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!

marmiterulesok

solventsoon wrote: »

What - like these marmite:D

Love the picture,thanks!

A spend day as predicted.Kitty has survived her trip to the vets.Thank goodness it's once a year as she's totally stresed,what with being a house cat.I think that she's forgiven me now,so hopefully she'll let me sleep through the night!

I got some fruit and veg as well,so this weekend should hopefully be an NSD one.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

jintyb

Good evening -

well, I didnt make it today:o despite my best efforts.

When I was mooching yesterday, I spotted a skirt in gap which was exactly what I was looking for in a black skirt, but it was £30:eek:
I didnt buy it and when I got home, in true MSE style, I found a coupon for 20% off and thought I would go and get it tomorrow.
Ffwd to this afternoon when OH asked me to nip into A$SDA and get him baccy.
While I was there, I found the same tstyle of skirt for only £12!
Somehow it fell into my basket and found its way home:rotfl:
Still it's half the price of the GAP one,even with the discount;)

Then I found that the Daily Fail has a 20% off vchr for Debenham$ - after I'd bought my top yesterday too!
I promptly hot-footed it down to my Mum's, got said voucher and I will return the top, and "re-buy" it in true Kerri fashion.
So although it was a spend - I saved £12 on the skirt and will save @ £6.50 on the top, so that's not bad for a bit of creative accountancy, eh? Better watch out, I may be offered the job as chairman of RB$, heh, heh!;)

Sazdaz

ok really not doing well only 3 NSD so far, so going to have to do better next week.

marmiterulesok

A wee query here please.I have just had a look at my account online and my rent (a DD) has been taken off today,though the date that appears on my account of the transaction is for Monday the 30th.

I would count this as a spend day on Monday and not today,even though the money has left my accosunt today.What do you think?Thanks.

jinty well done on your clothes finds!

Broomstick

Managed a NSD yesterday and another one today so I'm now up to #23 :T Thanks.

B x

PS. Marmite, I'm curious about how to work DDs too. At the moment, I'm only including my veggiebox (because I'm concentrating on food) and the payment for that leaves my account on Wednesdays. That's why I've fixed my weekly shopping/spending day for Wednesdays. I'm probably going to be adding rent and other household and insurance DDs to my NSDs in the future and I think I'll probably count them on the day they leave my account but I'm not sure. I just want a system that continues to keep me on track.

wannabee_in_credit

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Was just about to declare today as number 17 when the blimming window cleaner knocked at the door and there was only me here to answer. Still, I have until Wednesday to get to my 3rd target. Saturday is my shopping day so tomorrow will be spendy but we'll have to see how things go after that. Fingers crossed.

cw18

marmiterulesok - it sounds like the bank have put the money into a 'held' status (my DD's bank do that sometimes - means she can't pull it out even though it shows as still being in her account when she's looking at the balance, but at least it means her rent or whatever won't bounce), in which case I'd not count it as a spend until the bank actually pass the money over to the recipient (which it sounds like will be Monday for you)

kerri_gt

solventsoon wrote: »

:hello:Hi poohbear59 and welcome to the NSD challenge, you're in good company here as, no doubt, beanie has already told you.

Do you want me to add you to the front page for the rest of the month or just join in and be inspired by all of us:rotfl::rotfl: (don't read Kerri's posts though or she'll lead you astray with all her tales of bargains;)).

spoon xx

jintyb wrote: »

Good evening -

I promptly hot-footed it down to my Mum's, got said voucher and I will return the top, and "re-buy" it in true Kerri fashion.
So although it was a spend - I saved £12 on the skirt and will save @ £6.50 on the top, so that's not bad for a bit of creative accountancy, eh? Better watch out, I may be offered the job as chairman of RB$, heh, heh!;)

Honestly you two, you could give a girl a complex you know :rotfl::rotfl:

Well done on the skirt Jinty, and I am glad I have taught you well...now go out and re-purchase young Jedi (oops, sorry...no more sci-fi for me )

Oh and Spoony, our second rule is NEVER EVER eat or drink anything cooked (or uncooked) by Igor on one of our virtual outings ... actually, that brings in rule 3 - never give Hubert (Poohbear59, he's our donkey) anything cooked or uncooked by Igor - there have been some disasterous consqeuences including me copping a cleaning bill for a (virtual) NY taxi after SOMEONE (Spoony) left me behind to break Hurbert out of jail....that's on NSD outing I don't want to repeat - I think the FBI have taken me off their most wanted list at last :cool:

Well I can declare NSD #12 which means .... TARGET MET! roll on my prize please :j:j:j

Unfortunately my CCC 2012 budget is in jeopardy as I have seen a lovely pair of shoes on the TK Maxx site - I'm slightly distressed that I am apparently old enough to find a pair of shoes by this particular make attractive, then my friend pointed out 'at least you'll know they will be comfortable' and I think that distressed me more..being at an age where comfort is even a consideration in buying footwear :eek: Well I didn't buy today to preserve my NSD, so will sleep on it overnight, I also might head up to the big Mr T tomorrow (OH needs hot sauce and the one he likes is from there) plus some coupons to use, and there is a TK across the road from it so I might see if they are in there (can see them for real and save on p&p)

The Wardrobe store also opens in town tomorrow and I said I'd show support by popping in for a glass of fizz (ok more 'I'll pop in for a glass of fizz and also show my support' :rotfl:) but I have to try and restrain myself from buying when I'm supposed to be selling items in there - hope at least some of my stuff sells.

Sorry...waffling now.... hope no one dropped off reading this...:o

beanielou

Jinty~Great day~love your bargains
Love love Love DAily Fail~Havent heard that before.

Kerri~what make are the shoes???