As I am writing this I am seriously contemplating this life choice for January. I wanted to do a no-spend last January and I am sure I failed within the first week!. It is the 3rd and it's a struggle already. Isn't it bizarre how easily we spend money and dont realise until we have put a ban on it?.
Scrolling all the sales and biting my fingers, but when I actually sit and think about it, there is nothing I or the children need. It is 100% force of habit and this month I am determined to save as much as I can. I will definitely come back at the end of the month and let you all know if I managed it, how much I spent and how much I saved.
THE RULES
There are rules and it's up to you which rules you make. I have seen people give themselves one coffee a week at the end of a no-spend week to soften the blow, but here are mine.
WHAT I CAN SPEND
Things I can spend money on are my rent, obviously, bills, food shopping. I have just ordered a Hello Fresh box for less than what my dinners would cost for next week so I am really excited for some delicious healthy non-Christmas-related food :)
Children's bits for school. Alessia has some books she needs to purchase, and any donations for non-uniform days coming up in the month also.
If anything gets broken and needs replacing, of course, these are a must.
Lush - hear me out. I had budgeted in the Boxing Day sales for some items plus two specific gift sets. Now I didn't manage to get them in the sale on Boxing Day as they had sold out in-store but the website keeps updating with sale items and if them two gift sets become available, you better believe I am snapping them up.
Do you agree? or am I defeating the object here?.
WHAT I CAN NOT SPEND
No Costa coffee or Starbucks!. I am already feeling this and we are only on day 3, addicted much Kira?!. I do have a free Costa coffee on my app and a free Starbucks one. The girls go back to school next week so I will use the Starbucks one to have a work day in Starbucks one week and then the week after grab a Costa after the gym.
I am sure Mezz will grab me one too, well I am hoping. Two coffee shop coffees a month is just going to kill me, but we are trying to save. I have dusted off my takeaway coffee cup so I will make my own, plus I have some really nice pumpkin spice creamer :)
Books!. Is anyone else addicted to buying second-hand books on Amazon?. I have set myself a challenge to read one book a month this year and I have them all so there is no need to buy anymore, especially not in the first month of the year!.
Clothes, anything that isn't 100% needed will just have to wait. I am a little bit obsessed with scrolling vinted for bargains and I will most definitely be looking there more this year rather than buying brand new, I won't be this month though, promise :)
I would love to know if you are doing a no-spend January or if you have done one before, how was it...
I was aiming for a no spend January apart from food shopping and bills but I've spent today in Primark but to be fair I will need leggings soon as my older one's are getting holes in. We didn't need the lunch out though. Oops.
ReplyDeleteYep! I totally agree with your spending, especially the Lush things as you had already budgeted for them last year!