New Tenner Week Challenge coming soon

It’s January, it’s cold and dark, and most of us are skint after Christmas and New Year. Cheery, eh? All the more reason to show January who’s boss as far as I’m concerned, and keeping busy is a good way to do it – which is why I’ve been putting a new Tenner Week Challenge together for the third week of this month (starting on Monday 21st of Jan).

The week before payday can be especially tough at this time of year, so a stint of extreme budgeting and waste prevention can help to ease the financial strain and prevent the situation getting further out of control. If your New Year resolution is to get on top of your finances, this could be a great place to start.

Have you tried a Tenner Week before? If not, it’s pretty simple: you live on a budget of £10 for seven days, which covers any extra food, going out, toiletries and any other personal spending. You’re also encouraged to use up whatever you already have, and to cut back on waste. The full rules are here if you want to know more, or just need a quick refresher.

As always there’s a theme, and this time around we’re having a Declutter week with a new activity to try every day. Each individual declutter only takes a few minutes to fully complete, so even if your home is a complete mess right now you won’t end up feeling overwhelmed. It’s designed to be straightforward, simple, effective and manageable, and you’ll get a feeling of achievement after finishing each activity.

Even if you don’t feel like budgeting, you might still like to declutter along with the rest of us. Who knows, you could even come up with a few items to sell by the weekend, and end up making a few quid. Bonus.

There will be an optional Sunday Stocktake exercise posted here on the 20th of January too, along with the daily schedule for the rest of the Tenner Week. If you have a few minutes to spare, a stocktake can be extremely beneficial, showing you exactly what food you have available in the fridge etc, and helping to plan a smart menu where everything gets used up before it goes off. It’s also an opportunity to think creatively about food, drink and other resources you already have, and work out how to make the most of them.

Do you need to cut back on the spending this month? Who’s joining me?

See you on Monday the 21st of January for Day 1.