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!

£24.84 in Morrison's, had to go there as I shop for DF and he wanted specific things.

About £16 left til Wed but can't imagine I'll need anything else.

£30.91 at the butchers/grocers, that should last 2 weeks.
£14.50 at farmfoods for snacks,kids seem to have hollow legs.

Hi All, I was on a no send thread but I've lost it. The thing I need to not spend on is clothes. I joined a thread because this is a really strong addiction for me, and no sooner had I decided to have a no spend year, not even a whole week later, I bought a coat for £156 and two handbags totalling £116. I was already behind in my regular monthly savings deposit for December so I'm kicking myself.

Both of these purchases I can rationalise. I'd been wanting a new handbag for two years and I accidentally ruined my waterproof coat several years back and had just been for a walk in the rain (I have dogs) and came home with my coat soaked through, fed u and feeling like I don't have to keep suffering for my mistake.

But I know it's also a problem. The other day I found myself browsing online, managed to click away. I know I will be so proud of myself if I can do this. I already put most of any spare cash into savings. I'm managing dry january just fine, and I gave up smoking last April. I can do things that are tough. I really want to prove to myself that I can also stop wasting money on clothes.

So that's me, hopeI don't lose this thread too!

Hi dudsville! This thread has gone a bit quiet but I like to post to keep me accountable. I overspent at Christmas so am on a non-essential spending strike. I'm saving so much money I'm going to try and continue beyond paying off Christmas, which will be in a month's time.

I've given myself £100 per week for all food, fuel and treats. Today was a new spending week:

£20 diesel
£45.20 in Lidl. Delighted with this as it included 4 bottles of wine! £34.20 left til next Wed but very little needed. Top ups only.

NSD. Tried to buy DH coffee but the local Costa has closed.

£7.35 yesterday, planned treat of fish and chips with DD. Portions are so enormous we shared one. It was delicious!!

We have had a bonus. DS has managed to get another part time job so will have his own spending money when he is allowed out . He can also buy the “named” clothes he likes. My very old car is due for MOT in two weeks . Really hoping it does not cost too much as I can’t afford another and need it to get to work. Checked my credit card balances and they are reducing but it’s going to be a long slog. I have closed all but one which is nearly at max. I am hoping to build a small emergency fund so I don’t need it .

Good news @sandgrown

£3.65 in Nisa, bread and a few Friday top ups. Paid cash which is outwith my budget though!

I spent just over a fiver on 2 coffees last Sunday, and bought a new hairdryer for £12 a my old one died. Other than that, zero spend apart from groceries, which come from a dedicated grocery account

DD wanted party food for lunch and I was all ready to spend a few quid on sausage rolls. Talked myself out of it, she was made up with ham and jam sarnies!

So a triumphant NSD today. Tomorrow I need to shop, but will be minimal.

£19.43 in B&M and £13.22 in Morrison's, top up but also needed drain unblocker, a few bits for the bathroom etc.

I really need to join this thread. I am terrible for nipping to get something essential (milk etc) and coming back with £30 worth of stuff I don’t need. Do you try to set a certain number of NSD per month, or set an amount to spend per week/month?

Well in a first I think we are having a no meat day . DS is on a healthy eating kick and I need to save money so we are having veggie curry with lentils. If we can get used to having more veggie stuff we can save a bit I hope.

@testingtesting321 personally I set a £100 limit each week to include all fuel, food and treats. Inevitably this means I have at least 3 NSDs per week. I shop twice a week and that regularity means I can meal plan. I'm useless at planning beyond 3/4 days and end up not fancying what I've planned and getting pizza or takeaway. But 3/4 days I can stick to. It is only me and DD though, so easier to stick to such a low limit.

Last night I spent £5.20 on Nuxe lip balm and £5 on a lick mat for the dog.

This week goes from Fri - Thu, I have about £45 left.

I ordered clothes. Hope I’m strong enough to send them back.

NSD yesterday (apart from all the bills that go out on the first!).

I'm trying this, not no spend but trying to cut back dramatically. There's always something every week though.

Had an appointment for my covid vaccine yesterday afternoon but I was working nightshift the night before and ended up getting a taxi instead of a bus so I could have an extra hour in bed, I blew 14 on that. Got the bus home but I was tired and hungry so got a takeaway straight off the bus for another 6 bucks.

Hi @shivawn, you have my sympathy. Night work is soooo hard. Can't say I blame you on the taxi, but I suppose you kick yourself afterwards.

£10.29 on wine and something for breakfast. Totally unnecessary, may go over £100 this week unless I can really rein it in at Lidl tomorrow.

Hi all I got a money saving book from fox and moon for Xmas. It's fab I've been tracking since the end of Dec. In Jan I had 15 no spend days (not inc bills or nursery fees). Everything I spend gets tracked in it, also there's a meal plan section and lots of saving goals.

Can I join? I’ve given myself a really strict budget for the rest of the year and will be able to get myself completely out of debt if I stick to it which will be amazing. I’m so bad with impulse buys but have been really good so far this year.

Hi to @ginabrett and @newlabelwriter

This thread has died a bit of a death but I'm still trying to stick to my budget. Although there are always a few extra expenses around the start of the month.

I spent £32 in Lidl on Wed, including 2 bottles of wine and a new jumper. NSD yesterday.

New spending week today, £100 to include food, fuel and treats. I'll clear the Christmas spending at the end of the month and then it's saving as much as possible.

I've now switched from Tesco to Aldi. I have a £75 budget every Monday for all groceries Inc nappies for 2 adults, 2 teens, 10 and 2 year olds. But can get bits on a Friday depending on the weekend plans. Hope your plan goes ok :)

I recently downloaded a banking app, and I had a look at the section where it broke down my spending into categories...

• it turns out I spent £476.89 on 23 orders from asos, amazon & eBay in January.

I wouldn't mind if they were important things but... they certainly weren't necessary!
(... I do remember buying a new jumpsuit, some seasalt bamboo socks, a JM candle, a new cover for DDs Ipad, and two cushions for our new sofa...). Oops.

I can't afford to do this every month - so I'm joining in with not-spending-on-crap-I-dont-need! (... Let's see if I can make it to the end of the month!)

My and Significant other worked out we spent £1000 last month on food and booze, it's insane! We are tracking everything now. Really want to save

I’ve started a spreadsheet of all the things I would normally impulse buy but haven’t ordered. So far up to over £600 quite a good motivation.