Giving up Money for Lent

kiwi88_2

Well I've spent today, a whole £6 on something I didn't need, I just wanted it :eek: I bid on ebay yesterday without thinking and then half an hour later I thought OH NO :doh: I hoped someone would outbid me but they didn't :wall:

In my defence, such that it is, I had heard on the grapevine that there were going to be lots of redundancies and today found out that, yes there were and I was one of them :eek: Luckily enough DH earns enough that we can get by and as I was last come I sort of expected it but....sorry forgot to say I can reapply for my old job if I want to but there's no guarantee that I'll get it.....

Sorry Peeps I am suitably ashamed of myself

pippo

Cafcgirl - not only a mention - you will be the 'Unnecessary Queen!!'

Oh dear, that didn't come out as I meant it to! but I hope you know what I mean!!

Purpleroses

Hello all.
Been thinking about the unnecessary challenge thing and pass days wont work for me as i dont go out (one money saving benefit of slight agorophobia lol) am allocating myself £5 per month on unnecessary stuff so in a way keeping the rules of this challenge but then being able to have a can of diet coke now and then if that makes any sense?
oh Caf love the avatar!

TurnaroundSue

Well, I think the concensus is that pass days won't work for the majority, but it was only a thought (Winkles 1 thought I think? - I am easy (or so I've been told :rotfl: )whatever the majority decide.

Shirleypark could be onto a winner, where we all set ourselves a budget and use that (obviously not too big, otherwise that defeats the object) and then month on month try and spend less than we did the month before

CAFCGirl

pippo wrote: »

Cafcgirl - not only a mention - you will be the 'Unnecessary Queen!!'

Oh dear, that didn't come out as I meant it to! but I hope you know what I mean!!

I LOVE IT!!!!!
So much so i'm gonna have to find space in my siggy for it!

ciara2712 Hello all.
Been thinking about the unnecessary challenge thing and pass days wont work for me as i dont go out (one money saving benefit of slight agorophobia lol) am allocating myself £5 per month on unnecessary stuff so in a way keeping the rules of this challenge but then being able to have a can of diet coke now and then if that makes any sense?
oh Caf love the avatar!

Aye me neither C, true benefit of having no friends and not drinking!
You can get a lot of diet coke for a fiver!!!

I think I'm going to look back at what I used to spend before Lent started, and use that, twinned with what I've spent whilst on Lent to figure out a budget for myself for unneccessary, which falls closer to what I spent on Lent (gotta keep it low!) but give myself some concessions to light treats and the odd want!

ShirleyPark_2

CAFCGirl wrote: »

I LOVE IT!!!!!
I think I'm going to look back at what I used to spend before Lent started, and use that, twinned with what I've spent whilst on Lent to figure out a budget for myself for unneccessary, which falls closer to what I spent on Lent (gotta keep it low!) but give myself some concessions to light treats and the odd want!

The unncessaries are the only thing that I don't have budgetted at the moment. Due to the advice on here about including things like Christmas, Birthdays, holidays etc in your monthly budget I sent up multiple savings accounts for those. I did a spending diary in Dec and Jan and was completely shocked by how much I was spending on stuff that I really didn't need, and stuff that I had nothing to show for either (mostly food / drinks etc). I'd like to get that amount down to a reasonable amount like about £10 a week which still then leaves the option to have the odd treat but will also make me question whether or not I really want to spend the little money there is on that item.

I'm doing the grocery challenge and for 2 of us we've managed to cut that back to £20 a week by careful planning and questioning what we buy and whether or not we want to spend the little amount of budget there is on expensive things.

One think I am definately thankful for, is this challenge has got me making lunch for work every day. I used to be lazy on occasions and then end up spending £2/3 on lunch from the supermarket. I read somewhere that it takes 28 days to form a new habit, so hopefully come Easter making lunch for work will definately just be one of those things like brushing my hair or getting dressed in the morning !

Seaxwyn

I'm just like Shirley - once birthdays etc are factored in, then the only 'unbudgeted' thing I buy is food out. In January I spent £21 in just one day on food - a croissant, a coffee, sandwiches in a posh cafe, then more coffee...... I was appalled at how much it came to but I must have done that loads of times. I could have been spending almost £100 a week on this kind of thing, no wonder I'm in debt.

So like Shirley I now take my lunch every day when I'm working away from home. I can't believe now that it used to seem too much trouble. I'll definitely continue that long after Lent is over.

pippo

Hi Shirl,
So impressed with the grocery challenge.
There have only ever been 3 of us and only two for the last 5 years and I only now shop to our needs instead of for 5 people!!

£20 per week sounds scary but I know that is the reality for many people.

There was an item on the news on Friday about the average food waste being about 30% of what we all buy - thanks to MSE I haven't been one of those people for a few months, but I am still anxious about what I do when I have used up everything in the cupboards & freezer.

Again, what is the definition of necessary??

If nothing else this challenge should ensure that we can all spell
'necessary' (Never Eat Salad Sandwiches, Eat Cake And Remain Young) and also should help with weight loss 'cos chocolate is so unnecessary ( )

Pip pip!!

ShirleyPark_2

pippo wrote: »

but I am still anxious about what I do when I have used up everything in the cupboards & freezer.

You take a trip over to the Old Style board, there's a world of knowledge over there.

pippo

Thanks Shirl,
I know in my heart of heart that old style board doesn't mean old, boring & grey .. but not quite there yet!!
So for me a really necessary budgeted for spend is my hair colour!!

so don't get me wrong, been there and am trying to do that!!



Anyway... as I was saying. old style and thrift are not attractive names but perhaps has the edge on fat b***** in debt!!