The jubilant July NSD challenge

boultdj

Yasterday made #4 for me, seeing as all I did was some gardening, but today is spend day, need milk and liquid gold for the car:eek:.

shezam

Was an unexpected spendy day yesterday, had really sore bellache so needed a trip to the chemist. Planning a shop tonight so another spend but hopefully a no spender tomorrow!

Well done, everyone is doing great!

shezam

Just wrote my shopping list ad I don't actually need anything urgently so will try and wait till tomorrow for a shop giving me a hopefully NSD today! x

dmlambert

Sorry havent updated more often, but I have managed to make it to

3 NSD's this month so far!

I know I wont get any more over the next couple of days, got relatives coming down so will end up spending the pennies. Ill try and use every trick in the book to avoid spendin

Good luck for July!!!

jaffacakegal

Hi,

Yesterday was NSD 1

I am keeping my fingers crossed I don't run outta petrol at any point as I am currently on the light and trying to run it as low as possible to take full advantage of my voucher :rotfl:

JCG x

Learning2Budget

NSD 2 Got off to a slow start this month

LittleMissHappy_2

:wave:

Hi everyone

Today was NSD 3 for me, thanks! I know there is a bit of the day left, but won't be spending as the danger parts of the day are over

Hope you are all having the same lovely sunny weather as me! Off out into the garden now until I pick up the littlies x

beanielou

Raining here Little Miss so make the most of it!

marmiterulesok

Well,today has given me an unexpected NSD,so I'm now at #4!!

Spoon-having just read your 'catch-up' post,I just have to say:you're amazing!Such input...

Jintyb hope that you're on the mend soon.

IF

Good afternoon all :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!