Avoiding the shops in April - The NSD Challenge

IF

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!

marmiterulesok

Hi!

Today is my 5th NSD.

Cue drum roll.......and I have now just managed 4 NSDs in a row!:D

fenna

hey all. Update, yesturday was an NSD so that brings me to 3 NSD, which im chuffed with, today would have been one but due to an unexpected bill it wasnt, no treats so far this month, making the most of what i already have. surprising really.
Keep up the good work gang, n hopefully tomorrow will be another NSD, keep up this rate i should manage my target no problem.
xxx

beanielou

Keiss~Sorry to hear your news/
Rock Cakes~Sorry bout your uni place.

bellkat

NSD 3 today please. Avoided going out apart from the garden so no temptation to spend!!

Kathx

Dee_cb

Hi everyone, can I have 12 NSD's for this month. Already got 2 NSD's one for yesterday and the other today

muffin_man_7

TODAY IS NSD NO 5 BUT NOT IN A ROW
Went to mrA yesterday and wish i hadn't, i forgot my list then spotted a few things i only get when on offer, then when i got to till looked loads so asked for a sub total £25 thought i'd got just enough card declined then they froze the transaction and i went to customer services desk with nice lady they helped me sort it out had to put £10 worth back in the end felt so bad about it decided to stay put today, sunday and monday were my other 2 nsds it wasn't till i got home i realised i don't normally go to town on a tuesday so was thinking big shop won't be doing that again and i will stick to cash only still need to go and get the stuff i put back but just couldn't face it today will try to last til friday and will do list on thursday and put it in my coat don'want arepeat of tuesday again

Rock_Cakes

Evening all

Thanks for all your messages. Was so gutted when I got the email but now I am focussing on getting a job, so I can move back with my DH.
Special thanks to Jinty for pointing out that I'm not on my own I have you guys.

I hope you are feeling better Keiss? How is the mouth?

I also managed NSD#3 today! Everyone seems to be saying this but April does seem to be going better than March.

Have a great evening everyone.
xx

destroyerofdebt2011

NSD #2

All caught and caged to join the other lil darlings who knows maybe i can catch one with some peanut butter tomorrow... if it works for mice then whose to say NSD wont go for it too:rotfl:

slowlyfading

Number 4 for me today