Out with the old, in with the new: the January NSD challenge

kerri_gt

moneypenny2k wrote: »

Has Cheryl turned up yet? Is everyone ok? Not had a chance to read through yet. Will catch up later, though it won't be a no spend day as it's groceries day today.

Cheryl has reported in (yesterday I think it was) ...she's been somewhat pre-occupied but I'll let her tell you more about that

Good news is she's fine...and still on the Whoosie wagon :j

cw18

kerri_gt wrote: »

Cheryl has reported in (yesterday I think it was) ...she's been somewhat pre-occupied but I'll let her tell you more about that

Good news is she's fine...and still on the Whoosie wagon :j

not much too tell :rotfl:

early days of a new friendship, but he's been in the wars and keeping me busy a little more than I'd normally have expected in the early days!!

told him that a lot of folks would be excused for thinking he was trying to scare me off
but he assures me that's not the case - just a case of bad-timing

IF

Good afternoon all :hello:

Bumping BigMamma’s and Spoon’s posts x

solventsoon wrote: »

Hi lovely NSD gang:A
As you can see there is lots of activity on this thread 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.

Thanks everyone:A
spoon xx

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 Solvent's (aka Spoon:rotfl:) first 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!

SuziQ1962

Afraid it's a spend day for me ,but having said that I have done my weeks shop and come in under budget :-D and put petrol in the car 8-@!
Just wanted to say that doing this challenge is making me feel very resentful IF I have to spend money,for the first time in it's life my purse is coming out reluctantly!!!

solventsoon

teenyweenyspender wrote: »

Thanks Kerri gt , thats really kind of you
im originally from the UK, just couldn't give up on this lovely forum when I emigrated a year & half ago. I love the NSD challenge

Spoony - :wave: ahhh thankyou. We live 15mins walk from the river but luckily the land is a bit higher so we stayed dry. Our friends house partially flooded so he's staying with us at the min.

I definately felt the two extremes (good & bad) of the flooding yesterday at work; Firstly, I met a lovely lady who had lost her house in the flooding but had managed to survive with her hubby by clinging onto some fencing while the water hurtled through.
And secondly; a man who was in police custody for looting somebody elses boat that had broken free from its moorings on the river, the guy had decided to jump into the river when caught and had to be rescued. :mad:

Hi TWS
Good news re your house being a bit higher, hopefully you'll stay out of harm's way.

I see what you mean about the two extremes yesterday, poor lady:(, she must have been really upset.. Grrr to the second one though, it makes you wonder if he really needed to be rescued (but we're not allowed to think like that unfortunately:mad:).

Take care, stay safe.
spoon x

elfen

jinty, I've got a couple of hers, read a few more too, and I really like them. Which ones did you get?

Was a spend day for me.....had to get cleaning stuff and lunch stuff. So about £20 but the flat is clean and smells lovely....borrowed a hoover I found in the hallway (well, I don't know whose it is) but I think I do now as it smells of curry, so possibly the peeps upstairs.

IF

slowlyfading wrote: »

Feeling somewhat down today, ho hum. [/center]

Hello SF, sorry your feeling down big hug from me x

jintyb

catslovelycats wrote: »

spoon - just seen post 1094
thank you for the little comments!

i've resisted spending £10 on an airer this AM - do I need it? yes -can it wait for a spend day? yes
:A:A:A
I would never have thought like this before so thanks to this challenge for helping me rethink my spending habits!

i got an email from wilkos about their sale
i have unsubscribed that and 5 :eek: other shops' emails that came this AM telling me to buy from their further reductions
surely there aren't many more subscriptions to go ...:o

Well done CATS- I get a load of those too,they are so bloomin enticing so good for you for being strong!

I see we've gone global - TeenyWeeny Spender, glad you are safe
The pictures we're seeing here are just heartbreaking. Sending you plenty of :grouphug:.

Just back from my Mystery Shops - very interesting ones today!;)

IF

Bumping BigMamma’s and Spoon’s posts x

solventsoon wrote: »

Hi lovely NSD gang:A
As you can see there is lots of activity on this thread 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.

Thanks everyone:A
spoon xx

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 Solvent's (aka Spoon:rotfl:) first 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!

suzie_wong

SuziQ1962 wrote: »

Just wanted to say that doing this challenge is making me feel very resentful IF I have to spend money,for the first time in it's life my purse is coming out reluctantly!!!

I feel exactly the same! Never thought I would EVER try to avoid going shopping!!! :eek:
I have a few things I really need to get from Sainsbury's today- but I am wondering if I can wait until tomorrow and then see if my husband just happens to be going that way!! (It's not even to try to have a NSD- have already bought some veg at the market this morning!!)