This month’s theme contains a mixture of elements related to Christmas and winter. Whilst visiting the haberdashery and craft selection at Boyes Department store, I came across some sweet sets of seasonal stickers. This snow globe and glass jar themed pack really caught my eye so I treated myself to a sheet (despite it being no spend November!). I decided to use the stickers for my calendar page and my first weekly but I wanted a large image for my cover so I’ve had a go at creating a watercolour snowy scene in a snow globe to scan, print and glue in which is in a similar style to the stickers. After that, for the remainder of the month, I’m going to be using general Christmassy stickers made using images from Canva Pro. I hope you enjoy looking at my spreads for December and I would love to hear what theme my fellow bullet journallers have chosen for the month.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
The front cover
The front cover image was painted on watercolour paper using my Winsor & Newton tubes, plus some gold and silver from my Finetec palette. Unfortunately the gold and silver don’t show up very well in the scanned image so I used some sparkly gold paper as a background with the addition of some holly leaf and berry borders at the top and bottom. I was debating having a go at painting over the top of the sticker paper with the gold and silver paints but I’m worried it won’t turn out as well as the original or it might end up getting spoilt.
Photo Credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative Blog
Monthly calendar
This page came together really quickly and I think it looks really eye-catching. Along with the stickers, I added some sparkles using a gold glitter Uniball Signo and a strip of glittery stars to separate the December 2023 title and fill in the gap underneath. I used a Pigma Micron PN pen in a very dark red to number the boxes in the calendar. I love how the month finishes on a Sunday so that the calendar for January will go neatly across the top of the page in my next spreads!
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative Blog
Finances
The set of stickers had a few separate groups of trees so I’ve used these to decorate my title for my finances spread. I’ve also used one of the larger snow globes and another strip of glitter stars to finish the bottom of the page.
Photo Credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Winter Bucket List
In my previous post, I shared how I was going to create another bucket list for winter as I thoroughly enjoyed creating the autumn one and journalling about the process. I’ve included the actual list in my bullet journal but, like last time, I’ll be making a wide TN journal book to go in my Carpe Diem Traveler’s Notebook to record what I did for each item on the list. This will be instead of doing December Daily as it means I can work on it from the beginning of December to the end of February 2024.
Photo Credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Winter Aesthetic Inspiration Board
Again, I created one of these for Autumn and had great fun setting it up, using photographs from Canva Pro and phrases created using Cricut Design Studio. This one looks just as good I think and was well worth the time and effort involved. I wanted to add some more snowflakes in different shades but I’m having problems with cutting small items using my Cricut Joy so I’ll have to add them at a later date.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Christmas Gift List
The first of many Christmas related spreads that I hope to get done this month. This is a space to record gift ideas, purchases and expenditure for family and friends. All of the stickers were created in Cricut Design Space and made using my Cricut Joy.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Weekly Spread One
I’ve been changing my weekly spreads each week according to how much work I have on at the university but I’ve decided to create a two page spread for the first week of December because I was eager to leave room for some stickeration! I’ll probably do the same for the remaining weeks because I’ve got a big stash of general Christmas themed stickers in a mini envelope on my craft desk.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Final words…
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my December BuJo spreads for 2023. I’ve seen some lovely set ups on YouTube already but I look forward to seeing many more. I know many people use digital planners nowadays but I love setting mine up in my notebook each month and you can’t beat being able to flick through the pages to keep organised.
Wishing you all a happy and stress free December and an enjoyable time with your family during the holidays.
According to some reading I did online, the date that winter starts depends on whether you are referring to the astronomical or meteorological winter. The astronomical calendar identifies the season in the UK as beginning on Friday 22nd December in 2023, but personally, I follow the meteorological definition which cites winter as beginning on the 1st December each year. Whichever date marks the beginning of winter for you, I think we can all agree that wintery weather is coming as fast as Christmas is creeping up on us. Whether you dread the icy cold temperatures, or look forward to cosying up in front of the fire in a thick jumper and chunky socks, I think today is the perfect time to talk about getting ourselves ready for the chilly season before it hits. Here’s my top 10 ways to get winter ready.
Check over your winter wear
Get out your super thick winter coat, your hats, scarves and gloves and check them over to see what condition they’re in. Do any of them need replacing? Are there perfectly serviceable items from last year that you didn’t wear which might need donating to charity or given to a friend who will show them more love? Are they washed (or spot cleaned if necessary) and ready to wear?
My husband and I have a small woven basket next to the front door to store our favourite accessories in so we can grab them and go without having to go upstairs to retrieve them before heading out. Other items are kept in drawers and our wardrobes tucked away until needed.
Think layers
As well as outer wear, what you put on underneath is super important too. For winter walks, I recommend searching out some base layers from an outdoors shop. Thermal vests are also a good option to keep you toasty. Longer socks (thermal or wool ones) can keep your feet and legs warm, whilst fleece lined items can be worn under your coat. Layered clothing is always the best idea for winter outings as you can always strip some of them off if you get too hot. There’s nothing worse than going out and feeling really cold, and then struggling to get yourself warm again when you return home.
Evaluate your footwear
Another key part of your winter wear, which I feel needs its own section, is your footwear. For indoors, I recommend cosy slippers with a good sole (IMO not those big, squishy, novelty ones where you’re in danger of falling down the stairs / slipping on the floor when you move around) or socks with gripper treads AKA non-slip soles. For outside, a decent pair of wellingtons is good for light, short walks in snowy conditions or torrential rain (not very comfy on long or difficult walks IMO), walking shoes and boots with good grip / extra traction for extensive walking in all kinds of weather, or, more dressy boots for days and nights out where you don’t plan on walking too far or the weather isn’t too bad (I still like mine to have some sort of grip on the soles). Personally, all of the above, apart from slippers are essentials for me, but it does, of course, depend on the types of weather you get in your location and what you intend to be doing in the winter months.
Make plans for warming meals
On super chilly days, I always crave warming meals such as soup, stew and wholesome pies plus hot favourites such as vegetable lasagne, butternut squash risotto and cauliflower cheese. Before the temperatures really drop, I like to spend time doing some meal planning in my bullet journal. This includes picking out some new recipes to try (both online and in recipe books and magazines, and also listing pantry essentials such as lentils, wholewheat pasta, canned soups, porridge oats, cocoa, plain flour etc. and seasonal fruit and vegetables (such as cranberries, pomegranates, satsumas, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli and winter squash, which are really handy to reference when we create our weekly shopping lists.
In January, my husband and I take part in Veganuary, where you go vegan for the month (and potentially beyond) and, although it’s easier to find plant based options in the supermarkets these days, we still like to do some extra meal planning and search for some appropriate or adaptable recipes. There are loads of options on the Veganuary website but quite a few of the choices are spicy and I’m not good with this kind of food.
Choose some seasonal scents for your home
There are so many gorgeous scents to choose from this winter and you can also mix and match between a range of different fragranced items including candles, room sprays, pot pourri, reed diffusers and wax melts. Popular seasonal scents include cinnamon, pine, cedarwood, eucalyptus, juniper berries, sweet orange, clove and vanilla. I like to choose vegan options made of soy wax rather than those of animal origin and M&S have a great selection which smell wonderful. I also like purchasing from local small businesses on Etsy.
Protect and nourish your skin
There are two main things that dry your skin out in the winter time, one is the central heating and the other is the harsh weather. The central heating reduces the humidity in the air and affects how much moisture is present for the skin to absorb. Also, weather such as rain, wind and icy conditions zaps moisture from exposed areas of skin like your face, neck and hands, causing redness, dryness and other types of irritation.
At this time of year it helps to choose a richer moisturiser for face, hands and body. You should also try to make sure you apply it straight after washing or bathing. I also like to apply a thick layer of emollient cream to my hands and feet and then wear cotton gloves or socks overnight to really give the moisturiser time to be absorbed fully. Other ingredients which are super effective include shea butter, cocoa butter, rosehip oil and jojoba oil.
Using a humidifier in the home can also add moisture back into the air so it isn’t so dry. And don’t forget to hydrate from the inside too with plenty of fluids throughout the way.
Top up your Vitamin D
During the winter, natural light is in shorter supply and The Sun isn’t so strong. Also many of us spend more time indoors during the colder months. This can cause deficiencies in vitamin D which is important for healthy bones, a strong immune system, calcium absorption, brain health and our happiness levels. To ensure you’re getting enough of this important vitamin, you will need to make changes to your diet. This can involve making sure you eat foods which are rich in Vitamin D such as fish, seafood, eggs and fortified items such as cereal, plant based milks, some types of bread and even fruit juices. If you’re after a plant-based food, mushrooms are the best source. It’s also recommended that you take a daily multivitamin or vitamin powder (which you add water to). If you’re concerned you may have a vitamin deficiency, always consult your doctor or other medical professional for advice.
Equip your car
My husband and I were talking the other day about how much we hate driving in the dark. Unfortunately this, and misty or frozen windscreens are unavoidable at this time of year. Although it’s extremely difficult to avoid driving in the darkness, you can prepare for winter driving in other ways. Creating a kit which includes items such as de-icer, a scraper, small shovel, microfibre cloth, pocket torch and windscreen snow cover will be super useful for different kinds of weather. I also recommend having a warm, fleecy blanket and thick waterproof coat in the boot of your car, just in case.
The AA website has lots of extra winter advice which I’ve found really useful, so have a read through all of the information on this page to get yourself really clued up.
Be ready for potential power cuts
We’re all super reliant on technology these days but what’s the first thing you would need if your electricity went off due to a power cut? Candles (the unscented kind this time) and battery operated lights including a torch and maybe some of those little push on, push off LED lights. Again, creating a kit for use during an unplanned loss of power can be a great way to prepare. Your emergency kit might include wax candles (plus something to light them with) and/or battery operated varieties, LED push on lights, a small night light (for bedroom, landing or in the bathroom), a battery operated or wind up torch, spare batteries for the torch and any other battery operated items in your kit, a supply of bottled water, ready to eat food and the phone number of the Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) – in the UK, this is the easy to remember 105 number but it’s best to have it written down in case you forget. You might also want to have things to keep you warm too such as a hot water bottle, handwarmers, a sleeping bag and a supply of blankets.
The Met Office website has additional information that you might find useful. Just remember to take the time to read it before you actually need it! If you’re not in the UK, I’m sure there will be similar information for your locality online.
Create a winter bucket list
This September, I created an autumn bucket list. I made a two page spread in my bullet journal with items from the list and pictures to go with them. I then ticked off when I had achieved something. I also made an Autumn TN insert in which I’ve created pages with photographs, journalling, autumnal patterns, ephemera, and other decorative elements to show how I’ve achieved things from the list. I’ve enjoyed all of the above so much that I decided to repeat the process for the winter season. I’m really looking forward to getting started. Obviously, this is not a winter essential, but it’s great if you enjoy getting creative or you want to plan some new and different experiences for yourself and your family. I added stickers to mine made with my Cricut Joy.
Photo credit: Laura Jones, Keeping It Creative
Final words…
Whilst researching bits and pieces for today’s blog post, I also came across lots of useful information for older people on Age UK. There’s so much advice to read that I thought I’d just share the link for interested readers. One of the most important tips is to make sure you or your older relatives get yearly jabs such as the flu vaccine. Contrary to popular belief, the jab does not give the person flu, but has the potential to cause mild cold symptoms afterwards so maybe some basic over the counter cold medication could be purchased in preparation.
I hope you’ve found today’s blog post beneficial and it has given you some ideas on getting yourself and your home ready for winter. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments about whether or not you’re looking forward to the season and what your favourite things are about wintertime.
When I was teaching, I would regularly feel completely wiped out physically and mentally, and, for the first days of any holiday, whether it was half term, Easter, Christmas or the summer break, I would end up either ill or sleeping most of the time as my body and my mind couldn’t take any more.
The other week, I was listening to a group of pharmacy students at the University as they discussed their workloads and lifestyle choices because of how much they had to do. It reminded me of that feeling of never having enough time and the pressure and stress that came with it. So, today, I thought I’d talk about the signs which suggest you may be heading towards burnout (or are already there), and, perhaps more importantly, what you can do about it before you reach that stage.
What is burnout?
Burnout can be defined as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion which can result from long-term or repeated bouts of stress. This could include, but is not limited to, working in a stressful or high pressured job, doing an intense amount of studying (e.g. for a degree course or post graduate qualification, or having a particularly demanding life circumstance such as being a single parent, caring for a loved one (such as a young person with special needs or an aging relative), having financial difficulties or worries related to job security, being involved in a house move, divorce or separation or trying to juggle too many responsibilities at once.
What are the main signs of burnout?
The signs of burnout differ depending on the individual but common signs to look out for include:
fatigue – constantly feeling tired, drained or exhausted
sleep issues e.g. insomnia, panicked night time waking, regularly getting less than 6 hours a night etc
frequent feelings of cynicism, anger, irritability and a pessimistic life outlook in general
poor immunity – resulting in regularly feeling under the weather or having frequent coughs, colds, sore throats etc
gastro-intestinal issues such as IBS, stomach upsets, sickness and diarrhea or unexplained abdominal pains
recurring headaches
poor concentration levels which may result in reduced efficacy or success at work, making careless mistakes, being easily distracted, struggling to maintain attention, trouble thinking clearly or making decisions, forgetfulness and poor working memory.
depressed mood which may cause tearfulness, sadness, feelings of emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure in things you once enjoyed, feeling worthless, suicidal ideation, a sense of isolation and inability to relate to others
feelings of anxiety such as restlessness, agitation, irritability, having a sense of dread or fearing the worst
How can I prevent burnout?
Educate yourselfLearn about your current stresses and your coping strategies using ‘the stress bucket model’ that I discovered on Mental Health UK. You can download your own to fill in here. Make a list of helpful activities (known as taps in the example) and plan to do some of them each day to help you destress and unwind.
Prioritise self care You might not be able to remove the sources of stress you are dealing with right now, but you can make sure that self care becomes a non-negotiable part of each day. Try writing two lists – everyday (basic) self care that keeps you functioning each day e.g. keeping yourself hydrated, eating regular and nutritious meals, getting some exercise and taking regular work breaks, and ‘me time’ self care activities you find calming or relaxing e.g. having a walk in nature, quiet reading, taking a bubble bath, having some time away from your phone and social media, listening to music with your eyes closed, doing a mini meditation etc.
Learn to say no If you feel like you’re taking on too much to cope with, could it be that you are agreeing to requests or feeling obligated to doing things that are further adding to your stress? Although easier said than done, learning to say no can really help you to prioritise what matters to you or what you consider is absolutely essential for your health and wellbeing.
Accept that perfection is unachievable Perfectionism and the impossibly high standards that go with this trait can become overwhelming and will almost certainly lead to burnout. To manage this, take time to think about your current situation realistically and try to think positively about how well you are doing under the circumstances. Mantras such as ‘I can only do my best’, ‘done is better than perfect’, ‘nobody is perfect’ and ‘I don’t have to do things perfectly’ can help if said regularly.
Show some self-compassion If a friend was having to juggle all the commitments and responsibilities you’re currently facing, what would you say to make them feel better? A helpful exercise I learned in one my compassion group sessions is to write a letter offering sympathy, advice and support and post it to yourself or read it regularly. It might feel a little strange writing at first but it can really help.
Take a break from your devices After a particular busy or stressful day, you might be inclined to sit (or lie) on the sofa and mindlessly scroll through your phone or tablet. This might seem like a good way to relax at the time, but studies show that being addicted to our digital devices has a seriously negative impact on our mental and physical health, not to mention our productivity levels. Rather than constantly reaching for your phone, why not try a screen free hobby, for example, doing a mindful craft such as painting, drawing, sewing or knitting, doing puzzles such as jigsaws, crosswords, wordsearches or Sudoku which stretch your brain and help you relax at the same time or losing yourself in a good book or your favourite magazine.
Get organised Use your planner or calendar to map out your day and manage your schedule. Being organised can help you feel more in control and can also be a useful tool for identifying and planning for your priorities.
Practise mindfulness and meditation Mindfulness is a technique that involves paying attention to the current moment with non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and feelings. Click here to read about five simple ways of incorporating mindfulness into you daily routine. Meditation, which is a key aspect of mindfulness practice, has been shown to combat potential burnout by lowering stress and anxiety levels, helping us to build resilience and coping skills, improving self- awareness and self-esteem, cultivating positive thoughts and emotions and boosting our ability to focus and concentrate on tasks. For ideas on how to get started, you might like to read this blog post which has beginner friendly suggestions and tips.
Reach out to others Sometimes, when struggling to cope with everything life is throwing at us, we start to believe we’re the only one who’s finding things difficult. Our thoughts and feelings can then lead us to withdraw from loved ones or isolate ourselves from others. However, this is the time when seeking out your support network can be most useful. Positive social interaction such as meeting a friend for coffee, taking a full lunch break with work colleagues or fellow students, or doing something fun with family members can help in a range of different ways such as providing a listening ear, support, sympathy and useful advice, taking your mind off your sources of stress or giving you the chance to do something enjoyable or relaxing.
Take steps to manage your sleep routine High stress levels can have a profoundly negative effect on your sleep. It’s really important to take steps to develop a relaxing evening routine which sets you up for a good night’s sleep. This wonderful article discusses the relationship between sleep and burnout and includes lots of useful tips for your day, evening and bedtime routine.
Final words…
For many of us, avoiding burnout isn’t easy and there are commitments in our busy lives which we can’t avoid or say no to. However, actively taking steps to combat the daily stresses in our lives by using some or all of the coping strategies above can really help. I think filling in the stress bucket would be a good first step in boosting self- awareness prior to making small lifestyle changes with a view to preventing burnout and generally improving health and wellbeing in the future. Let me know in the comments if you try out some of the ideas above and you find them beneficial.
This month, I’ve gone with a pumpkins and squashes theme which includes stickers I made using my Cricut Joy and my own watercolour painting. I got most of the layouts done about a week ago but spent a good while yesterday playing with my paints and then creating my front cover. I hope you like my art work as I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
Front Cover
The idea for the theme and cover this month comes from my experience of going to a pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. The wheelbarrow is based on the actual one we used to put our squashes in but I used artistic license to create a the different varieties of pumpkin as we only picked out three small ones to take home.
Before painting I sketched out the wheelbarrow and placement of the squashes with light pencil. I also practised doing the straw and mud on the ground by creating a darkish yellow wash and then using a dry fan brush to create a messy effect. I think it works nicely and I hope you can tell what I was trying to achieve. The sky was created with a pale blue turquoise wash and I used scrunched up paper towel to lift the paint to create a loose cloud effect.
The original artwork – the paper has curled so I need to put it under a heavy book!
Rather than glue the thick, watercolour paper in, which would add too much bulk, I’ve scanned it in on 110gsm paper and stuck in it. The colours aren’t exactly the same, but I’m happy with it.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Calendar page
The calendar is made of my usual 6 x 6 boxes using a 0.3 Pigma Micron. The November title was created using a brown Tombow brush pen and I added the year for reference so I can quickly see when it was produced (I’m getting quite a collection of old BuJos now!) The squash designs were from Canva Pro and I made the stickers using my Cricut Joy. The offset isn’t perfect as usual but I think they look okay.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Finances page
This month, I’ve only created one page instead of the usual double page layout. This is because I’m taking part in No Spend November and so my only personal expenses should be for essentials rather than luxury items. The page to the right of it will be for a spot of journalling about how we get on with our challenge.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
First weekly plan
I’m trying a different layout this week to see how I get on with having more room to write each day. As part of the set up, the second page is folded in half and this is so that I can see my task list all week and can transfer items from it to my daily plan as and when I decided which day I want to complete or start a particular task. I’ve taken a couple of photographs to show how it works.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
The washi tape is part of an autumnal set I picked up at The Range. It’s not wonderful quality but there are some nice designs and colours.
Final words…
Thank you for taking the time to check out my bullet journal spreads for November. I hope you like them all. It’s been a while since I did some watercolour painting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Using watercolours is a wonderful mindful activity and, for me, it was a great way to spend a few hours over the weekend whilst the weather was completely miserable. You don’t even need to paint an actual picture, just messing about with the paint and different techniques is enough to calm the mind.
Last week, I was talking to my other half about what an expensive month October has been for me. Firstly, it’s my husband’s birthday on Halloween, and, although I haven’t bought him too many presents, I like to get him something that he really wants and at least a couple of surprises as well. Secondly, an incident occurred with my much loved and well used Kindle. In our house, we have quite a lot of plants and we have an issue with tiny, little compost flies, which, as their name suggests, tend to live in the soil of our plants but also like to venture out around our rooms, gravitating towards anything they like the look of. One landed on the screen of my Kindle when I was reading and I whacked it with my hand. Unfortunately, my wedding and engagement rings also hit the screen and fractured it in several places in the very centre, causing the backlight to shine through. So, because I read my kindle on a daily basis, I had to purchase a replacement straightaway and that was an unexpected expense (well, obviously I could have managed for the time being but I love reading so…). Finally, my craft room tends to get a little cold in the autumn and winter months so I have added to my collection of jumpers to keep me warm.
My husband suggested that I do a ‘no spend November’ and I thought, “Ooooh, that has a nice ring to it, surely he hasn’t just made that up?” and sure enough, I Googled it, and it is already an actual thing. I read up on the basic premise as obviously the month can’t be entirely expense free (I’m pretty sure HSBC won’t be impressed if we don’t bother paying our mortgage next month and it won’t be much fun if we let the cupboard go bare and have nothing to eat!) and so I thought I’d share what I learnt in case you want to know more or join me in the challenge.
Let’s get to it…
What is ‘No spend November’?
Basically, ‘No spend November’ is a way of saving money by only purchasing things that are absolutely necessary. The goal of the challenge is to save more, make better spending decisions and to live more simply throughout the month. It’s considered an ideal time to reign in your spending as you’ll avoid buying unnecessary ‘bargains’ during the Black Friday period and it will help you to save a little (or maybe even a lot) for the festive period.
You can plan for the challenge to last the whole month, or you can identify a shorter period of no spend time in November – say for a week or a fortnight. You could also choose certain days of the week as no spend days such as weekends or Fridays. If you found it fun or helpful, you could also repeat the challenge at another time, such as when trying to save up for a holiday or a special event.
Essentials to continue to spend money on
Obviously, no spend doesn’t literally mean no money coming out of your bank account, but it does mean keeping costs to just the absolute essentials. What you class as essential will be very personal to you and will differ for each individual doing the challenge. Here’s what you might include but might include:
rent or mortgage payments
utilities such as gas, electric, Internet
taxes e.g. council tax
groceries
childcare
insurance payments such as health, life, car etc
phone top ups or phone bill
fuel or other car expenses
memberships that are on direct debit
things that absolutely need to be fixed straight away such as a broken washing machine or things that fall in to complete disrepair and need replacing
newspapers and magazines (except free ones)
For me, my gym subscription is an essential as it is a key part of my routine and going to classes and talking to others is one of the ways I keep myself well mentally as well as physically.
Non-essentials you might choose NOT to spend money on
Again, this differs from person to person, but some examples include:
takeaways
coffee shop coffee
cake from a cafe
meals out
craft supplies
hobbies
branded toiletries and cosmetics
entertainment (try visiting free events or go for a walk in your local park)
branded groceries or premium selections at the supermarket
clothing
shoes
impulse purchases
seasonal decor items
lunch from a sandwich shop – make your own packed lunch!
books – borrow some from the library instead, read some already purchased novels on your Kindle or re-read favourites
Reasons why you might choose to do a ‘No Spend November’ challenge
you overspent last month and so want to have a light spend month
you really want to assess your finances and become more in control of your money
you want to save money ready for the festive period itself
you like to choose Christmas gifts during the month of December
you plan to class Christmas gifts for family and friends as part of your essential spending
you want to be more intentional with your spending
you would like to do more home cooking and having a takeaway free month will facilitate this
you want to cut down on luxury items such as expensive toiletries and make up items in favour of choosing simple products like supermarket and chemist own brand items
You are a creative crafts type and want to encourage yourself to complete projects you are already working on or use materials you already own such as stickers, papers, yarns, fabrics etc
You have a debt to pay off and having a no spend month seems like an ideal way to do it
Reasons why you might not want to do a ‘No Spend November’
You have plenty of money for essentials and luxuries so saving and cutting down on spending doesn’t really feel like a priority right now
You have a list of items you want to get in the Black Friday sales and you know you are capable of sticking to that list and not buying things on impulse
You’re already pretty pleased with the state of your finances and you rarely purchase luxury items anyway
You want to try the challenge but at a different time of year, for example January of next year
You don’t see the point of the challenge for you personally
You feel totally unprepared for such as challenge and know that you won’t keep up with it so why start!
A few tips for a successful ‘No Spend November’
Record your why – why have you decided to do the challenge? what do you hope to get out of doing it?
Make two lists – one of essentials that you will spend money on and the other non-essentials or luxury items which you agree not to buy
Let others know that you are doing the challenge – explain to your partner, tell the kids and explain why the challenge is important to you, tell your friends so they don’t wonder why you are saying no to big night’s out and coffee catch ups.
Make a meal plan each week and then create a shopping list based on it
Create a picnic of homemade and home-prepared items for your free days out e.g. cheese and tomato sandwiches, chopped vegetables such as carrot or cucumber sticks with hummus for dipping, crisps from a multipack or decanted from a large bag, homemade scones, cakes or a traybake
record your expenses and see how they compare to other months – write down how much you think you’ve saved
plan some fun nights and days in – maybe have a pamper day or a games night, suggest friends come around for tea / coffee and each bring a sweet treat
make a list of things you were tempted to buy during the month and journal about why
seek out alternatives to more expensive grocery items e.g. supermarket own brand, budget range items etc
Final words…
So, who’s going to join me for a ‘No Spend November’ and who’s horrified by the idea? If you would like to curb your spending, I would love to hear what category of non-essentials has the most negative impact on your finances and which items you will struggle not to spend on. Let me know in the comments. Mine has to be craft related items or coffees from cafes I think although I may prove myself wrong when I start doing the challenge. Also, I think I may have to identify Christmas presents for others as essential if I see something that is just perfect when I’m out and about!
Keeping it creative 