April Penny Pincher Challenge

dreamtruce · 31 March 2017 at 7:20AM

Rules & Guidance

You have to Choose 15 items off of the list to do each month
Keep count of how many times you do the tasks during the month
There isn't a limit to how many times you can do the task
but at least aim to do each item at least once!
You can split the tasks into daily,weekly,monthly but you have to do them still
Each task is worth 1pt and you can earn an extra 5pts for trying every task once
*new* You are more than welcome to include other challenges here
You may choose the same tasks each month but please try one new way each month, just to help you avoid being stuck in a rut!
Post your progress regularly & share other ways that you've found to save money and we can add it to the list
Join in with weekly chats and challenges (some may not be focused around saving money!)
Try your best and there is no "failures" as there is always next month to try again.
This is not a race either.

To Join
Post your 15 tasks from the list below & act on them throughout the month.
You will get given a number and the members list will be posted below.
Be sure to keep us updated with your progress so we can add your points

Useful templates
Penny Pincher Master Task List
Penny Pincher Challenge Monthly Task Chart

dreamtruce · 31 March 2017 at 7:25AM

Keep a change jar
Set up an auto-payment to put money in your saving(s) account
Give yourself an amount each week/Month to spend on yourself.
Get cheaper insurance
Create a budget for each month
Keep an expense log
Pay off your debts first
Pay with cash only
Have a monthly goal of a certain amount of No Spend Days
Have nights in / a set amount of nights in each week/month
Buy own brands or cheaper items
Take your meals to work
Buy lunch items in bulk from the poundshop or on sale
Take your own water bottle
Keep yourself a holding pot for change that you may need in the week or month
top up store cards such as starbucks/boots/asda with £10-£20 monthly
Use loyalty cards or loyalty apps always
Limit take-outs and fast food chains
Walk/bike/carpool to work or buy cheaper tickets
Don’t buy branded clothes or only buy branded and non-branded clothes in sales
Go on a clothes shopping freeze monthly/for a certain amount of time
Find cheaper or free ways to listen to music or watch films
Use voucher codes
Stop ordering coffee from coffee shops / coffee machines
Attend free events in the city
ONLY use free-to-use ATMs
Make a shopping list & stick to it!
Reuse your shopping bags
Cancel memberships that you don’t use
Buy things from discount stores
Check best before dates on things like bread & milk and get a longer date
Buy beauty products on deals or in discount stores like Primark
Maintain a healthy lifestyle & take care of yourself
Don’t get paracetamol or ibuprofen from the NHS
Check your bank account(s) regularly
Sell unwanted items
Do any overtime that you can
Find cheaper or free hobbies
Find a hobby that you can earn from
Only go “luxury” shopping when you have 5+ items on your list or buy everything you need in one trip so you don’t have to make multiple trips to get 1-2 things.
Get cheaper Water/gas/electricity/phone/internet bills
Swap / borrow / Say yes to items from family & friends
If there’s an item you want, put it on a list then after 30 days, get it if you still want it
Move to a different bank that offers more for you
Repair things if you can
Only buy computer games / DVDs with replay value
Quit an expensive bad habit such as drinking a lot or smoking etc.
Make extra dinner for the next day
Turn off things you don’t need on such as lights, computers when not in use
Switch to energy saving lightbulbs / lightbulbs that lasts a long time
Layer up in winter or use windows to cool down / Have a programmable thermostat
Use price comparison sites
Buy used when applicable
Holiday shop/Gift buy in the sales
If you pick up an item you want, ask yourself if you need it, will you use it, is it worth it
Create a visual reminder of your goals or debt snowball
Use work benefits
Do regular maintenance & cleaning on appliances and tech
Make bills & important payments online and on time!
Internet shop
Organise a finance ‘day’ or hour to check through all financials and to do tasks such as couponing etc.
Meal plan
Have a minimal wardrobe or a few items for each occasion
Leave your card at home for a certain amount of days each month
Don’t sign up to gyms. Watch Youtube for home exercises or utilize green areas & streets
Limit microwave meals and sweets
Wash clothes less - rewear clothing that isn’t dirt or smells & air dry when you can
Eat less meat
Pay attention to prices - double check deals and if you need to/want to, keep a record of how much everything will cost
Create an inventory list of what’s in the freezer, move stuff that has to be eaten first at the front of the freezer and things with longer dates at the back & cross off as & when you use them
Find a easy side job
Stay in the loop with news about financial things; New currency, House prices, Bill costs shifting etc.
Check your pay & taxes
Grow your own veg & herbs
Only order tap water at restaurants
Check for whoopsies first when shopping but only get things you need or what’s on your list
Buy multipacks of household items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste,wet wipes etc.
Sign up for freebies
Set up an emergency fund and or keep an emergency stash of money,
If you don’t use it in that month, put it in savings/piggy bank
Check emails for offers/vouchers/discounts & purge unneeded emails
Sign up for cash back sites but only use when needed & check offers/vouchers
Use sites like swagbucks/clicksense to boost money

Other ideas from around MSE / MSE challenges
Try Save 20p's week Challenge
eBay week
Daily rounding of bank account to savings week
Try Roadkill challenge week
No alcohol week / Month
Low electricity use week
Try Make £10 a day challenge week
365 day penny challenge
Xmas present planning and budgeting week
Meal Plan

dreamtruce · 31 March 2017 at 7:26AM

001 Dreamtruce - 2pts
002 Jo Blogs - 17pts
003 Funfairprincess - 5pts
004 indigowarrior - 4pts

Jo_Blogs · 31 March 2017 at 7:45AM

Well this certainly looks like a very interesting challenge

Sign me up 002 - off to look through the list again and decide on my 15.

Thanks again!

:)

Ok, here are my 15, some of which I already do, but it's always good to have a refresh and something to keep you on your toes

:cool:

2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 16, 21, 23 ,27, 28, 35, 36, 39, and 42

dreamtruce · 31 March 2017 at 8:13AM

Welcome Jo Bloggs,
I will add you soon feel free to carry on.

I've made my list.

1. Set up automatic payments
2, create a budget
3.Aim to get 20 nsds
4.use loyalty cards or apps
5.walk or bike it to work
6. Only go luxury shopping when I have 5+ items on my list / do 1 shopping trip for everything
7. Create a visual reminder of saving goals - I'm usually a money goal tracker on my phone called thriv
8. Make all bills online and take them out from Bill account
9. Organise a finance day or "power hour"
10. Leave card at home
11. Try to get cheapest utilities when moving in
12. Create an inventory list of fridge/freezer or keep receipts so I can cross off as I use
13. Put money aside for emergency weekly and put into savings/piggybank when not used
14. Pay with cash only apart from things for the house like furniture but be accountable
15. Make a shopping list and stick to it

Jo_Blogs · 31 March 2017 at 4:20PM

Had a sort out / revamp today and managed to:

No.2 Set-up everything ready for predominantly the 1st of the month.
No.5 Budget already done and active
No.6 Expense log already done and active
No.8 Paid for items I intended to buy today using cash and not card, which also incorporated No's 11, 16, 23, 27, and 28 - No.8 is a new(ish) challenge for me as I want to see if I end up saving more by using cash rather than a card at the end of the month!
No.9 Having a No Spend weekend as part of my April NSD monthly goal of 15 (or more!)
No.35 I usually do this most mornings
No.36 Got some things ready to list and hopefully, sell on the Bay (I know this task is not completed yet, so will add points later)

Love this challenge! :T

dreamtruce · 31 March 2017 at 7:04PM

Oh wow well done you! That's brilliant.
I'm glad you like the challenge I think I'd save a lot of money this way as you can mix and match depending on the month for an example, I'm moving out and into a rented house with my boyfriend and so mine are about cheaper things and creating budgets etc.

I do want to save money but this month is about moving in instead of looking at costs of living.

I will have to wait until Wednesday to do some tasks and wait until like 19-22nd April for some others.

22nd is our moving in date

funfairprincess · 31 March 2017 at 7:18PM

Hi can I join please?
My list
5. Pay debt first
6. Keep a log
8. Pay cash
12. Take meals to work
13. Bulk buy lunch stuff from £ shop
14. Take water bottle
18. Restrict takeaways
24. Stop buying coffee at shops
27. Make a shopping list and stick to it.
35. Check bank account
36. Sell unwanted stuff
47. Quit smoking
62. Meal plan
76. Check whoopsies
79. Set up emergency fund

Number 47 is going to be tricky but I will try hard.

dreamtruce · 31 March 2017 at 7:22PM

Welcome, funfairprincess!
It's great to have you on board,
What a great list and sending you positive vibes for item 47 x

Jo_Blogs · 1 April 2017 at 9:20AM

Good morning everyone

All the best with your move dreamtruce. I'm sure it will go smoothly

Sending funfairprincess huge support for No. 47 :T

Going to start adding up some points or I'll loose track :rotfl:

Wishing you all a great weekend

indigowarrior · 1 April 2017 at 9:51AM

Hello all, I am already doing some of these but good to try
1,3,5,6,9,10,11,15,35, 43, 48, 62, 79, 68, 64

April Penny Pincher Challenge

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