Go TEAM GB July NSD Challenge

rising_from_the_ashes

Yup, me too!

Are you watching it now - totally unknown guy leading Nadal - it really is a great match!

LondonGirl252

Hi all,

It's been ages! I haven't thought about NSD's since about March! I had horrid exams and fell off the face of the forum! Hope all are OK!

I would offer to do one of the updates but Im not the most reliable at the moment and wouldnt want to let anyone down

So, exams done and life somewhat back to normal! Therefore I'd like to get stuck in this month! Can I please have a target of 10.

Thanks all for running the thread

LG

solventsoon

beanielou wrote: »

Good to see you Spoony :wave:

Thank you beanie, you too. It's good to be back

butdoineedit? wrote: »

Welocme back Spoon, so good to see you!!

Thanks BDINI, you too:D You seem to be having some interesting times at the moment, hope you're OK? :A

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Spoon great to see you,

Thanks rising, you too:D Hope Maisie is well?

butdoineedit?

solventsoon wrote: »

Thanks BDINI, you too:D You seem to be having some interesting times at the moment, hope you're OK? :A

Aww thanks Spoon, yeah i'm fine, i just have to keep reminding myself that dealing with other people's stress might be tiring, but at least it's not mine!!!!
Hope things have quietened down for you a bit? x

lotti379

Darn my internet connection! :mad:

As I was saying... Hope everyone is well and welcome back to spoon! I have also fallen off the face of MSE these past six months but I need to get my a*se back in gear and save some pennies as... drum roll please... I'm moving in September! I have a new job, in a new area, a whole fresh start!! All that work for the Masters degree paid off in the end...

And on that note, I would like to set an initial target of 10 NSDs please!

Thank you to everyone who does the updates and puts the thread together, do give me a shout if you need an update doing... it might help me stay on track and posting!

IF

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

If thanks for the fab pics, they do make me smile every day

This made me smile today, click on arrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw

marmiterulesok

ifwisheswerehorses... wrote: »

This made me smile today, click on arrow

The best yet!I hope the dog got a treat afterwards.

rising_from_the_ashes

solventsoon wrote: »

Thanks rising, you too:D Hope Maisie is well?

Touch wood, she's fine :j - she was really unwell a couple of weeks ago (and has done her best to bankrupt me this month as I've had her spay op @ £200 and the vets when she was unwell @ £100).

New vets are excellent tho':D and an added plus is that they're a lot cheaper than the old ones :j

emslovesmickey

I think my post has been overlooked? I'm not on the front page. I've set a target of 15 again.

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!