Springing Into the April NSD Challenge

mooomin

I realised this morning that although yesterday wasn't a NSD, the previous day meant I hit my 3 in a row target

IF

freebyfifty 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!

elfen

NSDs 4 and 5 reporting in please!

lamarsi

number 6 for me please

I'm hoping this challenge will also help me loose pounds of fat as I usually buy crisps during the day but doing this means I don't want to ruin a perfectly good NSD by getting a packet :T

jaffacakegal

Checked my book, I'm on NSD 6 now! Only spent on Monday since I last declared

JCG x

Wellyboots6

NSD 8 please!

I have also reached my 4 in a row target, woo hoo!

If I increase my target to 5 in a row, do I now start my 'in a rows' from scratch, so tomorrow would be day 1, or would tomorrow be day 5? Just realised I don't quite know how to work it if I increase my target!

donna_dynamo

Hi all NSD 6 today. Not much done today took mum to hospital and the kids have been a nightmare as usual fighting and annoying each other. 2 days holiday left and so much to do.

silvasava

NSD 3 please bagged on Monday - not doing at all well this month
Thought I'd be well in this month's budget & the car tax form has landed on the doormat today - Ah well at least I've got something towards it instead of raiding May's budget!!

Nargleblast

Well what a weekend that was! Family visiting for a couple of days (Sat night to Mon evening), trip to seaside Sunday followed by Easter Egg Hunt for the kids and major chocfest, DD over for the day Monday as we had to swap prezzies (my birthday Tues, hers today), crashed out knackered Mon night, slept through alarm Tues but managed to get to work on time. Work not as manic as I expected it to be, so I gave myself a birthday prezzie - one more NSD for the collection.

That makes 2 NSDs in the bag so far. Bit slow getting them in at present, big shop today including motion lotion. However, as I am working again tomorrow there is no excuse whatsoever for me not getting another NSD. Slap me in the chops with a wet kipper if I don't.

Igamogam

A spendy day today but nothing too huge - well apart form the liquid gold I had to put into the tank:eek: Day out with a friend,bit of culture and a good catch up- worth every penny