The Marvellous May NSD Challenge

OutofDebt-NOT-OutofDanger

Bought slightly more than was on the shopping list so not declaring NSD today.

On the bright side, shouldn't have to go anywhere near a supermarket for at least 3 weeks:j so aiming for 3 in a row this week instead!

kerri_gt

Evening everyone. I agree that thank goodness today is done with, seemed like the longest Monday ever. Still, I did manage to claim NSD #7 so not all bad :j

Rising - Maisie sounds adorable and very settled in her new home x

Freeby - no great secret to the couponing / bargains. I just make sure the coupons are for things I will actually use, and always check price per gram etc on the shelf. Also when it comes to whoopsies, I try to make sure I only buy itesm that I will actually use. Never be afraid to hand over coupons, and a spot of wombling never goes amiss

Carpy weather here today, really hope the weekend wasn't our summer :eek:

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!

hedgesparrow

I was away for the weekend and it was all spendy (though within budget ) so I am still on numero three. Hope to pick a few up this week.

emslovesmickey

NSD 5! Halfway there!:j

LittleMissHappy_2

Heres todays round up


freeby - well done for NSD 11 :j:j:j I did exactly the same as you today

sf - well done for NSD 8 :j:j:j great going, keep it up

chris - well done for NSD 10 :j:j:j fingers crossed for lots of NSD’s for the rest of the week

Karb - well done for NSD7 :j:j:j fish and chips are definitely worth losing an NSD for

JCG - well done for NSD6 :j:j:j great going, keep it up

silva - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j great going, keep it up

Barbeduk - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j I really felt the cold today too Although when the sun popped out it was quite warm!

rising - well done for NSD 9 :j:j:j and 4 in a row :beer:

if - well done for NSD 8 :j:j:j great going, keep it up

wannabee - well done for NSD 6 :j:j:j great going, keep it up

red - well done for NSD 9 :j:j:j mmmmmmm, chocolate torte - lush

Frodo - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j and 3 in a row :beer:

kerri - well done for NSD 7 :j:j:j agreed, the weather has been shocking today

ems - well done for NSD 5 :j:j:j great going, keep it up

NSD # 8 for me today x

freebyfifty

Good Morning


Pleased to report NSD #12 yesterday. :j

Today is payday :T and I am resisting those past urges to go out and spend and rack up another NSD today. I have paid all the essential bills (which I don't include) and I am determined that will be all

We shall see :o


Have a great Tuesday everyone x x

freebyfifty

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

and I think 4 in a row! (why is it that months I set "in a row" targets - I don't get them ..... & months I don't - I do!:o)

Rising - I put you on the In-a-row page. :j

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh......don't tell anyone

Frodobaggins

Hoping it will be 4 in a row today.

mooomin

Not a NSD for me yesterday as I needed new trainers. Mine have a hole in them which is now whistling when I take a step :rotfl::rotfl: The ones I wanted were normally £85 but I found them for £35 with £1.05 cashback via Quidco and I have £18 coming from Paypal, so they were really a bargain