Marching into March with the NSD Challenge

abundant1972

Good work everyone!

Kerri - well done bless ya! Your good deed for the day!!!

I just completed NSD 9 today and completed my 5-in-a-row!!! Yippee!!! 6 more NSDs to go!!!

rising_from_the_ashes

Awwwww Kerri what a horrible start to the day (((hugs))) .... similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago but it was a dog.

Poor wee soul ..... I do hope the owner is traced - although awful to be told that news, I know I'd much rather know and be able to have them home IYKWIM than to always wonder where they were .

Off to give mine an extra cuddle too ... in their separate rooms

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!

wannabee_in_credit

So sad kerri, but kind of you to do that...

I've managed to grab #8 today. Always a bonus to being too busy to get anything done.

donna_dynamo

Hi all NSD 8 today. Managed an NSD today still got to get mum a mothers day present so thats a spendy day in the next few days. Need to get back on track with the diet, but am loving zumba classes don't go out much at night so loving the freedom away from the kids even if its only for a hour a week.

beanielou

Kerri~that was good of you.
It is the not knowing that is so hard.
1 1/2 off at fat club this week.

Anyone get any decently priced washing machine recommendations?Ta.

bottleofred

Good evening folks,

A horrible start to your day Kerri and I hope you are feeling a bit better. I'm sending hugs.

I hope everyone else is well, although send hugs to anyone who needs them. I was delivering training today and although I enjoyed it, I'm totally knackered!

I am declaring NSD10 for today please:)

Spendaholic_Chick

#3 for me today....slowly slowly catchy monkey!

The_Dragon

#11 for me please (hmm not sure if I mentioned I had got my in a row target as well), and can I up my target to 15?

LittleMissHappy_2

Heres todays round up

freeby - well done for NSD 9 :j:j:j there is always a silver lining to every cloud Might as well put you down for two more now then x
mon1o - well done for NSD 4 :j:j:j you can still make 15 Keep going!
Piq - well done for NSD 6 :j:j:j half your days this month have been NSD’s which I think is great
if - well done for NSD8 :j:j:j hope you don’t mind me borrowing your picture
JCG - well done for NSD5 :j:j:j seriously, what is wrong with these men??? ?Fingers crossed the next one is a keeper
chris81418 - well done for NSD 11 :j:j:j what an amazing amount, only 2 spend days so far - go chris!!! x
Nargle - well done for NSD 6 :j:j:j still at the ‘bum note’
Keiss - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j didn’t manage to make them today but I have a day of a bit less pressure tomorrow so you never know, DD and I might be convinced...;)
beanie - well done for NSD 12 :j:j:j cloudy all day here Glad you had a lovely day, though Well done for your weight loss too
rising - well done for NSD 8 :j:j:j :eek: that is a lot for work collections :eek: Hope you find the answer x
L2B - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j great going, keep it up
sf - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j great going, keep it up
ModestyB - well done for NSD 6 :j:j:j fingers crossed for an NSD tomorrow
kerri gt - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j poor cat But that was a lovely thing you did for the cat and it’s owners :grouphug: I know how it feels to not know what happened to your cat (Iggy never did come home )
abundant - well done for NSD 9 :j:j:j and 5 in a row :beer:4 in a row :beer:
wannabee - well done for NSD 8 :j:j:j great going, keep it up
donna dynamo - well done for NSD 8 :j:j:j I’ve heard really good things about zumba - can’t find the time at the moment but it’s on my radar
red - well done for NSD 10 :j:j:j hope you get an early night tonight
Spendaholic Chick - well done for NSD 3 :j:j:j great going, keep it up
The Dragon - well done for NSD 11 :j:j:j well done for getting your in a row target :beer: BDINI will increase your target to 15 when she does the next update

I finally finished my assignment today but will start straight on my next one tomorrow I am a glutton for punishment!