No spend/ minimal spend 2021

[SWLondonTown]

Anyone thinking of doing something similar?

I want to try to dramatically reduce spending next year and buy less stuff, as don’t really need anything and what I do need (will need clothes for biggest boy etc) try to get second hand.
Step one - unsubscribe to all selling emails coming in!

Yes please. I’ve also spent a lot on Xmas so need to relearn to control my spending so I can save some money up. I do need some new bras though so will be looking online in the sales for them. I’m fine for everything else though to be honest.

I'd also like to add:

1. stocktake. Regularly check what you actually have, I'm guilty of buying another toothpaste when I have quite a few to use up.
2. shopping lists and meal plans. Shop with a list and stick to it.
3. create a want list. Stuff you'd pick up, click order without a second thought but don't really need. Add it to a want list and buy it next week/ month/ year. You'll likely find you won't want it at a later date, if you still do, great. You'll appreciate that purchase.

Thanks @pontiacBandit just signed up to both emails..

Love the idea of ‘want list’ @PontiacBandit saves on any impulse purchases

I'm in. Want to help two adult children on to property ladder in the next three years.

No spend on clothes or shoes. Replacing my essential toiletries but no new purchases.

Packed lunches and flask to work.

Strictly no Amazon anything!

Probably need to do this for the full three years

Hello, Yes please I need to do this! I have no savings left and want to build Safety Net. I will be joining you this January no spend.
I have seen mention of taking a break from Amazon,. I am with ya, also I found shopping sites that allowed me to purchase gifts with payments. Now I have three that take out payments every two weeks and one that I just have to pay off total within 30 days. I have a terrible habit of trying to save, and then giving in and buying whatever my spouse wants. I have tried to have a separate bank account, a cash envelope hidden behind a picture. always gave in and came up with the money. So kinda weird but I have taken an empty shower gel bottle washed out and dried. every two weeks on every payday I am going to put 40 in it. I can stash it, and the reason for the bottle is it will not b so easy to get the money out!

Oooo, yes please. My ex hasn't paid any maintenance for 6 months but I've continued to spend exactly the same and wondered why my savings were reducing so quickly. I've spent quite a lot in the lead up to Christmas and we seem to have a food mountain so hoping I can get through January on £20 a week for just milk and some fruit and salad bits for the lunch boxes. I do want to buy my boys thermos lunch pots so I can send them to school with hot food some times. But other than that very little else we need. Have a birthday to sort for my eldest in 6 weeks but at least no party to pay for (and I may have done an amazon order for that this morning 🤦‍♀️) Got lots to sell as well, I always find market place on Facebook the best way to sell, I made over £40 selling old Christmas jumpers in the lead up to Christmas Jumper Day. (and the money is saved separately so I still have it).

Let the saving begin...

I'll join.

After remortgaging a couple of years ago to pay off all our debt, we have ran up yet more debt (manageable, but still debt) and my eldest son embarrassingly found out and insisted I take a loan from him to pay it off interest free over the next two years.

My problem is I fritter money on shit I don't need so don't have any savings - he said if I concentrate on trying to curb that we should have at least £300 a month to put away. So yes, I'm definitely up for a minimal spend 2021.

I really want to do this too.

I’ve developed a strong amazon habit and stockpiling food stuff. Often buy extra if something is ok offer but then get annoyed at the space it takes to store it!

I want to do a low spend January to March. I won’t need anything in that time other than a cheap new pair of jeans for me as a lose baby weight for the last time. The council tax free months and no commuting costs should mean we can put a lot away and once I’ve started, I find it easier to keep going.

Aim is to get some work done on the house so our children can have their own rooms as they get older.

I'm in for this in 2021. I've been frittering away far too much money on impulse purchases.

I've just asked my DH to block all my favourite shopping websites from my devices and hide my bank cards.

I’m in.
Love the sound of no spend January.
I usually save up all year for Christmas and this year for the first time in about 12 years I didn’t save a penny so that was a real shock to the system!

Can I join? We've moved to the "forever" home but it is a much bigger mortgage/bills and also needs work so we really need to cut unecessary spending. Our main downfall is food bought outside the house....easier to cut now cafés are closed but beforehand we were spending as much per week eating out as on our actual food shopping.

I'm giving us a £50 food shopping budget per week and aiming to go on walks with packed lunches at weekends/other free activities. Luckily the children are perfectly happy with pasta, beans, jacket potatoes or other cheap meals!

I’m in, seriously need to cut back in 2021.

How weird that I have just been going over this concept in my head this evening, only to stumble upon this thread.

I've just deleted all the shopping apps from my phone, I have been unsubscribing to all emails for weeks.
I have a small pot of cash (physical, on my shelf in my bedroom) from my birthday and Christmas money and that will be my only treat money source. It has to last and cover any nights out I might plan, as well as any clothes I might deem essential enough to buy (I don't go out often!)
I am going to cancel Amazon prime.
I need to go through my bank to see if there is anything else that I can cut back on.
I'm going to have a thorough declutter and sell anything that's not nailed down on eBay.

Yes please. I have £££ dental work to pay for and a possible shortfall on the mortgage in a couple of years (complicated divorce). Added to this is that I had to have cavity wall insulation removed because it caused damp and the guarantee won't pay for repairs only removal so that's costing thousands.
I need to reduce my spending and find a way to sell things I don't want. Today's sort out fished up a Radley mini backpack, clothes, jewellery and perfume. I don't like Ebay but I can't think how else to sell them.

www.lovemoney.com/news/561/sell-for-less-the-alternatives-to-ebay

Thanks ivykaty I think I'm going to use Gumtree and Marketplace for most stuff but also offer to post things to widen prospective buyers.

I've been on the lookout for new single beds for both DC, I was going to order online which would have cost me around £250 for the two frames I was looking at...... looked on Facebook marketplace and have picked up two second hand solid wood bed frames for £20 each! They're in good nick and I'm absolutely delighted I can't believe I haven't looked for second hand before. I'll get new mattresses obviously but have saved over £200.

I want to save over the next 3 months so we can have some lovely days out in spring/summer. I don’t really spend on tat but more food shopping

Me too! I lost my job in September, so even after I get a new one, I need to cut back to cover the money I have spent.

I'm wearing an extra layer so I could turn the heating down to 18° and actually it's been much easier than I expected. Will be interesting to see how much we save.

Since I took over the bills about 14 months ago I've managed to cut the gas/electric bill from £135 to £76 per month by switching suppliers, changing bulbs to LEDs from halogens, turning lights off, getting 'kids' on side for shorter showers (run from the boiler not electric) and making 18 the default setting instead of 20 or 21. This is despite us being home through lockdown and the same number of adults being here because 1 returned after university. I do have thermals and warm slippers but if I'm cold I turn the heating up. I'm really pleased with the saving.

I'm definitely in for this. I'm so bad at spending here and there and so is DH, I dread to think how much we spent on places like Amazon this year!

I became self-employed in September and have a smaller income than I used to so would love to lower my spending. We'd also like to spend less of physical things and more on going places together as a family (covid permitting🤞🏼).

I'm going to try really hard to consider whether I really need something before I buy rather than being impulsive, choose second hand first wherever possible and meal plan and stick to it.

Can I join please? I'm an emotional spender and if I don't take action soon, my little bit of savings will soon be gone. I struggle to resist impulse buys on Amazon and it's worse when I'm bored as I just scroll through the Amazon app. I need to stop buying things that we don't really need. I need to stop thinking I'll be happier / house will look nicer if I just order this thing. I need to start to rebuild my savings pot for a holiday or just to have a buffer behind me. I'm going to start by deleting the Amazon and EBay apps and see what gadgets I've got in my store cupboard that I can sell to put some money back in the bank. My target is to see if I can put £100 in to savings by the end of January.

I'm also far too quick to give in to the DC's requests for stuff, craft bits, new toys for their pets, online game subscriptions - none of it that they really need and is a waste of money. It's also starting to make them a bit ungrateful and demanding which they have never been. All my fault, trying to make up for what has been a crap year. Thanks for letting me get that out, feel a little better in myself.

Second hand is great, not only does it save money buts its eco friendly and puts money in someone else pocket.

Most of my last house was second hand furniture, some I brought with me when I moved and now I have more old, used or second hand items in my home - but you wouldn't know. I purchased a second hand sofa - cream leather for £20, rugs for under £10 that were between £500-1000 new, an oak chest of draws for £3.

I had a quote for fitted wardrobes in the summer for £2500, I went to wayfarer and purchased the nearest in width to the room I could find that we liked, it just had 5cm spare on 9.5f and cost £750 and £150 for a "mr put up my flat pack" I couldn't justify £1750 quid for built in.

They is usually a way to make or get what you want without spending the earth