Have an adventure in August with the NSD challenge

IF

Evening all :hello:

Spoon got my 6th NSD today, thank you x
PS got loads of chocolate yesterday!! :dance:



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!

iwanttogoonholiday

ive actually managed my first Nsd...wooo hoooo so thats 1NSD for me

got to go to vets 2mor but dont think i will count that as i have to go really - so hopefully 2mor will be number 2!

donna_dynamo

Hi all NSD 7. Hi Kerri gt i did not think about talking to the nursery about DD2 as her carer is leaving and then it sounds she is going to be passed like a parcel which is bad news as she won't have anyone consistant. Good news i have packed and sent 15 parcels from ebay fodder in the last two days and all packed correctly :j. Just need to work out what i have made minus the postage and the charges, then can use this to pay off more on CC.

marmiterulesok

I've been spending money today like a drunken yuppie,though two items were sale price....

Eek,tomorrow will also be a spend day

I think I'm still at #5....

butdoineedit?

cw18 wrote: »

Sorrrrreeeeeeee

I forgive you Cheryl, especially as they were on rollback, so cheaper than my normal 4 pack, & seriously yummy!!

((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))) babysteps, hope you feel better soon!


Number 5 for me today, back to work tomorrow now my hamster face has gone, so spent today washing & trying to get the house back into shape!!

dannie

NSD this month still 7. Today a friend got me a reduced item plus milk (total £2.05) which means no more shopping for awhile. Also, I think I've managed to save a lot of money by mending something at home and I really should collect all the edible stuff from the garden soon. This challenge is proving to be quite an "adventure" in many ways.

Loobeyloop

NSD #5:jfor me today please!!!!! :T

Butti

NSD 1 for me today.

B

alibob_1986

OK I am going to join in but starting very low as I am a newbie and don't want to be too ambitious...plus hopefully I can exceed the first one and motivate myself for next month I am going to go for 5 NSDs this month, see how I fare

Nargleblast

Well, I thought I might have a NSD today but forgot about prescription charge payment coming out of my account so thought sod it, might as well draw out the cash for Hairdresser and Ringtons tea man today and put said cash in envelopes ready. That way, on hairdressing and Ringtons days I can count them as NSDs because the cash has already been taken out. Sneaky, huh? And while I was giving the moths an airing I decided to get a few cutprice cakes from Mr T's. Usually I make my own when I can but could not be arrised today on account of spending half the day in bed after a busy and demanding night shift. Off for a few days now, though.