Marching into March with the NSD Challenge

kerri_gt

Evening everyone, well if we can't find Knitting, can anyone hotwire the Tardis? DAVID! you're needed :rotfl:

NSD # 12 for me :j Nearly at target but its going to be a struggle - think I can get the conditioner I want with some L2S vouchers so that will save a spend there but it's deff tight.

Was 'baking' one of my wrights loaves tonight, yummy it is too - although I'm not sure how badly wrong you can go with a pre-mix that just needs water when you're baking by hand.

Fantastic day here again but apparently not due to last past Fri

Barbeduk

Got my last one for the month so finishing on 9/10. Tomorrow def going to be spendy as taking DH out for a pint in the sunshine!

Well done everyone.:D

bottleofred

Good evening folks,

A fabulous day in NI today and the weather was lovely. Declaring NSD19 for today please:beer:

kerri_gt

Forgot to say, still on the no choc wagon, only a week and a half to go....annoyingly I've just about reached the stage where I'm not so fussed about it any longer!

beanielou

Thats amazing Kerri

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!

freebyfifty

Good Morning,

Hope the sun is still shining where ever you are. It’s not to last past today here, but we have had a glimpse and know that it’s still there at least.

Some brilliant targets hit. BDINI will update the front page with your prize the next time she does an update.
Bottleofred – Yay. Well done on reaching your target of NSD #18. :j :j And then getting one extra taking you up to NSD #19.:T Enjoy the rest of your month – it sounds busy.
Donna dynamo – An excellent 2 NSDs to take you up to NSD #15 :j :j and your target met. :j Good luck with your new target of 17 NSDs.

Well done to everyone who captured another NSD
Barbeduk – Well done for NSD #9. :T Enjoy your drink in the sunshine.:)
Blindtoast – Well done on getting all those NSDs :T and taking your total up to NSD #6.
Chris81418 – An absolutely superb NSD #23 for you. :j That’s brilliant. I am jealous of your dedication.
Delilahh – Well done for reaching NSD #9. :j Fingers crossed for the rest.
Dragon – A brilliant NSD #19 captured. :j That is fantastic.
Freshair – A brilliant NSD #19 in the bag now.:T Excellent, keep going.
Igamogam – Well done on capturing another two, taking your total up to NSD #12. :T That’s brilliant.
Kerri gt – Well done for NSD #11 & 12. :j How fit are you????? Hoops and poles :eek: I have enough trouble getting up in the morning. :rotfl:
Purpleorchid – An excellent NSD #14 for you. :j Well done.
Slowlyfading – A brilliant NSD #12 for you. :j Well done. Not long to go now. Are you organised?

And hello to
Beanielou – Yoga :eek: I tried it a couple of times and discovered I was the least supple person I’d ever met and when I was asked to get my legs behind my head in a room full of bendy strangers, I decided it wasn’t for me. :rotfl:
Rising – I agree with you. I have been getting more and more concerned with the cost of just simple living just recently. :eek: As for Mr Cameron’s comments - if he lived in a rural setting with a 40 mile round trip to the nearest city and work I’m sure he’d change his tune. :mad: (Rant over)

Have a fantastic Thursday everyone x x

freebyfifty

Ooops I forgot

NSD #20 for me yesterday :j

mooomin

Yesterday was NSD#8 for me, so I have hit my target *phew*

Going to try and be good for the next two days and really go for it in April

marmiterulesok

A small spend day for me yesterday,paying bills today...I think that I'm going to fall short of my target this month.I hope to get one more though.

PS BDINI I have managed to get my 4-in-a-row!