A ginormous jump into 2012 with the January NSD challenge

IF

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!

Kittikins

Hi all, I didn't have a NSD yesterday, as I went to Co$tco as planned and spent about £40 on useful things like milk and cheese but I am aiming for another one today.....but I have a hangover and feel pants and want to go and buy rubbish to justify my existence or something! What a silly billy.....

yasmin2

NSD 4 for me please.. Hopefully manage a couple before next week as feel I am really behind my target..

yasmin2

One of the bonuses of this challenge (as well as not spending money) is using up all the items that are in my house.. So rather than going out shopping at the moment as I normally would..I am finding that I am using the stuff that I already have.. so am using up the toiletries in my bathroom and all the food in my freezer and kitchen cupboards... becoming clutter free in the process :j:j

SuziQ1962

NSD 8 for me today! Would like to change my total I am aiming for to 20 NSDplease as I need to get my budget under control!

solventsoon

LondonGirl252 wrote: »

Morning all!

Im awake as I received my exam results at 3am this morning and am too excited to go back to sleep - passed

:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j

Woohoooooo!!!!! Congratulations LondonGirl, that's fab!!

:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T

jaffacakegal

(((lotti))) I know what family issues are like xx

Yeay well done Londongirl!!! I've just got 1 result to go next week then nightmare wait over for a couple months

NSD 6 yesterday. Car dead, rubbish day so far at work. Things can only get better eh?! Hopefully friend got my L!dl cushelle for me as there's no way I can get there now:rotfl:

JCG x

sirish1979

Hi,

Not having NSD from 4-5 days. some or the other expenses coming up.:mad:
will definitely try to get in a few in the next week.

jintyb

mfmaybe wrote: »

Jinty I'm in Edinburgh (or thereabouts) and I have to queue for the microwave at work too. I wonder if we are in the same office

Congratulations to LondonGirl.

Hoping for a NSD today. I'm at home so don't have to buy lunch. I do have to pay the gas bill but I don't think that should count. I will hold off declaring for now though, just in case!

Heh, heh, that would be a laugh if we were!;) I am at the West End near Haymarket. Just hate waiting for the micro - such a waste of precious lunch hour!
I dont count gas bills etc although others do, so it's up to you if you count it or not.

Hiddenidenity

NSD Number 12

Tomorrow wont be a NSD as I need Baby Milk and Nappies (Unless you dont count vouchers as a spend?) xx