The 'Happy Halloween' October NSD Challenge

marmiterulesok
marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
edited 25 September 2016 at 9:07PM in Debt-free wannabe challenges
October will soon be here...Who will join us in striving towards making the best treacle toffee ever,bonfires,toffee apples and amassing a great big pile of nsds?Don't be shy now! :money:
«134567…21

Comments

  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
    edited 28 October 2016 at 6:16AM
    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 wink2.gif
    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 sport-smiley-003.gif & have been l-o-n-g time NSDers so don't panic :p
    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 :D
    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 action-smiley-076.gif
    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 [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 :j so don't fret it--ENJOY! If nothing else in here, we do manage find something to make us smile :D

    We have virtual outings to wonderful places that never cost us a bean :rotfl:New York, Edinburgh & Brighton have been a couple & nargle 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 :D The only thing to be aware of is Hubert the donkey who is partial to anything remotely edible but is not yet house-trained :o

    And Remember;
    there are no silly questions, so don't be afraid to ask us anything!
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
    edited 26 October 2016 at 10:39AM
    The prize for this month is a lovely basket of fruit!!!We all need lots of vitamin c,now that the nights are fair drawing in.

    xo3xcm.jpg

    Target exceeded prize: 2vd0ksx.jpg

    If anyone goes for a second or third target I'll add other prizes.
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
    edited 17 January 2022 at 1:03PM
    marmiterulesok 15/15 xo3xcm.jpg

    ab_saver 18/18 xo3xcm.jpgTarget exceeded 19/18 2vd0ksx.jpg

    Nargleblast 10/10 xo3xcm.jpgTarget exceeded 15/10 2vd0ksx.jpg

    jojitsui 0/15

    BlackFrosting 1/20

    Pepperoni 0/16

    hazeldreams 3/5

    Dolly Rocker 10/15

    Beautiful-Moose 2/8

    katy_ann 6/15

    BeTheChange 13/18

    moby1980 7/10
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
    edited 17 January 2022 at 1:03PM
    Who wants to do the 'in a row' challenge?

    The prize is a few hours of sun! taggg4.jpg

    marmiterulesok 5 taggg4.jpg

    ab_saver4 taggg4.jpg4 taggg4.jpg5 taggg4.jpg


    BlackFrosting 3


    Dolly Rocker 3taggg4.jpg3taggg4.jpg
  • ab_saver
    ab_saver Posts: 334 Forumite
    First Post Debt-free and Proud!
    marmiterulesok wrote: »
    Who wants to do the 'in a row' challenge?

    I'll have a go at 4 in a row as well please! (since I'll probably manage 3 in a row this month it seems like a natural progression. :) )
    House fund: ~£5000 / £10,000 :D_£1000 emergency fund #208 - £151.74/ 1000 _
  • Nargleblast
    Nargleblast Posts: 10,762 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Debt-free and Proud!
    10 for me please! The Nargle is back on the NSD trail!
    One life - your life - live it!
  • jojitsui
    jojitsui Posts: 403 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    Hiya! Can I please have 15 NSD but I would like to do 5 in a row!! I need to get my spending under control!! Thanks :) x
    Make £10 a day, October 2023 - £105/£310
  • Nargleblast
    Nargleblast Posts: 10,762 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Debt-free and Proud!
    Welcome, jojitsui! Our thread leader marmite will add you to the list!
    One life - your life - live it!
  • BlackFrosting
    BlackFrosting Posts: 10 Forumite
    I'd like to join, please.

    My goal is 20 NSDs with 3-days-in-a-row

    I've created a printable for my new filofax planner to keep on track :)

    thank you - i've missed this challenge & have fallen into the old spending habits again
    Future home - £1,650/ £5,000(33%)
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
    jojitsui wrote: »
    Hiya! Can I please have 15 NSD but I would like to do 5 in a row!! I need to get my spending under control!! Thanks :) x
    BlackFrosting wrote: »
    I'd like to join, please.

    My goal is 20 NSDs with 3-days-in-a-row

    I've created a printable for my new filofax planner to keep on track :)

    thank you - i've missed this challenge & have fallen into the old spending habits again

    Welcome to the challenge jojitsui and BlackFrosting! :)
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards