no spending for a year?

spookybuffy

It's now the 11th Jan and lets see how everyone's getting on. Any big no no's yet? Any good habits working? Is it becoming easier for you? how many people are having a no spending?

Kirri

spookybuffy wrote: »

It's now the 11th Jan and lets see how everyone's getting on. Any big no no's yet? Any good habits working? Is it becoming easier for you? how many people are having a no spending?

I've just avoided going near the shops! Going out later for some food essentials, see how I get on but I think I will resist any extras..

I do need a few items of clothing possibly coming up but will choose carefully if so - no buying tat this year!!!

rubytuesday

I am amazed that I am still on the straight and narrow!

Yesterday was another NSD but then I was at a funeral and wake and didn't get home until gone midnight!

Just sold two lots of perfume on eBay so pleased with that.

Am definitely going to finally get round to that!

hoffage123

This is a very interesting concept - I basically had 4 months of NSD's last year, when money was super-tight. On average with a family of 2 adults and 1 two year old spent about £25 a week on food (very basic pasta dishes) - all the other money went on bills and we managed to break even every month.

Thankfully now we've reorganised our finances (got rid of the car, which was the big moneydrain, between myself and the missus have picked up extra work here and there) we are actually able to save a little every month! Should be even better once he is three and the free 15 hours a week childcare kicks in

darwins_mum

Morning all, I have toughened my resolve to stay away from shops including online ones. Not spending is harder than I thought, but if I can give up coffee, cigarettes and alcohol, breaking the spending habit should be a walk in the park right?

I have already made a little dent into my annual clothes budget of £100 and we are only on day 12. I fell into boots and the body shop, lured by the shiny reduced stickers and sucumbed to some toiletries (another of my downfalls). although I can use some of them as birthday presents (3 in the next 3 weeks).

Onwards and upwards fellow travellers
DM

rubytuesday

I have decided to spend my £30 Christmas money on Butterfly prints so yay I can have a legal spree!

Otherwise I am still managing to stay out of the charity shops and my bank balance seems fairly happy!

Mistral001

Yes it is possible and many people do it. However, I think the problem comes when interacting with people who, unlike you, have some disposible income. On social ocassions you still have to pay your way or just not take part in those ocassions. I mean ocassions like having coffee with someone in a cafe or a drink or a simple meal with someone in a restaurant. Or just travelling a distance to see someone. It can be very isolating.

Dark_Star

You can agree to meet somewhere neutral like an outdoor park.

Take a flask & picnic & make it a fun "no spend" meet up & a nice walk as well.

Or look on the vouchers for 2-for-1 deals as most pizza places seem to do them & many other non pizza places too.

It can be done & a friend of mine regularly goes for a cuppa in the Co-Op has it has a cafe, does food & is far cheaper than a cafe on the high street. Worth a look

Get people to visit you & do afternoon tea with homemade cake, teapot & all the trimmings if you have them. If not - CAKE, works everytime.

I think a lot of people now are in agreement that buying coffee in a paper cup just isn't ideal anymore due to the cost (there's a reason it's called "costa"/"starBUCKS" etc. If it was starPOUNDS would they buy so much?

So take your own drink/treats & have more fun...life really doesn't revolve around coffee shops except on TV.

I reckon if we all challenged our friends to find the best "no spend" day out that they'd all coem up with something.

There is a book called "B*oll*cks to Alton Towers" which lists many great places to go that are free. Worth getting a copy from the library

Mistral001

Dark Star

I take your point, but really can that last? If the other person prefers to go to a cafe rather than coffee in a flask in the park. It might last a while as a bit of a novelty, but after that?

The point I was making is that saving money as an individual can be fine. Bills can be slashed and you can cut back on everything, but you cannot really impose that on others - not long term anyway.

Derivative

Mistral001 wrote: »

The point I was making is that saving money as an individual can be fine. Bills can be slashed and you can cut back on everything, but you cannot really impose that on others - not long term anyway.

Yes, indeed. You come across as a bit of an evangelist trying to convince people to not spend £2 on a coffee, because to them, it's "only £2".

Social costs almost make up more than my food budget. I spend about £15-£20 a week on food - one trip to a restaurant can be about £10 just for a main.