Avoiding the shops in April - The NSD Challenge

threemuttleys

Okies...this is my first ever attempt at this. So can you put us down for 5 nsds. April is a horrid month (loads of birthdays) but, gonna give it a good go.

Thankies xx

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!

Tixy

Hi BDINI, Spoon and the NSDers.

Another month already - please can you sign me up for 12 this month.

Happy no spending all

honey

Hi BDINI and all :wave:

Thank you for the lovely April thread BDINI:A Could you put me down for 14 again please.

Good luck everyone,

honey x

castri09_2

hi can you put me down for 10 nsd please

jaffacakegal

Hi everyone :hello:

Think I'm going to go for 12 NSDs again this month. Got my target last month so was considering on upping it for April (as I'm going to set aside money for me weekly college meals this time - freeing up every Tuesday for a potential NSD ) but it's a busy time! What with all these bank hols I'm not sure what I'll be up to!

JCG x

AlyBaly

Only my 2nd attempt , increasing by one 8 no spend days for April please

destroyerofdebt2011

Hi:wave:,
i've been a bit of a lurker for the last 2 months jotting all my spends in a diary and thought it was a gd idea to join u helpfull peeps on my journey to my more money/less debts.

Looking back i managed 14 nsd in Feb but only 9 in March, so i would like to Aim for somewhere in the middle to start with going by all the bank holidays!!

Please add me for 10 NSD in April.... with a 4 in a row thankyou.

ps not including days i paid overpayments on my debts as spends, but min payments i do count as spends due to they are paying the interest payments applied. All other spends inc CC/DC/CASH/DDs/Bank charges etc. Hopefully this makes sense and is reasonable?:o

x

SOT2011

Hi.

Thanks for starting up the thread for this month.

Please can I sign up again. Because there are a few bank holidays which depending on OH's job (will he be working weekends and BH's or not?) we hope to have a day out or two which may mean a little extra spending, although within budget in theory, so I am going to lower my target slightly to 18.

Thank you & good luck all!

angelflower_2

Can I try for 10 in April please?