Marching on in March - The NSD Challenge

IF

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!

Catslovelycats

Spent £4 on fish and chips and a can of coke.
SO needed them.
Means yet another non-NSD though....

loveGSDs

number 3 for me today, not doin so great

xx

slowlyfading

Lots more NSDS being collected today – well done everyone!

Butti – well done on number 3 :j :j :j
chris81418 – well done on number 12 :j :j :j
jintyb – well done on number 7 :j :j :j
katenut – well done on number 10 :j :j :j
honey – well done on number 4 :j :j :j
PaP – well done on number 12 :j :j :j
elfen – well done on number 8 :j :j :j
jaffacakegal – well done on number 6 :j :j :j
LittleMissHappy – well done on number 6 :j :j :j
Lucy1010 – well done on number 8 :j :j :j
pinkfluffybabe – well done on number 9 :j :j :j
lauzellen – well done on number 10 :j :j :j
ifwisheswerehorses – well done on number 9 :j :j :j
Byatt – well done on number 3 :j :j :j
The Dragon – well done on number 7 :j :j :j
sibles – well done on number 5 :j :j :j
boultdj – well done on number 7 :j :j :j
bexs.ua – well done on numbers 4 and 5 :j :j :j
donna dynamo – well done on number 6 :j :j :j
runnerbean17 – well done on number 4 :j :j :j
dmb – well done on number 4 :j :j :j
bottleofred – well done on number 7 :j :j :j
Palema – well done on number 6 :j :j :j
kerri gt – well done on number 5 :j :j :j
tattooed_lady – well done on number 5 :j :j :j
loveGSDs – well done on number 3 :j :j :j


Welcome to ElmerFudd – putting you down for 13

Not one for me – needed petrol.

Decluttering

NSD #8 yesterday, I had to pay for my train ticket home today. I will for the rest of the week too but I've put the money aside now. Other than that I was very good

fillyfop

Today was supposed to be a NSD ... whoops.

I needed to go to Mr T for a few bits but then started reading about the price checker thing and ended up buying extras because after the credit which i should receive those items will be covered. So, a bit of an outlay up front, but it should benefit me later on. A bit of clever, tactical spending

solventsoon

Just a quick update on my NSDs, back tomorrow to catch up on the gossip:D

No 9 on Sunday and no 10 for me today, double figures at last!!!:j:j:j:j

Hope everyone had a good weekend and that Monday hasn't been too traumatic.

spoon x

Hannah_10

I've been AWOL for ages, I suppose I better make an effort again, the debt mountain isn't reducing fast enough. Can you put me down for 4 for the rest of the month but I'm counting every single thing except petrol/medicine/etc for any baby emergencies that might arise.

chris81418

Good morning everyone! :wave:

Checking in to report that I managed to put off the food shop for another day, so yesterday was NSD 13 and 7 NSDs in-a-row, so I've beaten my mini-challenge target! Woo hoo!

sibles wrote: »

I swear, this challenge is doing wonders for me! I can't believe how good it makes me feel to say I've had a NSD at the end of the day.

Addictive isn't it!

Sorry to hear about your kitty Jinty - hope you get her sorted out.

Must dash, was nearly late for work yesterday!

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

jintyb

kerri_gt wrote: »

Ahhh.. thank you for thinking of me whilst in one of my fav shops (I am a sucker for their home stuff and have to be very self disciplined in there...esp around the bedding....ahhh...300 thread count EGYPTIAN cotton...ahhhhhh ) sorry... got a little carried away there, forgot I had an audience :rotfl:

Well I managed to clock up another NSD today so that's 5 NSD! which is actually 1/3 of my target so I'm getting there.

Blasted cold still won't shift - I have literally spent about 6hrs today coughing Have booked tomorrow off work to try and get some rest and recover before travelling later this week. I sense a 3hr coughing fit will not be appreciated on a 12hr flight..

I do like a rummage in TKM, but i darent let myself go in very often. Like you, I love their home section! Tell me - I've never experienced 300 tc sheets - is it worth splashing out? Mata£an had them in their 1/2 price sale yest.
Hope you feel a bit better soon - get thee to the doc if it doesnt clear up!:)