Low Spend 2025

[YourLimeCat]

Does anyone want to join me in a mutual support Low Spend year? I entered premature retirement this year at the age of 60 due to health issues and I will be living off a saved Civil Service pension for the next 7 years. Due to no rent or mortgage to pay its not too dire a situation but it would be good to have somewhere to share tips with fellow low spend attemptees.

Meee

We have a history of miscarriage

We are doing ivf

I have health conditions so just work part time

Weve been selling stuff we don't want or need on vinted / Ebay

I made tax free money from bank switches in 2023

Definitely up for a low spend year

Ive hardly bought many clothes new this year and wont get Heaps in the next 9 months

Me. Any tips on fighting the urge to spend?

I know what you mean. I got quite a shock when I looked at the list of everything I have bought on Amazon in the past year. I can immediately recognise what were genuine needs such as bulk stocks of batteries. I also recognised the impulse buys. For the last month I have been putting things in the 'saved for later' section and not ordering immediately. So far, when I go back in I have decided that I don't really need the item. Also maybe try to work out if there are triggers that make you want to spend? It is hard though.

Good luck with the IVF. Having a goal and a focus might be a good spur to help you avoid unnecessary spends.

Mee! We have 2 children live in a 2 bed house. Already decluttering. Want to spend less. Was adamant i waa doing this last year when on mat leave, but since returning to work my spends have crept up, especially on work lunches; food out when at Dds hospital appointments, and general stuff for the kids- which I've realised they don't need!

Welcome to the group. We can support each other.

Me! I have realised that I'm buying a ridiculous amount of clothes that I don't need, just as a little high and almost like an emotional crutch. Really need to stop.

The fact that you can identify your spending as as crutch is a vital first step so Well Done for even admitting that to yourself. It is so easily done so don't waste time berating yourself. Try to work out if there is one thing you could do to stop the spend. If it's online could you make sure the bank card details are not saved so you have to enter them each time? Or in person shopping, could you avoid your favourite shops for a while or at least go less frequently?

Me please! I’d like to get a grip of my spending. Have two little DC. They are gorgeous but money pits.

I will after January, DH and I both have birthdays this month.

Welcome aboard!

Me - I need a new kitchen, mine is starting to look really old and worn and there’s masses of other stuff to do in the house so really need to watch unnecessary spending so I can save up over the next couple of years.

Me! I’ve got some debts to sort out this year, we’re fairly high earners but also fritter money away on absolute crap with nothing to show for it.

Me... I am terrible for online shopping, amazon deliveries are daily ! I am going to stop and do what another suggested put them in save for later!

Me!

No tips from me really other than a realisation over the last couple of days that my spending is more of a habit addiction that I need to restructure my thoughts around.

Both last night (online) and today (in store) I'd almost bought 5 things and instead of checking out instantly, I didn't but any of them and I have to say the 'buzz' of having saved the money totally outweighed the guilt (not that there should be guilt attached to shopping but I'm really not in a position to be spending right now).

So I'm hoping the buzz will continue

Good luck everyone

Well done. I also think of how much I have 'saved' whenever I resist a purchase. Don't have the mindset of 'I won't waste money ever again' to 'I will seriously think about what I spend TODAY'.

I've downloaded a financial management/budgeting app called wallet. I paid £20 for a lifetime subscription on impulse. Then I regretted it and spent 30 mins trying to get a refund unsuccessfully.

Aaaanyway. Then I had a really good look at the app and spent a couple of hours figuring it out, understanding it and setting it up. It's bloody great 😁 Now I don't want to spend money and have to 'confess' it to my wallet. Best £20 I've spent in a while!

No vested interests, just feeling deterred from spending!

I’m in.
The second half of 2024 was just a spend fest for me. I’ve been struggling a bit generally and think I was chasing dopamine.

I’ve joined these threads previously but fallen off as I’m not great at logging in regularly and posting and then feel guilty that I’m just posting my own spends etc rather than joining in the chat. So I apologise in advance for that and please don’t think I’m rude.

My weaknesses:
Seeing things we use on offer and feeling like I need to stock up.
Going online to buy something and buying something I wasn’t intending to to get free shipping/a discount.
Obsessing over something and buying a ton of different ones because I can’t decide what to get (in 2024 this was reed diffusers, soap, various refill products, jumpers from vinted).

In 2024 I did really well at
Using the library/borrowbox/free kindle books instead of buying books
Using up toiletries/beauty products (but I just got given a load for Christmas)
Not using sites like shein/temu.

Main aims for 2025
Cut grocery spending (although this is partly out of my control, I noticed prices have gone up again in the supermarket last week)
Try to only buy essentials
Only intentional purchases

I am in too. I would like to retire early so need to save more

@Wakemeupwhen2024ends I have got a tips on how to spend more consciously. If you do most of your spending online, and you have got the urge to shop/spend, then go online, go for the full experience of browsing things you want to buy, add them in your basket and enter your log in details. However, once you have done this, give your self at least 24 hours (sleeping on it) before you will actually enter your payment details and buy them.9 out of 10, you will not buy them and yet still have the experience of "buying something" partially.

Yes please.

I was going to start a thread because of Joe stressed I am about money.
We moved house and had our second baby in 24.
I am on mat pay but it is awful. A whole year off and so little money.
We're paying almost double on the mortgage compared to our last house.
Both cars insurance's are due this month.
I'm constantly hungry and yet stress about how much I'm paying for groceries.

Dh seems equally stressed. His salary will cover mortgage and a few other bits but really, we are seriously stretching ourselves.
Desperately need a holiday this year too but can't see how we will do it.

Oh and credit cards.. hate them, have one and it needs paying off (although on 0% for the next 18 months)

So yes, I'm in. Help. lol

I'm in! Getting through January is going to be a real stretch but I got some back pay at Christmas which I've saved and I'm determined not to touch it. I've got to start saving and not spending.

@Elephant9 Many years ago I was in that position.
One thing do not go hungry you have two children to look after and need to keep well. Tips on keeping your food bills down is bulk everything out with cheapest veg in season. Potatoes and pasta are cheap. Big bowls of homemade soup, I put yellow split peas and red lentils in with carrots, swede, potatoes onions or leeks does a lunch with bread also a starter if main meal is short.
I am in my early sixties, now disabled and living on benefits. I would like to join.
i need to get a cheap automatic car as live rurally. Main shop is online from Asda

My biggest luxury is going for coffee and a scone but it is my social life meeting old friends.

I've started being more organised from last month as found we had nothing left last 2 weeks of the month despite being on not too bad income between us. Everything is so expensive, our mortgage every month makes me wince and we have a loan on top of that although thankfully not much other debt.

Over the last 12 months I mostly buy kids things from vinted, we have sold lots of things we don't use and need to save an emergency fund as we have nothing saved!

So I started using Starling and the pockets to separate out money and giving ourselves a weekly £200 budget for food, fuel and little bits and bobs (Will go up to £250 from Feb which is more realistic but over spent in Dec so January is tight!). Any bigger purchases have to come out the bills budget so need more thinking about.

Am hoping this will help us get straight and organised.

So yes, I'm defo in.

Congratulations on your retirement OP. There's a retired teacher who is 58 and just retired on YT called Ali lives well on less . She's excellent, might give you some tips and she's really lovely too 😊
https://youtube.com/@aliliveswellonless?si=SnAdzDZ_K1PZXKnw