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

IF

Good afternoon all, 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!

lotti379

lilylass wrote: »

I used to sign up with this but felt bombarded with the number of emails they sent ....

I have them sent to the same account as my freecycle ones, and nothing equals the bombardment from that! That account tends to just be for newsletters, surveys and deals, actual personal emails all go to a different one so I can ignore it completely if I don't feel up to sifting through!

rising_from_the_ashes

lotti379 wrote: »

I have them sent to the same account as my freecycle ones, and nothing equals the bombardment from that! That account tends to just be for newsletters, surveys and deals, actual personal emails all go to a different one so I can ignore it completely if I don't feel up to sifting through!

:rotfl:You're right about Freecycle! Mine go to an account set up only for that & I tend to ignore it totally and go to the site if I'm actually looking for/to get rid of something.

Almost forgot I had it so guess I could add groupon to it... I think it also depends on where you live, the other problem I found was that most of the offers were in the city (30+ miles away) and not local.

Might give it another go though.

lotti379

lilylass wrote: »

:rotfl:You're right about Freecycle! Mine go to an account set up only for that & I tend to ignore it totally and go to the site if I'm actually looking for/to get rid of something.

Almost forgot I had it so guess I could add groupon to it... I think it also depends on where you live, the other problem I found was that most of the offers were in the city (30+ miles away) and not local.

Might give it another go though.

Yeah, that is an issue. It only makes sense for me as I go into the city for uni, so have to be there anyway!

romylou_2

NSD 5 & 6(for today) I'm been optimistic that I won't spend anything today.

slowlyfading

Not a NSD for me - had to go food shopping

Keiss_21

Staying at home, so NSD no 5 today :j

Spending tomorrow, but hope to have mostly NSDs the rest of the week...here's hoping!!

Defrosted the freezer this morning and have listed all its now organized contents. So this afternoon I will update my food list spreadsheet, and make a two-week menu plan, again on the computer. This will be invaluable with me being out every day this week. I will also draw up a full shopping list, hopefully I won't forget anything! If it looks like we need quite a bit food-wise, I will do an on-line order, to arrive tomorrow night when DH and DS2 are in...much better for my back!

DH has got our new printer working...it's wireless, so it doesn't have to be in the conservatory any more (too hot in summer/too cold in winter)...having problems finding a home for it though....at the moment it is on DS1's bedside table in the sitting room where the Christmas tree was...plan on having a bit move-around there later this month, when it should find a more permanent place.

Enjoy the rest of the lovely day...did a bit of tidying about in the garden this morning...though not much as my back is a bit achey.

janeawej

Well Im pleased with myself for cutting my spending so drastically, the only real hiccup Ive had was the impulse but of a new breadmaker!! but Im telling mysef that a) I need it. b) it will save money in the long run. c) that ive brought it using money that I have saved by being really good! It hasnt arrived yet should have been here yesterday but hoping for tomorrow. Also did online shop, and it came to under budget too! so unless we need milk etc I dont need to buy any food for another 8 days, and £130 to feed 6 of us for 10 days I think is quite good, (certainly i compared to what I was spending!)

The_Dragon

Friday through today have been spend days, but I am hoping the next 4 will end up as NSDs (a lot depends on whether I can get the bus or need to get a cab on Tuesday )

jedi82

Hiya, haevn't been on for a couple of days and so have no chance of catching up with the posts but hope everyone is okay.

Have been spendy days but today is NSD 4

Am pretty pleased with progress so far

jedi x