones in the freezer to boil up tomorrow actually.

Bit of a failure over here the past few days. Went for an unbudgeted drink after work on Thursday, £7.50. Yesterday we went to the cinema - our 'cheap' date night. Stopped for dinner before - £21 each. We had eaten all the snacks I bought in preparation 😂so we bought popcorn and booze at the cinema (DH paid but will no doubt take it from the joint account later). Today, £20 in M&S for breakfast on the go as I didn't pack anything, a reduced pork belly joint for roast tomorrow, and a bottle of bubbly for girls night later. I also paid for the bus when I could have walked. Accountability. But back on track tomorrow. Sunday is always a stay in and eat a roast kind of day so tomorrow will definitely be a NSD.

It’s funny isn’t it how now normal expenses you did before are like HOW MUCH? It was just a ping on the card. Now I feel begrudged spending, it’s amazing what changing mindset can do.

Was a NSD but send a family member something because they are unwell as a useful gift.

@Akire awh that was kind of you.
I used to order a takeaway once a week but it was getting so expensive. You're right - now I'm thinking £30 could be 5 hm meals.
I'm not buying takeaways anymore.