Go TEAM GB July NSD Challenge

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!

Nellie77

Hi I am a long time browser of the site but this is my first time posting/participating in a challenge. Can you please put me down for 10 NSD.

Thanks

marmiterulesok

:wave: Just a wee hello to all the newbies:

Southern belle
Pips Mum-good luck on the job front!
Organisingmylife
Little Miss Uni Debt and
Nellie77

and welcome back brummiebabe!

Getting an nsd is as addictive as spending (used to be).:D

PS Hope I've not missed anyone.

beanielou

Hello gang

16 NSD for me & 6 in a row.

Good to see you Spoony :wave:

Thank you to those of you who do all the hard work~so appreciated :j
Thanks IF for cheering me up every day.

beanielou

WElcome to our lovely thread organising my life & welcome to MSE.

butdoineedit?

Welocme back Spoon, so good to see you!!

& a big hello :hello: to all the newbies, welcome to the challenge, it's a great (if slightly crazy at times!) place to be!!

I'll go for 15 again please Freeby, although i'm really skint & hoping i can beat this!!

IF

beanielou wrote: »

Hello gang

16 NSD for me & 6 in a row.

Good to see you Spoony :wave:

Thank you to those of you who do all the hard work~so appreciated :j
Thanks IF for cheering me up every day.

Your welcome beanie

emslovesmickey

I'd like to join in this month and set my initial target for 15 please

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhhhhhh I really want those prizes this month ........ I was almost tempted to cheat & set a low target just so I can work my way up!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

However, I really shouldn't have said that, as you will all think I am cheating now as I'm going for a low one to start with anyway as I'm on hols from tomorrow lunchtime:j - so ........ 10 please

Spoon great to see you, If thanks for the fab pics, they do make me smile every day and LMH, Freeby & BDIDI for the updates - you are all :A:A:T:T

Happy to help out with the odd update if needed - would need to be a morning for me (as I do tend to be an early to bed person) & either a Sat or Sun as weekdays are just too crammed in the am's (so would that be Fri & Sat's updates)?

Only still up now as watching Wimbledon!:)

beanielou

Was pleased to see Andrew Murray won Rising :j