The jubilant July NSD challenge

IF

Morning all :hello:

I'm doing the Friday ~ Wiggle ~ :dance:






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!

TizerCat

No 3 for me yesterday Spoonie...getting the hang of it now:) None today as have weekly shop to do. Love the pandas :smileyhea Cheered me up no end

LittleMissHappy_2

I'm wiggling (/)(\)(/)(\)(/)

No NSD for me again as I needed a few bits from Mr T and went to C*sta for a catch up with my Mum I'm putting aside the money I will need for my DD's clubs tomorrow then, hopefully, the weekend will be spend free (unless my sis has her baby, which always seems to happen on a Saturday! I might put aside the money for parking today as well...)

I arranged to go and see Bridesmaids again with my Mum as she hasn't seen it yet...something to look forward to! (Lots of things, actually)

Jinty - what a lovely, happy post That has really made me smile x
Spoon - I faithfully promise to send most of the things back

cw18

And another spend day Checked my bank account, and I've had a Direct Debit go out......

jintyb

Glad you all liked the pics! Its nice to start off the day with a smile if poss!
Been to A$da, stuck to my list!;)
Teeth feel much better after being at the dentist - then he broke the news that these a temporary dentures and I will need to get others in @ Oct ( another £200, TG for dental Insurance) I seem to remember him telling me that before but in the haze of anasthesia and pain I wasnt paying much attention at the time!

Anyhoo Im off for lunch with Maw n Paw and Sis!:)

pinkfluffybabe

NSD No.10 for me yesterday

Stapler_2

I am determined to get one today, Ive got sandwiches made for lunch, Im not even going to leave the office for lunch.

Have no temptation to spend.

After work, straight home, and then on here to report a NSD - If all goes to plan.

chrisico

NSD 6 & 7 for me this week. I think that'll be it for the weekend as we are going away for a few days but we are staying in a Premier Inn for £29 a night and I've printed off some restaurant vouchers. Maybe it won't be as bad as I think...

See you all next week

Chris

fedupandskint

A surprising NSD today which made me feel pretty good about it. Instead of going to the shops again I pottered in the garden and hung out the washing instead as I feel better today.

NSD 7

Tomorrow is a spend day and aiming for Sunday to be a NSD to catch up a bit

boultdj

And it's a spend day for me,as I went to see Dad, so nice time was had, and he insited that I have another gadget he bought electric egg boiling thing