Avoiding the shops in April - The NSD Challenge

elfen

NSD no 1 for me please

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!

jintyb

Hello all!

A bit late posting today, busy day so far!

Today is def NOT an NSD. Have done a load of food shopping but by juggling between A$da, £id£ and Co$t0, I've filled my cupboards etc for not a lotta loot:cool: . I also put diesel into the ve-hic-le and tried not to cry as I watched the £ signs whirl round:eek:
Been for lunch with the sister and had a good catch up and also popped into the library.







Thanks to BDINI for getting us up and running in April! Lovin the prizes, I can see them too!:T
Please put me down for 15 this month.


I'm over the moon - this is the first pic I've EVER managed to post, :rotfl:

Have a lovely day all!:)

marmiterulesok

Hi,

NSD no1 for me please.At least April has started well....

ElmerFudd

Putting down 1 NSD for today. Doubt I'll be spending anything but got so far into the day already I doubt I will. On a positive note found 35p today so already up for the month!!

IF

jintyb wrote: »

Thanks to BDINI for getting us up and running in April! Lovin the prizes, I can see them too!:T
Please put me down for 15 this month.


I'm over the moon - this is the first pic I've EVER managed to post, :rotfl:

Have a lovely day all!:)

Jinty, I'm pleased you can see the prizes and yey to posting a pic!!:T:T
They'll be no stopping you now :dance:

Butti

Can you put me down for 7 again please. I was going to start today but have to go and get milk so will also go out and get a chicken, a bottle of wine and some carrots and see how we get on. May do one for Sunday as will be studying that day.

Ta,

Butti x

postingalwaysposting

Ohhh hello new month, hello new thread :j I can't believe it is alreay April wow. This month I will be aiming for 17nsd's I have a trip to teh cinema this month, I also want to purchase some tickets for my London trip this month so 17 it is.

Good luck all :beer:

bellkat

It's not an NSD for me today, went into town but managed not to spend much. £1 on a mothers day card, and £6 at the Bodyshop, had a £5 voucher from Clintons offer. So overall quite a good day

Kath

butdoineedit?

Wow, another busy month with loads of use signing up to keep our cash in our pockets, not in the tills of those nasty retailers!!

So a big welcome to:

ifwisheswerehorses... – signed you up for 17, good luck!!

wigwam - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

thrifty fifty - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

bellkat - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

hannah:-) - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

solventsoon - signed you up for 20, good luck!!:D

donna dynamo - signed you up for 14, good luck!!

bexs.ua – signed you up for 7, good luck!!:D

Wee Pilsbury - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

ElmerFudd - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

complimentschemistry - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

threemuttleys - signed you up for 5, good luck!!:D

Tixy - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

honey - signed you up for 14, good luck!!:D

castri09 - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

jaffacakegal - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

AlyBaly - signed you up for 8, good luck!!:D

destroyerofdebt2011 - signed you up for 10 & 4 in a row, good luck!!:D

ebsaver - signed you up for 18, good luck!!:D

angelflower - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

rising from the ashes - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

serendipity1985 - signed you up for 20, good luck!!:D

fedupandskint - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

catslovelycats - signed you up for 18, good luck!!:D

brummiebabe - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

marmiterulesok - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

boultdj - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

lauzellen - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

katenut - signed you up for 18, good luck!!:D

loveGSDs - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

bottleofred - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

Rachel021967 - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

cloudcuckooland - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

fillyfop - signed you up for 18, good luck!!:D

_Persephone - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

Actress - signed you up for 7, good luck!!:D

The Dragon - signed you up for 10 & 4 in a row, good luck!!:D

cw18 - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

pinkfluffybabe - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

Rock_Cakes - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

kerri gt - signed you up for 14, good luck!!:D

Yorkielass - signed you up for 10, good luck!!:D

Keiss 21 - signed you up for 16, good luck!!:D

magda73 - signed you up for 6, good luck!!:D

BigMummaF - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

Karb - signed you up for 12, good luck!!:D

Trinny - signed you up for 16, good luck!!:D

jintyb - signed you up for 15, good luck!!:D

Butti - signed you up for 7, good luck!!:D

postingalwaysposting - signed you up for 17, good luck!!:D


Lots of NSDs rolling in today, so well done to:

:j:j Trinny – well done for number 1, great start to the month!!

:j:j elfen – well done for number 1, you’re off the mark!!

:j:j marmiterulesok - well done for number 1, great start to the month!!

:j:j ElmerFudd - well done for number 1, you’re off the mark!!

And hello to:

BettiePage – good luck collecting NSD’s, do you want to set a target?