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

kdenty

Welcome to the forum and the NSD thread thriftyfairy. I haven't been here too long (registered ages ago but only started posting recently). You will find it a very friendly and helpful place. Best of luck with your NSD's.

Niccatw- sounds like you had some lovely treats today making the non-NSD worthwhile.

Baileys_Babe

Hi All
I am failing to keep up with this thread, but I have managed lots of NSD's.
1st - 6th = 6 NSD's in a row plus today was also a NSD.

7/17 NSD's so far, I am very pleased with this, lets just hope I can maintain it.

suzie_wong

A spendy for me today, but a frustrating one- I went to the petrol station ONLY to get a couple of cans of Diet Coke :mad:- I really am addicted to the stuff and have been for years. I know it's really bad for me, and I hate to think of how much I spend on it in a year. I don't really drink anything else (except some water and also fruit juice with breakfast). Need to do something about it....

Anyway, Asda shop coming tomorrow, which is budgeted for, so assuming I don't spend anything else, should have a NSD.:cool:

rising_from_the_ashes

niccatw wrote: »

Oooofffttttt! Most definitely a spend, spend, spend day!

Got my hair cut and coloured so feel human again . QUOTE]

Getting mine done on Wednesday and can't wait (hasn't been done since the beginning of last March - luckily it's very long & only lightened a couple of shades so I can get away with it)!

Can't wait for a bit of pampering!

rising_from_the_ashes

suzie_wong wrote: »

A spendy for me today, but a frustrating one- I went to the petrol station ONLY to get a couple of cans of Diet Coke :mad:- I really am addicted to the stuff and have been for years. I know it's really bad for me, and I hate to think of how much I spend on it in a year. I don't really drink anything else (except some water and also fruit juice with breakfast). Need to do something about it....


Anyway, Asda shop coming tomorrow, which is budgeted for, so assuming I don't spend anything else, should have a NSD.:cool:

Me too! It's totally addictive & I've been trying to quit. I did a rough calc and figured I spend around £500/year on it so need to get it stopped. Any suggestions welcome!

thriftyfairy

Thanks for the warm welcome! I just have a quick question:
Do we report back each day that we have a NSD, or add it all up at the end of the month?
Sorry if thats a silly question.
Thanks,

rising_from_the_ashes

thriftyfairy wrote: »

Thanks for the warm welcome! I just have a quick question:
Do we report back each day that we have a NSD, or add it all up at the end of the month?
Sorry if thats a silly question.
Thanks,

Most people come on and do an update now & then.

To help Spoon (Solventsoon) with the updates, if there's no change leave in black but if you're increasing your NSD total make it Red and a bit bigger so she doesn't need to wade through all the posts in detail!

BigMummaF

Bumpetty-bump

solventsoon wrote: »

Some helpful suggestions and ideas to follow below from our sponsor and godmother, BigMummaF :A

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!

karom

Number 4 today.

Busy clearing up and christmas dec down today. Have a great week all.

IF

Good evening all x

Spoony and SF got my 6th NSD yesterday thank you both :A:A