Bridge the gap with the February NSD challenge

jintyb

elf06 wrote: »

but even better than that...............................I HAD MY FIRST SALE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YEAH!!! Sorry just a teeny bit chuffed

Anyway Spoon can I please increase my target to 13. Hoping today will be one but shall pop back to declare later

Congrats Emma, delighted for you! :dance:

Just back from my shopping expedition. Spent £47 on groceries, but I seem to have got loads for my money today so I'm happy. Went to £idl and got their offer on Persil nonbio, £3.99 and Comfort conditioner 99p. Ocean spray cranberry 1.5ltr 89p.
I also treated OH to a table easel. He likes to dabble in a bit of painting, esp when we go on hols. This folds up and holds all the bits and bobs inside. He never buys anything for himself really, so I thought I would surprise him. It was only £16.99 and I thought it looked pretty good.
Also had to go to A$da, didnt go too mad in there apart from a pack of badly needed socks for me and a pile of whoopsied Mentos fruity sweets reduced from 75p to 30p for a pack of 4!. Now, I like to have a wee sweetie on the bus home, so I got 6 packs for £1.80 - and a whoopsied Mr K Bakewell Tart ( one of my faves).
Off to update sig

postingalwaysposting

Yesterday was NSD number 11 and today will be NSD number 12 :j I resisted stuff in work yesterday and today is my day off so aside from maybe taking the dog on a walk I will be staying at home

LittleMissHappy_2

:wave:

Today will be NSD 10 I know what I am doing for the rest of the day and it does not involve shopping Going to see my sister and nieces, so should be a good afternoon (might even get dinner for me and little ones )

Have a good day, all x

IF

Afternoon all :hello:

Hope your doing the Friday Wiggle :dance:

jaffacakegal

Glad it's Friday, a week of buying bus tickets has taken it's toll on my NSD target (and the earlier than usual mornings are hard to take!) think I have to get 4 next week to make it! I will have to do some serious planning to get there! Hopefully get car back tomorrow, fixed, fingers crossed...

JCG x

Karb

NSD #6 for me I really need to get one more over the weekend to hit my target, because I doubt I'll manage one over the half term holiday.

suzie_wong

I really would have liked today to be a spendy, as it would have meant that I was well enough to go out. As it is, I stil feel awful, although have just had a few crackers with cheese- the first thing that I have eaten really since Monday morning. It might be a sign that I am over the worst, although I wouldn't be able to guess as much any other way. Made decots appointment for Monday, for if I am still ill. Hope not- can't afford to keep cancelling my tuition into next week.:(

Sorry for the moaning- I must sound a real misery, and to be honest I am at the moment! Am a bit concerned becaushe when my husband went to the doctors (he has the same infection) she said it is taking people 3 or 4 weeks to get over :eek:

Anyway, NSD10.

romylou_2

Hello

Just popping in to report NSD 12:j

Thank goodness its Friday. Been a bit of a hectic week for me this week. Unfortunately I will be working this weekend, Booooo, but needs must I suppose.

Well done everyone so far, keep up the good work.

Keiss_21

Oops...spendy day today afterall!! Got a lovely 18th birthday pint glass for DS for next Friday (guess how old he's going to be!:D). Also a 59p card, if I don't get the X-stitch card done in time. If I do, the card can be used next year (will add an 18 if I use it next week) .

Went to R*mans, and got some labels, photo paper and a cutting mat (in a sale, less than half price), produced my student card and got a further 10% off...every little helps - as some company or other says!!!! :j:j

Was in town in the first place to discuss what to do about our mortgage at the building society (deal ending next month)....an hour and a half later, we have decided not to do anything!! Well, except perhaps change the last bit of "interest only" (20k:eek:) to repayment. If we do this, our new monthly payments will still be less than we are paying now :j...and we got a good deal on our house/contents insurance...£12 less per month...and no extra to pay when paying monthly cf annual lump-sum :T...so feeling virtuous, despite spending money, as overall we have save ourselves a fair few pennies....quite chuffed...can you tell! :rotfl::rotfl:

Determined to make the whole weekend NSD, so got to spend some more today ...need to book my flight back home in the summer after staying with dad a week after DH and DS go back home. Cottage already booked in Orkney...so just this left to do.

Went out for a quick lunch with DH, found a lovely little Polish place and had a really scrummy panini. DH muttered about us having lunch out more often...a lovely idea, though I suggested once a month or so...he looked a bit miffed...think he was fancying every week!!! As I count his spending as well as mine here and on GC (when I do it!), I can't let him pay and call it an NSD unfortunately .

Hugs to all who need it to day...actually...
(((((Hugs))))) to (((((EVERYONE)))))!!!

It's funny how sorting out some of our financial stuff can cheer me up no end...sad or what!!! I don't think I realised how much I was worried about it all. Now I am bouncing...yes, spoon, and wiggling all over the place!

DS left to walk the dog, head shaking...he despairs of me sometimes! Mind you...he's done pretty well out of it all...I have ordered some more sports kit for him today, including a base-layer shirt that we have been eyeing up for a while...and it is half price now, oh and there was a special offer on so he got a free tee-shirt too!! :j:j! He will pay for most of the clothes with some of the money he gets for his birthday next week, so I won't be out of pocket too much!

Now I really have to stop rambling and get some warm clothes on, getting quite chilly now.

Have a good weekend everyone. x

IF

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!