This month, I decided to try a low spend month. I've had a lot of expenditure in the last few months, what with dental treatment, moving LB into her new flat, etc. I was tired of spending way too much each month.
This month didn't go too badly. I did manage to cut my spending in half this month, spending the least I'd spent in 6 months, so it was fairly successful. It wasn't as low spend as it could have been. I didn't cut out all spending and did buy some new items of clothing from thrift shops, where I spent almost £50 in total. This sounds a lot, but I did get some big thick winter sweaters and accessories and a couple of shackets which are good transitional items in the autumn when the weather is getting colder. I also bought a couple of new items for work, i.e. a skirt and some socks, which cost £16.
Other items I bought included bulbs for the garden (5 packs) which cost £8.50, a few small home items costing £20 and some small cast iron weights for use with my dumbells and barbell which cost £5.
The above were the main areas of non essential expenditure, but I did also start to buy a few small stocking filler type gifts for Xmas to spread the cost, spending around £20 this month on these.
Right at the end of the month, I spent £24 on three new dollies to stand plants on on the decking. With all this wet weather, it's important to protect it from rotting again. I bought them from work using my staff discount and they are doing their job now that OH has put our plants back on the decking outside the back door.
The majority of my expenditure this month has been on food, household and other miscellaneous necessary items that we use on a regular basis. This expenditure came to about £540, which is a little over budget, partly because I used a voucher I had and stocked up a bit in advance on some things.
On reflection, I did okay. After paying credit card and other bills, I had £150 left over at the end of the month, which I put into savings, which was a positive outcome as far as I'm concerned.
I could, of course, have done a lot better, such as buying fewer thrifted clothes or spending a bit less on food and household items, but I think by not being too strict, I've enjoyed the month and I don't feel like I've been too deprived. I may even try to do a second consequetive low spend month next month or possibly in November. We are, however, getting closer to Xmas now, so November may be a little difficult if I want to get ahead of the curve on Xmas presents.
My birthday falls in October, so from this point of view this might be the best month to try reducing my spending, as anything I need I can ask for as a gift. We are going on holiday for a week though, so that will involve expenditure. I may still give it a try though.
I'll keep you posted.
