Making mayhem in May with the NSD challenge

psychopathbabble

beanielou wrote: »

Coming home from France , flying into Edinburgh.
Airline only fly this route twice a week so is now booked for Sat :eek:
Really really needs to get home then.

Could Mr S look at other options?

Luckily he can drive, which I've said is his best option. That's annoying, was wondering if she could maybe fly into another airport and get a train? Hope she gets back

Nargleblast

And so the saga of the car continues.....after the past two weeks or so of persistant battery failures and despite getting a new battery, the little blighter died on me this morning, necessitating me taking another day off work. It is currently in the electricals firm undergoing diagnostic tests.

This was the last straw - I decided to change cars. On Friday this week I will be taking delivery of a new car (not new new, about 7 years old but low mileage, very reputable make, only one little old lady owner, 1 year's warranty, 3 months tax, lower insurance group, slightly higher tax band but balanced out by better fuel economy) with cash help from my good old dad and my present motor (once it is fixed) in part-ex. I have cleared it with the IVA firm - it is not going to impact on my regular IVA payments or budget at all so they are quite ok with it. Deposit has been paid. Balance to be paid later this week. Now to sort out my insurance.

I had hoped to keep going with the existing car but the reality is I need a reliable car for work, and it was a choice between limping on with more and more things going wrong, or changing it now while there is still a bit of value left in it. I am grateful to my dad for the help - he always says it will be mine when he is gone anyway so I might as well have the use of some of it now when I need it.

So the NSD quest is on back burner at present but I still hope to get one or two more in this month.

notyet

Hi all.

Cant really join the challenge as this month is particularly expensive and a bit of a struggle, so i've set a daily budget, and am only buying for the next 24 hours (if you knew my hoard, youd understand why!)

Just thought i would pop in and say i have saved myself at least £40 this month. Instead of 'treating' myself to a couple or three CD's, ive joined Spotify for free and listen to great music for nowt!

I guess you could say i've inadvertently set myself a 3day NSD challenge and hit target!

Good luck to you all. I'll be watching, reading and joining you soon!:beer:

elfen

NSDs no 14 and 15 signing in! Can I up my target to 17 please

solventsoon

jintyb wrote: »

Good morning all,

Thanks Spoon for that mega- roundup! The personal messages for everyone are brilliant and much appreciated!:A

ebayqueen wrote: »

Morning Spoony
and I agree with Jintyb, you always take time to individually encourage us. Thank you:A

Aww... thanks guys, really appreciate that:A:A

psychopathbabble wrote: »

Spoony thanks for all the personal messages... I think I may have found a thread as friendly as the pad thread Am hoping for another NSD today but I will have to venture into town to collect my doctors note and I've woken up this morning with my left ear feeling like its stuffed up so may have to get another docs appointment and hopefully antibiotics

Hope you all have a nice day!

It's a pleasure psychopathbabble, I like to make newbies feel welcome and at home. We try to be friendly and helpful here, it seems to work well as people keep coming back for more!!:D

Hope you feel better soon

spoon x

solventsoon

notyet wrote: »

Hi all.

Cant really join the challenge as this month is particularly expensive and a bit of a struggle, so i've set a daily budget, and am only buying for the next 24 hours (if you knew my hoard, youd understand why!)

Just thought i would pop in and say i have saved myself at least £40 this month. Instead of 'treating' myself to a couple or three CD's, ive joined Spotify for free and listen to great music for nowt!

I guess you could say i've inadvertently set myself a 3day NSD challenge and hit target!

Good luck to you all. I'll be watching, reading and joining you soon!:beer:

Hi notyet, good to hear from one of our "lurkers":D

Well done for all the savings this month, a true NSD-er at heart, I can see:D, and for making your target, that's fantastic!!:j

Hope you'll be joining up for the June challenge, I'll be posting a link on this thread probably during next weekend, keep an eye out for it:)

spoon x

fedupandskint

NSD again for me making it NSD12 - only worked as I left my purse at home again and didn't take any money with me. At home on final study day tomorrow so must stay strong to get another one in. Need to stay in all morning for CH service so should be ok and manage it as won't feel like nipping to the shops in the afternoon when the frantic cramming kicks in!

Will have a little treat on Thursday after the exam - a nice bath bubble thing from Lush I think that I can split into 3 baths from one lump of bubbles!

LittleMissHappy_2

It's another NSD for me :j which takes me to 12 please, spoon x

Hope you are all having a lovely (if blustery!) day.....at least the washing is drying quick

IF

Afternoon NSD'ers :hello:

solventsoon 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!

slowlyfading

Number 15 for me today. Can't seem to shake myself out of the doom and gloom mood I'm in.