A fantastic February with the NSD challenge

poohbear59

I am at 16NSDs now

I really didn't think it was possible for me to achieve. The best thing about NSDs is that I think carefully before spending on the internet. If I think I need something I now have to leave it until a SD and nine times out of ten I have forgotten I ever 'needed' the item. I was blaming DH for spending too much but I definitely was too.:o

I managed my 6 in a row too.

166million

Bought some cheese yesterday, and cous cous and grapes today as I went to the gym last night and I am staaarving. Well that's my excuse.

want to go for 20 Nsds in March, haven't really had long enough in Feb to get used to it.

lotti379

Hello everyone!

Back from hols, had a fantastic, if expensive, week away skiing. Still, we went in a group by coach, got packed lunches from the hostel and the resort wasn't actually over-expensive. We were very surprised to find we could get a filling lunch and a beer/gluwein for under 10 euros! (For when the hostel sandwiches got a bit dull...)

Right am going to jump in as a johnny-come-lately to this month's challenge if I may, and aim for 5 NSDs before the 29th.

Hope everyone's February is going alright, will try and do a bit of a catch up!

yasmin2

NSD No 7 for me today...

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!

Keiss_21

NSD #13 today...may have to fill up with Motion Lotion tomorrow

IF

Afternoony all :hello:

Spoony, BDINI, LMH and freeby got my 13th NSD thank you all xxxx :A:A:A:A


Happy pancake day :dance:

LittleMissHappy_2

Got my report results back and got a great pass Plus got my results for DSE141 (in sig!) and got a distinction :D:D So a happy LMH today! It will be NSD 14 for me today, one away from target :j

mytimetoshine2012

Hello everyone

ot my most productive day today. I ahve been procratinating instead of doing my coursework or real work!! Grrrr!! :mad:. Now I am cross with myself again! Anyway I don't want to dwell on a day that isn't worth it...so

bottleofred wrote: »

Good Morning folks,

Just popping in to declare NSD16 for yesterday.
Haven't yet had time to catch up on the posts yet, but agree with you kerri about the seasons and love Autumn and the build up to Christmas. I haven't read Enid Blyton since the days of the famous five and that for me was almost 30 years ago:eek: I hope everyone is well and has a good Tuesday:)

I LOVED those books when I was kid. I think that is why I learnt to read so fast so as I could get to the end quickly! Does anyone remember her Mr Pinkwhistle books? I loved those too.

jaffacakegal wrote: »

NSD 11 for me yesterday, not today I forgot to put money aside for college food! Off to ask if someone I met on a dating website wants to meet up! Exciting!

JCG x

ooooh....exciting :j Good luck. I hope that it goes well!!

LittleMissHappy wrote: »

Got my report results back and got a great pass Plus got my results for DSE141 (in sig!) and got a distinction :D:D So a happy LMH today! It will be NSD 14 for me today, one away from target :j

Well done :j:j. That is really cool. :D and an NSD too...if there is any time that you deserve a treat....


I am here to declare NSD 12!!
Bye for now,
MTTS

rising_from_the_ashes

Evening all - dropping in to report No 11 .... not feeling great today so have decided to take tomorrow morning off (finish at lunchtime anyway) and have a duvet day (well morning anyway:)).

Hopefully that's prompt my mo-jo to return.