Joyous January's No-Spend Days Challenge!

Dizzycap

@ VickyA_2 - Congratulations! 🤩😁 It's always a super feeling when you smash through your monly NSD target 🤑

Staying on 24/20 for Thursday - It's a medical necessity day which I'm certainly not looking forward to 😐️🤐.

Wishing everyone a lovely NSD Thursday - Keep warm everyone, as it's freezing out 😰

Dizzycap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81857913#Comment_81857913

@cathybird - All looks fine to me 😍

Dizzycap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81858408#Comment_81858408

This isn't advice, just a stand back point of view as finances are always so very personal xxx

@ laurenh1 - I'm assuming that you're not putting those amounts in your savings pots each month, with the exeption of your £400 monthly savings. If that is the case, then I would agree that reducing your montly savings by approx £40pw (£150) pm would be acceptable considering the cost of food, although it goes without saying, any possible savings you make on your weekly shop, I'd throw staright back into your monthly savings pot when your shopping is done.

If you're putting away £100 Xmas, £250 holiday, £200 treat spends per month, I'd be looking at reducing those amounts to cover the additional £40pw for shopping before reducing your £400 savings pot per month, again throwing anything left over each week back into those savings pots you've taken from.

Personally, I take stock of looking at my budget every month to see if I need to re-balance the books a little more in order to reduce any financial stress I may be experiencing in a certain area and what I think can be changed / jiggled to alleviate it. As much as I dislike dipping into my savings accounts; and I'm sure others do to, I will do, if it's absolutely necessary and I really can't find an alternative solution.

beanielou

One today.

Thriftymissus

@laurenh1 i can’t add much to the wise words given already, except to say I agree reducing your £400 figure as general savings a little. I do think you should be proud of yourself though, for being so organised, looking ahead, planning different pots, doing the best for your family. I’d say feeding a family of four on £60 a week is a big challenge and upping money available for this can take some pressure off. If it was me I’d see how I got on at reducing general savings to £320 to to give myself an extra £20 a week and consider shaving a little off holiday savings.. Good luck whatever you decide 💐

Thriftymissus

number 24 for me today.

On the subject of grocery shopping, I bought a Sainsburys gift card from Jam Doughnut to get the cashback, my aim is that it can last me a set amount of time based on planning ahead and a calculated sum needed over the months ahead.

LittleMissDetermined

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81858408#Comment_81858408

I think if it was me I would reduce the general savings to £300 and put the £100 in a 'buffer' for grocery overspends to use if I really needed it. Then it wouldn't become part of the grocery budget, but it would be there if needed. That grocery buffer could even roll over from month to month to be used as and when you needed it. I find some months/weeks are more expensive depending on whether I am buying coffee, laundry liquids and other household items.

I know if I just increased my grocery budget I would spend it all, so it's just an idea.

LittleMissDetermined

Oh, and it's a NSD for me please @cathybird - I can see the emoji's and they are animated

cathybird

January NSD totals updated here :) :)

laurenh1

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice and kind words.

@Dizzycap yes, I do put those amounts of money away each month. (This is a fairly new thing and only recently something I have been in a position to do.) The money for my car, Christmas, holidays is based on what I generally spend each year. I don't spend £200 a month on treats but that does roll over for spends when were on holiday and for nights away (if we get invited to a wedding, if I go and see my Mum etc). Christmas covers gifts, food and also things like the panto.

I also have pots for things like hair cuts etc and all costs which occur regularly so that my monthly budget is steady and doesn't vary a lot from one month to the next. for example my TV licence comes out quarterly but I break that up and put it into my bill account monthly.

I sat down with my hub last night and we agreed to lower the Emergency fund to £300 per month. which as suggested is a much better name for it and (another great suggestion) to review this again in 3 months by which time I will hopefully had a small pay rise.

also…today is a NSD which gets me to target, I think 😀