Avoiding the shops in April - The NSD Challenge

Keiss_21

Posting early(-ish!)...and declaring today as NSD no 13.

Plan to be at home in the garden/house all day...so no spending for me!!

Shaping up to be another glorious day...lots of factor 50 needed!! Already seen loads of folk with really bad sunburn in hte past week...so clart on the sun-stuff early and regularly everyone!!

Right, off to discuss tactics with DH...sooo much to do this weekend.

Have a great day all. :cool:

BigMummaF

Rock_Cakes wrote: »

....Off to the sunny North West Scotland (:rotfl:) for a week long bike ride....

BLISS! Well...if it's me being chauffeured on the back of a G0ldwing it would be, but a bone shaker with tapeworm wheels is my idea of Pergatory :eek: Enjoy the scenery; we've just seen a bit of it on the programme about 4rk R0yal & it looks wonderful *sighs in misty-eyed envy*

Feel for you Beanie; how dare kids keep growing Thankfully I can sometimes find some most excellent "names" in the charity shops around here, & that means:- i/ I'm supporting a good cause while buying a gift for b'day, crimbly etc; ii/ The Offspring have designer labels without robbing a banker's bonus to do so & iii/ there is less chance of everyone else wearing the same as you :rotfl:

I'm having terrible troubles with the poota ha-gain :wall: but will persevere [sp? Spell check is missing off this machine--the perils of borrowing ] until it is resolved. I'm hoping I've stupidly pushed something I shouldn't, or I fear the consequence _pale_ Must have had an inkling this month was going to be difficult when I set my total, but wasn't expecting all the hassles I have had! Never mind; that's why it's called a Challenge, & I've collected 12 so a lot better than the alternative

IF

Afternoon all :hello: Hope your doing the friday ~ Wiggle ~

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!

kathy40uk

:hello:

Hi all NSDers


Just popping in to wish everyone a great bank holiday weekend and Happy Easter :easter_os



Am declaring number 10 early as I'm off to work and leaving all pennies at home

I hope to hear no tales of sunburn !!! Enjoy it but be sensible xx

:hello:

Nargleblast

Happy Easter everyone, the Nargle's on target with


10 out of 10 NSDs!!!! busy weekend ahead with visitors coming but will try and get one or two more NSDs before the end of the month!

suzie_wong

Ah- double figures at last- NSD#10 for me today

Had a lovely lunch out courtesy of DH, but kept my purse firmly in my bag!!

rising_from_the_ashes

Hello everyone, hope you're all having a Good Friday:easter_os

No 7 today - had to get a prescription but they're free now :j! May be struggling to hit the target this month - 8 days and need 5:eek:.

It's freezing here today, mist hasn't lifted since Weds and yet everyone else seems to be basking in glorious sun - had been out and in all day as trying to get some gardening done but it's too cold:( - may have to dig out my winter woolies again if this carries on!

AlyBaly

Not going to manage a NSD today so im kind of stuck now until Tuesday when Im back to work . Confident that im going to reach my target though x

marmiterulesok

Hi to all NSDers,

Hope you're all having a lovely Easter Friday!

Another NSD for me today,up to 16.

IF

Helloooooo all

BDINI got my 13th NSD today, thank you :A