We Are Decking the Halls with NSDs December Challenge

beanielou · 1 December 2012 at 9:53PM

I remember in the good old days of the daily chat thread Immoral Angel actually did a great advent calander for us :j :j

MummyRivett · 1 December 2012 at 9:55PM

BeanieLou,

That would be a swell idea, I wanted to add a picture in the post but it said that this was spam

Shame, I found some great NSD pictures on Google too.

rising_from_the_ashes · 1 December 2012 at 10:00PM

MummyRivett wrote: »

Shame, I found some great NSD pictures on Google too.

Just for you ......

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ691i5lM5ypOVCOdlMt2Oe3Xn_naNNT16EPXZqVOEHM_NvTzRx-A

MummyRivett · 1 December 2012 at 10:07PM

Rising from the ashes thank you,

That was the one of the pictures I found and wanted to use.

I love opening windows of advent calendars, Quidco are not doing one this year so perhaps we may be able to do one on this thread to cheer and congratulate ourselves.

kerri_gt · 1 December 2012 at 10:09PM

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Following on from NOvember's success, Kat has launched December Debt Destruction ....
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4313709

Thanks Rising, I had a read through, got a bit scared and came running back here :rotfl: but lots of luck to those signed up to the DDD challenge, and welcome on here too xx

Well after a month off, Dec started with a, errrmmm, spendy day

:o went into town to collect my nieces xmas present from a local artist who was doing it as a comission (its a really cute canvas with an elephant) - which would have been ok as it was an xmas gift and didn't count...unfortunately the apples, spinich, rolls and errrmmm, belgium buns weren't

:o:o Also saw a top for my mum in MnS which I got for her, wasn't going to get her any more for xmas other than what I have / have planned but it was the only one in her size and caught my eye.

Lets see if I manage to get off the mark tomorrow :eek:

citizenkitten · 1 December 2012 at 11:19PM

Freeby, Spoony, BDINI, marmite all those who help with this thread, I cannot thank you enough. :T

Although I am still over spending each month it reduces and this challenge has really helped me do it.

By tweaking my rules etc I reckon I can hon myself down to a lean mean budgeting machine.

As you know been a bit lapse last month but still improving, so please can I go for 20 NSDS with 8 in a Row!

how do i resize pictures again?

also i will volunteer to do this thursdays update if who ever is doing would like.

shannys_taxi_driver · 1 December 2012 at 11:30PM

No NSD for me today since I had to go food shopping and to get a new toilet seat. The future Mrs chose a sparkly black one which looks pretty good now it's fitted (fitted it myself, not bad since I'm not a diy expert

).

Tomorrow should be the first NSD of December even though we're having a pub lunch - we will be getting the money back for it as it's a mystery shop.

citizenkitten · 1 December 2012 at 11:49PM

Also stupid me!

NSD 1 ON DAY 1

HEY OVERDRAFT - PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT! :beer:

IF · 1 December 2012 at 11:52PM

Evening all

Got my 1st NSD

Thank you
IF…x

IF · 1 December 2012 at 11:53PM

freebyfifty wrote: »

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!

We Are Decking the Halls with NSDs December Challenge

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