Bridge the gap with the February NSD challenge

IF

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


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!

elfen

NSD no 6 for me please.

Swimming money was kept ot one side AND I managed 2 lengths! (50m) and I can barely swim!

The_Dragon

Yippee! half way through my target for the month and my "in a row" challenge done! aka 5 nsds please!

slowlyfading

Number 6 for me today

katenut

Number 4 for me yesterday, had to buy food today though. Hopefully won't be spending a penny before the weekend now! Need to get a few more under my belt if I'm going to hit target xx

Some impressive totals already, well done everyone! Hope you've all enjoyed the gorgeous weather today xx

Karb

NSD 1 for me today

I will be out later, but as I'm working away tonight, I can claim this on expenses.

kerri_gt

elfen wrote: »

NSD no 6 for me please.

Swimming money was kept ot one side AND I managed 2 lengths! (50m) and I can barely swim!

Well done on the swim Elfen :T

Wee_Pilsbury

Woo hooooooo unexpected NSD 4 today :j and tomorrow is looking good for number 5 as well. I thought I would really struggle this month but it's been better than ok so far. Think I may be hyper-motivated to get 2 prizes this month - the wee spaceship really grabbed me :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Have a good night all :hello:

beanielou

NSD no 7 today & no 4 of 5 in a row.

Have coloured my hair at home for the first time ever using the new John Frieda foam which I thought was fab & so easy to use.
The colour is interesting shall we say.A reddy brown.
Cant get used to it when I look in the mirror & DS thinks its dire!!!Thanks for that vote of confidence then!!!

Rock_Cakes

Evening all,

Spendy day today, but hoping that might be it until the end of the week

Didn't really go that mad either, just lunch with a friend and an aubergine which should make a pasta dish for two people

Loving this challenge already, really focusses my attention on how much I am spending. Well done for everyone who added to their tallies today. :T

Have a good evening
xx