The Solvent September NSD Challenge

debbiedeejay

NSD #7 :j
for me please me BDINI, don't think I will make the whole 12 as I thought, but never mind.

Am at a meeting tomorrow near a A$da,rarely ever go in, as too far normally,but I have a sneaky feeling I will be popping in as my colleague is driving and she loves going there "just to see what we are missing":o

Lily_The_Legend

NSD no 9 today :j

Hope you're ok Elfen.

Washing machine died this evening. Called a repair man from the yellow pages, and he was very helpful, although recommended we buy a new one rather than waste money calling someone out. It has served us well, it was DH's grandad's and over 10 years old. Just don't like to spend out on things though. We really need to replace our fridge/freezer too.

squeeeek

Elfen hope you are ok :grouphug:

NSD 5 for me today!

IF

Hug from me too Elfen


Hi NSD'ers Could I ask you please to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that BDINI can see them easily, thank you :A



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!

Igamogam

Number 11 slipped in today - I only just realised

Keiss_21

Lily_The_Legend wrote: »

NSD no 9 today :j

Hope you're ok Elfen.

Washing machine died this evening. Called a repair man from the yellow pages, and he was very helpful, although recommended we buy a new one rather than waste money calling someone out. It has served us well, it was DH's grandad's and over 10 years old. Just don't like to spend out on things though. We really need to replace our fridge/freezer too.

Yes, I too hope you're OK elfen.

Lily - your washing machine has lasted well...our first one was like that, lasted ages. Not recently however, with two BIG boys (21 - a cyclist and 18 - a rugby player) and very hard water, we have been going through machines every three or so years. I often have two full washes every two or three days! :eek:

Mind you, since we got our present machine, I have been using washing soda in with a much-reduced quantity of washing powder, and some vinegar as my fabric softener...no sign of limescale build-up after 3 years, so we could be onto a winner :j

The cyclist goes back to Uni next week, but the rugby player goes to college locally and starts playing rugby again tomorrow. So as one set of clothes dissappear, so another appears, such is life!

Right, need to get to bed...night, night all xx

beanielou

No 13 yesterday.
Hope you are ok elfen.

elfen

Thanks for all the hugs guys, it's appreciated. Found out my lil sis might have cervical cancer.

NSD no 11 for me please, as I'm not well and won't stray far from a loo!

kerri_gt

elfen wrote: »

Thanks for all the hugs guys, it's appreciated. Found out my lil sis might have cervical cancer.

NSD no 11 for me please, as I'm not well and won't stray far from a loo!

Oh elfen, not sure what to say to that one, only that I hope the diagnosis isn't as bad as it might seem right now and that I'm thinking of you and your lil sis xxx

Lily_The_Legend

elfen wrote: »

Thanks for all the hugs guys, it's appreciated. Found out my lil sis might have cervical cancer.

NSD no 11 for me please, as I'm not well and won't stray far from a loo!

Sorry to hear about your sister Elfen. Hope you feel better soon too. x