The Jubilant June NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

Welcome to the June No Spend Day (NSD) thread!!

We are a happy (and some might say mildly insane) bunch doing battle with those retailers - and there’s plenty of temptation at the moment with all the sales on. We are seriously committed to saving money, but nobody said it can't be done with a smile on your face - so we organise riotous nights out and gatecrash any function going - all without leaving the comfort of our own imaginations or armchairs!

On a slightly more serious note, we are here to help each other avoid spending for the number of days we feel we can manage to try to take back some control over our hard-earned money. What you class as a "spend'" is entirely your choice; some people will try to shop on the days DD/SO etc are paid, whilst others will not include essentials such as rent. Have a look for a post from our sponsor (and godmother of this challenge) BigMummaF, this contains some guidelines and ideas for starting you off on the challenge.

It’s amazing how inventive you get when you’re determined NOT to spend - from weird menu ingredients to surprising DIY solutions - but you know what? 99% of the time those wacky ideas work.

Here are some threads to help keep us on the straight and narrow, if you know of others, please post.

Tinned Food Recipes.
Leftovers? Don’t Throw It..
Exciting Sandwich Fillings on a Budget.
Lunch for Work.
Laptop Lunchbox Ideas.
Packed Lunches.
Cheap Healthy Snacks
Cheap Snack Ideas to Stop Buying Crisps.
Homemade Snack Ideas…contains further links for ideas.
Sprouting Seeds to Eat.
Really Quick & Alternative Snacks.
Easy Homemade Biscuits.
Muesli & Cereal Bar Recipes.
Weetabix Cake.
HM Popcorn.
Smoothie Recipes.
Yoghurt Without a Yoghurt Maker.
Ham Economics.
Low Carb Kids Lunches...contains advice for diabetics.
Kids Lunch Box Ideas.
Back to School Lunches.
Healthy Kids Snacks.
HM Lollies.
Ice Lolly Ideas
Cheap Healthy Playground Snacks.
Homemade Fudge.
OS HM Sweets.
Forgotten Puddings.
Making chocolates or sweets

Link to last month's challenge is below so any newcomers can see what we get up to (hmmmmm... on second thoughts, that might put you off...)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3932527

freebyfifty

We can only hope that June is going to stay hot and sunny the way May ended. The prizes this month are to help us all cool down and relax.



1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 3rd Target Met


Target Exceeded




The Challengees........



Badger – 6/6 Target met Target increased 10/10 Target Met Target exceeded 10/11

Barbeduk – 10/6 Well done

Beanielou – 15/15 Target Met Target exceeded 15/21

Bdini – 15/15 Target Met

Beadgirl87 – 10/10 Target Met

Bottleofred – 15/15 Target met Target exceeded 15/16

Deb4 – 15/14 Well done

Debtfree – 10/10 Target met

Deep in – 8/8 Target Met Target increased 12/12 Target met Target exceeded 12/13

Delilahh – 14/12 Well done

Donna d - 10/10 Target Met Target increased 12/12 Target met Target exceeded

Dragon – 10/10 Target Met Target increased 15/15 Target met

Emsloves- 15/15 Target Met Target increased 20/20 Target met

Freeby – 15/15 Target Met Target increased 19/19 Target met Target increased 22/22 Target met 22/24 Target exceeded

Frodobaggins – 12/12 Target met Target exceeded 12/13


Ifwishes – 17/17 Target met

Igamogam – 10/10 Target met

Jaffacakegal – 12/12 Target met

Karb – 15/8 Well done

Kelfen – 5/4 Well done

Kerri gt – 14/14 Target met Target exceeded 14/17

Ladymay – 12/12 Target met Target exceeded 12/13

Learning2 – 12/11 Well done

LMH – 12/12 Target Met

LunaLady – 7/7 Target Met Target increased 10/8

Magni – 10/9 Well done

Marmite – 16/16 Target met Target exceeded 16/17

ModestyB – 15/12 Well done


Munchin – 8/8 Target Met Target exceeded 8/12

Nargle – 12/11 Well done


Oodnood – 16/16 Target Met Target increased 21/21 Target Met Target exceeded 21/23

Phoenix – 20/16 Well done

Poohbear – 10/2 Well done

Rising – 16/16 Target Met

Silvasava – 14/9 Well done

Slowlyfading – 16/16 Target met

Stripeygirl – 12/12 Target Met Target exceeded 12/14

Suzitiger – 15/7 Well done

Welsh – 8/2 Well done

925pws – 6/2 Well done

freebyfifty

This is for anyone who wants to set themselves a target for a number of NSDs in a row. We had some impressive numbers on this over the past few months so if anyone would like to have a go at this, I'll add you here


badger - 3-in-a-row Target Met 4-in-a-row
beanielou - 6-in-a-row Target Met 7-in-a-row 8-in-a-row
Deb4 – 3-in-a-row Target Met
Delilahh - 4-in-a-row
Dragon – 3-in-a-row Target Met4-in-a-row
Freeby – 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row
Frodobaggins – 4-in-a-row Target Met
Greenanne - 4-in-a-row
Learning2budget – 3-in-a-row
Magni – 4-in-a-row
Marmite – 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row
Muffin man – 5-in-a-row
OodNood – 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row 7-in-a-row
Suzitiger – 3-in-a-row Target Met 4-in-a-row 5-in-a-row
Welsh - 3-in-a-row

freebyfifty

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 thefirst 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!

rising_from_the_ashes

:j lovely shiny new thread!

Can't believe we'll be into June by the end of the week :eek: - I know DM said the years go by quicker as we get older but .......:eek:

Now - need another low spend month (still trying to cover after April:o) but it's a short month ....... 16 please ladies:D

IF

Big Thank you to Freeby for doing this months NSD thread xx



Thanks to LMH and BDINI too for the updates xx

Could you put me down for 17 NSD's please

marmiterulesok

I can't believe it's almost June.I'm just getting used to it not being April...

I have a week's holiday in June,but am boldly going to try for #16 please (but hopefully exceed it) and my usual 4-in-a-row.

Thank you so much freeby,LMH and bdini for all your hard work.

kerri_gt

love this months prizes Freeby - lets hope we need some real ones in June too.

Can you put me down for my usual 14 NSD please. Not quite sure how the month will pan out so watch this space.

Learning2Budget

12 NSD for me please and maybe just 3 in a row.x

LunaLady

Can I join in - this will be my first thread.

I will start with 7 as a target. I am going on holiday next week so I think that will mean 7 days of spending before the month has really started

Nargleblast

Good evening and well done Freeby for the fab prizes, just what we need! My June target will be 12 NSDs.

We haven't had many NSD gang outings so far this year, so how about we all do something for the summer solstice? Igor has offered to set up a barbecue at Stonehenge, but don't let that put you off, a few jars of home brew and you'll eat anything! And I am sure we could get a band together between us to provide some suitable music for dancing. We will have to keep a close eye on Hubert. though, because although last year's Midsummer celebration is a bit of a blur, I still recall something about Hubert, the altar stone, and Igor with a rope and a long knife. Was that the year the Tardis landed just in time with a police squad? Anyway, I am sure we can make the party a nice, genteel and classy celebration this year. Champers and strawberries, anyone?