No Spend Month

My main goal for January is to have a No Spend Month. It shouldn't be too hard as pay day is at the end of the month and I spent the majority of my late December pay, but I always manage to find a way to spend money.

Admittedly, my spending ban kind of started the final week of December! I know I have bills coming up, and my next pay day isn't until January 28th so I needed to be prepared. I'm still doing YouGov surveys so hopefully I'll be able to cash out my £50 reward this month, and I've also started doing Attapolls! It takes around two days to earn a fiver but it's a good way to make a bit of extra pocket money.

Can't buy

• Toiletries - I have recently invested in a big can of deodorant, I received nine bottles of shower gel for Christmas and I already have a small collection of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste etc. I reckon I'll be sorted for toiletries for at least one month!

• Toys/gifts for Charlie or Josh - It's literally just been Christmas so in theory this shouldn't be too difficult. But my love language is gift giving, so...

• Clothes - I just had a new bunch of jumpers and tops for Christmas, so I shouldn't need anything new this month. Although I did get a H&M gift card so as long as I don't spend more than what's on the card, it won't count if I did decide to treat myself.

• Fizzy drinks - I always feel rough as hell after having fizzy drinks so I'm going to really try and cut down this month!

• Takeaways - See above.

Can Buy

• Food - As long as its healthy! I'll need food for my lunch and dinners at work, so I'll buy anything that my rent doesn't cover in the weekly food shop.
• Bills
• Occasions

Monthly Bills

• Netflix £14
• Phone £24
• Amazon £79
• Family loan £50-£150 (this can be paid on pay day though)
• Rent £60
• Amazon photos video storage £1.49

Occasions

Baby shower - My sister in law is having her baby shower this month, at a restaurant, so I'll need a bit of money to buy my food.

Birthdays - It's my sisters birthday later this month, and my SIL/BILs birthdays in early February. I have no idea what I'm going to get them yet but I best work out a budget soon!

I've read two No Spend books recently - How I Lived a Year on a Pound a Day by Kath Kelly and The No Spend Year by Michelle McGagh. They were both really inspiring and definitely something I want to aspire to this year! I think I'll take it a month - or maybe a week - at a time though. 

I'm currently entering the challenge with £262.28 to my name, including savings. As you can see, just my bills takes the majority of that money! This is going to be a rough month...

Do you do spending bans? Feel free to send any tips my way!

Until next time, 

Saph x