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

marmiterulesok

Well,I've had a haircut today and I ended up getting some shopping that I'd planned for tomorrow -fruit and veg.So pleased that that's out of the way and I can now to avoid the shops.

A lot of people here celebrate Christmas on the 24th,with the 'big' meal in the evening plus present opening.

So now I'm hoping to get 4-in-a-row.:D

Hope you're all managing to stay frazzle-free!

wannabee_in_credit

Well done on the fantastic weightloss jinty.
As promised, I'm here to report that today I have spent:
£430.25
It looks so much worse seeing it written down like that.
But I have to be done now because I've got no money left.

bottleofred

A spend day for me today as I had to buy some ingredients for Pavlova. I hope everyone is well and ready for the festive period.

Red

beanielou

I am waiting for the wrapping fairy to come red.
They seem to be lost.
Confused smiley needed.

butdoineedit?

3 sleeps till santa, hope we are all getting excited now!!

Targets met today:

sirish1979 – woo hoo well done for number 10 & meeting your target!! :j:j

zafiro1984 - woo hoo well done for number 12 & meeting your target!! :j:j

beanielou - woo hoo well done for number 11 & meeting your target!! :j:j
Target increased to 14. Hope you are ok & taking care of yourself beanie?

Lots of NSDs rolling in today, so well done to:

bottleofred – target increased to 21, well done for number 17!! :j:j

Knitting Nora – well done for numbers 6 & 7, you’re doing great!! :j:j

ifwisheswerehorses... – well done for number 13 – I love that picture!! :j:j

Hiddenidenity – well done for number 20, that’s fantastic!! :j:j

jaffacakegal – well done for number 9, you’re doing great!! :j:j

greenanne - well done for number 5, you’re doing great!! :j:j

And hello to:

jintyb – great to see you Jinty!! Not so good to hear about your work problems (((((((((((((big hugs)))))))))) but good on you for getting tough on them in the new year!!!
Fantastic weight loss, well done!!

wannabee_in_credit – :eek: to your spend, but hope the car is ok now?

Frodobaggins – sorry to hear about the car Frodo, but hope it got fixed ok?

rising from the ashes – fantastic that the fridge freezer is finally arriving, I really feel for you being without for so long!

cw18 – Ooh your tea & white chocolate bombe sounds yummy…. Room for a little one?

flying_fresian – Hmmmm pink drinks…. I do hope Igor hasn’t been near them :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

marmiterulesok – well done for getting sorted today, I don’t blame you, I dread to think what the shops will be like tomorrow & Saturday!!

Up to number 13 for me, but no spendy days planned now till i buy my mum a beer & a pizza on xmas eve...

beanielou

BDNDI~Thank you so much for keeping us all in order this month.
You are such a star :j

ModestyB

Whoopie! I finally got another nsd. Reporting NSD No 8. Wasn't sure if I'd get any more before Christmas. I'm in with a chance of reaching my target now. :j
Well done Jinty, that's a fab weight loss. :T
Warm hugs to all.:grouphug:
Everybody have a great Christmas.:beer:

butdoineedit?

beanielou wrote: »

BDNDI~Thank you so much for keeping us all in order this month.
You are such a star :j

Awwww thanks Beanie x

Knitting_Nora

Jinty - you can't see it, but I'm frowning hard at your boss while thinking supportive thoughts at your plans for setting a better work/life balance when you go back in the new year. Remember that while it's good to support the team when it's down a few people, if you aren't the boss then it's not your problem to solve in the longer term so try to look after yourself.

oo, and on a total aside, having listed two NSDs this morning, I'm back to declare today as....

NSD #8!! I know - completely by accident, as I'm darn sure I was meant to get petrol before tomorrow...ah well!

Nora.x

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!