Bridge the gap with the February NSD challenge

butdoineedit?

Hi Spoon, i'll go for 15 again please, but i have decided all bathroom spends are exempt this month (either that or all visitors will be spending a penny to an audience!!)

rising_from_the_ashes

twistedhazel wrote: »

Since I started counting NSDs back in AUG I have managed to get a total of 90! which is 3 whole months without a single penny spent. Now that's impressive!

That's fantastic - it really does add up when you look at it like that!:)

Sunnylooloo wrote: »

there is a special little day this month for me (day after valentines day) so hope you can all join me for a drink!!xxxxxxxx

Ohhh Sunnylooloo, that would be great - are we going on one of these fantastic trips I've heard so much about?:j

Tixy wrote: »

Actually I'm really hoping for more than 14 but I want to get more of Spoon's special alien rewards so :shhh: don't tell her.

Tixy - your secret's safe with us, we wouldn't dream of telling on you!;)


Thanks for the new thread Spoony & SF - love the prizes!:beer:

Welcome to the "newbies" - great bunch on here!

Made my target last month & between this & my other challenges def spent less than usual - but still a bit fittered away here & there (dang diet coke elves).

So, February .... less days but want to be good ....... 12 for me please! (Tried to pull a swift one tonight & popped to C*-*p but they didn't have what I needed so will need to go back tomorrow serves me right I guess!

Catslovelycats

Well I managed 12/12 for Jan.
Please sign me up for 18 for Feb please

Kellyjelly27

Hi, I'm in again - Jan didn't quite go to plan, so going to go for 10 for February.

beanielou

Hi Spoony , sf , & all the gang.
Welcome to the lovely Pap & all the other newies :wave:
Need to get myself in gear but am starting with 11 this month & going for 5 in a row.

fedupandskint

I'll try again for 15 NSD please for Feb

SOT2011

Hi

Please can I put in for 20 NSD this month.

I wasn't going to set a target as worried it would give me scope to spend on days when I don't really have to. However, if I stick to planning my shop for the full week, and either taking lunch to work or eating it at home, there is no reason why I should spend anything on weekdays, so am going to try a target of 20 and see how it goes this month.

Thanks

katenut

Hi everyone, can you put me down for 16 again this month please? Love the prizes Spoon! xx

cannp123165

I am going for 10 NSDs this month - really hoping to make my target this month!

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!