A ginormous jump into 2012 with the January NSD challenge

wannabee_in_credit

donna_dynamo wrote: »

Hi all NSD no 6 today. Not going anywhere today so safe to declare. Worked out my finances yesterday and really wished i hadn't put in what we had to pay out for nursery and childminder over the year and i am going to short 700 by the end of june:eek::eek:. Don't know how we can cope with this everything is streched to it's limit already have now got more than my fingers crossed that DD2 gets a nursery place at school which is free but then i will still have to get childcare for the other half a day. Just wondered how much other people pay for nursery DD2 currently goes full week full days and a day costs 33.94 a day or 169.70 a week

I pay £31.50 a day plus £2.45 for meals, for full time nursery for ds. The grant that they get the term after they turn 3 really helps, but it is only 15 hours, paid 38 weeks a year.
I'm barely entitled to any tax credits any more but am currently investigating childcare vouchers through my work. I need to save every penny I can.

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!

IF

Afternoon all :hello:

solventsoon wrote: »

We definitely did miss you If, pleased you're feeling better xx:A

ModestyB wrote: »

Hi If, it's good to see you back. Glad you're feeling better.

Thank you xx :A

mytimetoshine2012

QueenB. wrote: »

Yesterday turned into a spendy day but i had a feeling that it would, had to stock up on some bread and other bits so took the oppertunity to pick up some more thermal socks for DS1. That means i managed 3 in a row, one NSD short of my target:(

Should be a NSD today though as don't have to go anywhere and even if I did not really feeling the desire to. Mondays allocated spendy day and Im hoping to pick up a candle making kit

((((((((hugs))))))))) to everyone feeling a bit under the weather. I've woken up with a bit of a foggy head and feeling blocked up, I really hope it clears as the day goes on:(

Is anyone else having problems with page 34?

Have a great sunday fellow NSDers:T

Hey QueenB,
Just a quick note to say that B**TS had candle making sets for 1/2 price in the store yesterday.:)

Wellyboots6

I think I did a bit of an oops!
I re-calculated my NSD's and I only have 2/12 so far, not the 3 that I was claiming.
Oh well, got a few days of Jan left to get the rest done!

Am I the only one that is finding all this saving money very time consuming? I am doing alot more cooking which is taking time, keeping on top of my budget is taking a while too, and I am making bits and bobs for the house instead of buying. Where do the seriously thrifty find the time to do it all?! I am hoping it will start to get easier

stardrops42

NSD no4 for me today:D I've been very MSE today making homemade soup, chilli, shepherds pie etc and won't be spending a penny:A

bottleofred

Good afternoon folks;),

I hope everyone is well and enjoying the weekend:). As I've decided against going out, I'm declaring NSD7 for today please:beer:

Frodobaggins

Finally able to declare NSD#4 for me.

BlushingRose

We're not very good at this NSD business, although saying that I think we've managed 4 so far in Jan.
We're not counting DD or SO as a spend, but everything else is, so if we need shopping or petrol then that's a spend. Even buying a stamp is a spend - is this the right sort of thing?

rising_from_the_ashes

elfen wrote: »

not sure whether to count yesterday as it was shopping day and budgeted for....

Really up to you - some people incl everything and others have things they excl from the challenge.

Personally, I incl every spend that I've made on a particular day (cash or credit card).

I have separate budgets for lots of things (still trying to get the hang of this budgeting lark!) - so if I excl things from those - I'd have a lot more NSDs .... but no matter where it's come from & whether it's budgeted for or not, it's money that's been spent which is what I need to try to cut down on!


Spendy weekend for me - got some Cider which was on offer at the Co*op last night (pals mentioned it when I was there for dinner - which was lovely:)) and some groceries / cat stuff at Mr A this morning.

Right - must fly - loads to do as haven't ironed for 3 weeks:eek: and the pile is HUGE.....