No Spend January

No spend January only works if you either buy ahead in December or delay expenditure to February. It doesn't save money, merely changes when it will be spent.

It can change attitudes though.

But I suspect that most people who do it, have already changed spending habits several times already.

Galaxy

The OP asked a question people responded. I didn't realise we had to nod in agreement.

Where was that Galaxy?

fancythat

It can change attitudes though.

But I suspect that most people who do it, have already changed spending habits several times already.

Of course people can change spending habits, becoming more thrifty. No coffees out, save. No lunch at garden center, save. Less clothing purchased, save. Burn wood and pay less utilities, save.

I’m having a ‘no unnecessary spending’ January. I will, for example, be buying fresh food as I run low but I won’t be walking through M&S and buying yet another sweater simply because I fancy it. Something I find all too easy to do!

I’m doing a ‘do I really need this?’ January.
Needs and not ‘wants’.

Only the essentials for me this month. Feeling holier than thou already! 🤭😁

Week 1 and I’ve already had to pay out to replace a tyre on my car and to get the details of my divorce from the court so that I can claim state pension. Sigh …
(Divorce was 25 years ago and long forgotten 😂) Maybe ‘spend as little as possible February’ could be a thing!

Well, we went to a live screening of an Opera from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York last night. A one-off opportunity, which we immediately took up.

Live sensibly within your income all year round and these fits of austerity in January or any other month will not be necessary.

Well, ‘minimum spend’ anyway, so that includes using up everything lurking in the freezer.

My mother used to call it ‘going on frugals’ after any expensive time such as Christmas, so her ‘dustbin soups’ (whatever you’ve got) would appear more often than usual.

I still make quite a few of those in winter (multi veg, pearl barley etc.) - they’re a favourite of dh.

Burn wood and pay less utilities, save.

Have you seen the price of seasoned wood? 😮😮

M0nica

Well, we went to a live screening of an Opera from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York last night. A one-off opportunity, which we immediately took up.

Live sensibly within your income all year round and these fits of austerity in January or any other month will not be necessary.

They may not be necessary but they make us feel virtuous! 😁

Being a bit careful for a while doesn’t necessarily mean you haven’t been living within your income, Monica. It doesn’t necessarily = ‘austerity’, either.
We’re still going to the ballet very soon - probably after a nice warming bowl of ‘dustbin’ soup first. 🙂

Not a hope of ‘no spend January’ for me. I really need to buy new shoes, I can’t get away without a haircut any longer, it’s DD’s birthday month and I have an expensive car service coming up too. I’m not, and never have been, a big spender but some things you can’t skirt round.

Dont think there are " rights and wrongs " about this . I have a lot of meat and fish in my freezer, which I will try to use in Jan, as bought extra food for Christmas guests who had to cancel due to illness but will still have to / want to buy fresh vegetables, fruit, yoghurt, bread and milk . I do have quite a bit in my cupboards but if we eat all the contents of the freezer and empty the cupboards I will just end up with a big grocery bill in Feb , when I need to restock . We also have a pet and buy the food monthly and if I purchase again on the 28/1 or the 1/2 , it's still costing me the same so I am not gaining anything.

If you can do it... sounds like a good idea.. I need to have a good look through my freezer.. too much stuff

I have given up. Car tax due 1 Jan - £695 for 12 months (yes I know I could get a smaller car with lower emissions but I like what I have so bite the increasingly expensive bullet each year). Dog needed repeat prescription for her thyroid medication this week (but she’s worth every penny and more so not complaining). My electric toothbrush packed up - but prices have gone down a lot and the sales were on. Water bill paid. Paper bill delivered with papers this morning. Electricity bill will land towards the end of the month. No spend January? Perhaps February will be a little gentler …

We don't spend much as a matter of course apart from utilities and food but I can't imagine spending nothing at all. But good luck to you Op if you want to give it a go.

Absolutely - made a veggie soup last night - plenty for the whole week - only thing I buy is fresh bread - don’t like and can’t eat supermarket trash bread !

That would be impossible for me because I shop for next Christmas and birthdays cards gift std etc when shops want rid of them lol I’ve few suitcases to store them in done it for years saved me a fortune when you going to buy them anyway

crazyH

I feel so guilty after reading 👆- I’ve just bought a lovely new leather handbag for daily use. I’ve been using the current bag for well over 2 years, day-in and day-out. So ‘Twas time for a change.

Only two years? That makes it still new in my book! 😂

I think it's a good idea to clear out your cupboards and freezer every now and again. It's so easy to buy special offers and put them away but never use them.
I'd rather like a fresh start and, like Mel967, am trying to use up my existing stocks at the moment. Howeve I will be buying milk, eggs, bread and the normal perishables.
After that I've decided not to buy any of those "3 for 2" or similar offers unless they're things that I use every week.

It seems like a good idea but it would never work in here. We love fresh fruit and vegetables and I never over stock the fridge, freezer or cupboards. We could die tomorrow and who would get the food?

No. I've not tried this. I've been to the cinema twice and by the end of the month the theatre three times. I lived in poverty as a child and in heavy debt most of my life until I retired and cleared it all. I won't be sitting counting what I haven't spent and miss out on wonderful experiences. I really don't see the point.

Does No Spend January really mean, not even on fresh food?
I thought it meant, no discretionary spending e.g. new clothes, eating out, cinema etc.
I sort of get it, but wouldn't stick rigidly to No Spend.