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

IF

Good morning all :hello:

Bumping up the board 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!

LittleMissHappy_2

Hi all

Got NSD 5 today :D Or I will, anyway, as I am not going out, just doing garage clearing, working on my meal plan and sorting out my budget for frugal living challenge today.

Hope you are all having a good day, see you tomorrow

Happy x

jintyb

I reckon today will be a NSD!
Nipped out earlier with OH, he needed petrol and a flask for work, I needed new wellies and a pair of thick cosy socks. Got all of these items & OH paid - result!
We've postponed lunch with M&D till next Sat, but I will go down and see them later. No plans to part with any cash today!:)

solventsoon

katenut wrote: »

That is exactly what I am planning on doing today - busy busy busy!! Just need to drag myself off MSE first.....

hmmm... kate, I can still see a green light on... methinks you may not get that much done today then:D

loveGSDs

small spend of 90p for me yesterday.....:mad:

doubt il manage a nsd today, it is saturday after all!!

ebayqueen_2

Morning all
Hope to have a nsd today as only have to pop out for birthday cake etc for son tomorrow...coming out of a seperate budget...me and hubby realised we dont have card for him...so Tesco value here we come!

Hoped yesterday would have been NSD but had to post a letter that has been in my handbag 3 days!!!! So I am disgusted with myself

Snowing here...:mad: hopefully it will not stay!
Have a great day everyone
God bless

Wee_Pilsbury

Afternoon all

Didn't manage my NSD yesterday as I ran out of de-icer but my car didn't run out of ice :mad:. However, today's spend (which will be all I spend this weekend) was low at only £9.79. This is just less than a third of my normal weekend spend so it all works out I suppose.

I'll be back tomorrow to claim my next NSD though :j

Have a good day all.

monks

Unexpected Number 6 today :j as children decided they dont want to go out !. I may start sorting out their dreaded tip of a room and sort out anything to sell. :eek:. Think i need a glass or two of wine before i even open the door . Is it too early !!! :rotfl:

bella121984

I wasnt expecting an NSD today, as I had forgotten bits when I did the main shop and I thought DS needed some new shoes...I spend 6.39 on bits I milk, bananas and eggs, but happily DS didnt need new shoes after all, although she did say he probably would in a couple of weeks, by which time the sale would be finished...why are kids shoes so expensive?!

katenut

solventsoon wrote: »

hmmm... kate, I can still see a green light on... methinks you may not get that much done today then:D

I left the computer on and logged on while I was cleaning - honestly Spoon, thats my story and I'm sticking to it!!! :D

Got to take a trip into town now to drop the TV off to be repaired - have to pay £60 up front so that will be my NSD ruined grrr!! Need to work out what else I need to buy today so I can get more NSD's later in the week xx