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

slowlyfading

Congrats jane :j :j :j

pinkfluffybabe

NSD No7 for me.

Off on hols tomorrow so unlikely to be any next week!

Keiss_21

janeawej wrote: »

Thanks everyone, yes congratulations are in order I am to be a granny! Though its early days yet so not counting our chickens so to speak, I am going to make the most of it all, Id love another baby myself but at nearly 43 with 4 teenage children still at home and 2 stepchildren both left home and a disabled OH I am a bit past having one myself! So this little one will be very special, I think we need a thread for Grannys somewhere here so we can share our worries, trials and tribulations!

Congratulations to you and your family Jane....how exciting!!

A friend of mine helped to deliver her first grandchild a couple of days after her 40th, she was so excited, but also felt quite old at the same time!!

If you fancy joining a granny's thread...why not start one? I'm sure there must be plenty of grans out there!

No real chance of me joining your ranks soon...DS1 just turned 21, and is too involved in studying Maths at Uni to contemplate starting a family...though he and GF have been together for nearly 2 years now.....DS2 is coming up to 18, rugby mad and no sign of GFs on the scene...famous last words .

Mind you, I was 29 when I had DS1...and that's what I wanted, so I could have a long wait .

Keiss_21

pinkfluffybabe wrote: »

NSD No7 for me.

Off on hols tomorrow so unlikely to be any next week!

Have a lovely holiday!

butdoineedit?

Congratulations Jane!!

Kerri - the way i was taught to find a leak is to dry the pipes & then test the joints from the bottom upwards (as water runs down & confuses you as to where it comes from). The leaking bit should be apparent when you turn the relevant tap on & if there are no leaks then it is likely to be the washer, hope that helps? says Mrs DIY!!!

Well today has been a tester, a DIY weekend has always involved not stopping to eat & instead smoking loads of cigs, so it has been a real struggle not to just pop out for 10 but i managed it :j
:mad::mad::mad: to the fact that i totally forgot that the belt in the hoover broke last week & so cleaning up when i finished was a nightmare & there are still slivers of tile everywhere!!! Still didn't dare go out for the belt as i knew i'd pass a cig shop & actually quite glad i left it for tomorrow as it's due to be a spendy day anyway.

So that's number 10 today please, no spending, no cigs & (after de-tiling the toilet) no skin left on my hands :rotfl:
(think you may have to add plasters to the builders brew & biscuits if i'm coming your way spoon!! :eek:)

LittleMissHappy_2

Congratulations Jane, a surprise for you (from your post i am assuming this ) but a nice one x

No NSD for me today, knew I would be spending, so not worried Only little spend, though....milk, whoopsied bread, deo for DH, and a b/day gift for my DD that was reduced from £10 to £2.50 She will love it, so am pleased with it! Anyway, the only day this week I should need to spend is Tuesday as going to buy seeds to grow my own veg this year (and hopefully reduce my grocery spends even further!)

Happy NSD-ing, guys, see you tomorrow....

Ohhhhhhh, forgot to say that DH has asked what is on the meal plan for Wednesday and then told me to keep it free........he is up to something (nice!) and it is not my birthday or Valentines day etc...wonder what it is?!?!?!?! I have bagged myself a good-un

ln1981

NSD 7and 8 achieved this weekend-hurrah!! this time last week i really didnt think i was going to get any where near my target-only 2 to go! woohoo!!

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!

moneypenny2k

janeawej wrote: »

Thanks everyone, yes congratulations are in order I am to be a granny! Though its early days yet so not counting our chickens so to speak, I am going to make the most of it all, Id love another baby myself but at nearly 43 with 4 teenage children still at home and 2 stepchildren both left home and a disabled OH I am a bit past having one myself! So this little one will be very special, I think we need a thread for Grannys somewhere here so we can share our worries, trials and tribulations!

Congrats Jane, yes please do start a thread. I have 2 grandchildren already (I'm 51 and far too young for this of course) and I have a 3rd on the way in August.

My complaint is that if you have one grandchild, you can get away with the 'I'm a very young gran' and somebody will agree. With 3.... not so easy. :rotfl::rotfl:

I'm lucky, I saw both of my grandkids born, it really bonds you. I'd never have believed how much I can love a child that has not come out of my own body. I wish you much happiness.

cw18

dollybeads wrote: »

It will be the most wonderful experience, I am still quite young but have managed to clock up 3 grandchildren already. They are adorable and you will enjoy every single minute I promise. :j

I was only 37.5+ when I became a Grandma for the first time (and not long turned 39 when I became a Grandma for the second time!)

It's really funny to watch people's faces when I 'borrow' my GDs, take them out somewhere, and they shout 'Grandma' to get my attention :rotfl: I've lost count of the people who've admitted to assuming I was Mum

moneypenny2k wrote: »

I'm lucky, I saw both of my grandkids born, it really bonds you. I'd never have believed how much I can love a child that has not come out of my own body. I wish you much happiness.

I was at the births of both my GDs too - and what a different experience it was to be at 'the other end' of the procedings :rotfl: But a really moving moment both times too, and I'm very grateful to my DD for allowing me to be with her




Can't believe the number of posts I've had to catch up on from while I've been out (again!) But I managed another NSD (taking me up to #5), as I took over food from here to cook over there (he should have been coming this way, but wasn't really well enough to be driving)......

Bit of an 'experience' though as he doesn't currently have an oven/grill/hob, which meant I only had use of a (pretty naff) mini oven I've lent him (makes toast reasonably well) and his bog-standard microwave. Jacket spuds and salmon I can do in a micro OK, but it's a loooooong time since I've used one to cook fresh carrots and brocolli !! Turned out OK though

The chicken I'd bought to cook here today will now go into my slow-cooker when I come home for lunch tomorrow, and will then do me for tea and sandwiches for a few days (it's only a 1.4kg one, so I reckon from lunch will be more than long enough given I'll have to walk the dog between getting home and starting to cook the veg anyway)