We Are Decking the Halls with NSDs December Chall...

[penny73]

NSD 3 achieved today
Hopefully I will be able to get my 3 in a row this week as
Monday - work then swimming
Tuesday - parents evening until 8pm
Wednesday - meeting of committee
No spending until Thursday ( or at least that's the theory )

[flubberyzing]

NSD6 in the bag.

Discovered that staying in my PJ's all day is a good deterrent from going out and spending money!

[beanielou]

Originally Posted by flubberyzing

NSD6 in the bag.

Discovered that staying in my PJ's all day is a good deterrent from going out and spending money!

It is isent it

[ifwisheswerehorses...]

Originally Posted by freebyfifty

Hi lovely NSD gang
As you can see there is lots of activity on this challenge at the moment and it's difficult sometimes to see how many NSDs you're all declaring on posts.
Could I ask you to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that I can see them easily when I whizz through the posts - red would be best but I don't really mind as long as I can see the numbers easily.

Some helpful suggestions and ideas to follow below from our sponsor and godmother, BigMummaF

NO SPEND CHALLENGE.

1. Have a good, long think about what YOU want to include in your Spend & Excluded categories.
Some of us count everything from Direct Debits & school expenses, while others do not include things like essential Bills or emergency medical costs. If you plan what is or is not a Spend for you now, it will help you decide on a realistic Target.
2. It is NOT a race!
We all have very different demands on our time & bank balance, so please do not think you have to buy everything on 1st January & make it last till 31st December! A few of us have been following this Challenge for a long...long...LONG time so have developed plans & ploys to help us along the way
3. Most important of all, WE..DO..NOT..FAIL!
Sometimes we can't quite reach our Target, but that is fine Everyone knows how Life will try to trip us up, & that is when you will find us here to help you back on to your feet.

OK, an idea of how some of us do things.
1. What you will or will not include as a 'Spend'.
Some people are doing other challenges too, & don't include the money spent on those for this one.
Some will try to shop for other bits on the days their direct debits etc go out of their bank accounts; they're the real hard core of the bunch & have been l-o-n-g time Nsders so don't panic
Some won't count those annoying last minute demands from school & collections as you can't plan for them in advance, likewise emergency prescriptions or visits to the vet
Personally speaking & providing I don't buy anything else, I don't count parking for hospital appointments.(..but then I usually do my shopping because I'm already out )
General thoughts on €bay sales is the buyer has paid P&P so no cost to you
2. It takes Time to reach mega-numbers!
The First suggestion is the first, because a bit of planning will work wonders on your road to your Target. Have a look at thefirst posts each month for a hefty list of other threads that may be of help. For example, there's a few giving ideas for packed lunches so you can avoid standing in the queue at the bakers for 45mins of your lunch hour! A good incentive to tweak your healthy eating & the pounds you save will show in your bank balance AND your waistline
It helps to have various 'money pots' for the different costs that happen like Scouts, dinner money, yoga, window cleaner etc etc. The idea is you "spend" all that money in one hit by....let's say **putting the week's bus fares into the pretty coffee jar, Jo's tumble tots [Weds mornings] in the cracked teapot & Ben's £1 coin for the gym locker [Friday lunch] in the pocket of the changing bag, on Tuesdays every week when you've got some change from doing the food shop, so an already spendy day. At least four 'spending days' condensed into one (**mine's jam jars for windows, milkman & a bit towards the bills!)
3. Any day the money stays in your pocket is a bonus!
If you look at it as a day you beat the system, you can't help but so don't fret it--ENJOY! If nothing else in here, we do manage find something to make us smile

We have virtual outings to wonderful places that never cost us a bean New York, Edinburgh & Brighton have been a couple & Spoon usually pilots the Tardis but you can use your own transport; my personal favourite has been a sit-on lawn mower borrowed from the cricket club The only thing to be aware of is Hubert the donkey who is partial to anything remotely edible but is not yet house-trained

And Remember;
there are no silly questions, so don't be afraid to ask us anything!

[kerri gt]

Originally Posted by beanielou

It is isent it

Couldn't agree more - and purse is upstairs so I can't be tempted with internet shopping

[armchairexpert]

Hi all!

Been away attending a funeral this week. Have decided not to count the day I had to go buy both my girls sombre funeral outfits, nor the horrible airport-related charges for excess baggage because we were bringing back keepsakes, so I am reporting NSD4 please.

[kitschkitty]

NSD 5 stayed in today (again) but not particularly by choice , my bad back was playing up last night, and I didn't get a good nights sleep at all. Feeling a little better today but it's still very delicate.

Tomorrow is my last printing class till next year, so I am going to try to avoid the shops, though I do have £3 shopping vouchers in my wallet.

[Sazzie23]

Hi NSD'ers have kept off the computer to try to avoid the dreaded internet shop temptation.

Am declaring 2 NSD for Thursday last week, and Today.

Surprised myself by taking some crackers and cheese for lunch to avoid an extra bread purchase and then freezer food for the rest of the week. Guinea pigs fresh food needs an uplift so its a shop day tomorrow.

Have to start somewhere, here seems like a good place

[kururunfa]

Originally Posted by freebyfifty

Please can you tell me what target you are aiming for? For some reason I haven't got it on the front page and I can't find the post where you declared it - sorry

I joined late, sorry! I'm not sure if I mentioned my target. I think I'll aim for 15 NSDs.

Today was my 4th NSD. Just spent the day catching up with some work from last week. Nice and productive

Sorry for your loss armchairexpert.

[solventsoon]

Originally Posted by rising from the ashes

Thanks Spoon I must admit I am still absolutely shattered today - amazing how things that you'd do without batting an eyelid usually can take it out of you On the positive side - at least I managed to take myself as a month ago, I couldn't do that!

You're definitely making progress rising, I can see it from your posts Try to be patient and take it slowly, easy for me to say I know, but if you try to rush things you'll end up back at square one again

Good luck with the hospital visit tomorrow, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you x

Originally Posted by rising from the ashes

Must have another think about the thermals as this got pushed down the to do list Funnily enough, I'm sitting here with one of my long sleeved thermal tops on, with a short sleeved t-shirt over!

I'll have a look at some long sleeved tops as - believe it or not - I only have 2 and I'll really need to get some for when I get back to work!

I'm with beanie on this one... wait to see what Santa brings you...... or drop some massive hints... or wait for the post-Xmas sales

Originally Posted by beanielou

Spoony~I just love your posts~thank you

Originally Posted by rising from the ashes

Me too!

Awww... thank you both that's lovely

[solventsoon]

Originally Posted by ifwisheswerehorses...

Thank you spoony

It's a pleasure If ...... and I love today's

Originally Posted by ifwisheswerehorses...

Morning all

[solventsoon]

Originally Posted by kerri gt

Look who I found on the coupon drivel thread

Oooh... Daisy's back.....

Thanks kerri, I was wondering who had led her astray

[solventsoon]

Evening everyone

Loads more NSDs rolling in today, it seems as though we’ve all got the NSD bug this month

Welcome and/or welcome back to:

purple.sarah - hi and welcome, it’s never too late to join in. Freeby will add you to the front page when she next updates it
Good luck with your two targets of 10 NSDs and 4 in a row, you can do it

Well done to:

armchairexpert - NSD no 4 safely captured now, that’s brilliant
Sorry to hear about your loss, I hope the funeral went as well as these things can go

beanie - NSD no 8 in the bag now, you’re doing brilliantly

chris81418 - NSD no 6 in the bag now, that’s fab, you are definitely racking them up!
Wow... I’ve just spotted your signature (I’m soooo observant), you’re nearly DF, well done you

Dragon - NSD no 7 safely captured now, that’s brilliant.
I love doh moments when they turn out well

emsloves - NSD no 8 in the bag now, you’re doing brilliantly

EverTheOptimist - NSD no 3 safely captured now, that’s brilliant
Well done for planning ahead, that’s definitely the secret to nabbing those elusive NSDs

Fae - NSD no 6 nabbed now, you’re doing brilliantly

flubberyzing - NSD no 5 safely captured now, yay. I like the sound of your Saturday, I’m quite partial to Kiefer Sutherland as well.
Glad the school reunion went well
And NSD no 6 follows swiftly behind, yay!

Freeby - NSD no 8 nabbed now, you’re on target for a full house again this month, keep going.
Thanks for the fabby update and for all your hard work

kerri - NSD no 3 safely captured now, that’s brilliant
Sorry about the tooth and the sore head

kitschkitty - NSD no 5 in the bag now, that’s fab
Sorry your back has been playing up and glad you’re feeling a bit better today

kururunfa - NSD no 4 nabbed now, you’re doing brilliantly
Freeby will add your target of 15 NSDs to the front page when she next updates it

lemmings1986 - NSD no 5 safely captured now, that’s brilliant
You’ve definitely been busy by the sounds of it, hope the pie turned out well

lurvlyloz - NSD no 5 safely captured now, that’s brilliant

marmite - NSD no 6 nabbed now, you’re doing brilliantly.
Hope you don’t have too much snow
And NSD no 7 safely captured as well, that’s fab

MummyRivett - NSD no 8 in the bag now, you’re doing brilliantly.
It sounds as though you had a busy, and productive day yesterday. Hope the run went well today

nannygladys - NSD no 7 safely captured now, that’s brilliant

Nargle - NSD no 3 safely captured now, that’s brilliant
Hmmmm...... Igor and mince pies, I seem to recall a mishap with the pies, a bottle of brandy and Igor trying to mince Hubert last year, are you sure it’s safe to let him loose again

penny73 - NSD no 3 safely captured now, that’s brilliant, good luck with your 3 in a row this week.
It sounds as though you have a busy week ahead

Sazzie23 - yay to 2 more NSDs, you’re doing brilliantly

VickyV - NSD no 5 nabbed now, you’re doing brilliantly
Hope the tree is up and looking lovely now

WantToBeSE - NSD no 7 firmly captured now, that’s brilliant.


And hello to:

rising - the handbag was definitely a need IMO, you’ll feel much more comfortable.
Hmmm.... a normal amount of handbags... now there’s a question

[solventsoon]

Well I've been a very good spoony for the past two days and am currently up to NSD no 7... and am very pleased with that

[JAMIEDODGER]

Reporting NSD 6 & 7

[freebyfifty]

Good Morning

NSD #9 captured yesterday.

Well done to everyone else, we are doing so well this month and the front page is all updated

Thank you for the humungous update spoony

[freebyfifty]

Originally Posted by kururunfa

I joined late, sorry! I'm not sure if I mentioned my target. I think I'll aim for 15 NSDs.

No problem. Your target is on the front page now.

[freebyfifty]

Originally Posted by Sazzie23

Hi NSD'ers have kept off the computer to try to avoid the dreaded internet shop temptation.

Am declaring 2 NSD for Thursday last week, and Today.

You have confused me which isn't difficult really.
Is 2 NSDs your total or are you adding 2 to take you to 4????

If you can declare your total of NSDs it would be really helpful, thanks. Sorry to be such a bossy boots

[freebyfifty]

Originally Posted by purple.sarah

Can I join please? I'm a little late to this thread but I'm going to go for 10 NSDs total and 4 in a row.

Welcome I have put you on the front pages. Good luck, you'll soon get hooked

[freebyfifty]

Hi lovely NSD gang
As you can see there is lots of activity on this challenge at the moment and it's difficult sometimes to see how many NSDs you're all declaring on posts.
Could I ask you to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that I can see them easily when I whizz through the posts - red would be best but I don't really mind as long as I can see the numbers easily.


Thank you x