A ginormous jump into 2012 with the January NSD challenge

jintyb

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Great to see you!:D


Hey guys, I think I need to start getting commission for referrals:) ..... what'd you think an extra NSD for each person who joins:D

Maybe we should have a prize for referrals! :rotfl:


Managed #2 today! Didnt go across the door but did loads:

Mass-hoove batch cooking session, did chilli and bolognese so lots of dinners prepared.
Cleaned house and got decs down and packed away - OH helped!
Tackled a pile of ironing the size of Everest
Wrote letter to HMRC to claim tax relief on laundry costs for OH uniform ( per Martin's email last week:money:) should be due @ £70 back by my reckoning.
PLUS Booked our hols for May - OH paid deposit, saving NSD
this is where we're going: Yippee!

http://www.bonawehouse.co.uk/index.html

Back to work tomorrow - packed lunch all ready in the fridge, phew!
Feel rather pleased with myself!;)

Catslovelycats

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Oh good luck Cats ... mine went just before Christmas so know how it is ...

Thanks Rising.
Have just put my lunch for tomorrow in the garage :eek: to try and keep the cheese cool. Am going to try avoiding to buy more milk by using the powdered stuff I have for my breadmaking. Wish me luck with my cup of tea when I get home from work tomorrow. I suspect it'll be a can of coke instead!

beanielou

jinty~ I am in total awe of all your energy.
Holiday spot looks good.
Back to fat club tomorrow.
Reckon Ive put on half a stone.

ab.da54

mumsiemum wrote: »

I wandered around, picked some bits up - wandered around some more and put them all back!! Kept thinking:-

Do I want it? errrr YES! :j

Do I need it? Hhhhmmmmnnnn NO!

Can I afford it? Not really :sad:

Is there an alternative? - YES - Keep christmas shopping for next Dec when I will hopefully be almost debt free!! :T

Well done on not walking out of M&S with any goodies, mumsiemum

NSD #2 for me today

TwelveStopsThenHome

2 in a row here.

beadgirl87

Hi Solventsoon and everyone else. Happy New Year
I am a bit late pledging, but can I please be put down for 12 NSD this month.
I have done 1 already, yesterday.
Thank you

Nargleblast

Good evening and Happy New Year to one and all!

The less we say about the New Year shenanigans the better. Honestly, the things people get up to! We were having a naice refained little soiree and then I just closed my eyes for a moment. Next thing I knew the Tardis was invaded by various celebs (some wearing kilts) getting drunk and disorderly! I don't think Hubert will ever be the same again after that sprout curry. (I knew the tone of the neighbourhood would plummet once Big Mumma got back on the scene)


On an NSD note - it's off the starting blocks with a magnifico 2 out of 10!

IF

Evening all :hello:

Spoon and LMH, got my 2nd NSD today, thank you both xx :A:A

Byatt

Hi everyone, I have had 2 NSD's 1 and 2 January, just checked my bank account; everything goes out tomorrow! :eek:

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!