Bridge the gap with the February NSD challenge

jintyb

Good morning everyone!

I am reporting a NSD( #6) for yesterday as although I spent yesterday, the spends were all budgeted for and I had withdrawn the money for them on Friday ( spends day),. I didnt spend anything else/ or go over my budget.
Delighted with my hair - no grey roots and lovely highlights! She also threw in a deep conditioning treatment so my hair is lovely and soft( to go with my head - LOL)

Spotted tiles I like in bandq, so I will be taking my Mum on Wed and she can buy them for me and get the OAP's 10% discount;) OH will lay them so that will make my kitchen look great and make me happy!:)

Today will be a spend as I still need to get odds and ends of groceries and OH and I are off to $p€csavers for scheduled eyetests. I reckon we will both need new specs. I have set a budget for all of this so if I come under I will be happy;)

Other than that , Im having a nice quiet day. Slept a lot better last night, so am on top form today!

Have a lovely day everyone:)

Catslovelycats

Morning all!
Battling with a decision:
do I wlak to Tesco to buy some 'loveheart' sweets to share with students tomorrow (I usually do this on Valentines day)?
If so, does this count as a spend?
I'm going to really struggle to meet my 18 NSD target this month because I keep forgetting to get things when I shop.
I made an extra special effort yesterday to try and do eveyrthing on the same day and can't believe I forgot the lovehearts!
Mind you, the rain might decide for me...

Keiss_21

Hya all, great NSD totals already, and we're only coming up to half way through the month!!

Declaring today as NSD no 10, woo hoo, double figures already, also 4-in-a-row:j No 5-in-a-row tomorrow, as need to get a few bits and pieces, not sure if I could put it off until Tuesday (or maybe I can!)...will have to think about it! Ooh this catching NSDs is soooo addictive :rotfl:

Got quite a bit done in the garden yesterday, wth DH and DS helping. Also cleared out my potting shed, removing the detritis left by numerous rodents, who have obviously had a ball, shredding my horticultural fleece and munching through numerous seeds :eek:.

At least I now know what I (don't) have seed-wise, so today, as it's so soggy, I will work through my seed list and update my spreadsheet. Then I can work out if/what other seeds I will need for the coming growing season.

Will have a trip down to my shed later to admire the neat, tidy and clean space - won't stay like this for long though There's still a few bits in the greenhouse that need to be put back, but it got too dark to do it last night .

Have a good day everyone, despite the weather...not sure if I will watch the rugger this afternoon...Scotland's appalling display yesterday could put you off it for life! :mad:

beanielou

Happy new hair Jinty
Gave you a wave the other day as I pootled down the bypass.
(& I dident go to Luca's!)

Dee_cb

WoW some people are doing brilliantly already. I got another NSD yesterday which brings my total up to 4 NSD now. So I'm a 1/4 of the day there. I'm going to to try my hardest to hit my target. Think it's going to be tough though

flyingember

Hi

I hope to get my 5th NSD today which would get me in touching distance of my (rather low) target of [COLOR="red"]7[/COLOR] NSD in Feb

katenut

Hi everyone, I forgot to report that Thursday was NSD number 6. Sadly Fri and Sat were both spendy days, been socialising a bit too much! Not sure how today is going to work out yet, depends on DH so I'll report back later.

Hope everyone is well, haven't got time to read back at the minute xx

holidayaholic

No NSD for me today - youngest son's only pair of shoes were in a shocking state, all scuffed, and we have a family do today. Went to JJB and used a £5 off voucher that I picked up ages ago in the Fit For Life discount booklet from Asda, so they only cost £10.

I'm annoyed about the dinner this afternoon as it's at a fairly expensive gastropub, but as it's my SIL's birthday, we can't back out. More annoying as we got talked into stumping up £70 contribution towards her present, which we just don't have. I don't want to sound mean & petty, but I can only be generous when I have money to give.

beanielou

Blimey holidayaholic £70 is a wee bit steep for a contribution me thinks.

IF

Good afternoon 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!