During October I tried to cut back on our spending by having a no spend month. I had planned on making no unnecessary purchases! This included clothes, makeup, home decor, takeaway coffee, takeaway food and meals out. I am not going to lie and say I didn't spend money but I think I did pretty well!
Throughout the month I did cut back on the spending. I bought no clothes, I did see a lot of things that I wanted to buy and resisted. I didn't buy any make up and just used what I had. I even emptied some tubes, bottles and tubs of stuff like primer, moisturiser and foundation which I probably wouldn't have even used if I was still spending. We did go to Primark and picked up a few things for Ellie for Christmas. I could have held off until this month but didn't want to as I know how quickly things can sell out and not come back in stock. Apart from some stocking fillers and sweets I have finished shopping for her for Christmas.
The biggest challenge was saying no to eating out or getting takeaway food. One evening Becky and her girlfriend were getting pizza delivered and they even offered to buy Stu and I something and I said no, I was taking this seriously! I've made our own fake Chinese takeaway with food from Iceland, we've had home made pizza and curry too. I think we have done really well not eating out as much. Stu and I did have a meal out towards the end of the month, just a carvery at the pub. It has been months since we had any time together without the girls and when the opportunity came we jumped at the chance. It felt like such a treat after not eating out. Ellie and I also went out for lunch to the all you can eat place in Hull in the last week in October but we got our money's worth and it was a half term treat.
The biggest saving has came from me not buying takeaway coffees or little bottles of pop when I am out and about. I wish I had kept track of how much I have saved by using my own reusable bottle filled with juice. I reckon I have saved about £15/£20 a week.
We have ate a lot out of the freezer and now I am thinking about starting to buy things to put away for Christmas. I have done a good job of not buying things for the kitchen cupboards and using what we already have in. We've eaten all the snacks and crisps which have been sat there for ages, the girls weren't happy but they made do. It feels like I have done a whole reset in the kitchen without having to throw anything away.
My family hated the fact that I wasn't buying any more toiletries like shower gel and shampoo until everything was used in the bathroom. We're still using everything up and I know I have saved a bit of money and I am not buying anything until we're onto the last dregs in the bottles.
There were some purchases that I had to make to save me money in the long run, train tickets. I have always been told if I buy them as early as I can I get the biggest saving and that is true. I've just checked and the prices have already gone up by a few pounds and hair dye, there was a discount on that would have ended by November. I bought enough hair dye to keep me going for a good few months.
Have you ever done a no spend week/month?
Well done, you've made some great savings. I don't tend to do no-spend but I do try and be mindful of using the things we already have in. Isn't it funny that we all have snacks that everyone leaves until last it's ready salted crisps in our house.
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed! We try to do this in January after the holidays, but I think before the holidays makes a lot of sense! You're so right about those trips to Starbucks adding up quickly 🥴
ReplyDeleteKristen (happilytexan on IG)
I'm so impressed. This is so hard to do!
ReplyDeleteWell done!!
ReplyDeleteI am pretty good at some things. I don't buy new makeup or toiletries unless I used the previous ones. The food thing is a bit of a hit&miss though, as I tend to buy more than I need and have things in the cupboards & freezer for a long time. That's where I need to spend more time to sort things out.