Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

Primrose

January challenge is to eat as much as possible out of fridge, freezer and storecupboard. We have loads of Brussels sprouts on the stalk still to use up so can see us eating lots of Colcannon in various forms, with veg soups.

Yesterday I made a big pan of minestrone soup with surplus vegs. To stop us getting bored with it several days the run I've whizzed it up with a stick blender and frozen it in one pint plastic milk bottles. This makes two generous soup portions. I just get a bottle out of the freezer after breakfast and submerge it in a large saucepan of hot water so it's nicely thawed in time for a light lunch. If we want to make a more substantial meal of it we add a tin of borlotti, harricot or butter beans, making a cheap but healthy high fibre meal.

GrannyKate

Great to see this thread for 2016. The 2015 one and the Kon Marie thread have made a lot of difference to my habits. I don't like shopping anyway but have managed to reduce my supermarket spend, increase saving and get rid of stuff.

GD3 decided to stay over so we are going to sort the playroom and take down Christmas stuff in the morning. Started the year with an NSD and family lunch mostly from freezer. I had some large plastic sweet pots (Bertie Bassett figures etc) at Christmas. I already use one as a saving pot so decided to use the new Christmas themed one to save 20p coins for next Christmas. Will find a use for the other one - they bring me joy sitting on study shelf ( note there is space on shelves following initial paper Kondo).

Rowan9

I'm also in again for this year.I have really enjoyed reading everyone's posts. Good luck for this year everyone

questionss

I'd like to join in with this. I've bought the kids new shoes in the sales & now I should only really need to get groceries this month.

frugalzealot

Ooooh can I join? Can I join? :j Happy New Year all :beer:

My aim for 2016 is to start living a simpler life. Spending less money, eating better, slowing down and appreciating what we already have. We certainly already have a lot to be thankful for.

I won't be able to stick to the no spending completely (we like our holidays too much ) but it is something very good to aim for.

Today has been a NSD. Tomorrow i'll be doing the weekly food shop at Lidl.

curlywurly82

A NSD today except for any direct debits. I need to go shopping tomorrow for a birthday card and pressie however I hope they will be my only spends

chirpycheap

I've been really inspired by this thread and would love to join in this year.
It's so lovely to see the posts from everyone and feel that I am reading stuff from like minded people. It's not easy being different from the crowd and not having shopping as your main leisure pursuit can certainly make you feel as though you are out of step with everyone else.
Looking forward to a whole year of interesting and inspiring posts from everyone.:o

Aril

I absolutely agree with Bexster.. Everyone will have different aims and want to run the challenge to meet these. It's not my thread- I just wanted to do it again and I couldn't find one for this year so started it off.
Arilx

wyrdsister

Hi all, I've been lurking on the old thread but thought it was time to jump in with everyone else. After getting to the end of every month last year with hardly any money left after frittering it all away on food shopping that we don't need and stuff for the kids that they don't need I've decided enough is enough. I hope that joining in with everyone will help me curb my spending habits.

I've already been planning out in my head the things I do need to buy in the next few months but apart from those, that's it. I genuinely don't need anything and I just need to keep reminding myself of this. Good luck everyone!

Caterina

NSD today and lots of food leftover from the festivities still in the house! I wish someone liberated me from the sweet stuff, but otherwise I am looking forward to all the nice veg and salads.