Marching into March with the NSD Challenge

LittleMissHappy_2

Nargleblast wrote: »

OH was too chicken to go out and buy haemorrhoid cream

And on that bum note....

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

ModestyB

:wave: all, another spend day unfortunately. DD had to take DGS to the other side of town and didn't want to make a return journey so we went to waitflower to see what it was like. It was the first and last time we will go. I spent £1.90 in the shop and £1.60 in the cafe. That was only because we had 2 hours to wait about before picking DGS up. Next time we'll go to KFC! :rotfl:

Hugs everyone.

Keiss_21

NSD #6 nabbed today :j

Busy day @ home today: chopped down trees (or rather held ladder for DS and DH!!); baked 4 loaves of bread; made two lots of jam (17 jars) from frozen fruit, almost the last of it now! We were down to the last jar of jam, so needed to make more. Also had a go at ten-minute chocolate chip cookies...scrummy!! Not many left now !

Need to get some sewing done tonight, but rather shattered, and our iron seems to be playing up...tripped the power off the past couple of days, so may have to look for the old iron then. Dad gave us a posh steam iron last summer, with separate water reservoir and it has been great...until now .

Spending tomorrow, getting my hair cut..it really needs it this time! Will make sure she puts in layers this time...much better for my fine hair. Will do a food shop and get a few other bits and pieces, the I will hopefully be able to nab a few NSDs during the rest of the week. It is DH's birthday on Saturday and DS1 is back from Uni on Sunday, so will probably be spending a bit over next weekend

Need to to a big food shop sometime this week...DS1 is still veggie, but will eat meat if we do. Food definitely disappears much faster when he is home !!

Have a good and frugal week everyone x

beanielou

Been out and about today so a spendy day but have had a lovely day.

marmiterulesok

I've managed to nab #6!

Thanks.

kerri_gt

Thanks for the red tips Red - I've had some quite drinkable reds from the A range (although a couple of dodgy ones too) - not sure what I picked up this time but sure they will go down well

Well, i'm declaring NSD #5 :j Spent a lot of the day tidying the garden, lawn has been mowed and a few bald patched addressed with seed, leaves have been collected, plants trimmed and tidied and some tompatoes planted (didn't do very well with the three plants I was given last year but think they were grown a bit late) Got some maintenance to do where some log edging needs replacing, unfortunately its a mid section and won't be an easy job so wasn't doing that today, and our garden furniture could do with a lick of paint too.

Argh...how is it monday tomorrow already? :eek:

lotti379

NSD number 1 trotted in on Friday, took it's sweet time! Not doing too well this month.... Proper update due soon!

littleskintdragon

nsd 4
for me please

IF

Evening all :hello:

BDINI, LMH and freeby got my 7th NSD thank you all xxx:A:A:A

IF

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!