Bridge the gap with the February NSD challenge

Rock_Cakes

Morning all

NSD#13 in the bag :dance:

DH is buying food for the evening meal on the company CC, so should be a good week for me. I was thinking that today would be a spend day as I usually buy my bus pass today but the bus driver didn't have change and when I asked for it when I was getting off, he just waved me off! :shocked: Not going to complain but I think I'm going to try and see if I can do it this week without the bus. It's supposed to be wet, so we will see . . .

So today could be NSD#14 for me.

Have a good day everyone

xx

DansMum_2

Decaring Saturday and Sunday NSD taking my total to 10 :j

Yesterday spendy - haircut and today spendy, diesel and dog food

IF

Good Morning all :hello:


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!

beanielou

Mmmm.
DD came out today which I wasent expecting as I had made an extra payment which I thought meant the DD wouldent be taken IYSWIM.
So things are very tight til Friday or it could be Monday.Pah.

SuziQ1962

Morning all popping in to claim NSD 9 today-don't think I will make the target this month but will give it my best shot! IT MEANS NO MORE SPENDS TILL THE 28TH! :-@

Tropicalmoments

Yesterday was an NSD for me so that takes me to 11 so far.

Sunnylooloo

Hey everyone

BIG THANK YOU for my lovely birthday wishes for last week (wow that has gone quick)

I had a really nice time off really relaxed and had some me and Mr Looloo time. Really needed it and also took some time out from on line just sometimes you need it.

Of course missed you all!! and thanks for those that made the party hope you had fun hehehe.

My divorce is on its way now to reaching an end so that helps me - feel much more chilled.. Just waiting for the people who have put an offer in on my house to sell theirs then a new start all round!! Can't wait!

I hope everyone is ok and I will try and get round to catching up on all the posts.....

and on a plus note I am up to NO 12 on my NSD's

Love
Looloo
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

wit40iwtwan

I am quite proud of myself as I am now on target to not only meet my NSD target but also the 7 in a row one! Come on Friday for the latter and Saturday for the total NSD!

Declaring yesterday as NSD no. 15

skaps

Not an NSD today for me, had much needed beauty treatment. Was painful but look a whole lot better.

jaffacakegal

Another sneaky NSD yesterday - now on 8 NSDs.

I put petrol in my car, but it was so late last night I'm going to count as today! And the situation was desparate - it was on empty and I still had to drive 8 miles to work today before I fill up properly. Only put £5 in as felt stupid doing any less, and I didn't want much, as still have the MrT voucher (runs out tonight)! I am going to add it to what I spend later in my petrol budget.

Car still doesn't seem right, see how it sounds when it's been fed, I know I tend to get a little grumbly when I'm hungry

No NSD for me today - will be buying petrol, milk, bread, and tea at college - yum yum!

Hope everyone feeling ok - does no-one else just feel like they are constantly tired?! I know I do!

JCG x