Giving up Money for Lent

anniewoo

I would like to join in with this.

I am already spending as little as I can get away with and putting every spare penny to pay off my CC's so that I can give up work,hopefully in June.

I do still tend to buy 'stuff' though,which I don't really need and by giving up munchies,namely chocolate,I should be a bit healthier.

I have a cupboard full of toiletries,bought on BOGOF,a wardrobe full of clothes,half of which I don't wear and dozens of books/dvds so there is really nothing that I HAVE to buy.

Now if I can just stop watching QVC,I should be ok with this challenge....

kiwi88_2

Hi CAFCGirl

Am definitely up for this and my reward will be a 4 night family break at Haven already booked and payed for on the 9th April :rotfl:

It's my DS 6th b'day today. We're not having a party and we bought a cake yesterday, not MSE but I am ill at the mo so baking not a good idea Pressies already bought as well. However have no party food as such sooo will be scouring cupboards now for partylike food for DH to make

Usually buy 2 mags a month and choc once a week so they will have to go. Oh No just realised that means no more ebaying :eek: 40 days :eek:

Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained :rotfl:

helen_caslass

i would have joined in with the no money but i've got 2x21st birthdays, 2x mothers day + 2 other birthdays this month march is so not a good month....

CAFCGirl

I've got my own birthday, anniversary, Dad's birthday, parents anniversary and mothers day to try and overcome.

Everyone is getting some form of foodstuffs!!! That way I'll buy it within my food budget and can always make an extra cupcake or two for myself as gone are the kilo bars of dairy milk

Oh well...........

the_optimist

Count me in too. I'm already spending as little as possible, but will also have to give up the odd magazine, chocolate and charity shop find, hope I can do it :undecided

CAFCGirl

There is no hope involved here!!!

We simply can do it.
It's all about organising ourselves and remaining positive.

Anyone else noticed how they can manage to live in £10 the week before payday?! Yet any other week we're spending like crazy.

We're well equipped on this site to tackle a challenge like this head on. When needs must, you'd be amazed at what you can achieve!

So basically the challenge comes down to this..............
Planning........
Self control..........
and a little bit more planning...........

If you have budgetted for it, like kids lunch money, travelling to work then you know you've got to have the money for that. I'd consider my travel money to work as a bill (if it's unavoidable) so that doesnt really count as "spending money".

Not in my mind anyway....

It's more about not spending from that magical category of things.... stuff.... miscelleanous, whatever it might appear as in your monthly spending....

I for one want to make this work as I need to proove to myself that I can manage living solely on my own, no halves on anything anymore, and the only way I can do that and make a dent in my debts is by controlling myself.

I'll update later with all the names of peeps who have joined in so far.
Is everyone happy to have a "Money for Lent Challenge" line in their sigs?

Count down the days baby!!!!

P.S Kiwi hun, I'm glad my motto has touched another DFW soul

kiwi88_2

CAFCGirl wrote:

So basically the challenge comes down to this..............
Planning........
Self control..........
and a little bit more planning...........

P.S Kiwi hun, I'm glad my motto has touched another DFW soul

Ok sooo planning I can do. Self control mmmm well I have managed to sort out the grocery challenge, more or less, sooo I should be able to do this as well :rotfl:

I love your motto and I'm hijacking it especially for this challenge, if that's ok, considering I've done it already Will add "money for lent challenge" to sig as well.

Quick question though how are we keeping a running total it's just that as it's "stuff" I don't always know where or when "stuff" gets bought so does this mean I have to think twice with all my purchases? Does that make any sense to anyone apart from me :rotfl:

CAFCGirl

I'm going to be crossing off the days as I get closer to the 40 days of no money spending.

If it's a budgetted purchase and you cant live without it then I'm not counting that.

Its about all those things you buy that you never need, like the coffee whilst waiting for a train, magazine on your lunch break. That kind of stuff basically.

You can keep your own running total how you like, use your spending diary for a dual purpose, you note down what you spend and on what, so that'll highlight a number of things. Or you can just keep a running total of no spend days, that for me is more applicable as I dont have kids to contend with, and i basically dont want to spend ANY money other than bills, food, rent etc....

Make your own form of the rules for your situation, but remember a challenge is called that for a reason, it has to be challenging, and engage your mind in seeking alternatives, making what you can from what you've got etc...

nevadagirl

I'm definitely in on this one - no more sneaky coffees while I wait for the train, no more magazines when the Saturday paper usually ends up with about half of it unread, no more chocolate bars. Basically, giving up all the little 'treats' which don't even feel like treats any more.

I'm probably running at about £8 a week in unnecessary spends, so this will be a good one to try. I'll be turning 30 over Easter weekend, so I'll feel like I've definitely earned a nice meal out if I behave myself the rest of the month. There are enough little bits and pieces in the house so I won't feel completely deprived.

Good luck everyone, and great idea, CAFCGirl :T

Spendaholic_Chick

Great idea, and I'll be watching this thread with interest but sadly I don't have the self control to join in.............