The “how many paydays ‘til Xmas” November NSD challenge

chezabelle_2

It's NSD #4 out of 10 for me today! Hooray!

Also, just wanted to share that I am a great one for 'let's do it tomorrow' and 'it's easier not to'... but last night, I actually arranged and met an ex-colleague with whom I am planning to start a business to get the ball rolling... and it was ace! I've been faffing around for so long making excuses, then last night I thought "no, I am actually going to do this" and I did, and it was brilliant! Writing up the business plan this weekend... EXCITING!!

Hope you are all ok - HAPPY FRIDAY!

suzitiger

Hi gang, I don't have time to catch up and have a chat today, or tomorrow. waaaa! But Happy Friday!! and i got a NSD yesterday, I think that is #4 that I am on now spoon. I will be back on sunday and catch up prperly, hopefully with more NSDs to report Have a lovely weekend!

honey

solventsoon wrote: »

Thanks for the update, honey, I was thinking about you and hoping everything had gone OK. Hopefully he'll start to feel a bit better over the next few days.

Thinking about you (((hugs)))
Take care
spoon xx

Thank you spoon x

QueenB. wrote: »

Honey i really hope your dad is feeling better soon

Thank you QueenB x

suzitiger wrote: »

Honey I hope your Dad feels better soon.

Thank you suzitiger x

butdoineedit? wrote: »

So glad to hear s.dad is home now, ((((((((big hugs))))))))) to both of you, he's been through so much i do hope he is on the mend soon x

Thank you BDINI x

I spent the day with Mum & S.Dad yesterday and he's about the same, thank you for the well wishes.

Glad all is sorted with your car Jinty!:)

Glad that your Mum got her keys back ok Kerri

Nice to have a bit of a catch up with the thread. I'm declaring NSD 5 today. I'm waiting in today for my poorly Kindle to be collected (if they turn up at school run time I may swear :cool:)

Happy Friday and hugs to all,

honey x

IF

Afternoon NSD'ers :hello:

I'm a wigglin' :dance:

solventsoon wrote: »

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!

solventsoon

Afternoon everyone:A

And a bit more wiggling please... come on, join in, you know you want to really:D:D

jintyb

Weeeeeeeeeell! I am here to declare a NSD! #6 for me unexpectedly!
I had a lovely lunch out but I'm not counting that as I had budgeted for it and set the money aside yesterday ( spend day)

I wandered around town and didnt spend a bean, apart from money for the poppy appeal which doesnt count at all. I went into the Garden of Remembrance and felt very moved at all the little crosses and poppies. Somehow, life didnt feel so hard after thinking about all those brave boys and girls.
Here's my wee contribution

beanielou

Love the poppy Jinty.
You are so so good at pics now

mooomin

Nowt spent so far today - heading to Sainsbugs to pick up pudding for later as a friend is cooking us dinner, but going to use a giftcard to pay, so it should remain a NSD Will declare later on!

beanielou

So no 7 yesterday and no 8 today :j

Happy Friday everyone

Knitting_Nora

*skips in* Declaring NSD #5/10 *staggers out*

Nora.x