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

freebyfifty

Good morning

I would like to declare NSD#10 for yesterday please :T

Going for 11 today before the madness of the run up to the big day begins


Have a great day x

bottleofred

Good morning folks,

I'm off today, but am off to Portrush to get a gift voucher for friends for Christmas, so will definitely be having a spend day. I hope everyone has a good day whatever they're doing.

Red

wannabee_in_credit

Morning all.
Definitely not a nsd for me today - have to post my Christmas cards and presents, then I can stop worrying.
Taking dd to see It's A Wonderful Life this morning - can't help but think that at 7 years old she won't appreciate it as much as I do.
Have a good day everyone.

samstech2

Is there any rules to join and having suitable expenditure .

jintyb

Good morning all!

Have made an executive decision to get the later train this morning and start at my "proper" time of 9 o'clock! I thought I would just have another cuppa and some "me-time" before dashing into the foray!

Dont think it will be a NSD as I forgot to get white chocolate for making fudge this week. I'm doing white choc and cranberry fudge for the - wait for it - Wei$ht Watchers Christmas Party on Thursday.
As it's the last class till January, we all get weighed and then we have a party with music, wine, Secret Santa and food. All this at 9am! I dont drink so at least I'll be semi-sensible at the end of it - Hic!


Have a great day everyone!

wannabehermit

Hi everyone. 1st day of school hols today :eek:. No nsd's notched up over the weekend. We had to run to MrT when up at SILs on Sat as the anti-histamines I took didn't work so had to go and get some different ones, so that scuppered that (along with their 2 for £3.00 on York Fruits . Well I wasn't going to be scuppered by 85p, and I've been waiting for a decent offer on York Fruits for ages ). Yesterday we were naughty and got a McDs on the way home.

Today I'll be going shopping this evening. After spending about an hour trying to navigate the new mysupermarket website (I don't like change!), we went to book our delivery slot only to find that there are none. Brilliant! All I want to do is my normal weekly shop, but seems everyone has taken them up for Christmas deliveries. Really can't handle the supermarkets with loads of people doing their Christmas shop, with children in tow so I will wait until this evening when hopefully it will be quiet. (fingers are crossed)

Hiddenidenity

Good morning all Hope all is well

Thank you BDINI

Today will be NSD number 17 I am going down town but will leave my purse at home :rotfl:

recurrent-ostrich

:jCan I claim #5 and #6 this weekend please.

mooomin

Won't be a NSD for me, as I'm just about to head to M&S to buy something for Christmas dinner, then Asda to post some bits and pieces and then B&Q as apparently they have reduced their Christmas stock to 75% off and I want to get a tree for next year to replace our one which currently stands at quiet a jaunty angle!!

I'm going to cheat slightly today as well - I'm meeting a friend for lunch on Wednesday but am taking the money out of the bank today so that as long as I don't spend any more than what I withdraw Wednesday will be a NSD

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!