Go TEAM GB July NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

Welcome to the July 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 out there at the moment. 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/3985661

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freebyfifty

Well, if nothing else I'm predictable :rotfl:


Go TEAM GB !!!! Lets see if we can set ourselves a target just a little bit higher than normal. Well - if they can do it - so can we


Bronze Silver Gold Target Exceeded




The NSD Athletes


Abundant – 15/

Badger – 12/12 Target Reached

Beanielou – 16/16 Target Reached Target increased 20/20 Target Reached Target increased 22/22 Target Reached Target exceeded 24/25

Bdini – 15/15 Target Reached

Bottleofred – 17/16

Brummie – 15/1

Chris81418 – 19/

Cuddlymarm – 20/

Deb4 – 12/12 Target Reached Target exceeded 12/20

Debtfree – 12/

Delilahh – 15/15 Target Reached Target exceeded 15/16

Deep in – 10/10 Target Reached Target increased 15/12

Donna d – 15/15 Target Reached

Dragon – 10/10 Target Reached Target increased 15/15 Target Reached Target exceeded 15/16

Emsloves- 15/15 Target Reached Target exceeded 15/18

Fae – 17/17 Target Reached Target exceeded 17/21

Firestronaut – 3/2

Freeby – 18/18 Target Reached Target increased 22/22 Target Reached Target increased 25/25 Target ReachedTarget exceeded 25/27

Frodobaggins – 12/12 Target Reached Target increased 16/16 Target Reached Target exceeded 16/20

HiddenIdentity – 15/4

Hotspur – 7/3

Ifwishes – 17/17 Target Reached

Igamogam – 10/10 Target reached

Iwantto – 10/

Jaffacakegal – 15/4

Kelfen – 6/4

Kerri gt – 12/12 Target ReachedTarget exceeded 12/13

KissyKaren – 11/2

Ladymay – 15/2

Learning2 – 12/12 Target Reached

LMH – 10/

LM Uni-debt – 10/

LondonGirl – 10/3

Lotti379 – 10/5

LunaLady – 12/

Marmite – 16/16 Target Reached Target increased 19/19 Target Reached Target exceeded 19/20

Marshmallow – 4/

Muffin man – 10/5

Munchin – 10/2

ModestyB – 15/8

Mummy2 – 25/4

Natlie – 12/

Nellie77 – 10/4

OML – 10/2

Oodnood – 20/20 Target Reached Target exceeded 20/27

Phoenix – 18/2

Poohbear – 15/13

Pip’s mum – 20/11

Redouble – 10/10 Target Reached Target increased 17/14

Rising – 10/10 Target Reached

Slowlyfading – 16/12

Southernbelle – 20/

Spoony – 22/22 Target Reached Target exceeded 22/24

Squidgy – 15/2

Stripeygirl – 12/12 Target reachedTarget Exceeded 12/20

Wannabee – 15/7

Wouldbe – 4/

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



Abundant - 5-in-a-row
Badger - 3-in-a-row Target Met 4-in-a-row
Beanie - 6-in-a-row
Chris81418 - 6-in-a-row
Debtfree - 3-in-a-row
Deep in - 3-in-a-row Target Met 4-in-a-row 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row 7-in-a-row
Delilahh - 4-in-a-row Target Met
Dragon – 3-in-a-row
Fae - 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row6-in-a-row 7-in-a-row 8-in-a-row 9-in-a-row
Freeby - 5-in-a-row Target Met 6-in-a-row 7-in-a-row 8-in-a-row
Frodobaggins - 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row
LunaLady – 3-in-a-row
Marmite – 4-in-a-row Target Met
OodNood – 5-in-a-row Target Met 6-in-a-row
Redouble - 5-in-a-row Target Met
Rising - 4-in-a-row Target Met
Squidgy - 4-in-a-row
Wannabee – 4-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!

LittleMissHappy_2

Popping on to say I am in I am going for a modest 10 this month as it is a very busy time for me x

Sorry freeby, not sure what to suggest for the piccies not showing - I have never uploaded one before

The_Dragon

Can I start with 10 and three in a row please Freeby?

slowlyfading

Woohoo new thread! :hello: everyone

Can I be put down for 16 NSDs please?

Also, when did it get to July?! :eek::eek:

OutofDebt-NOT-OutofDanger

Hi All,:wave:

Wow, first half of the year already gone:eek::eek:

I'll go straight in for 20 this month with a target of
5 in a row.

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 :beer:

Deb4

Hi All

Can you put me down for 12 for July

Deb

natlie

I will put in for 12 please I jsut had a tin of value baked beans for lunch - going to look at the canned foods website to see if I can do anything more interesting for lunch tomorrow