Making mayhem in May with the NSD challenge

solventsoon

:jWELCOME TO THE MAY NSD CHALLENGE:j



Why “making mayhem”, you may ask? Well, May is the time when the NSD-ers start coming out to play for the summer and no one can make more mayhem with a maypole than the NSD gang:D.

Some slightly strange superstitions for May:
The month of May was considered an unlucky month particularly for getting married
Never buy a broom in May or wash blankets:huh:
Cats born this month will not be good rodent catchers and, even worse, will bring snakes into the home:huh:

And some interesting dates:
1 May - May Day (and an excuse to dance around a maypole causing mayhem:D)
6 May - Roger Bannister ran a mile in less than four minutes (this one’s for Cheryl)
9 May - Captain Blood attempted to stel the crown jewels
18 May - the first Wimpy Bar opened in London
29 May - Oak Apple Day (there are some very strange customs associated with this day:eek:)
and, ending on a happy note:eek:
30 May - Joan of Arc was burned at the stake (sorry, I couldn’t find anything more cheerful for this day, the other alternative was the death of King Arthur)


For anyone who hasn’t joined us before, we are a happy (and some might say mildly insane:D bunch doing battle with those retailers - and there’s plenty of temptation all around us. We are seriously committed to saving money, but nobody said it can't be done with a smile on your face - so we organise riotous nights out and gatecrash any function going - all without leaving the comfort of our own imaginations or armchairs!

On a slightly more serious note, we are here to help each other avoid spending for the number of days we feel we can manage to try to take back some control over our hard-earned money. What you class as a "spend'" is entirely your choice; some people will try to shop on the days DD/SO etc are paid, whilst others will not include essentials such as rent. Have a look for a post from our sponsor (and godmother of this thread) BigMummaF, this contains some guidelines and ideas for starting you off on the challenge.

It’s amazing how inventive you get when you’re determined NOT to spend - from weird menu ingredients to surprising DIY solutions - but you know what? 99% of the time those wacky ideas work.


The link to our April thread is below so you can see what a friendly group we are. New recruits are joining up all the time - everyone is welcome so please don’t be shy, come and join us, the more the merrier.


:)Good luck everyone, our lucky mascot is joining us again for May:)




Here are some threads to help keep us on the straight and narrow, if you know of others, please post. Many of the lunch box ideas are aimed toward children and are great ideas now that everyone’s back to work and/or school.

March Grocery Challenge, with lots of recipe ideas.
Tinned Food Recipes.
Leftovers? Don’t Throw It..
Exciting Sandwich Fillings on a Budget.
Lunch for Work.
Laptop Lunchbox Ideas.
Packed Lunches.
Cheap Healthy Snacks
Cheap Snack Ideas to Stop Buying Crisps.
Homemade Snack Ideas…contains further links for ideas.
Sprouting Seeds to Eat.
Really Quick & Alternative Snacks.
Easy Homemade Biscuits.
Muesli & Cereal Bar Recipes.
Weetabix Cake.
HM Popcorn.
Smoothie Recipes.
Yoghurt Without a Yoghurt Maker.
Ham Economics.
Low Carb Kids Lunches...contains advice for diabetics.
Kids Lunch Box Ideas.
Back to School Lunches.
Healthy Kids Snacks.
HM Lollies.
Ice Lolly Ideas
Cheap Healthy Playground Snacks.
Homemade Fudge.
OS HM Sweets.
Forgotten Puddings.
Making chocolates or sweets

Link to last month's challenge is below so any newcomers can see what we get up to (hmmmmm... on second thoughts, that might put you off;)...)

solventsoon

I hope you like this month's prizes, a slightly different theme this month in honour of our lovely friend BDINI who has kept this challenge going for the last two months, thanks BDINI:T. So, for this month we can all get slapped with a wet paintbrush:D

target met = target no 2 met = target no 3 met =
target no 4 met = target exceeded =


Thanks to all the regulars and newbies who have joined up already. Hoping lots more of you will come along for the ride catching NSDs


Actress - 7 4
AlyBaly - 9 9 target exceeded 10
angelflower - 15 12

beanielou - 15 15 target increased - 19 19 target increased again - 22 22 target exceeded24
bellkat - 12 12 target exceeded 13
bexs.ua - 10 9
BigMummaF - 17 17 target exceeded 23
BlimusOreilly - 10 8
bottleofred - 15 12
boultdj - 15 11
Buffythedebtslayer - 10 8
butdoineedit? - 15 15
Butti - 8 6

caledonian princess - 8 8
CatherineMM - 20 14
catslovelycats - 18 15
chris81418 - 19 19 target increased - 24 24
chrisico - 10 10
cleggie - 8
cloudcuckooland - 10
CompBunny - 5 4
CommitedToChange - 15 3
Competetive - 10
complimentschemistry - 12
cuddlymarm - 16 15
cw18 - 12 8

destroyerofdebt2011 - 12 3
determined new ms - 13 1
Diana Prince - 5 5
dmb - 12 12
donna dynamo - 15 15 target increased - 18 18

ebayqueen - 14 14 target exceeded 18
ebsaver - 18
elfen - 14 14 target increased - 17 17 target increased again - 18 18

ElmerFudd - 16 3

fedupandskint - 17 15
fenna - 15 14

GeorgieFTB - 8 8
gothrockchic1 - 10

hannah:-) - 10 10
honey - 10 7

ifwisheswerehorses... - 17 17

jaffacakegal -14 14
jintyb - 10 10 target exceeded 15
jnaden - 7 7 target exceeded 8
jojitsui - 10

karom - 12 12
katenut - 18 13
katholicos - 15 15 target exceeded 17
kathy40uk - 17 17
Keiss 21 - 17 17 target increased - 20 20
kerri gt - 8 8 target exceeded 9
Kerry78 - 15 5

lilmissmup - 12
LittleMissHappy - 18 14
lotti379 - 8 7
Lula-Hula - 16 16 target exceeded 18

Madone13 - 10 6
mandz1 - 10 7
marmiterulesok - 16 16 target exceeded 17
MAY1950 - 10 5
mazy_m - 10
meersy22 - 10 10 target exceeded 12
miss_t - 10 10 target increased - 15 15 target increased again - 20 20 target exceeded 21
mrs motivated - 12 3
muffin man 7 - 10 10 target increased - 15 15 target increased again - 20 20 target exceeded 24

Nargleblast - 12 11
nic_santorini - 10
Nichelette - 15 2

oochable - 9

Palema - 15 6
PiggyBankShaker - 20 20 target increased - 25 24
pinkfluffybabe - 20 20 target exceeded 22
poorbabe - 8
postingalwaysposting - 18 18 target exceeded 20
psychopathbabble - 7 7

Rachel021967 - 10 5
rising from the ashes - 15 15 target exceeded 17
Rock_Cakes - 15 15 target increased - 18 18 target exceeded 19

shezam - 10 4
skaps - 17 15
slowlyfading - 18 18 target exceeded 19
solventsoon - 20 20 target increased - 24 24 target exceeded 25
Souk08 - 10 4
Susi_Wa - 7 7
suzie wong - 14 13

Tales of Pip - 10
tattooed_lady - 8
The Dragon - 10 10 target increased - 13 13
thrifty fifty - 15 15
Tixy - 10 9
toottifrootti - 20 9
Trinny - 17 16
twistedhazel - 20 4

verynewmoneysaver - 5

Wee Pilsbury - 15 9
WelshWoofer - 8 6
wit40iwtwan - 20 2
wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver - 7 7

Yorkielass - 14 14 target exceeded 16

solventsoon

This is for anyone who wants to set themselves a target for a number of NSDs in a row. We had some impressive numbers on this over the past few months so if anyone would like to have a go at this, I'll add you here:D

muffin man 7 - 8 in a row - made it

elfen - 4 in a row

chris81418 - 8 in a row - made it

fedupandskint - 6 in a row
beanielou - 6 in a row - made it
The Dragon - 5 in a row - made it

Actress - 3 in a row
miss_t - 3 in a row - made it
new target - 4 in a row - made it
rising from the ashes - 3 in a row - made it
new target - 3 in a row
Rock_Cakes - 8 in a row - made it
kerri gt - 3 in a row - made it
marmiterules ok - 5 in a row - made it

solventsoon

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!

IF

Thank you Spoony for doing Mays thread x




Could you put me down for 17 NSD's thank you :A


Loving the maypole theme!! It would be chaos us doing it eh!! :whistle:

solventsoon

ifwisheswerehorses... wrote: »

Loving the maypole theme!! It would be chaos us doing it eh!! :whistle:

Total chaos, If, especially with Igor and Hubert in the middle:eek:. I think we'd have some fun though:D

IF

solventsoon wrote: »

Total chaos, If, especially with Igor and Hubert in the middle:eek:. I think we'd have some fun though:D

Indeedy :doh: :rotfl::rotfl:

muffin_man_7

spoon can i go for 10 nsds and my usual 5 in a row please

I 'm seeing a money adviser today and hopefully will get all my debts in order and a plan of action sorted out which is why i don;t want to set myself up to crash land as it might take me a while to get organised i forget to do stuff all the time never used to

today will also be a lsd need to sort some pain relief for son he's back on antibiotics again this time for an abcess under one of his teeth and the ibruprofen is hardly easing the pain long enough for him to get some kip i feel so useless i don't like it when kids are in pain he said he'd rather loose the tooth than have it and so much agony with it just not worth it just hope it stops hurting soon.

hoping may will be good to us all heres hoping

AlyBaly

Can I please try for 9 NSDs , upping last months by one day. I am not sure how the so many in a row works but that is me managed 2 months in a row, thats not bad considering I have only being doing it two months. I still think it is harder than it seems, as the NSD for me means NO spends at all , no Direct Debits no putting money aside at beginning of month etc.

I am new to the challenges and really enjoying them so thank you so much to everyone running these month in month out. You are making such a difference to the way I think about money and I am really grateful for that

jintyb

Good morning all!

A lovely shiny new thread!
Thanks Spoon!:A

Please put me down for 10 this month. I'm away for 8 days, so I'm erring on the side of caution. I'm taking my laptopon hols so you wont be getting rid of me - sorry! I'm off to see about one of those dongle thingys -a bit techy for me:o

Have a lovely day all:)

donna_dynamo

Cannot believe we are on may already. Trying for 15 NSD's in May half a month again. MY mantra for this month is MUST SAVE!!!!!