January challenge

(image from holidays.mrdonn.org)

I have thought of enough health/wealth challenges to do for the first six months of the year, so we are ready to begin with the January one.  Me being me, and having done this one several times before, it should come as  no surprise to hear that we are going to have a "Low-Spend Month".

Bills will be paid, essentials will be bought, and we won't go overdue with our Council Tax payments.  Commitments will be honoured - like the second load of logs I have already ordered, the YFG's piano lessons, and the FH's lunch club.  It is rather in discretionary purchases that we will be more careful and much more considered.

There will be no spending on books, magazines, toys, clothes, games, etc, household appliances or decorations, or fancy goods.  I will not add to my fabric or wool stash, I will not go to the cinema, nor will I do anything which involves spending money if I can at all help it!  

Please don't think that we are going to suffer - we aren't.  What we are going to do is become, for this month at least, a lot more disciplined.

The thing is, we have lots of stuff in stock here already.  I have wool to knit with, books to read, paper to write on and pens to write with!  We have DVDs and the tv to watch, we have jigsaws to do, and I have plenty of work to do to occupy myself without any need to spend a penny!  I have toiletries stashed away, three freezers and my stock cupboards full of food.  We all have shoes aplenty, warm coats, scarves and gloves.  I don't think that there is anything we NEED!

I think that most of our grocery spending will be on fresh fruit and veg, as it was last time we did this challenge.  I know that there are odd items, like mint sauce, that we have run out of, but if I keep lamb off the menu for the month, I won't look for it.  I'd like to keep our grocery budget for the month to £100, or roughly £20 a week, since this is almost a 5-week month.  I'll be thinking of it as 5 back-to-back $21 challenges.  I know it is going to get interesting in the kitchen, but that is half the fun!

As well as the projected £750 that the budget aims to put into savings this month, I would hope to add at least £250 to that.  I will keep track through the month and let you know how we are getting on!