No spend month

[LolitaBlah]

I would love to do it! but I have just had an uber eats delivery I try and fail everytime!

 

[MarthaFarkus]

Come on lovelies! One bad day doesn’t make a bad month. After my takeaway debacle I’ve had 3 nsd’s in a row, had to stock up on cat litter today but again, that’s an essential. Shadow cat is right, goals are the way to go

We. Can. All. Do. This!

 

[MarthaFarkus]

Yeah, it’s difficult isn’t it. I adore spending money I don’t really have but it’s got me in a right mess many a time. I have no savings, I have 4 credit cards that are often maxed out and I have a mortgage and a car to run. I’m getting older, I’m 50 next year (!) and I really need to sort my shit out now. I’m here to encourage the fuck out of everyone and hopefully that’ll rub off on me too.

 

[MarthaFarkus]

I think if it’s an essential then that’s fine, it’s more absent minded spending on things you don’t need - like takeaways () or popping into a shop to get a sandwich or something. I wouldn’t beat myself up about buying cat food, for example, because it’s an essential. I’ve made a list of essentials and non-essentials and as long as there’s no or little spending in the non-essential department then I’m doing alright. Hope that helps somebody.

 

[ladygardener]

Loving this thread!

I've been attempting a low spend month with the aim of keeping my week days no spend. I have quire an expensive year coming up with a holiday already booked and some jobs around the house that need doing, my energy bills have shot through the roof and I've just had to take a loan out to buy a new car, argh!

I set myself some spending rules at the beginning of the month -

- No buying new books
- No new clothes unless I definitely need them (I.e. undies etc)
- No takeaways or take away coffees unless they're freebies
- No spending through the week unless necessary

So far so good... although I have bought one book, I read it and enjoyed it and I have bought a new jacket but I'm justifying it as I did need it and it was in the sale. I've bought one coffee when meeting a friend when I really needed to chat to someone but other than that, I'm managing alright! Certainly much better than a normal month where I'd be 'treating' myself left right and centre!

One thing that has really helped has been deleting the apps I spend mindlessly on, depop and ebay! I've been trying to read on an evening rather than scroll so I'm not tempted into buying stuff I don't need, although the invasive thoughts about spending are still there, does anyone else get this? I'll just be sat minding my own business and my brain will tell me 'you know what you need, an Adidas jumper dress.' ... Like, really?!

 

[disneys]

Update : so I’m doing well but not perfect

last weekend my husband and I had a Pizza Hut takeaway which he technically did pay for , but was still a treat that was an unnecessary spend as we did have food in the house

we’ve been out to eat twice but the first time my in laws treated us so really only once we had to pay which isn’t too bad I guess

the only thing I’ve bought is a tupperware from Tesco (I know , wild!!)

I haven’t bought any clothes , any make up , any takeaway coffees .. so even though I haven’t been perfect , I have been pretty good !

 

[Falafel_Falafel]

We decided in Feb to not get any takeaways and compare spending to Jan. We were shocked how much we spent and saved!
We carried it on through March as it made such a difference. Here's to April takeaway free

 

[ladygardener]

I had a lad come round a few weeks ago to wallpaper my stairs for me.... I love a bit of tacky decor myself and I didn't know what he was going to think, so as I handed him the paper I said 'I'm not sure if I'm the same person I was when I bought this, I know it's a bit tacky...' to which he replied that he has his whole house done in the same style, hahah! I felt like a right tit then!

 

[Magee]

Would be interesting to hear what people’s rules are. Mine are;

- Planning meals for the week, checking the freezer and cupboard first to use up what I have. As I’ll be cooking more I plan new meals/naughty meals so I don’t feel like I’m missing out.
- Doing ONE food shop rather than nipping to CO-OP, M&S and adding things I don’t need in to my basket all month long.
- No takeaways, coffees etc. Some months I’ve planned in a takeaway. It’s nice to look forward to it, enjoy it and savour it rather than order out of sheer laziness when I’ve got food in.
- If there’s birthdays then sticking to a budget that I feel is reasonable and not going OTT
- No clothes, skin care, make up etc. I am allowed essential items if I run out but only after I’ve checked my stash to see what else I have to use up!
- I avoid dangerous shops like Wilkos, B&M, it’s too tempting to mindlessly buy crap.

I think it’s important that when things open up, of course I’ll be social and enjoy life, but do I need a new outfit, bag, lipstick for the occasion? You can spend without splurging and that’s more of a sustainable habit long term

 

[zoominmoom]

Does anyone else find that trying to not spend feels a bit like trying to lose weight? I feel like every day I'm trying to not spend drags on and on and I can't believe it's on day 7 of January because it feels like I've been living a boring hermit lifestyle without treats for months. I just become so conscious of every boring day that's passing and it's the same when I'm trying to lose weight. I already feel like I'm on the countdown to payday but obviously it's a good three weeks away

 

[Magee]

I’ve done this for a few months every now and again and it really does boost the amount of savings I’ve managed to tuck away. Things that helped;

- Deleting shopping apps off my phone or just logging out of them to prevent boredom browsing and buying
- Had a note on my phone so when I did buy something essential, I’d think about the price and if I really needed it before purchasing or could I use up something else in its place. Writing it down somehow made it feel like more of a conscious purchase
- Unfollowed loads of brands, influencers etc on Instagram so I wouldn’t see so many adverts for new things that I didn’t need

You have to really retrain your thought process and not attach buying with making yourself feel better. It took away buying things out of boredom and feeling sorry for myself too. I made sure to book in 1 takeaway a month or coffee and cake with a friend, kept me on track as I appreciated those non-essential spends, looked forward to them and I would use it as an excuse not to crumble on other days as I had something nice to do soon!

 

[Lucyxxxx]

OK. I've wanted my downstairs bathroom wallpapered for a while. Well just the one wall tbh with it being a bathroom. I've seen some GORGEOUS designer wallpaper in local charity shop. It's up for £1 a roll. This is justified spending surely?

 

[candyland_]

I think it’s cutting out the little things that makes the biggest difference. I noticed I had spent £150 in one month just nipping into the corner shop for multipacks of Coke or popping in for kitchen roll and then spending £5/10 on crap.

 

[Lucyxxxx]

I've not spent anything today after the past few days shambles. Back on the wagon now though.

 

[knivesnflowers]

been lurking in this thread, not done a full no spend month before but do aim for a 'streak' of days or a full week. i've started a habit tracker on notion and so far 10/17 days have been no spend. i'm aiming for half the month first and then maybe 3 weeks pcm. feels easier to make it a habit rather than a challenge or restriction!

 

[LolitaBlah]

All right, let's do this:
Jan 15th, day 1: brunch with an ex, he paid! groceries (don't count) so
Day 2: resisted new boots on sale , gonna buy some bread for dinner that was home cooked yesterday, no take out for this girl! so check

COME on! who's with me!

 

[Saddlesoap]

Hows everyone doing?

I've not bought a single work day lunch so far this month. Determined to make it to the end and treat myself on the 1st

 

[disneys]

How’s everyone getting on?

I’m doing well , I’m on day 11 of not buying anything for myself .. I nearly got suckered in by the Monsoon sale and a lovely dress for £20 but I restrained and feel much better for it

did a weekly shop in aldi yesterday and planned every meal until next Saturday and only spent £50 for a family of 3 .. usually I spend £80+ a week because I don’t make a plan or a list and just go to the supermarket aimlessly !

my son has grown out of a lot of his vests so need to buy some new ones in the next size up today but have always said bits for him don’t count

Otherwise , getting on very well and pleased with my progress !

 

[RBN20]

So far I’m still on track for the no spend month but I keep getting the fear that we’re only 10 days into the month. It’s felt like a long 10 days and feels like there’s a lot of the month to go and I’m scared I’ll crack

okay I just failed! Haha. I’m disappointed in myself buuuuut to justify myself it was a jumper that I saw a few weeks ago and really wanted but it was out of stock in every size.

I happened to check today because I was thinking about it (a sign I actually did want it), and there was one in stock and it was in my size. It was on sale and I had a discount code so instead of £60 I paid £25.

I’m just trying to justify failing haha

 

[StephenTJackson]

I was doing this from pay day to pay day for Jan-Feb, I get paid at weird time in the month. And I started so well, then spent £70 on a new shelving unit and £130 on tickets to see Sister Act the Musical/Cirque: The Greatest Show/Mind Mangler. The first in September, the latter two in the next couple of months.

It's like the floodgates opened.

But the justification is I did put £1000 into savings on payday, so it's not like I haven't done good already this month in terms of saving money.