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

elf06

cw18 wrote: »

Don't forget that next month has 3 days less in it - so even keeping targets the same will make it harder work, as we'll have to spend on 3 fewer days !!

:eek:Wasnt even thinking about that!! Far too early for my little tired brain :rotfl:Ok even more thought required

mummyroysof3

today will be NSD 20:j

thrifty_fifty

Hi

I'm a bit late to join the january challenge, but would like to sign up to 10 days for feb, if I may? I'd like to give myself a pat on the back for having had NSDs for the last two days.

fedupandskint

I decided to not go out today as planned and spend the day getting the house straight again. Meaning I can aim for another 2 NSD today and tomorrow. Just get me off the amazon shoe sale please!

IF

Good morning all :hello:


Bumping BigMamma’s and Spoon’s posts x


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!

Dee_cb

I'm hoping today is going to be a NSD but will come back later to let you know. I'm going to go for 12 NSD's in feb if thats ok?

Wee_Pilsbury

Morning everyone

At last I got my NSD 18 :j today! I won't manage one tomorrow as I have things to do and stuff to buy but I'm just so happy I made target number 2. Don't know why, but thre second mini - target was far harder than the first! However, I'm looking forward to February's challenge now

Have a nice day all :hello:

chris81418

Hello everyone!

Yesterday was NSD number 23, so I've reached my 2nd target! Plus it means that I've managed 6 NSDs in-a-row for the 2nd time this month! Woo hoo!!

If I can keep this up for the whole year, I'd be ecstatic!

Well done everyone else with all the other NSDs collected, especially to Beanie who as usual is leading the pack with 25 NSDs so far this month - it's great having a pacemaker! You really keep me on my toes and in check with my spending, as I'm always thinking that I must keep up with Beanie! :rotfl:

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!

jintyb

chris81418 wrote: »

Hello everyone!

Yesterday was NSD number 23, so I've reached my 2nd target! Plus it means that I've managed 6 NSDs in-a-row for the 2nd time this month! Woo hoo!!

Chris - very well done, that's a brilliant achievement!:T

If I can keep this up for the whole year, I'd be ecstatic!

Well done everyone else with all the other NSDs collected, especially to Beanie who as usual is leading the pack with 25 NSDs so far this month - it's great having a pacemaker! You really keep me on my toes and in check with my spending, as I'm always thinking that I must keep up with Beanie! :rotfl:

I know - she's a legend!:D

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!

Your doing great!

kerri_gt

Afternoon all. Wow, Chirs and Beanie - I am in awe - perhaps we should have a 'keep up with Chris and Beanie' challenge too :rotfl:

Well I've been v.naughty and just bid/won that dress on eBay it works out a shade under £50 with p&p, which I guess isn't bad for a dress (I don't buy many and am, as you might have guessed VERY choosy about the ones I do, in fact the last one I bought I think was 2yrs ago - for our xmas do, and got it 1/2 price in the M*nsoon sale for £30!). The one in the store would have cost about £85 (incl Sales Tax - that's one thing that bugs me about the USA - just put the full price on the tag, but I guess they can't as sales tax varies between states). I'm just hoping that it fits now - measured myself according to the store and it seems that I would poss fall into a 0 for the dress, but I read a lot of reviews and it seems a number of people my weight and around my height/bit shorter all bought a 2, so fingers crossed it will be ok - and I can prob get it altered if necessary - esp with the saving I made...she says

Anyway - no NSD for me today then. Might have one tomorrow to top of the month (thought I was going to do so well too ) but my eyebrows really need doing so I might just do that and then really really try hard in Feb. After this month's spending I really don't need anything else - we're going on hols later in the year and a new bikini might be on the cards (mine was bought about 8yrs ago :eek:) but apart from that I have a lots of lovely clothes to wear out - and pennies to save.

Sorry for the ramble, but I always feel it's helpful talking to you guys x