A ginormous jump into 2012 with the January NSD challenge

slowlyfading

And today is NSD 12 for me

Nargleblast

Good evening gang, a flying visit from me to announce I am now on


9 NSDS!!! At the risk of tempting fate, shall I up my target to 12?

donna_dynamo

Hi all another NSD today that makes 16 NSD.

Nargleblast

Having seen that the prize for reaching the second target is a very chilled out Owl, and being on 9 NSDs with the hope of number 10 arriving tomorrow can I please up my target to 12?

Sorry not been around, work and academic and family stuff from the other life keeping me busy. Hope to catch up with some of you on Burns Night?

rising_from_the_ashes

beanielou wrote: »

Sorry I have no answers for you rising.

Thanks Beanie .... sorry for the moan everyone just really gets me down sometimes.

The_Dragon

Just to say I got #'s 12 and 13 :j:j

ms_night_ryder

NSD 5 for me today, dunno when i will get another, hopefully tomorrow

Wellyboots6

9 NSDs!! Finally!!

kerri_gt

Evening all! well it's a blustery day down here, though I did manage to get the washing outside for a bit which was good.

Had an APG for 93p which ran out today but not doing the shopping until tomorrow (need lunch stuff so made sense to leave it and it would prob cost me that much in petrol to use the APG for the sake of it - must sort out some better planning)

I did spend 50p at the garage....no not on choc, needed to put some air in my tyres, but I'm going to be cheeky and declare a NSD a) because I was going to do my tyres last week on a spend day but some eejit had parked in the 'for air' spot and boogered off b) because they needed doing and I don't think compromising road safety for a NSD is particually wise. so Spoony NSD #9 please! and 3 in a row *faint*

CC challenge going ok too, still no more spends since my jacket, helps that it's been a looooong time since payday

rising - sorry to hear about the roadblock for your course, I admire those who go back to learning. I was pretty done with formal education by the time I'd finished my degree, not sure I'd be motivated to do another course, well I would because I don't like to fail - think I'm more competitive than I ever realised but I'm not sure I'd enjoy it all the time. Anyway, I'm still paying off my student loan as I was the first year after they abolished grants - pah! Wish there was something in place to help you though - if my 6 numbers come up tonight, I'll give you a call xx

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!