Spend Nowt, Buy Nowt, Owe Nowt

XSpender

Copying my list here for future reference


1. Lose 20 lb before my big birthday in the summer
2. 20 meet ups with friends or family
3. Run/walk or 1 or the other 20 times per month (restarting couch to 5k) and need to move more to achieve number 1
4. 20 vegan meals per month - breakfast, lunch or dinner
5. Make 20 new recipes
6. 20 new places visited or activities undertaken with DH and DS
7. Donate 20 meals to the food bank
8. Complete 20 home improvements/maintenance tasks
9. 20 National Trust visits
10. 20 glasses of water per week
11. 20 portions of fruit per week
12. 20 portions of vegetables per week
13. Implement and sustain 20 money saving measures
14. Sell 20 things
15. Clean the house thoroughly, top to bottom, 20 times
16. Reduce food spending by 20% Jan to June then a further 20% July to December (2019 average is starting point)
17. Overpay debt by £2020
18. Spend an extra 20 minutes per day on appearance 20 times per month
19. Visit the volunteer led village library 20 times to borrow and donate
20. Host a birthday party at home for at least 20 friends and family

Honeysucklelou2

What a thoughtful and inspiring list of goals! Happy New Year and wishing you every success in completing the goals.

Cat4321

Hi such a good idea what you bag the fruit/nuts in etc? Thanks

Cat4321

Sorry that won’t make sense! Just started reading your diary with lots of interest as in similar boat, my above reply was to:

Something on page 1 re packed lunches!!

groovychick69

Haven’t seen you post on here for a while, happy new year to you - I hope everything is ok with you and yours x

XSpender

Having a frugal month, which has shown we could be even more frugal, comfortably, and just 1 more half week to complete of my month away . It has been really tough, especially on DH who has been holding the fort at home.

Normality will return at the end of this week.

apple_muncher

Good to hear from you. Well done on the super frugal month, and both of you working on it.


Enjoy getting home x

XSpender

January was a good month spending wise as we attempted a frugal-ish month. The CC was not used and we managed to pay £500 towards our 2020 holidays and almost £600 off our debt, pay for DH 'big birthday' gifts for next week, cover oven repairs and significantly reduce our food spending. The food spend was helped by me being away so much, not buying booze and DH being on a specific diet plan. He's lost a stone. DS and I ate a lot from the freezer which is now looking bare.

The meal prep I did for DH each weekend worked really well and I am hoping to continue to batch cook family meals around a more rigid meal plan. I will be travelling a lot more with work so this should also help me eat better.

I haven't done much towards my 20 in 20 list although I have drunk more water and wearing make up everyday can count towards the self care one

My main financial goal this year is to clear £10,000 from the debt and not use the CC at all. We are not going super gazelle intense as I want us to learn to live within our means. To achieve the target we will need to pay more than the FCPs. I have cancelled a girls holiday because we cannot arrange childcare to cover it and our childcare costs are going up in general as we now need cover up to 7pm and additional holiday cover.

Goals for February

1) No CC usage and a small refund due
2) £300 food budget including lots of batch cooking and no booze or meals at work
3) Comparison/change internet provider & gas/elec supplier
4) Arrange CC BT for interest bearing amount
5) Make £100 (sold an item and due a refund so have a stretch target of £177). This is to be saved towards a boiler and radiator replacement this year as it's getting very unreliable and the radiator in the living room isn't working.
6) £700 to debt
7) Small annual bonus to be used to pay off Easter holiday and cover half our spending money this month. 2nd holiday not until end of the year and paying monthly installments towards it.

apple_muncher

Wow to such a great January! It sounds like being away so much is actually helping you to focus and spend less. Well done! :T:T:T

Honeysucklelou2

Well done on being able to lay so much towards your holiday and off debts. Well done to your DH on the weight loss.