Modest march

[ProjectsGalore]

Following on from frugal feb. Assemble all those wanting to manage money better this month. I've managed to actually put some money into savings this month to start an emergency fund. I'm determined to make sure that my council tax bill savings go straight into savings this month too!

I've been wondering if NSDs can also be framed as MSDs where these are Maximum Savings Days. Not so much resisting spending as maintaining control and maximising savings where possible.

@2024Hackathon hope you’re able to have the conversation soon. Slow and steady has been the way to go with my DH, he asked to see this months budget himself and even made suggestions/asked questions, complete difference from where we were last year! Still a ways to go though.

Spent £127.50, almost exactly as planned, on dinner and drinks tonight. It was a pricey place but I’m learning that spending feels ok (no guilt or regret after) when it’s preplanned and budgeted! Very grateful for this thread as it kept me from saying yes to another round and that kept us in budget 😄
Also spent £15 at M&S for breakfast bits and two g&ts for the train back.

A pair of shoes that I really wanted have come back in stock in my size. They would be very practical and match lots of stuff in my wardrobe but they’re £110. Don’t want to miss out on them again but £110! Still mulling… also didn’t get hair dye, might do that tomorrow.

I've been working all week so that has helped keep spending to a minimum. Most days I haven't spent anything.
We have done food shopping. Spent about £30 at the at shops this morning on toiletries which had suddenly run out!
I've been toying with a tempory pink hair dye to cover my greys for a while. I have an appointment mid April for cut and highlights. Saw one in Superdrug for £8.99. However, last time I did a home dye, it didn't work out as planned!

Yesterday spent £17 on a quick dinner and cinema snacks.

DH has discovered the 2Good2Go app. He spent £5 on donuts and £3 on baguettes yesterday which sorted us for breakfast and lunch today. It’s satiating his takeaway habit but at 1/4 of the cost!
I think he bought some beers too for the film, not sure what the damage was there but cheaper than cinema prices.

Today I’m hoping for another NSD. No plans although DH will probably want a bottle of wine. He can go out in the rain to get it!

I enjoy the Peloton. My sit-upon bones took it upon themselves to order padded cycling shorts in an attempt to reduce their pain on the notorious saddle.

£19

I've also spent £80 on DH's birthday. It's not for some time but I bought him tickets for two events, I'm covering the travel and other costs.

It's £100 all in.

So, a lot of expenditure. However, I've spent approx £250 this year and I'm irritated interested to notice that it's substantially to meet the needs of other people. Mind, the Peloton has now needed ca. £70 between the shoes and the shorts.

Rough last week or so. Big incident on my estate so extra money on things to cheer myself up and distract myself. Need to sort emergency kind of budget for things.

Have two more payments on my mobile so then will have extra £48 month going free. My phones usually last me good 3 years so that’s diverted cash.

think today is my first NSD of March!

I hope everything is OK, @Akire - it is really hard when you don't have much of an emergency buffer.

I managed two NSDs this week, which isn't too bad (it's my minimum) but on several days when I did spend money, it was very little.

This is reflected in my banking app, which says I've spent £160 less this month compared to the same time period in February. Proud of that!

But very soon need to make a ££££ flight booking to the U.S. for a visit to family this summer. We have the money saved, but it's a very big expense and I'm dragging my feet a bit, trying to find the best price/least challenging total travel time. 😅

Travelling for work this week, too, so it'll be very busy, but I'll try not to spend too much even if my expenses will be reimbursed. Good luck all and sending happy wishes to all of the inspiring, hardworking mums on the thread!

Think I'm gonna need to fork out for a fridge freezer this month 🤦‍♀️ Went to get my punnet of strawberries out the fridge the other day and they'd frozen over lol Turned temp down on the fridge, all going well. Went to get some strawberries out last night and at least 2 of them were frozen 😆 Turned fridge down again, so far so good. But think it maybe time 🙈

Ooh I love Dobbies. Always a good day out 😁

Spendy day.
£7 to get waxed (planned spend)
£3.50 on a coffee (unplanned)
£50 food shop (medium sized shop to see us through the week. Annoyingly though I forgot bread so back we go on Wednesday)
£30 in superdrug for hair dye and skincare (planned)
£20 at a local business we like. They are fundraising to open a new location and we wanted to support them. We wanted to give more but we’re trying to be frugal still!

I caved and bought the shoes I was looking at. To be fair I’ve wanted them for months and they’ll be really practical so it wasn’t an impulse purchase but ouch at over £100 leaving my account. Now avoiding Vinted and online shopping as I kind of think f it i’ve already spent money but that’s not the Modest March way 😅

@HowDidThisHappenDinesh I think the shoes were a good investment !
I like @2024Hackathon idea of MSD - because some days are not going to be NS ( we all have to eat, etc, and to an extent, enjoy life), but if we're spending less and being more aware, that's all good, too.

I spent at the weekend but it was a shop - had nothing in, and a meal out.
I'm now NS til Easter weekend. No need to go shopping, no need to eat out, as I'm trying to lose a few pounds.
I said to my dh what I like the most about this approach is I'm not scared to look at my accounts !! I know exactly what's in there. I've got £350 coming out next week for my final holiday payment, but it's there - I'm not panicking.
Actually, Jan and Feb I did so well, I can actually relax a little, so that's something for me to consider for the future ( having 2 or 3 months where I'm really strict - I think I can do that).

Hello modest March. I’ve been hiding from you.
mini trip away was a success and came in on budget with nothing on the credit card.
grocery shopping is higher this month as I haven’t been as good at using up my pantry! And have actually done some restocking. May do a freezer restock too this month. However it’s still under budget overall.
im off sick for a couple of days so medications etc had to be bought.
small child has grown out of lots of clothes so yesterday I went through them all and brought out what I had in next size. Small win here in that I didn’t just listen to dad and buy €50 worth of new basics but actually checked what we had and where the gaps are. Will possibly spend €50 on the gaps but at least it’s planned spending.
today I bought mini snack pots. I want to stop buying pre packaged mini snacks for the small child but hadn’t found a storage solution I was happy with. I also find some of the pre packaged stuff just too big. Have now got 28 mini pots I can fill myself and keep in the car, bag etc. so €27 on them.

otherwise things are going better. Much less impulse buying and our joint account is really seeing this. I’ve now less than 2 weeks to payday and I’m really hoping to have enough funds leftover to replace the broken tv.

Guardian piece that may have additional ideas:

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/mar/12/how-to-succeed-at-the-no-spend-challenge

@Amdone123 yes I think so too, just not used to big purchases atm! I got the notification that they’d shipped today, and felt much better about buying them. There’s two pairs of shoes that the new ones will be replacing that I can list on Vinted too.

DH and I both bought lunch today as I forgot the bread yesterday to make sandwiches. Went back to the shop today to buy that and also found some yellow sticker chicken thighs for dinners next week. Wrapped in clingfilm and stuck in the freezer, should get 3 meals from them for £6. So I’m glad I forgot the bread yesterday!

Also topped up my oyster card today. That’s a weekly planned expense. But planning for NSDs tomorrow and Thursday.

I was doing well this week just a few bits of fresh food and milk bought.
Then..... cat food ran out so I did a Zooplus order followed by the sole on one of my gym trainers disintegrating. New trainers ordered but got them £15 cheaper than on the New Balance website.

All good here. I've not spent anything since Sunday. I haven't drank, so that's probably why.

@Vinorosso74 sounds like all essentials!

@Amdone123 well done, done well this week too. In fact only thing I bought on Wednesday was a half bottle of wine 😅 as DH was out. NSDs Thursday and Friday. Yesterday we had a spontaneous dinner at the pub with our friends. I’m not very good at saying no to stuff like this but for good reason.

Need to nip out for coffee and bread today but I think I can put off a proper top up shop til Thursday.

Spent money on 3/17 days in March.

Despite that, we've been able to keep the savings (just) above a level that's important to me. DH is paid tomorrow but because we're paying insurance in lump sums later this month, we won't be able to add to savings this month.

Added to which, we might be withdrawing most of the savings to ISAs. It depends on the relative value of the mortgage offset vs the advantage of an ISA. I'm worried we might time out on this as DH is still prevaricating.

@Amdone123 That did make me laugh! I can relate, it always seems like a great idea to order online after a drink or two...

Just checking in with you all, hope everyone is doing well.

Updated my app at last and I've had five spend days this month, just over £175 which is about £55.00 over my budget but luckily I have made some extra cash to cover this. All spending I would have done at some point.

I do need to get the bits to dye my hair, bleach, toner, peroxide, PH elasticizer and purle toner, but I've been putting it off due to the cost. I have some work tomorrow that will pay well for the time, so I will put that money aside for those bits to cover it - when it hits my bank and not before!

All good here.
I did spend £25 on Friday ( wine, beer, crisps), but I'm over it ! It's not how much I spent, but what I spent it on 🥴.
I'd been great all week - NS, no wine, no rubbish. And I lost 3lb.
It's all related to me.
This week I should be OK.
Oh, I figured I've saved at least £100 today by staying in, and I've had a lovely day - reading, nice bath, walked my dog and cooked a lovely meal.
Maybe I should write a list of NS enjoyable activities 🤔

I’m barely staying on the rails at the moment but this thread is helping to keep me there.

this is my danger time every year, I want to buy things for the house and garden and basically just spend!

I’ve done some spending but it’s all stuff I had planned. Outdoor cushions. I’ve been pricing these for years so know I got the best price snd in the colours/patterns that match my other stuff.

curtains for one of the rooms we got decorated. I had one pair but had to buy another to match. Will still need to get poles to hang them.

also bought some clothes for small child and a dress for myself. Ipthis dress I’m hoping to be my main purchase this spring. I’d a Mother’s Day voucher and a 20% discount code so I only paid €54 with RRP was €135

it’s a week to payday and I still have money in my own and the joint account. Hoping for a good week and weekend to end both in the black. While I’m feeling it’s my danger time I can see I’m doing much better with the impulse spending

annoyingly one of the items I plan to buy has increased hugely in price so I’ll have to find an alternative. Not the end of the world but it doesn’t help with wanting to buy everything at once!

@pistachiosanscream oohh it all sounds lovely. I'm not too houseproud really, so I tend not to be tempted by things for the house. My dh is very proud of our humble abode. He's always bringing stuff home. I just let him get on with it.
At least you're doing better, so that's something to celebrate.
At weekend I spent £25, so that's not bad ! If I weren't a lush, I'd have spent 0 🥴

Joining late to the thread but reading for some good inspiration. My next frugal mission is to get better at the food shop. Currently food shop is a bit on a whim / daily grab after work and gym. Although I have gotten a bit better at fridge and freezer raid and often plug into google the foods left which turns up some dinner ideas. Might have a go at doing a weekly shop and meal planning

@Margo2023 hi and welcome.
Meal planning is a great idea. I plan for the week, just not days - as I never know what I'll feel like on the day. But, there are only 2 of us, so it's not as challenging.

Well done everyone! I'm back from my work travels and let loose a bit more than I probably should have (bought a few treats/ gifts for DH and ds in London). But it has not broken my budget overall because I've been trying to be careful. Just need to claim my legitimate expenses back to be reimbursed sooner rather than later.

Still have to buy the flights to America, but most likely not going to happen until this weekend. Work is just too busy right now and I want to make the purchase when I'm not so stressed, so I don't make any mistakes!

My app says I have spent £70 less than at this time last month, which is pretty good overall. Shame I wasn't organised enough this morning and had to buy lunch at work (£4). I'll do better tomorrow!

Good luck for the next few days, everybody.