A fantastic February with the 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!

Broomstick

Hiya, NSD #10 today. Thanks.

B x

rising_from_the_ashes

beanielou wrote: »

Would you eat youghart a couple of days out of date?
This is my question of the day!!

Personally - no but I am probably a bit more paranoid about dates on food due to having Crohn's and just not wanting to take the risk of "upsetting" it.

I'm sure if you go over to the OS board, nearly everyone would probably eat it if it smelt & looked OK.

marmiterulesok

beanielou wrote: »

Would you eat youghart a couple of days out of date?
This is my question of the day!!

Definitely,yes.But if the lid is 'puffy 'as if there's too much air in the pot,then it's a no.;)

solventsoon

beanielou wrote: »

Would you eat youghart a couple of days out of date?
This is my question of the day!!

marmiterulesok wrote: »

Definitely,yes.But if the lid is 'puffy 'as if there's too much air in the pot,then it's a no.;)

Definitely yes beanie, I've eaten them way past that and not had any ill effects.

I'm always wary if the lid is puffy, as marmite says, but I've eaten one or two of them as well and been OK. Trust your nose and your sense of taste, you'll know if the yogurt is off.

Wellyboots6

beanielou wrote: »

Would you eat youghart a couple of days out of date?
This is my question of the day!!

Yes! As long as it doesn't jump out of the pot when you open the lid, or smell funny

beanielou

Thank you lovely people for the advice on the yougharts.
They were WW & I dident like the toffee ones but the natural ones were ok.

Nargleblast

As the others said, beanie. As long as it is not green and slimy, or smells of cheese, or wearing a fur coat, you should be ok.

Pleased to report that elusive NSD number 5 is in the bag at last. Should get a couple of mates for it this week too.

Keep up the good work, everyone!

silvasava

Well Done Jinty - I know the situation caused you a lot of worry but be very proud of the calm & mature way you've handled the issues GOLD STARS :T

Unexpected NSD 7 for me AND it makes 3 in a row!!!:j

jintyb

jintyb wrote: »

Thankfully, I wont need to bore you all with any more tales - thanks for listiening, it means a lot!:A

Bouquets for my NSD angels!



Thank you!