The jubilant July NSD challenge

LittleMissHappy_2

:wave: Hello :wave:

BDINI - we missed you, sending healing vibes for your gran and your mum x
Beanie - I'm interested in alternative therapy but never tried anything yet......
Today definitely won't be an NSD as it's the N*xt sale today - I got a VIP slot and I'm not afraid to use it

bottleofred

Good morning everyone from a sunny NI,

I am not going out today, as it's another public holiday here and I've had the joy of doing some gardening this morning (as unfortunately, it won't do itself!). I hope everyone is well and enjoying the sunshine. LittleMissHappy, go easy at the sales, although it is good to get a bargain!
As I'm not going anywhere, I'm declaring NSD8:beer:

Red

Keiss_21

Well, declaring today as NSD no 8 today, more than half way to this month's total already! :j

Not sure how I'll do when away on holiday, leaving next week and not back until Aug 6th! Staying with parents on both sides and a (MSE) friend in different parts of Scotland, so trying to bag as many as I can before we go.

Going to have to do a bit of a food shop tomorrow, have run out of cheddar cheese :eek: and plain flour as well as a few other things.

Oh, I've got an interview tomorrow for the job I applied for last week :j...fingers crossed!!

More gardening this morning, sewing in the afternoon, then quilting club this evening...it's all go!

IF

Afternoon NSD'ers :hello:

Glad you like the pics Jinty and Spoon :beer:

Spoony, chocolate supply now gone!!! Less NSD's now me thinks :doh:






Written by solventsoon aka Spoon our hero:-

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!

cw18

Back from the city - managed to get the earlier bus home, but literally by the skin of my teeth !!!!

Got an earlier one in than I'd planned to, and discovered there are some diversions in place once the bus gets into the centre.... so I didn't dare risk picking the bus up at the third or fourth stop out of the terminus, but went back up there to get on it which meant a slightly longer walk for an earlier departure time :eek:

Arrived in the centre in time to use the route through Prim@rk to get to the running shop (2 cardigans I desperately needed - one black, one white, and something I'd identified as being totally missing from my wardrobe - plus 4 strappy tops I didn't really need ), and arrived at the running shop a couple of minutes before they put the shutters up - which was good as it meant I was first customer in, and all three salesmen were available so could allocate the 'most appropriate' one immediately The chap was as surprised as me that my shoes are already goosed given the mileage I've done in them, but I've ended up with the same make (a different style) as the others he brought out were too narrow for me - just hope they last longer, otherwise I'm going to have to find a bigger store with a lot more of a selection in my size to try and get a different make!!!

I then had time to swing by Arg0s to get a heat mat/storage pouch for some hair straighteners I was given last week when I mentioned on another forum that I was looking to buy a pair (was asking for recommendations within my limited budget, as I couldn't afford G-H-D's.... but have been given a set of those, so I'm one very happy bunny ) and Qviz where I became the owner of another summer dress (from the sale). And I still had time to swing into Qu@lity Save to check out one item I wanted if they had it (which they did)..... but as I came out of the store I saw the bus swinging in, so legged it up to the zebra it had to stop at for others (and managed to get across in front of it) and then up to the bus stop - arriving there just ahead of the bus

Just had lunch (finished off last night's pizza), so now have about 15 mins before I need to get changed for work......

pinkfluffybabe

Sorry been a bit absent this week.

Reporting NSDs No 6, 7, 8 and 9 for the last four days.

elfen

No NSD for me today, money has come in so I had to get rat stuff (once a month trip that cost me 40! - food, sawdust, litter and bedding, and treats) and had a look in Sainsbo's - cost me 20 - ciggies, a tee, a book and some treats. Will have a few more spends today maybe...but then I should be OK til the end of the week!

Frodobaggins

No NSD for me today, had to get shopping. Going for #4 tomorrow. Big shop Friday as OH gets paid, so happy spending! Does it count if its his money I'm using lol!;)
Gonna try for weekend no spending again, fingers crossed.:p

Keiss_21

cw18 wrote: »

Just had lunch (finished off last night's pizza), so now have about 15 mins before I need to get changed for work......

Ooh we had HM pizza last night, and plan on having the leftovers for lunch too :rotfl:

Great shopping trip Cheryl, well done you.

Back to the garden for a bit more fuit-picking before lunch.

Natty68

Managed to get 2 NSD's the past couple of days. Was supposed to go to the farm to get some eggs but I didn't in the end. I have to go out today to get a couple of things from Asda, some flowers for mum's grave tomorrow so I will go to the farm on the way home.