Marching on in March - The NSD Challenge

beanielou

Sorry Jinty, will sort out in a mo.

butdoineedit?

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!

IF

butdoineedit? wrote: »

Thanks If, i think i have got my url's to look like yours now, if this doesn't work i think we'll have to go for invisible prizes!! :rotfl:

I'm pleased they work now BDINI, love the prizes too :beer:

LittleMissHappy wrote: »

BDINI - he is still at the vets He had to have surgery because of a blocked bladder and he is still really poorly....I have got the salmon because I am expecting him home, no matter what the vet says (although she now says she is cautiously optimistic about his recovery). It was touch and go this morning, hence my random spending x Thanks for asking x

Awww Little Miss, thinking of you and cattie......big hugs from me

Tixy

Hello no-spendy folks :hello:

Well yesterday was a free day so 1 NSD out of 2 so far for the month (methinks that a 50% hit rate will be as high as I get this month).

On the plus side today I got a free bottle of perfume :dance:Well nearly - finally I have just over £30 worth of boots points which is enough for a small bottle (I know I could have used the points for something more practical but its not as fun).

karmachilovething

KarmaChi is out of the blocks. NSD No. 1 today!

SuziQ1962

NSD 2 today-spent not a bean today as I didn't leave the house!

hannah:-)_2

Declaring NSD #1 and #2

Off to a cracking start. Really hoping to hit target this month, to make up for last month so thought best strike while the iron's hot and all that.

Didn't make it on here last night as needed a stupidly early night, but have been catching up on reading today and been laughing my socks off!:rotfl:

solventsoon

Nargleblast wrote: »

Sounds like a good time was had by all - when's the next outing? St Patricks Day? Now there's an idea to get your grey cells working.....unless there are any special occasions coming up before then?

Great night, Nargle, thanks for organising it:T:T
We have a special birthday here this month, one of the gang is leaving her 20s, I think that deserves a party or two:D:D

LittleMissHappy wrote: »

BDINI - he is still at the vets He had to have surgery because of a blocked bladder and he is still really poorly....I have got the salmon because I am expecting him home, no matter what the vet says (although she now says she is cautiously optimistic about his recovery). It was touch and go this morning, hence my random spending x Thanks for asking x

Hi LittleMissHappy, I'm so sorry to hear about puss:(, hope he's feeling better now and you can get him home for lots of cuddles very soon.
Thinking about you
spoon x

jintyb wrote: »

Got work sorted out, so I'm def doing three days permanently but I've stated my terms categorically so they shouldnt muck me about! I'm actually quite pleased at sticking up for myself! The extra pennies will be good too!
Should get Bertha back tomorrow - the hazard lights are fixed which was the final thing to be done for MOT, but this required an auto electrician to fix (but only £30)

Great news on both fronts, jinty, well done for sticking up for yourself:T:T:T:T don't let them muck you around when you start either, you stick to your guns. Pleased Bertha is home and didn't cost you too much.


BDINI, hope you're not regretting your offer this month, it's sooooo busy on here, but you're doing a great job:T:T:T. Love the prizes too:T:T:T


NSD no 1 for me today, off the starting blocks now, only another 19 to get:eek:


'night everyone, see you all tomorrow x

chris81418

Good morning everyone! :wave:

tattooed_lady wrote: »

Feeling bit worried as OH is having changes with work which now leaves things a bit uncertain for our future .

Hope the changes turn out to be positive ones! Keeping my fingers crossed!

suzie_wong wrote: »

NSD#1 for me today. Yesterday was a spendy (2 prescriptions for the never-ending mouth ulcers that are still coming . I now have a local anaesthetic cream- tastes disgusting but gets rid of the pain for a little while so I can at least eat )

Fingers crossed for you too Suzie that you get better soon!

butdoineedit? wrote: »

Yay we've cracked it!!!!!!
Thanks everyone for your patience!!

Well done BDINI! :T The prizes are great!

LittleMissHappy wrote: »

BDINI - he is still at the vets He had to have surgery because of a blocked bladder and he is still really poorly....I have got the salmon because I am expecting him home, no matter what the vet says (although she now says she is cautiously optimistic about his recovery). It was touch and go this morning, hence my random spending x Thanks for asking x

And fingers crossed and (((hugs))) for you too LMH - I'm not going to be able to do any work today with all my fingers crossed!!

At least I'll be able clock up another NSD :rotfl: in addition to my NSD number 2 clocked up yesterday! Woo hoo!

Have a good day everyone and good luck with NSD catching!

castri09_2

1 nsd for me yesterday so 2/10 so far hoping today will be another today