Bridge the gap with the February NSD challenge

hannah:-)_2

NSD #3 :T

Got paid on Monday so had that as a spendy day, topping up on a few bits and pieces to keep me going on my quest to use up stuff in the cupboards (how on earth did I stockpile so many tins!!! :rotfl:)

So decided to be very virtuous today and avoid the shops. Was on a training course, but took a packed lunch, which thanks to the wonderful sunshine I was able to have as a picnic

fillyfop

An unexpected NSD for me

Went for a "meal deal" for lunch but saw I had £15 worth of points after christmas spending and as I don't usually spend in that store, I used the points to pay...very happy and it means I can do the same on my other college days! This little booster should see me through as I thought each college day would be a spend day

So thats's #6 :j

IF

Good evening all :hello:


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!

karmachilovething

chris81418 wrote: »

Unfortunately, there's a chicken in the net, but if you squint hard enough it might look like a NSD!?! ...



Have a good week everyone, and good luck collecting more NSDs!

Love the NSD Chicken, but what it makes me wonder is why somebody decided there needed to be a chicken catching emoticon at all!!

NSD no. 3 for me yesterday - I was going for one today, but had to pay for an eBay item (for a present) so ruined my potential run. Going for another one tomorrow - wish me luck!

katholicos

I haven't been doing very well NSD wise lately, but managed number 3 today.

kerri_gt

karmachilovething wrote: »

Love the NSD Chicken, but what it makes me wonder is why somebody decided there needed to be a chicken catching emoticon at all!!

Wasn't there something in Wacky Races about catching a chicken? Oh...no...silly me, that was catch the pigeon :doh:

butdoineedit?

Number 4 today, apologies for not catching up on the thread, i think i've picked up the bug that is doing the rounds of the office, so going to hide in bed with a lemsip, & fingers crossed i shake it off by the morning!!

3Dogs

Hiya NSD'ers - reporting in with my much-awaited NSD NUMBER 2 - dear me, 8th of the month and only 2 NSD's - it really is going to be difficult this month to get my minimum target of 15 in :eek: :eek: I was away from Friday to Monday visiting savingwannabe, with steviehants and hantsindebt and we had a great time :j but small spends ruined any chance of NSD's - coffee's on train there and back, having to buy PJ's on Saturday as I forgot to pack mine :eek: but they were half price at M&S outlet shop, and a diet cola and cake (naughty 3Dogs) on the Sunday - but when on holiday, these spends should be expected

And I'm off up North to visit Mam again on Thursday for a week, so don't know how my NSD plans will go, but promise to try hard not to spend. Mam is still doing quite well, we've had another few problems with her care but doc agreed she could sit up in a chair for half an hour a day to ease her back from tomorrow, so that is progress at least

2joanne

Hi

Can I join in again for Feb please?!

Put me down for 15 NSD's, number 3 today!!

karom

Number 2 today

Not progressing as well as I had hoped mainly because job and getting food at lunch time. In Jan, I was skipping lunch to preserve my NSD,I knew it couldn't last. Started again doing some sandwitches to take to work. May not manage all week but would be happy with 3 days out of 5.