Hi everyone,
As we approach the end of No Spend September, this week I want to concentrate on what has gone well.
Tell me what has gone well for you in the comments. Let’s clap each other on the back a little. We’ve done well!
The big university moves
This weekend involved two university moves. One took us on a long journey to the north of England, followed by a second, slightly closer move on Sunday.
Both young people are now happily living in their new homes ready to take on the world. It’s crazy how times flies. Each stage with kids feels enormous when it arrives, and suddenly you’re standing in a much quieter and emptier house wondering where the years went.
So the house feeling a whole lot bigger, and with our longer-term plans to downsize, I’m going to throw myself into Vinted this winter. We have lots of ‘clutter’ in the house and it’s beginning to get on my nerves.
My goal is to make £250 towards the big Christmas food shop by selling the clothes and household items we no longer use. Watch this space ( I will update you here!)
My No Spend September update
My coffee spending has reduced drastically.
Before September, I could easily buy three or four coffees each week. It had risen dramatically over the last few months and I think that is because I have been able to go out whereas when I was very unwell I was at home all the time. During No Spend September however, that has fallen to around one a week.
I had originally committed to buying no coffees at all. September then turned into a month of university shopping, preparations and two long moving days in different parts of the country.
We packed meals, snacks and drinks for the journeys and only bought a meal out on one day during the whole month. Given how long some of those days were, I’m happy with that.
The lesson
Set rules that reflect your actual life.
A zero-spend day may be completely manageable when you are close to home. It becomes harder during a 14-hour journey when you cannot realistically carry every drink and meal you might need.
Next time, I’ll allocate a small budget for exceptionally long days away from home. It gives the spending a clear limit and allows me to prepare properly.
I could also do with a decent coffee machine and a new flask. My current flask fell apart in the car on the first day of the university moving weekend. It wasn’t particularly good at keeping tea hot anyway, so I think it has served its time. I do think that having these would help me keep the coffee spending under control..
My goals for the final week of No Spend September
1. Plan realistically for travelling
We are travelling again this week, and one day may involve a 14 to 16 hour trip.
I’ll pack the meals, snacks and drinks that are practical to carry. I’ll also allow a small amount of spending money for that day. So my goal with this is to be reasonable with what I can carry and what is worth spending money on. I will pack some gluten free bits too to help with keeping costs down.
2. Check the budget every few days
I find this one of the most effective ways to control my spending.
I know some people find budget tracking a bit of a pain, but it makes me feel calmer and less anxious about money. I can see what has been spent, what is still available and whether anything needs adjusting.
Do you track your budget and spending? What do you use?
3. Be relentless with food waste
I always clear down the fridge and freezer before going away.
I started that process last Thursday. Some food was hidden in a Bolognese, while other ingredients were washed, chopped and frozen. I made soup and tucked some apples away in the freezer for later in the winter for a crumble. A few small bits just had to go into the bin, but very little was wasted over all.
I topped up our homemade seasoning mixes too and started to make a list of bulk herbs and spices needed once we come back from holidays.
Related post: Italian Herb Seasoning
I am so so pleased with this improvement.
Visit my shop to find ways to save money on groceries by reducing food waste.
What has improved this month
No Spend September has already made a noticeable difference:
- Our food waste has reduced considerably 🥰
- We are eating better meals with more whole foods.🍜
- I am much more organised in the kitchen.
- Our grocery spending has reduced by approximately £100.
- I have saved around £40 from my personal spending money by buying fewer coffees.
Those are real improvements, and I’m very happy with them.
Next week
Next week, I’ll let you know how the holiday is going.
We are staying all-inclusive and intend to make full use of what we have already paid for. The hotel is a short walk from the beach, so we plan to spend plenty of time in the water and simply enjoy being there.
I’m not doing a no-spend challenge while we’re away. I have set a spending budget, and I’ll use that alongside the meals and drinks included in the holiday.
It is amazing how much value you can get from a holiday with some planning and a clear budget.
Please let me know if you are interested in a post about what our holiday cost and what we spent while we were there?
For the rest of September, I’ll post the newsletter updates on the blog to keep things simple while we’re away. I’ll sort out the email side of things properly when I’m home in October.
I hope you are well.
The comments are open at the bottom of the page, so please do say hello and tell me what has gone well for you this September.
Ruth xx
Mrs Hawkins House
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