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

IF

Just 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

BigMummaF wrote: »

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!

IF

Good afternoon all x

Spoony, got my 3rd NSD yesterday, thank you :A

twistedhazel wrote: »

I'm in severe need of some virtual hugs this morning and feel welcome here so hoping you guys might oblige. Found out yesterday that my shop is closing on the 17th of this month :eek: I have worked there for nearly 7 years and for the entire time that I've lived in Northern Ireland so I am in massive shock. It doesn't feel real at all but I know that it's going to hit me hard at some point today.

It just feels like we were finally getting our feet back under us and the rug gets pulled out. On New Year's Eve my OH and I felt so positive about this year and how close we were to being debt free. I do know that we will be ok and that I will find something but I'm just so upset about it all.

Sorry about the mopiness but I just needed to have a moan.......

I am sorry too TW and a big hug from me x

kdenty

To twisted hazel *Virtual Hugs*, and I thought I was having a bad day yesterday.

Today I've spent so sticking at 4 NSD

elf06

solventsoon wrote: »

The boot is all clean and shiny now, I've spent ages polishing it this morning :D

:rotfl:Thankfully no longer needed!! Managed to rearrange my mealplan so that I didnt even need to get the pots for mash yay. Using the woopsied beef mince I got last night to make spag bol instead.

So on that note pease can I declare NSD number 2

Tomorrow will deff be a spendy day as I now have a hair apt (sadly not at the college's training salon as I cant get hold of them - guessing they still off on holiday). It is desperately needed though. Its my birthday tomorrow the big 3 0 but dont tell anyone and I am going out Sat night for dinner and drinks and I refuse to go out looking like a dogs dinner :rotfl:

honey

twistedhazel wrote: »

I'm in severe need of some virtual hugs this morning and feel welcome here so hoping you guys might oblige. Found out yesterday that my shop is closing on the 17th of this month :eek: I have worked there for nearly 7 years and for the entire time that I've lived in Northern Ireland so I am in massive shock. It doesn't feel real at all but I know that it's going to hit me hard at some point today.

It just feels like we were finally getting our feet back under us and the rug gets pulled out. On New Year's Eve my OH and I felt so positive about this year and how close we were to being debt free. I do know that we will be ok and that I will find something but I'm just so upset about it all.

Sorry about the mopiness but I just needed to have a moan.......

((((twistedhazel)))) So sorry to hear that, you moan away, we'll listen and send you lots of virtual hugs.

honey x

honey

elf06 wrote: »

:rotfl:Thankfully no longer needed!! Managed to rearrange my mealplan so that I didnt even need to get the pots for mash yay. Using the woopsied beef mince I got last night to make spag bol instead.

So on that note pease can I declare NSD number 2

Tomorrow will deff be a spendy day as I now have a hair apt (sadly not at the college's training salon as I cant get hold of them - guessing they still off on holiday). It is desperately needed though. Its my birthday tomorrow the big 3 0 but dont tell anyone and I am going out Sat night for dinner and drinks and I refuse to go out looking like a dogs dinner :rotfl:

Ooo, have a fab 30th birthday

LittleMissHappy_2

Today will be a spendy day as need to get some shopping - was going to go this morning, but spoke to my sis who told me I'm much more likely to get some stuff whoopsied if i go later, so am going tonight and making do without bread today (there was enough for children for school). Am slowly learning
Anyway have to stick with 3 NSD's so far but the rest of the week I am hoping not to have any more spends No need to update sig, so see you all tomorrow.

Lots of hugs for twistedhazel - as everyone has said, if you need a moan, go ahead and we'll do our best to help

Happy x

elf06

honey wrote: »

Ooo, have a fab 30thbirthday

:rotfl:Thank you! I am trying to hide from it but some good friends wont let me so now I am getting a little excited about it all (well the night out anyway)

antonia1

Can I join please? I'm not very good at not spending, usually buying studd I don't need (like diet coke each lunchtime), but am resolved to be good this year. As a start I'd like to set my target at 10 NSDs for January.

beanielou

sorry to hear your news twisted hazel

NSD no 5 today.