The "Cripes, Christmas is almost here" December NSD thread

IF

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!

rising_from_the_ashes

his_missus wrote: »

Are you all sitting down? This may come as a bit of a shock to you all BUT I have finally managed a NSD, my first one of December:j

:j:j:j

lotti379 wrote: »

:eek:My first ever credit card arrived in the post this morning.:eek:It is sitting on the table. I find it quite scary.

lotti379 wrote: »

My plan is for the first couple of months to only buy petrol with it as a) that is a necessary spend and b) I already budget for it, and then see where we go from there.

It is quite scary - I remember when I got my first one after sorting out the majority of my debt (wish it had bothered me more when I was younger and got the 1st one and I might not have ended up with .... 7 of the beeping things all maxed out!)

It is a great tool for building a credit history and you're right on the mark to use it for something regular and clear each month.

However, it's really (really, really) easy to be tempted by a "want" and think "oh, that's fine, I'll clear it this month" and then something else sneaks onto it etc .... so, from someone who learnt the hard way - stick to using it for what you've got it for and don't put anything on it that you can't pay for that month... (hope you don't mind me saying).


No 4 for me today

Freezing cold outside but better than all that wind.

There was a house not too far away that had a tree land on it and the owner's had to move out (thankfully wasn't in at the time) - it always seems so much worse at this time of year:

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3988542/Wrecks-Factor.html

jintyb

I'm just here to report my bargain day today -

Mooching around Water$tones, I spotted the new Stephen King book. Now it's still in hardback and jacket price £19.99!:eek:
ANYHOO - It had a £6 off sticker on, so that was 13.99 ( still :eek:) but I had a vchr for £5 which made it a more reasonable £8.99. On that basis I decided to treat myself so off I went to the desk.
When I got there, the SA told my that the book was actually on offer for £8.99, so, minus my fiver it was 3.99. Then she said I had £2.01 on my Waterstones card, so I ended up getting the book for £1.98 - saving £18.01 on the cover price!
I'm rather pleased with myself - I' m def a dyed-in-the wool MSE'er, aren't I?:rotfl: Gosh, I lurve a bargain!

Also, I did my Mystery shop, so that paid for my eyebrow threading, dont look like Dennis Healey any more!;)

beanielou

You are bargain woman Jinty :j :j
How did the mystery shopping go?

Been out for coffee today & bought stamps to replace the ones I lost.Bah.

zafiro1984

Just declaring no 6 and 7. I can't quite believe I've done 7 and it's December. Hopefully Sat and Sun will also be NSD's but I know on Monday - thanks to my OH giving me some cash which I have put towards a large meat bill, (one whole pig plus some beef), will be a hefty spendy day. However, I aim to make the meat last several months.

ModestyB

Hi all, I've just realised NSD No 5 sneaked under the radar yesterday so today I'm pleased to announce NSD No 6.
Hope everyone's feeling well / better.
Hugs to all who need one.

prepareathome

Well managed a 6th NSD today, we do actually need fresh milk but discovered a long life milk that needs to be used this month so will put up with that just now.

LondonGirl252

Well done on everyone racking up the NSD's sorry I havent been able to catch up with the thread properly, I've been having really annoying small but necessary spends. Should have one on Sunday hopefully.

Have a lovely weekend everyone

marmiterulesok

A spend day here for me.Hopefully I'll manage an NSD weekend.

I'm on holiday after tomorrow.I should have been on holiday from today,but owe too many hours,so asked to work an extra day.

Anyway,have a good evening fellow NSDers!

butdoineedit?

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

This looks fantastic and all very motivating to me. If it's ok I'll join in properly next month, but will have a go at some NSDs in December to get me into the habit.

Welcome wannabee_in_credit, pull up a chair & make yourself at home!!
Your welcome to join in whenever you are ready, & if you want to set a mini target this month, that's absolutely fine, just let me know & i'll add you to the front page....

Keiss_21 wrote: »

Also DS2 has an eye test this afternoon, not needing glasses, just a check up as he is diabetic. Will be going shopping afterwards though. Hope to get him a pair of new trousers...his large musculatr rugby-thighs makes this quite a challenge!! :) Calm down ladies...he's only 18! :rotfl:

Oh dear, until you told me his age, i had visions of Jinty's men in kilts!! :rotfl::rotfl: