January's Big Financial Freeze!!!

gien

I'm finally back home and getting my head back into the regular routine.

So for January my food (including toiletries, pet food , household cleaning) is 400€uros, 200 less than normal.
I've budgeted for kid's lessons and subs and have said to one of mine that usually has school lunches that he'll be taking pack ups.
I'll keep a strict eye on the NSD by using envelopes to help me budget.
I'm thinking of ways to make some money, and 'find' some money - I already have some coupons etc to count.

Best of all, we've come back from christmas with a load of food to use, including a load of just basic stuff that we can use as a base for loads of meals.

Looking forward to checking in regularly and keeping on track.

nyc_451

Spending_Vs_Saving wrote: »

£50 Food (down from £80)

Hey, I am just wondering how does your menu look like on 80 or 50 pounds? I am single and I used to spend 200-300 per month on food...:o Silly, I know... Now I am cutting it down, but even 80 pounds seems unrealistic to me, not even talking about 50... Is it all value products?

beckyboo1980_2

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

Hola.
Just popping on to declare nsd 1. Which I am pleased about as I had a friend visiting and usually we go out for dinner, but I made dinner for us today so I've not even left the house.
A good start for me... makes me more determined to keep it up tomorrow and further on the month.
Still have loads of alcohol left from last night - trying to decide whether to have a sneaky drink tonight or not.
Happy new year everyone.

Hi
I have a really cheeky question - I noticed on your signature 'back on the slimming bandwagon'. Am i right in thinking I read in one of your earlier posts you are a slimming world member. Reason I ask is because I have just joined slimming world too and am wondering how you find cooking SW friendly on such a tight budget. Have been on old-style money saving weight loss thread, but was wondering specifically about making a budget be slimming world friendly. Hope you don't mind me asking?!?!?!?!

abundant1972

Hi All...

Great progress made today by lots of people Love all the New Year planning going on!!!

I used to budget £120.00 per month... Last month I found £50 tricky and ended up going over... Have done £80 before and that felt like a good figure... Buying value stuff helps - but £20 per week should go quite far. My downfall is buying tinned fish (89p per tin) and microwaveable stuff like rice bags (£1 per pouch) as they are easy to take into work. Am sure if I took sandwiches - that £1.89 a day could easily drop to much less, and my money would go further.

Today = NSD number 1

Additional Funds Total = £3.96 / £25.00 Target

Made a pan full of vegetable and lentil soup, using up all my old carrots and some potatoes... and still have some left for tomorrow - yum!

Mum bought me a small diary for Christmas so am going to use that as my spend diary... Have recycled some unwanted gifts already but still have a few to give away (nothing I could e-bay).

Am digging deep but still coming up a big ZERO on motivation to get going to the gym! As a single guy - have just lost my pzazzz of late and lost my confidence a bit. Is a catch 22 because I know once I start and notice improvements my confidence will get better... Just need that initial kick start... Any advice very welcome!!!

Happy 2013 again everyone!!!

:cool:

beckyboo1980_2

Evening everyone. Had a great first day with my 1st NSD. Emptied all the coppers jars around the house, old handbags and purses, car, sofa, etc... and managed to find £30 of pennies and loose change. Gave me such a boost to have such a good start.
Have listed few items on ebay buy quite a few of these are relists so not too sure how they will do - have run out of things to sell on ebay really. Need to find another way to raise my extra £5 a day - any ideas very gratefully received!!!
Tomorrow is going to need to be a spend day as desperately need some stamps and milk for the twins. Thats going to have to be it then until Monday though! No pennies will leave my purse!!! Have a good evening everyone. XXX

gelmc

abundant1972 wrote: »

Am digging deep but still coming up a big ZERO on motivation to get going to the gym! As a single guy - have just lost my pzazzz of late and lost my confidence a bit. Is a catch 22 because I know once I start and notice improvements my confidence will get better... Just need that initial kick start... Any advice very welcome

Hi Abundant, if you're into taking up running, how about downloading the free NHS podcast 'Couch to 5K' in 5 weeks. I started it early this week but am ill again, grrrr. You'll need a smartphone or android phone and you may need to download a podcast app. It's really easy to use and is a complete running programme. Then when you've done that you can do the next one up, which is 5k to 10k

Anyhows, have had my first NSD of the year. More to follow...
:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

mayfair1985

abundant1972 wrote: »

Am digging deep but still coming up a big ZERO on motivation to get going to the gym! As a single guy - have just lost my pzazzz of late and lost my confidence a bit. Is a catch 22 because I know once I start and notice improvements my confidence will get better... Just need that initial kick start... Any advice very welcome!!!

You'll only ever regret the workouts that you didn't do. :j

his_missus

Hello all!

A NSD today but have ordered a Mr A delivery for tomorrow as we're almost out of essentials (loo roll, catfood) so have made it worthwhile and have hopefully ordered enough food on top so we don't need to do another shop for over a week. off to check my bank account now, hoping to pay off a bit more of the CC.

Good luck xx

ETA: £200 off the CC

mayfair1985

Probably a silly question, but, if I get petrol tomorrow is that a spend day? Or a no spend day?

NinjaSavingKat

Well good day one and all!!

I am home, washed and ready to snooze. My alarm is set for 0500 and I have a tabby lying on top of my arms making it VERY difficult to type!

Now I must say I am SUPERBLY impressed with the motivation on here, the gossip about points to prizes for Nectar and the already evident support you are showing each other. YOu make Mamma Kitty so proud!:p:p:p

I am declaring an NSD also but spend £66 on food yesterday, this was pay day for me so I am taking it out of my food budget. I will tell you why - my cupboards are EMPTY. I don't even have condiments. My freezer contains a 2LT tub of ice cream. That's it! I MUST stop living on toast so had to get more items to re-stock ( including my £5 spend on hair dye ) .... so my food budget for Januarywill be a whopping great £100. There are a few more bits I know I will need... like pasta ( how could I forget a vegetarian staple like this ) and milk... but am taking precautions this month to avoid anything with added sugar...

So no white bread / pasta / rice.. no fizzy drinks, cakes etc.. you get my drift. But who'd have though nuts were SO expensive. I have them on my porridge at work ( 75p for 1kg oats in Tesco Everyday Value range ) with seeds and dried fruit...Grr!!:mad:..so I find this healthy living more expensive. But I am working exceedingly long hours on overtime and need to look after my health, eat proper meals and not snack on my expensive nuts...:T

Anyway...shall also be cutting out tea as caffeine is not allowed either in my month of torture... if I go awol for a while come find me in the Tea / Coffee aisle at Tesco licking a box of "PG Tips"...:rotfl::rotfl:

However this motivation that is swilling around is amazing.. and yes due to it being the start of the new year its even more special .. but I will warn you noobs now as I have said to the others before.. it will get tough! Third week in, you are tired, you need to make lunch, but the kids are running riot / something good on TV distracts you... you go to work the next day with no lunch..????.. So planning ahead is the key.. but I get the feeling with all this mention of spreadsheets you are all on top of this already ....am I right?..

So on top of my minimal debt re-payments of £650 (including student loan ) a month I whacked on another £500. This is no-where near the £961 that I have intended on sending that way but I have yet to upload my tat on eBay.. might get me a few pennies...

So I shall bid thee good night and I will update again upon my return from work..hopefully with another NSD in my pocket!!

Onwards and Upwards!!!

Learning - this was not a spend day for you if the money is coming straight back to you!