Well it's three months into my limited spending challenge and I thought that was a good time to do a few sums and see exactly how I'm doing?
If you remember back at the very beginning of January this year on THIS post, I set off to try and live for as long as I could on the money I had saved up from last year. I had made the cash by selling my excess belongings on FB Marketplace and at the two table top sales we did. It was to be used for anything that I needed or wanted.
There were no real restrictions and the only thing I really wanted to do was to bring down the food stash. I have quite successfully done this, well to a level where nothing jumps out at me when I open the food cupboard door now and I can easily slide out the freezer drawers without things being jammed in.
My grand cash total was £ 592.20 ... was there any left?
Yesterday I went carefully through my diary and added all the purchases up, over the first three months of 2023 I have spent:
Food = £340.66
Haircuts - 3 x £23 = £69.00
Car MOT = £45.00
Non-Food Items = £78.20
A total of £532.86 in cash spent.
(And one £10 Booths Voucher)
Leaving me with £65.61 in cash, a new £10 Booths voucher, £21 in M&S vouchers and around £15 in Nectar points. I think I will be using all my vouchers and points over the coming month in a bid to hang on to as much cash as I can. Even though I have averaged £175.67 a month for the last three months, April should be a much cheaper month for me, the only family birthday is mine, so no cards or presents to buy. My next hair appointment is not until May and obviously the car is now MOT'd.
So I have my fingers crossed that I can get at least one more month out of my little non-Challenge cash pot. What I really need to do is to try harder not to shop, to eat more from the foods that I have already got in the cupboards. I am so easily tempted when Alan says those eight little words ... 'Do you want to come shopping with me?'
Confession time, I have to admit that £37.70 of the 'non-food item' spending was spent on books. I clearly remember saying that I wouldn't buy any books this year ... oh well I guess most of you realised that that wouldn't happen even if I rather madly thought it would!!
Well the wine might be all gone ... but the books remain. 😄
Sue xx
Books, surely, are a non-negotiable, an absolute necessity, one of the basic needs of life, aren't they? xx
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely ... I'm glad you understand. All my piles of books, and the now bulging bookcase thank you for your wisdom. :-)
DeleteI like the way you document everything and hold yourself accountable (obviously you don't need to account to us!). Yes, trying not to shop is the way forward I think - I've definitely been spending more since I decided to shop for a smaller amount every 4 or 5 days, rather than one big shop every 10 days or so. So we might be going back to one big shop, going less often.
ReplyDeleteI find that documenting everything in my big diary for a while keeps me on the straight and narrow ... oh but I fall off it so easily when I stop.
DeleteYes it's being in the shops that makes you WANT to buy stuff isn't it, avoiding them is the only answer. Alan just asked me if I wanted to go shopping with him tomorrow and I said a very forceful NO!! He jumped out of his skin. Haha, I must stay strong!
I think you've done well! And books just don't count. They are a necessity to those of us who love them :)
ReplyDeleteI do think I've spent more than I meant to on food as it comes to an average of £25.75 a week, but if I am a bit more restrained in April and May I should be able to bring the average right down. After all I have a lot in the cupboard and freezer, so I won't go hungry!!
DeleteI'm glad the consensus is that books are a necessity. :-)
Books are my weakness as well/...
ReplyDeleteThey are dangerous, dangerous wonderful things aren't they. :-)
DeleteBooks and fabric are my downfall but life is for living. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt really is, and I know that more than most. xx
DeleteI can't imagine a home with no books, lately I have been adding to my Nigel Slater collection ,not far off every one now, the next thing I would like to do is choose one of his recipes a week to justify having them. Stay strong , it's not easy is it . x
ReplyDeleteOh a Nigel Slater collection is a wonderful thing. He writes, and cooks, so eloquently. I really do not like homes without books, you can learn so much about a person by their book collection.
DeleteThe main thing is that no money was wasted. You've done well, especially as Alan 'persuaded' you to go to the shops several times 😉 And books are essential things 📚👍I think you will manage another month easily.
ReplyDeleteNope, nothing wasted and everything will be used. I am looking forward to having no cash and having to try to make better use of things, it's a good mindset to put your own back against the wall occasionally.
DeleteAh yes, books are essential to the joy of life. That cat could be a glossier version of me! xxx
ReplyDeleteBooks equal life for sure. And yes, you are a MUCH sleeker cat than that. :-)
DeleteI think books are an essential item, therefore don't count in trying not to spend plans! I love that poster
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat a black cat poster can you. I miss having a black cat. :-(
DeleteBooks are a necessary part of life.... Mine keep me from going a bit crazy.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Books are friends that are always there, and if you have enough of them you can cope with virtually every eventuality.
DeleteGo shopping with Alan but leave your money home. Learn to enjoy browsing. I started doing this a few years ago and now I am so happy when I come home. I have enough.And I enjoy the pleasure of getting out with someone. Shelley
ReplyDeleteI tried to do this, I honestly tried. ;-)
DeleteOne of the reasons I like shopping for the Food Bank is that you can shop and shop and then leave it all behind at the supermarket in the Food Banks trolley. And then nothing to do when you get home except for putting the kettle on for a cup of coffee.
It sounds like you have done quite well. Books, well, they're like the power bill, right? I have managed to find some good ones in thrifts, so that cuts the cost a lot, but can't find all I want that way.
ReplyDeleteI've found quite a few of my new to me books on Amazon used books, and one brilliant one that has just arrived via Ebay. That's my birthday present to myself. :-)
Delete