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!

mooomin

NSD #5 for me today please - and it's 2 in a row

The_Dragon

got to #6 today and 4 in a row (so if no spends tomorrow I hit my in a row target!):j:j:j:j:j

wannabee_in_credit

katy721 wrote: »

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

I'm the same. I have a full time job, two young ish kids and a not very helpful round the house OH. And I'm trying to be all frugal and OS and Flylady. It's brilliant being so busy because I'm not sitting on my backside eating all day but I'm finding that I have less time to be on here catching up. Which is not as I would plan, but I am managing to read - just not posting as much as I would like.

ETA: I'd come on here to declare NSD #5 and completely forgot...

*Mari*

Can I declare NSD number 4 please .

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Mari x

TwelveStopsThenHome

6/10 here!!! :j:T

Yesterday the game was very deathly dull....can't believe I paid £20.00 for a 0-0 draw! Saying that my second choice which was £6 was no better apparently according to an acquiatance on another forum.

QueenB.

NSD 5:j

Tomorrow is my spendy day so back on the NSD trail on Tuesday.

Keiss21 Thank you i feel a bit silly now:o

mytimetoshine2012 I will pop into by local boots and see if i can pick one up, thanks:)

Katy721 It does take more time and thought but once you get into the habit and slowly get organised it will become easier, plus I feel more involved in my own life now rather than just drifting in it. Keep going

Rising I hope you managed to scale that pile of ironing

Immie Welcome:) it really does make it easier when we join together.......keeps the motivation there whenthe days feel darker.

Spagbol Good luck at work tomorrow.

Have a great Monday NSDers:)

mumsiemum

NSD 3 for me please!!

mfmaybe

Disappointed to report that I didn't manage a NSD today either . Had a proper look around the house and gardens and realised the wind had ripped a massive bit of felt off the shed roof earlier this week. So a trip to B&Q to get felt as we had none left.

We paid for this out of our joint account as it was a house spend, but even so, I don't feel I can claim this as NSD 3, as I need to change my habits, so am going to be tough on myself

Tomorrow is back to work so unlikely to be a NSD either. Oh dear I'm not doing very well am I!

LondonGirl252

Hope everyone had a nice weekend

NSD no 4 for me please!

They come much easier when there is no physical money to spend don't they