Getting a grip! Welcome to the September No Spend/ Low Spend S&B challenge

[Laska42]

Welcome to the continuing NO Spend/ Low spend clothes challenge for September.

A huge Well Done to all who stayed with us for August. We had some great no spend results, even if we didn’t all make it, (Oops Laska ) but we all learnt what our triggers are and we all spent less.

So, a definite success; and now it’s time to sign up and pledge to get a grip in September.

And a big welcome to old and new S&B obsessed MNers - who just can’t stop buying it all - to join us in our quest to get a grip.

So, what’s it all about?

We all LOVE new clothes, but are short on the willpower to resist, and quite frankly its getting too much ..

We have wardrobes and chest of drawers utterly and totally rammed... a lot of us did make an effort to get rid of some of it last month, (though, come on, we probably do have more we can shift ).

We have piles of clothes and shoes we've even forgotten we have, (some with the labels’ still on) .

And it’s a new season -Danger Time-.

But we want to get back into control and wear the lovely things we have and stop being a slave to every new catalogue, website and blog ..

We want to resist the sales and offers and we want our friends and neighbours to know us better than the postmen and the local couriers !

We know they want us to buy into their new lifestyle looks , but we are stronger than them.
-Throw out your catalogues as they arrive!
-Unsubscribe to online shops!

-And let’s get creative and stay stylish without spending even more £££s and without adding to the piles of unused stuff we already have...

So here we go again...

Some Rules
Either commit to No Spend or to a set budget.
Exceptions to No Spend are tights, underwear (knickers and bras) and to replace something that has Genuinely worn out.
Last month we decided that if we did get something then a One in One out policy was a good idea

Lets help each other kick this habit!

We know its hard and we will have to continue to be accountable to each other ..BUT WE CAN DO IT!

So Who's in again?

You're right I should hop back on! And commit to not spending again this month.

Well i spent my €100 allowance for September, wasnt impressed with my purchases so promptly returned both items. I have therefor not bought ( and kept) a single item of clothing in 6 weeks. This thread has really made me think! I shall carry on. How are we all getting on?

Did you send the silver boots back then?

I did mrpop they just weren't nice enough to keep!

I've been good since my splurge. I now refuse to buy any more 'basics' and save up for quality. My wardrobe is all teeshirts, cardis and trousers but no 'pop'!

Will have to consider each and every purchase more clearly from now on and I don't need anything else at all this month.

I'm keeping my new coat, even though it's a size too big. I'm obsessed with the colour! That means my total spend for September is £101. I'll allow the extra £1 to slide! I'm much more mindful about my shopping now, thanks to this wonderful thread. I'm joining up in next month if Laska starts another thread?

Still no spend

Yes this is month two, was very good, didn't buy a thing!

Since the start of August I have bought:

Underwear - allowed. Baggy bras not a good look. Also from a bargain outlet place.

Running jacket / top - need more winter running reflective clothes so more for safety. My husband wanted me to get it and even found it for me.

Jeans - they were a proper bargain and much needed. Due to weight loss.

A dress from Great Plains - this was my only impulse buy and decided to keep as it was less than £20.

A dress from ebay with my work birthday money. The dress was £175 new and I paid about £50 for a hardly worn one.

I am going to carry on until October but may need to buy some shorts for my holidays and maybe a couple of vest tops.

Forgot to add that I am working my way through selling my larger clothes on ebay. Managed to make over £30 so far on three items.

Its nearly the end of the month and so for I've spent £27.95 which would have been £57.95 full price without vouchers.

Its not over yet but I've enjoyed this challenge. In July I spent almost £300 and in August I spent £220 just on clothes so to cut it right down to less than £30 I'm pretty chuffed with that.

I still like going shopping and still browse online a lot but I've now realised that coming home empty handed is OK. I'm going to have a bit of a clear out as well now I can see how much rubbish I have bought and never worn.

How is everyone else doing ?

Well after I fell off the wagon, I have bought 5 things in total this month. All cheap but not a great success tbh. Bought a lot more and did send most back. Am going to try for October and I am thinking of trying project 333 until the end of the year to see if it encourages minimalism!

I've blown next 2 months budgets on the Bloch flats at tk maxx, they were such a good price and I could never justify them full price. I won't be buying more until December. Luckily all my Christmas shopping and winter wardrobe is sorted and I shouldn't want need to buy anything now until the January sale.

hello all., sorry been awol, massive deadline which meant i put myself in strict MN purdah and then a much needed holiday in France.. (where i bought Nothing!.. except cheese and wine [smile}
so sept 29th and i didnt quite make it. but have bought so much less..

Tally is: Buying:

1 pair navy leggings ( I sent the black ones back!)
a pair of clarks flatties for my holiday (I hadnt been expecting the weather to last and old ones were f*d.. so they will also do for next year)
1 scarf..

so not brilliant ,but definately ok considering what i usually buy

Given:
a pair of (cheapy, Tu) boyfriend crop jeans DH bought me when I forgot to pack spare bottoms for my weekend away earlier this month and a pair of 2nd hand Jigsaw trousers from a friend

(However i do have a bid out on a fab Biba dress on ebay that i wanted last year but couldnt justify the cost.. Maybe ill get lucky and if i do ,thats my party dress sorted for this year !)

So are we up for another month? I'm planning on ebaying stuff.. I resisted a jacket in France as i remembered I had too many already! i have boots and all else I need I reckon..

Am up for October!

I'm in!

Me please for October.

Though I need some holiday clothes. Need to be careful about over buying

I'm in for a limited October spend as well.

Hmmn. I didn't do brilliantly, but I did think more about some potential purchases and there were some things that I didn't buy as a result, so I guess that is limited progress. In particular, I resisted a couple of 20% or 25% discount codes that I'd normally have gone for.

I am eyeing up boots on the Clarks website. They are gorgeous and a classic design and I know I would wear them until they fell apart so I can almost justify it. Except, I already have three pairs of black boots ..

So far, so good! Cancelled that Zatchels order and returned ALL the stuff I bought from Sweaty Betty. And I didn't even try any of it on, so I wouldn't be tempted!

Trying to economise elsewhere as well - I've switched hairdressers to a much cheaper one (I love the guy who has normally done it, but he is exorbitant, and I really can't justify it). Also Ebaying quite a lot of stuff. Any really good things that don't sell, I'm going to try and consign.

I hope I should get through October quiet easily, My challenge is going to be November. We're going to Florida. And the shopping is going to be massively tempting! Trying to make a deal with myself that if I limit myself to Old Navy and the like and don't set foot in any department store or outlet mall, it won't count.

NEW OCTOBER THREAD HERE