The Love is in the Air February NSD Challenge

[WelshWoofer]

Hello all!
I'm still battling my way to January's NSD total - might just sneak it if I try really hard.

I'll have another go at February with 10 NSDs please.

[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!

[Nargleblast]

Whoopiedoop, a brand new thread for February!

I am going to be a very ambitious Nargle and aim for (shock horror gasp!) 15 NSDs !!!!

Come on and feel the luuurrrrvvvve....

[complimentschemistry]

Hi everyone

It's been ages since I've done a NSD challenge so put me down for

8 NSDs in February

And I'll try and do at least 3 in a row

Was going to go for 5 but thought I'd push myself a bit more!

Good luck everyone

[couldsavemore]

can you put me down for20 i do have my DD birthday and quite a few in March so i do need to go shopping for presents along with the usual.

[PennySaving]

Hi Everyone!
I would like to try for 12 NSDs in February. I am almost at my target for January so feeling a little bit confident about February. This thread has really helped me to focus on my spending & the results are already helping towards the dreaded credit card.
Thank you for Freeby & everyone else who updates us all

[HeadAboveWater]

Hmmmmmm let's go for..... 12 NSDs!!

Think I'll make it by the skin of my teeth for Jan so why not?!

Good luck everyone!!!!

[freebyfifty]

Welcome to everyone
Hello to all the newbies who have signed up, you are going to love it here and will soon be addicted to NSDing

The front page is up to date so far, but they'll be loads of additions today, I'm sure; including me - I forgot to put my target on

[rising from the ashes]

Oh my ... February already anyone else get the feeling this years' going to fly by too!

Thanks as always to Freeby, the lovely updaters and IF for the wonderful picsYou are all

So ..... I've really struggled in January - despite doing the challenge for a long time now! (Think some of that has been down to finally being able to get out & about again after 3+ months cooped up in the house)

So .... let's try for 14 NSD

Best of luck everyone!

[bt1]

Hi,

I'm back in the wagon after a few months off!

Going to try for 20 in February!

Thanks x

[Skint_Catt]

Hi all, please can I join this month?

I'll start with 10 NSD's for now, though seeing as I've got no money that should be entirey doable!!!

I only count personal spending if that's ok, as that's the bit I need to rein in - grocery comes from hubby into a separate account although sometimes I do buy a top-up shop from my own funds & most other bills are either budgeted for/spent by hubby.

Hope that's ok?

C xx

[Debtbusterintraining]

Sign me up again pretty please 9 NSDs for this month. Having only just met my January target with 5 days to spare I'm only increasing my target by 1. Thanks freeby for all your hard work,loving your animations.

[hummingbird]

I will try for 5 NSDs in February please! (I sort of lost January, can't believe it's almost over!!) Hummingbird x

[Nargleblast]

Skint_Catt - welcome to the asylum! Freeby will add you to the front page later. You set your own rules here, so what you suggest is fine. I personally count all spends including household bill DDs, but that's because I like to give myself a tough challenge. Lots of people focus on avoiding the ad hoc incidental spends so they don't count any household bills as these are budgeted unavoidable spends, and some might put a limit on the household grocery apend for each week, so providing they keep within that figure they can claim a No Spend Day. Anyway, however you choose to do it, remember we don't use the F word on here. (F as in f a i l....ssshh! ) as it is definitely counted as a swear word. And any of that kind of swearing leads to dire punsihments...I will leave it to other gang members to let you in on what they are.....in the meantime, have fun!

[karenccs67]

I would like to join this challenge and for February I would like to be quite bold (for us) and say


14 NSD



On payday we total up the months compulsory outgoings and whatever is left over we transfer to another account and use that to pay for food, petrol etc, it is from this account that I intend to manage the NSD challenge.

[ButterflyBee]

Hello Karenccs67, that too is what I plan to do this month.

Good luck to all the NSD challengers, I wish Feb has already started for me! only a few days left!

[kalojac]

Hi, can I join please, I'd like to aim for 10

[flubberyzing]

My usual 15 please lovelies!

[Tiggy10]

Hi all! I need to give this a go this month.
thinking 15
with 5 in a row

setting my sights to the sky!

[daizyboo]

12 NSDsfor me please x