Marching into March with the NSD Challenge

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!

Barbeduk

Hello lovely non-spenders! :wave:

I'd like to try for 10 for March. Hoping to catch my first one tomorrow, but as you know, they can be tricky little things and try and catch you out unawares!

kerri_gt

Hey BDINI - please could you sign me up for 14 NSD - it could be a struggle as I'm in bonny Scotland for a few days but should be slightly offset by a few days away with work in the Emerald Isle. I guess it isn't called a 'Challenge' for nothing so will give me something to aim for.

Right...nipping back to Feb and Spoony's shindig - I left a glass of moonshine somewhere and I dread to think what will happen if Hubert gets hold of it :eek:

wannabee_in_credit

Hi all

Thanks to bdini, lmh and freeby for taking over and looking after the thread. This will be month 4 of the challenge for me, and what a difference it makes.

This month includes a birthday for me, but that means others should be spending on me...
I'm going to aim for target 15 nsds with 5 in a row.

And thanks to if as well, for always entertaining me with the pics.

Sazdaz

Please can you put me down for 10 NSD this month. Think this month is going to be tight though have just had confirmed a student for mid of March but dont get paid till 4 weeks later so need to make sure have enough food for three instead of two from there, so bit of cutting back for now.

slowlyfading

Please can I be put down for 15 NSDS in March?

I can't believe it's March already! I get married THIS MONTH...! :eek:

poohbear59

Thank you bdini

I have learnt a lot from mu firts month on this challenge and am not going to go rushing in so foolishly this time. My target is going to be 20NSDs with 6 in a row too

IF

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

And thanks to if as well, for always entertaining me with the pics.

Awww thank you

nicedream_2

Hello :wave:

I'm new and would like to try. I am going to aim high 15 NSD please.

Thank you!

Allie_Ballie_Bee

Same again for me this month please - 12 NSD's and 3 in a row.

Thanks for your efforts BDINI :T