Springing Into the April NSD Challenge

Kittikins

Darn it, I'm only at 4 out of 15 for the month....have really taken my eye off the ball this time!

jaffacakegal

NSD 12 yesterday. The only time I left the house was to put the bin out as I was revising all day!

Friday was a planned spend, but only spent £25 on night out :j Saturday I wasn't working so when I woke up (in the afternoon ) I ended up walking into town and bought some toiletries and a nice top.

Today already a spendy as a direct debit has gone out. I have a couple now that I am unsure of the dates of as they are new, this is one of them! Going to hopefully buy some healthy food to make it a worthwhile spendy!

JCG x

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!

IF

Afternoony all :hello:

slowlyfading

NSD 14 for me today please

silvasava

Managed to snag another 2 NSD's - not feeling quite so despondant about this month now

rising_from_the_ashes

ModestyB wrote: »

I'm very upset and angry tonight. Had to take our poor Star to the emergency vet as she's eaten some leftover food that has made her really ill. The vet said she's got gastroenteritis and she's had to stay there overnight on a drip.:mad::mad::mad:

ModestyB wrote: »

She ate some pork and rice that had been left where it shouldn't by my DGS. His mom is furious with him as am I. We're not sure when she'll be home, if she's any better in the morning, the emergency vet will take her to our usual vets for any other treatment she may need. Otherwise she'll be staying at the EV. I'm going to phone about 10 tonight to see how she's doing.

Ohhhhh Modesty ... hope wee Star's on the mend, poor wee lamb . Kerri hit it on the head as Pork is apparently really bad for dogs (think it's due to the high salt content) and can often cause tummy upsets. Hopefully DGS has learned a valuable lesson ......

freebyfifty wrote: »

Rising – NSD #8 for you. :T Well done. Some months are easier than others but you are doing well so keep going.

You are sooooo right freeby ..... but managed to bag No 9 today.:j Nearly there!

beanielou

Hope pouch is on the mend Modesty.

NSD no 18 today.

donna_dynamo

Hi all NSD 12 today. Trying to sort out wrap around club for DD2 and save some money come september.

stripeyjumpergirl

Hello! NSD 12 caught today x