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!

NSD yesterday
Abroad for a week now, so I doubt there will be any no spends, but I’ll still be lurking here to keep in low spend mode.

Hope you have fun, @HowDidThisHappenDinesh ! The weather here today is making me wish I were someplace warm and sunny, rather than wet and grey!

@ElizaBalfour I do find Emma useful - there are various bells and whistles, but I've been using the free version for a couple of years now and it really helps me see visually how my budget is going in different categories for the month. You also get weekly and monthly reports, which aren't so useful for me, but it does a good job of pulling together my expenses from a few different accounts to see where my money is going.

If you have a lot of different bank accounts or 'pots' it may not be so helpful, unless you go for the premium version. But you can always try it out first for free and then decide.

I’m coming towards the end of my month, payday is Friday, and it’s been pretty successful. I’ve been good on the mindless spending, online shopping. Relatively ok on the food shopping and for the first time in ages our joint will be in the black at the end of the month. The sinking fund for our summer holiday will be enough to book the flights and a deposit on the accommodation and I also booked a mini break with family and have flights and accommodation paid for.

there were unexpected Joint expenses but the budget was there for them this month.

in my personal account I’m also in the black, helped by a small unexpected tax refund. I’ll move this money into my sinking fund for house purchases. I’ve a list of what I want to get for the garden this year and want to have the funds there for when I buy these.

I feel I’m getting a handle on my impulsive spending. It had gotten out of control and January was spent with making up for some of that so I didn’t see the savings then. But I’m seeing them now and without a lifestyle drop which confirms that I’d been pretty wasteful with money. Hoping for the same in my next month.

So many positive reports from everyone.

It's motivating to read about what we're all learning about our spending patterns and whether we notice a drop in our mood or morale when we curb them.

I've mentioned Dishpatch before (restaurant meal kits we've had in the past because we have no decent takeaways). They've sent us a discount voucher. I'm now struggling with whether or not I use it for a meal for everyone this weekend before leaving for my business trip. Or if I ignore it. I'm second guessing as to whether this is indulging in a hairshirt after 8 weeks of eating from the stores and freezer (bar 1 meal that DH cooked with friends and from which we then had the leftovers).

Thank you for the Emma info @moimichme, I'll definitely look into it! What I need is a 'life admin' day to get round to investigating things like this, but never get chance - DTS1 in particular bounces off the walls if he's in the house for too long, and still needs a lot of input when we're at home - he's not a child you can leave on their own for a bit...

Well done to everyone this month!! @2024Hackathon I'm waiting for my Green Chef order to be delivered, I got it on a Groupon deal - hoping it will give me some inspiration in the kitchen!

It is good to hear positive stories. I can’t believe how much I used to spend and have no clue on my balance.

Been a shock adding up all my yearly expenses as keep finding more and more. Shit forget the twice yearly water bill, oh crap forgot all my Amazon subscribe and saves, wait there’s Easter and a Mother’s Day in March.

At least I know what I can save a month now and what I need to cover the basics. Have so much dental work that needs doing that really can’t put it off much longer. But it’s positive too as I never knew how much I could save if put my mind to it. It’s changing the mindset of poor me I can’t have that impulsive buy to I can have it but it’s coming out of my weekly food money.

Saving always felt rather like self punishment!

It is good to hear positive stories. I can’t believe how much I used to spend and have no clue on my balance.

Yes. I don't know why but those reflections on a coffee a day and normal spends that we don't notice really brought it home to me.

£5 a day in Starbucks/wherever for a coffee is almost £2000 a year.

People can easily spend £29.70 a day without thinking about it. A coffee, a book, a treat for the family. That's just on £10,000 a year.

Realising that can prompt some very different choices. Particularly when you think about the difference £10,000 a year could make to mortgage payments long-term if you overpaid that (in the short term, some interest rates mean that you could be paying £60 a month less on your payment if you wished). Or a holiday that might pay for. Or reasonable savings to reduce our vulnerability to financial shocks.

Alongside all the positive stories it's been very financially sobering to think these things through. And I do more than I ever did because I come here to be accountable. (No, DH is still not in the right place to have a budget conversation but he is noticing it around him, so to speak.)

Hi, everyone. I've been awol - and my spending is slipping, so I'm back.
Great to read everyone's positive stories and observations. I enjoyed the challenge in January then got a bit miserable this month - but it could be the weather.
I haven't gone mad, just the odd 20 or 30 pound spent, but nothing like before.
We're nearly at the end of Feb - most of my wages are going into savings so that'll encourage me.
Keep going, folks !

NS yesterday, today will be the same and I'm really hoping the weekend will be on provisions - food, not wine, only !

Pleased With self did a list, priced it out before hand. Only got what was on list at the right price didn’t even go down any unnecessary aisles. Lovely when the till price isn’t a shock at the end.

Well done, everybody! 👏 This thread really is inspiring!

I had three NSDs in total this week, so far. Spending overall is way down compared to 'normal' despite it being a birthday month. I'm not paid until Thursday next week, so have to keep up my frugal ways. We do need to buy groceries this weekend, but hopefully not too many extras needed.

Impressive self-discipline and staying on mission there!

I've 22/23 NSDs this month. That will change next week because I'm on a business trip and will have to spend money on subsistence to reclaim later although I managed to get work to book the travel and hotel.

I've decided that what people eat when I'm not home next week is not my business. I'll just have to swallow what happens to the joint account.

This is an excellent thread! I was planning a miserly (?!) March.
DP lost his job last year, he was paid until end of February and HD some holiday pay plus the minimum legal redundancy pay so we really need to reign in the spending until he gets a new job.

Spent £6 on two cans of drink last night cos we had a theatre night out which was great but blooming heck £6.00!! 😖
Will have to pull back some savings over the weekend in readiness for a credit card payment due on Monday. I managed to stash £313 at the beginning of the month so with other extra things that needed paying for 🙄 - savings will still be up by around £103 this month which is still a plus!!
But March will still be tight as we have some birthdays and a weekend away with DH, my ACs and GCs to sort, but looking forward to that - so to heck with it!! 😍
Another plus that with the credit cards that we have paid off means that the interest amounts have dropped by around £40 for this month -it won't be so much in March but still a positive.
I've been trying to find the positives today as for some reason I woke up today feeling really down and fed up for some reason . So been out in the garden while the sun shone with GS to do some tidying up - that tired GS out cos he is now tucked up besides me - we have him today and overnight as DD is having a spa weekend with her DH.
A postcode lottery win would be nice but we don't seem to live in a very lucky area!! Dream on!! 😴

@Rainbow1901 £6 ! Dread to think what a glass of wine was. At least your savings are up and interest on the card lower. Keep looking for those positives - and, the weather will be getting better soon !
@Vinorosso74 awh, hope he finds something soon. Stay positive. ❤️
Love Miserly March ! My 3 month plan was Jan, Feb, March - I'm doing OK but went off a bit in Feb. I'll conquer Miserly March !
NS the last 2 days and I'm staying in today so should be another one.
Tomorrow might be challenging. I'd allocated £50 for a few bits but stupidly spent 15 of it on Wednesday. On wine !
So, tomorrow possibly £35 shop in aldi 🥴

Another NS day as I haven't left the house. Dh went shopping - he got some nice produce - today he's made a lamb casserole, and he's got salmon for tomorrow. But no onions. Never mind, I'll eat anything.
Was just tempted to order a takeaway but dh doesn't want anything so that's good. I'll not bother.
Payday, Wednesday yay.
I'm going to use up everything that's in for teas - pasta, noodles, etc, then a small shop on Wednesday.

Good luck to your DH Vino - I hope he finds a new and even better job soon.

Not a very frugal weekend here, but it could have been far worse!

Went for a run in the morning, then to the beach and played in the park Saturday, but then it was getting late and DH reminded me we had no veg or useful food to cook with at home (since we hadn't gone grocery shopping yet). So, we ended up at a restaurant, which wasn't planned, but we managed to keep the total below £50 and it was a lovely meal/ experience at the end of a nice, sunny day.

Today, spent £15 on a new windscreen wiper (but saved a fiver by fitting it ourselves) and about £35 on fresh food top-up. That should be the last groceries we need until I get paid again on Thursday.

Trying to psych (sp?) myself up to buy our flights to the U.S. in March, for later this summer. A huge expense, but it's an important trip to visit family and we have savings for it. Just scares me a tiny bit to spend ££££ in one go! But the cost is likely to go up if we don't do it relatively soon.

Good luck for the new week, everyone!

Happy Monday everyone and best of luck for the week ahead. The weekend wasnt the best but also not the worst either.

Went shopping to stock the fridge on saturday and spent €112 on food. however all fresh and healthy food as want to eat better and i am now in the right frame on mind to act on that.

Also spent €80 on summer bulbs and plants but this was planned spending.

Where we fell. Ended up ordering pizza on saturday as found out right as i was about to roll it out that the pizza dough i put in the breadmaker hadn't worked. I put too much flour in by accident and it was unworkable. No other options available as i ws also in the middle of baking a birthday cake so takeaway it was.

Yesterday was a NSD and hope to have a few more this week too.

Big lightbulb that went off for me this month was realising how i have changed my savings strategies in the past couple of years. I used to pay everything into one account for saving. But then used to dip into this. Now i use lots of different pots but ive realised that in some ways im really just giving myself a license to spend. So i'm going to relook at all these pots and make a decision on what ones i really need and want. The rest can be combined into regular savings. The no buying/mindful spending showed i had a couple of hundred leftover from my "spending money" so i don't really need those pots if i'm using my spending money properly.

Another NS today.

I'm going to see DD and DGC tomorrow for a couple of days, so I will have to fill up the car with petrol. We are taking a packed lunch to eat on the way, and I already have some little gifts put away I can take for the DGC, and have baked some lemon cake bars. I expect I will buy some little treats while we are there, but nothing too extravagant.

I have £200 left in the current account, and I hope to be able to save most of that. Bearing in mind I took what I would have spent on Council Tax out at the beginning of the month, I don't think that's too bad. I know its helpful that February is a short month, but not as short as i thought it was having quite forgotten about the leap year.

My Frugal February has ended great. I had a rocky start, but I'm glad I put it behind me !
Need some bits today so not NS but budgeted for. A meal out on Saturday but I've budgeted for that, too.
After that, nothing planned so looking forward to Moderate March.

One more day to go! I’ve done better had blip last few days but better then January. Well done everyone. Who’s up for frugal March?

@Akire I'm in !

I’m in for frugal march! My payday was yesterday so Im sorting out my budget etc.

I do so much better when I report to this group. It keeps me accountable.

£700 moved to savings wahoo!
keep going everyone

Every day so far an NSD bar one (shoes for bike).

I may need to buy a meal this evening but I'll be able to claim that back from business travel. (Business dinners and association stuff has covered meals so far.)

I'm signing up for March.

Count me in for March!