Springing Into the April NSD Challenge

freebyfifty · 1 April 2012 at 4:20PM

Welcome to the March NSD thread!!

We are a happy (and some might say mildly insane) bunch doing battle with those retailers - and there’s plenty of temptation at the moment with all the sales on. We are seriously committed to saving money, but nobody said it can't be done with a smile on your face - so we organise riotous nights out and gatecrash any function going - all without leaving the comfort of our own imaginations or armchairs!

On a slightly more serious note, we are here to help each other avoid spending for the number of days we feel we can manage to try to take back some control over our hard-earned money. What you class as a "spend'" is entirely your choice; some people will try to shop on the days DD/SO etc are paid, whilst others will not include essentials such as rent. Have a look for a post from our sponsor (and godmother of this challenge) BigMummaF, this contains some guidelines and ideas for starting you off on the challenge.

It’s amazing how inventive you get when you’re determined NOT to spend - from weird menu ingredients to surprising DIY solutions - but you know what? 99% of the time those wacky ideas work.

Here are some threads to help keep us on the straight and narrow, if you know of others, please post. Many of the lunch box ideas are aimed toward children and are great ideas now that everyone’s back to work or school.

March Grocery Challenge, with lots of recipe ideas.
Tinned Food Recipes.
Leftovers? Don’t Throw It..
Exciting Sandwich Fillings on a Budget.
Lunch for Work.
Laptop Lunchbox Ideas.
Packed Lunches.
Cheap Healthy Snacks
Cheap Snack Ideas to Stop Buying Crisps.
Homemade Snack Ideas…contains further links for ideas.
Sprouting Seeds to Eat.
Really Quick & Alternative Snacks.
Easy Homemade Biscuits.
Muesli & Cereal Bar Recipes.
Weetabix Cake.
HM Popcorn.
Smoothie Recipes.
Yoghurt Without a Yoghurt Maker.
Ham Economics.
Low Carb Kids Lunches...contains advice for diabetics.
Kids Lunch Box Ideas.
Back to School Lunches.
Healthy Kids Snacks.
HM Lollies.
Ice Lolly Ideas
Cheap Healthy Playground Snacks.
Homemade Fudge.
OS HM Sweets.
Forgotten Puddings.
Making chocolates or sweets

Link to last month's challenge is below so any newcomers can see what we get up to (hmmmmm... on second thoughts, that might put you off...)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3821623

freebyfifty · 1 April 2012 at 4:21PM

There doesn't appear to be a theme this month, you should just be grateful I worked out how to do pictures :rotfl:

Target met

2nd Target met

3rd Target met

Target exceeded

Abundant1972 – 15/11

Allie Ballie Bee – 10/8

Beanielou – 15/15 Target Reached 2nd Target Reached 19/19 3rd Targer Reached 23/23

Bottleofred - 15/17 Target Reached Target Exceeded 15/20

Brizzledfw – 10/6

Chris81418 – 19/19 Target Reached 2nd Target Reached 22/22 Target Exceeded 23/22

Cuddlymarm - 20

Daisy_butterfly – 16

Delilahh – 13/9

Donna dynamo – 15/15 Target reached Target Exceeded 15/16

Dragon – 10/10 Target Reached Target Exceeded 10/14

Each peach – 10/2

Elfen – 14/5

Emlovesmickey – 15/15 – Target Reached Target exceeded 15/17

Flying – 12/12 Target reached Target Exceeded 12/14

Freeby – 15/15 Target reached 2nd Target Reached 19/19 3rd Target Reached 23/23 Target Exceeded 23/25

Hiddenidenity – 15/2

Ifwishes – 17/16

Igamogam – 15/15 Target reached 2nd Target Reached 20/20

Itapuzzle – 15/11

Iwanttogo – 10/

Jaffacakegal – 16/16 Target reached

Katy721 – 15/11

Keiss 21 – 18/11

Kerri gt – 14/13

KissyKaren – 16/8

Kittikins – 15/5

K8eh89 – 15/2

LaFolie – 6/4

Lamarsi – 10/10 – Target Reached 2nd target reached 14/14 3rd Target Reached 15/15 Target Exceeded 15/16

L2Budget – 10/10 – Target reached 2nd target reached 12/12 Target Exceeded 12/13

Lilian1977 – 10/1

LMH – 10/10 - Target Reached Target increased 20/19

Lotti379 – 10/7

Marmiterulesok – 14/14 Target Reached

ModestyB – 10/10 Target Reached

Monkeynut – 8/2

Muffin man 7 – 10/14 – Target reached Target exceeded

Munchin – 5/

Mytimetoshine – 14/2

Nargleblast – 12/11

Pinkpenguin – 15/12

Piquant – 15/1

Poohbear59 – 20/18

Purpleorchid ?/

Rachel021967 - 8

RhiBi – 10/10 Target Reached

Rising – 10/10 Target Reached Target increased 12/11

SillyBlondie – 15/15 Target Reached Target increased 18/15

Silvasava – 16/9

Slowlyfading – 15/15 Target Reached Target exceeded 15/17

Stripeygirl - 10/10 – Target Reached 2nd Target Reached 13/13 3rd Target Reached 16/16

Suzitiger – 5/2

Win_credit – 10/11 – Target Reached Target Exceeded 10/16

freebyfifty · 1 April 2012 at 4:21PM

This is for anyone who wants to set themselves a target for a number of NSDs in a row. We had some impressive numbers on this over the past few months so if anyone would like to have a go at this, I'll add you here

abundant - 5 in a row

Beanielou – 4 in a row

Chris81418 – [STRIKE]6 in a row[/STRIKE] Target Reached

Delilahh – 4 in a row

Dragon - 5 in a row

Flying – [STRIKE]3 in a row[/STRIKE] Target reached

Freeby – [STRIKE]4 in a row [/STRIKE]- Target reached 5 in a row

itsapuzzle - 5 in a row

Katy721 – [STRIKE]4 in a row[/STRIKE] Target reached

Keiss 21 – [STRIKE]4 in a row[/STRIKE] Target reached

Lamarsi – [STRIKE]3 in a row[/STRIKE] - Target reached

Learning2Budget – [STRIKE]3 in a row[/STRIKE] Target reached 4 in a row

Marmiterulesok – [STRIKE]4 in a row[/STRIKE] - Target reached

Muffin man 7 – 5 in a row

freebyfifty · 1 April 2012 at 4:23PM

Hi lovely NSD gang:A
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 :A

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 :whistle:)
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..:think:..let's say **putting the week's bus fares into the pretty coffee jar, Jo's tumble tots SIZE=2]Weds mornings[/SIZE in the cracked teapot & Ben's £1 coin for the gym locker SIZE=2]Friday lunch[/SIZE 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 :j 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 :rotfl: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!

The_Dragon · 1 April 2012 at 4:28PM

Thank you freebyfifty! I will go for my usual 10 and 5 in a row please!

Igamogam · 1 April 2012 at 4:42PM

Hello

Going to try for 15 again. Thankyou

Igamogam · 1 April 2012 at 4:43PM

Oh I forgot - declaring 1 for today

IF · 1 April 2012 at 4:44PM

Thank you freeby for doing the April NSD thread love If...x

freeby Could you put me down down for 17 NSD's thank you :A

LittleMissHappy_2 · 1 April 2012 at 4:46PM

Thanks for starting the thread freeby You are an :A There is an animal theme to your prizes, anyone can see that

Fingers crossed BDINI is ok

I am going for 10 NSD's in April and I will keep a running total in my signature so if you can't update the front page regularly everyone will know where I am

Forgot to add I got NSD 1 today

daisy_butterfly · 1 April 2012 at 4:46PM

Please can I be put down for 16??

LaFolie · 1 April 2012 at 4:48PM

Hi all,

Jumping on board and aiming for 6

x

Springing Into the April NSD Challenge

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