A fantastic February with the NSD challenge

JustDave_2

Morning all! Having just achieved my target of 8 days in January, could I please be put down for a February target of 10 Days plus 3 days in a row?

Cheers!

The_Dragon

My usual start for 10 and 5 in a row please

mfmaybe

Oooh let's see now. I have a week off in February and that usually means spending a bit more, either trips to B&Q for DIY stuff or treating ourselves to coffee or lunch. But I think I will go for a target of 12 NSDs please. That's half way between my January target, and what I actually ended up with. I'd also like to add 3 in a row as a challenge, I think I managed that twice in January.

Here's to another frugal month, a lower overdraft and <dreams> some warmer weather :rotfl:

jintyb

I'm in as I want a cake!


15 please Spoon - thank you muchly!

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

ModestyB wrote: »

So sorry, I forgot to thank IF for all those wonderful pics that bring a smile every day. Thanks IF!

Keiss_21 wrote: »

Evening all, thanks to Spoon, If and LMH for keeping this challenge going every month...you are wonderful!! :T:T:T

blindtoast wrote: »

Hi everyone
Thanks for starting us off and looking after us all with a new month's challenge Spoon, LMH and IF :T

Thank you all :A:A:A

immie

Can I sign up for 15 NSDs please?
I'm already planning this month's big spends haha

Valentines Day- will try to not buy anything and do an experience voucher instead
Rose petal bubble bath with aromatherapy oils
Ginger back scrub
Aromatherapy full body massage
Indian Head massage
Foot treatment/lavender soak and pedicure
Intensive fask mask (maybe lol)
Total cost = nothing! I normally let flowers dry out in the vase and save all the petals so they're free :-) All the treatments I've learnt how to do from groupon deals I'd been to/ internet/ books. Maybe it'll cost like 50p in products used/ yankee candles burnt :j

Younger brother's 13th birthday- may have to spend £50 or so, kids activities in our hometown's expensive/ taking him into London will cost in travel, mmmm

Friend's birthday- probably won't go to her main birthday do but take her out for cocktails with existing kgbdeals voucher....

Oh yeah btw I'm 23 and a postgrad student...

Best friend's birthday- will give him my old textbooks for his course! lol

Friend's housewarming- will try get away with not buying a bottle of wine/ booze, I have some gin left over from Tesco DTD so will try find the cheapest tonic water and buy one lime lol. Maybe make some food for everyone to share using mostly cupboard ingredients

think that's enough plannign for now, we'll see how it goes!

beanielou

Hi Spoon & the gang.
Can I please sign up for 14 please?
Thanks to the team for all their hard work.

Pinkpenguin

Hi Everyone,

I'm New to this....... but please can you put me down for 16 NSD's.

I don't count DD days as I have too many and also won't be counting my food shopping days.

Thanks

PP xx

Igamogam

Signing in for 10 NSds and 3 in a row please. sorry my font size and colour doesnt seem to be working - is it because I am now using google chrome I wonder?? Any ideas anyone??

Looking for ward to a new month and good luck everybody with their NSDs