Have an adventure in August with the NSD challenge

IF

Afternoony all x

Declaring early my 14th NSD Spoony, thank you :A



Written by solventsoon aka Spoon our inspirational mentor:-

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!

Frodobaggins

Big spend day for me today. We try for no 15 tomorrow, should be easy as I'm on nights tonite and will be in bed most of tomorrow. Is that cheating lol:p?

dannie

NSD20 today.

jintyb - There's lots of fruit for free this time of year like plums, apples and blackberries. I got loads of blackberries today for free - must be well over a kilo. Only two apples however.

Of course, best to read first about safety/legal issues and how to safely identify/prepare/store the fruit etc.

kathy40uk

:hello:

Hi all lovely NSDers

Oh my goodness where has this month gone?????:eek: I am so sorry I've not been in I have missed you all terribly, not really had time to catch up so lots of :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: to everyone who needs them xxx

I have managed to clock up 13 NSDs so far though :j:j..........and am battling with not going out again tonight as I had all sorts of good intentions last week when I was off but spent every day a lot of the week was spent at doctors and the dentists but I did manage to get out and see some friends on the other days , kept the spending low on a couple of days but the dentist days were like the 'haircut day' someone mentioned ages back. mind you I am hacked off with them a bit as I was promised my plate back and repaired by the end of last week and now they say they won't have it back until Tuesday so I am toothless until Wednesday :eek: and was back at work today :eek::eek: as if that wasn't bad enough with teeth!!!
I'm supposed to be out posting election canvass envelopes too but rain has stopped play for today..........got soaked a while ago and have come in to dry off but don't really feel like going out again now but I'm sure we had more time for the first stage last year :think: The rain has stopped though and I don't feel there is an excuse..........see how I feel after Doctor Who. Might just take a change of clothes into work tomorrow and go straight out after before coming in.

Promise to be back soon xxxxxxxxxx

:hello:

beanielou

Hey gang

Just a quickie.
Spilt coffee on my laptop and it is not working at all.
On DS,s netbook , it is way too small for me.
Today is no 22/.

beanielou

DCheryl Thinking pof you xx

Nargleblast

Still no further with NSDs as I stocked up the larder/fridge/freezer yesterday and got some fresh veg today from the greengrocer. Including a bag of potatoes going a bit soft for 20 pence. Still ok to mash - made enough mashed potato for 3 of us tonight with as much again shoved in the freezer for another day.

Have just heard from another thread that Beanie's computer has just died on her - something to do with her deciding to give it a bath in coffee, apparently! If anyone out there knows how to get in touch with her, please pass on all our best wishes for a speedy recovery to her computer. And a happy birthday to Beanie too!

And more positive vibes/good wishes to Cheryl (aka CW18) who seems to be wading through sh*te at the moment. Hang in there, Cheryl, you've been through tough times before and survived. Feel free to rant and scream on here if you need to.

Nargleblast

Talk of the devil and she appears!

Hello Beanie, just been talking about you, your ears must have been burning!

pinkfluffybabe

Nsd no17 today, managed to not spend anything!

robedha_2

NDS #11 for me. Wasn't going to be but I forgot to buy my stuff from work before the tills were cashed up so they'll have to wait for another day.