We Are Decking the Halls with NSDs December Challenge

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  • flubberyzing
    flubberyzing Posts: 1,386
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    NSD6 in the bag.

    Discovered that staying in my PJ's all day is a good deterrent from going out and spending money!
    Because it's fun to have money!
    £0/£70 August GC
    £68.35/£70 July GC
    January-June 2019 = £356.94/£420
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 89,835
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    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 :)
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • IF
    IF Posts: 34,349
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    2ym65q8.gif


    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 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 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 :D

    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 :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!
    "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride"
  • kerri_gt
    kerri_gt Posts: 11,202
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    beanielou wrote: »
    It is isent it :)

    Couldn't agree more - and purse is upstairs so I can't be tempted with internet shopping :A
    Feb 2015 NSD Challenge 8/12
    JAN NSD 11/16


  • 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.
    MFW diary here. 1 Feb 2017 $229,371 - MFD Feb 2043 :eek: aiming for May 2028
    14 August 2017 - Refinanced: $220,000
    January 2019 $211,580 Current MFD 31 June 2036
  • kitschkitty
    kitschkitty Posts: 3,177
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    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.
    A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
  • Sazzie23
    Sazzie23 Posts: 2,634
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    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. :j:j

    Have to start somewhere, here seems like a good place :T
    Debt -it's a fight that I'm winning, dealing with debt one day at a time.
    Estimated DFD August 2018 - 2031 - now 2027 :T

    Guide dog Tess, missing Scotland 2 years

    DMP support no438.
  • 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 :o

    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.
    £2013 in 2013 Member |
  • solventsoon
    solventsoon Posts: 17,363 Forumite
    edited 11 December 2012 at 12:26AM
    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 :A 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
    Must have another think about the thermals as this got pushed down the to do list :o 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:o and I'll really need to get some for when I get back to work!:eek:

    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:)
    beanielou wrote: »
    Spoony~I just love your posts~thank you :grin:
    Me too!

    Awww... thank you both:A:A that's lovely :o
    :) The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time :)
  • solventsoon
    solventsoon Posts: 17,363 Forumite
    Thank you spoony :A
    It's a pleasure If :A...... and I love today's :D:D
    Morning all holiday.gif


    cartoon4307.png
    :) The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time :)
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