It isn’t an entire week, but today was the first food shop of the month and the final weekend before The Bloke and I go back to work on Monday, so I am including my spend for the last three days as the first week of January as part of my No Spend January 2026 Challenge.

Points to note:

I am not including my mandatory expenses for the month (rent and bills) in my No Spend Challenge, So far already this month, I have paid off the last of the Council Tax for the year (the next annual bill will start again in April), my rent, and the TV license for January. I will put the money that I would normally spend on Council Tax into savings instead at the beginning of February and March.

The first two days of January were spent watching movies, sleeping, eating and tidying up as we were still in holiday mode, so there was nothing to tempt me to spend money on. I didn’t have to go anywhere or do anything, which isn’t representative of a normal week.

Doing an inventory and creating a meal plan

One of the first things I did before properly starting my no spend challenge was a full inventory of what we already had at home. I went through every cupboard, the fridge and the freezer, writing down exactly what was there. It wasn’t particularly glamorous, but it was incredibly useful. Seeing everything laid out on paper made it obvious just how much food we already had and how easy it is to forget what is hiding at the back of a cupboard or freezer drawer.

Once the inventory was done, I worked out what we would realistically need to supplement what we already had to cover three meals a day for both of us. Instead of planning meals from scratch and then shopping for everything, I planned meals around what was already in the house. This meant building meals using frozen items, tins, pasta, rice, and long forgotten ingredients, and only adding the missing pieces to the list. 

With that information, I created a simple meal plan. Nothing fancy, just practical meals that would use up what we had while still being filling and enjoyable. The goal was not perfection, but making sure we could eat well without unnecessary spending or food waste. I generally do most of the cooking at home (The Bloke does all of the washing up because I hate it), so I have warned him in advance to expect some weird and wonderful combinations over the next few weeks. 

The food shop and some rookie mistakes

Armed with my list, I went to Aldi this morning to buy only the items we genuinely needed. Having a clear list made the shop quick and focused, and I didn’t get anything additional, (even though I was tempted by more than a few things). it felt good knowing that every item in the trolley had a purpose.

That said, it was not a flawless shop. I made two small but important mistakes. The first was forgetting my reusable shopping bags, which meant I had to spend 80p on two carrier bags that I had not budgeted for. It is a tiny amount, but during a no spend challenge, even small unplanned costs stand out. The second mistake was paying by card instead of cash, even though I had enough cash in my purse to cover the shop. It was pure habit, and a good reminder of how automatic some spending behaviours can be.

Neither mistake ruined the challenge, but both were useful learning moments. They highlighted how preparation goes beyond lists and meal plans and extends to the small practical details that support mindful spending. Next time, the bags will be by the door, and I will be more intentional about how I pay.

Total spend: £17.85 for 22 items.

Total spend for the first week of January: £17.85