Combat the Christmas Crush with the NSD challenge

solventsoon

:jWELCOME TO THE DECEMBER NSD CHALLENGE:j


December: a very expensive month when most people go mad buying enough chocolate to feed the population of a small country and all sorts of strange things we wouldn’t dream of eating for the rest of the year (anyone like a date?). Why not take a step back this year and think about what you’re buying rather than just following the crowd, after all the shops are only closed for two days at the most. That doesn’t mean you have to be a killjoy though as you will find out if you come and join us in the NSD challenge.


We are a happy (and some might say mildly insane) bunch doing battle with the retailers conspiring to tempt us to part with our hard-earned cash - and there’s plenty of temptation at the moment. 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.

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.


Have a look at our November thread (link below) to see what a friendly group we are. New recruits are joining up all the time - everyone is welcome so please don’t be shy, come and join us, the more the merrier.


:)Good luck everyone, we have our lucky mascot with us again to help us all along



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 and/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...)

solventsoon

Thanks to all the regulars and newbies who have joined up already, hoping lots more of you will join up - it's definitely a case of the more the merrier on here

target met = target no 2 met =
target no 3 met = target no 4 met = target exceeded =


3Dogs - 15 15 target increased 17 17
30andfabulous - 4 1
arrontdep - 15 8
ashbash11 - 15 2
beanielou - 10 10 target increased 14 14 target increased 18 18 target increased 22 22 target exceeded 27
BigMumma - 14 14 target increased 17 17 target increased 19 19 target exceeded 20
BlimusOreilly - 10 4
Brown_suga - 2 1
boultdj - 10 10 target increased 13 13 target increased 16 16 target exceeded 17
butdoineedit? - 12 12 target increased 14 14
candyapple - 15 15 target increased 18 18 target exceeded 21
castri09 - 10 6
chris81418 - 19 19 target increased 23 23
CraigLoans - 11
cw18 - 10 7
Decluttering - 10 10 target exceeded 20
determinedtodothis - 20 6
Diana Prince - 5 5
dmb - 10 4
donna dynamo - 13 12
ebayqueen - 10
elf06 - 10 10 target increased 13 13 target increased 17 17 target exceeded 20
elfen - 14 13
emiliah - 10 7
erinart 8
Flat Eric - 12
frasersmum123 - 14
got-it-spend-it - 10 8
hollysmum22 - 6 6 target increased 10 10
honey - 10 9
ifwishes - 14 14 target increased 18 18
janeawej - 2
*Jellie* - 16
jintyb - 10 10 target increased 15 15 target increased 20 20 target exceeded 21
karmachilovething - 10 1
karom - 10 10
katenut - 16 16
katholicos - 18 10
Keiss 21 - 15 15 target exceeded 17
kerri gt - 12 12 target exceeded 14
kezlou - 10 10 target increased 15 15 target exceeded 20
kimbe34 - 6
loveGSDs - 10 6
lunamoth - 15 14
MicheH - 15
moneypenny2k - 10 8
muffin man 7 - 10 10 target exceeded 16
mummyroysof3 - 12 12
Nargleblast - 10 10 target exceeded 14
niccatw - 14 13
paige_4 - 15
PerfectPeaches - 15 15 target exceeded 19
pickleiamin - 10 8
savingcaz - 18 7
serious_saver
slowlyfading - 15 15 target exceeded 21
sofababe - 10 2
solventsoon - 15 15 target increased 22 22
steerpiker - 14
Sunnylooloo - 10 10 target exceeded 15
Surfbabe - 8 8 target exceeded 15
swanfan02 - 14 5
teenyweenyspender - 18 13
The Dragon - 5 5 target increased 8 8 target exceeded 10
Tixy - 10 10 target increased 12 12 target exceeded 15
TizerCat - 10 3
twelvemonths - 5 2
twistedhazel - 10 10 target exceeded 19
webitha - 15
Xandersmum - 10 3

solventsoon

This is for anyone who wants to set themselves a target for a number of NSDs in a row. We had some impressive numbers in November (I'll add these below), so if anyone wants to have a go at this, I'll add them here:D

beanielou - 6 6 increased to 10 - and you made it :j:j:j
chris81418 - 6 6 11 :j:j:j
elf06 - 6 6:j:j:j
muffin man 7 - 5 5:j:j:j
slowlyfading - 5

Tixy - 4 in the bag already

IF

Wow can’t believe it’s the December NSD thread time!!:eek::eek:

Spoony can you put me down for 14 NSD's please....will be tricky this month though!!


Thank you again for another month of keeping us all going :A

Much love
If...x

boultdj

:eek:December thread already! Can you put me down for 10 please Spoon. I know it's silly o'clock,but the young fox's woke me up, there chasing each other all over the place and jumping on the gate [mum jump's over the gate] so that's me watching them for a bit.

castri09_2

hi can you put me down for 10 please hopeing not to spend loads of money on things i dont want

cw18

Really not sure what might be a realistic figure for me for December...

Still got a small amount of pressie shoping to do, which could well mean 1 or 2 spend days at weekends (so not tied in with D/Debits)
And I planned to try and do Whoopsie swoops at work on 24th and 31st (neither of which is a D/Debit day)
And then there's the current threat of the Mik Monster coming home for the holiday season - which could be any time from 13th onwards !!!

When counting grocery spends only, I only managed 7 NSDs in December of last year - so anything about that would be nice

Hmmmm.........

Oh blow it - set my first target to 10 please Spoon

(Hopefully means I also have scope to increase my target and collect all the other prizes as well )

katenut

Ooh a shiny new festive thread!! Does that mean I'm allowed to start getting excited about Christmas now?! xxx

I'd like to set my target at 16 again please Spoon, not sure if this is doable but I'm working what seems like every day in December which should stop me spending! I love the prizes for this month xx

:xmastree: :rudolf: :xmassmile :snow_laug :snow_grin :santa2: :xmastree:

jintyb

Good morning everyone!

Lovely new thread, and I'm lovin the prizes this month Spoon, esp the Snowman, he's cool ( sorry for that dreadful pun......):rotfl:
Like Cheryl, Im not sure what a realistic target is this month, predicting a few spendies early in the month but not so many in the latter half.
Can you put me down for 10 please Spoon and I will adjust accordingly later in the month if necessary. Setting some sort of target should keep me on the straight and narrow;)

Thanks Spoon for all the work you put in:A

twistedhazel

Morning all, I think that given my fairly spectacular crash and burn in November and that it's Christmas this month I should go for a more achievable target in December.

I'll try for 10 please spoon - that way I *should* be able to increase it when I sail up to it and carry on merrily into the teens

Thanking you kindly.

elf06

Ok well i've been giving this some thought. I've only done 2 months. Month 1 I found quite easy but month 2 was a struggle. I think I will start with a target of 10 for December and see how I go from there.

Thanks Spoony for all your work in the thread and glad that you've found a better balance to help you out and not feel so overwhelmed.

Cheryl (prob should have put this on the Nov thread but I'm here and writing now) I'm so sorry that you came across some unexpected words about your weightloss. I agree that sometimes words can be read in the wrong tone of voice but in this case the meaning sounds pretty clear. Well done you on resisting the spending.

Well as Dec officially starts tomorrow I will come back then to let you all know how I'm getting on.

Think I shall try a mini challenge of 6 days in a row and see how I do - hoping to do it from tomorrow but if not I shall try again later in the month