Marching on in March - The NSD Challenge

thrifty_fifty

Morning

Dropping by to report NSD number 6.

Hope everyone has a good week.

xx

jintyb

beanielou wrote: »

Oh meant to say Jinty how novel that your libraries are open on a Sunday.

I know Beanie - it's great! It's open 1-5 on a Sunday and it's actually a really nice time to go. Suprisingly busy too!

jintyb

Good morning all!

Clocked up #10 yesterday! Double figures, Yay! If make it to Wed it will be 5-in-a-row!
On Friday, my spend day,I put all my potential spends in my second purse-
Fares, Av0n and a £5 deposit for a 50th birthday lunch I'm going to next week. Sorted!

Wit40iwan - (((hugs))) to you. Sounds like you had a really rough couple of days, but you have coped really well.:Tto you for staying positive in the face of tough challenges - we're all here to help as you know!

It's a lovely morning here in Edinburgh, so I'm off to get ready for work!
Have a lovely day everyone!:)

boultdj

Stayed in yesterday and did some baking and cleaning,so got #11

postingalwaysposting

Declaring Saturday as NSD number 14 and Sunday as NSD number 15 :j Sadly today will be a spends day as I need to visit the pet shop and pay for Mum's mothers day gift

Have a great week all :beer:

sibles

had 2 more this weekend, takes me to 8!!

Yay!

ElmerFudd

7 for me so far!!!

Rock_Cakes

Managed another NSD on Friday. Which brings my total to 9, need another 6 in 11 days. I will try and make my stores last until Friday. Not sure how likely it is to last me, I can but try.

Have a good day
xx

bexs.ua

I'm here to declare 0 more Nsd's :o

Saturday I went to the market, Sunday I bought the greenhouse and today and tomorrow I have direct debits going out!! I really don't think I will make my target ATM :eek:, Wed will be a spendy too but I'll get that back on expenses from work and providing I can resist the local markets charms it'll hopefully be a rare NSD..... will be back to update later in the week :rotfl:

IF

Morning all :hello:




Bumping for any Newbies joining us xx

butdoineedit? wrote: »

Hi lovely NSD gang:A
As you can see there is lots of activity on this challenge 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.

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!