The Awesome August NSD Challenge

IF

Septembers NSD thread - Click here

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!

beanielou

red~enjoy the wedding

Last one of the month today and target exceeded :j

Learning2Budget

Would love to say i achieved my NSD. But i bought a stamp when i went and bought my daughters lunchbox, although i did buy stamp with the change from lunchbox. So didn't actually spend any of my money. However i feel deep down in my heart of hearts that i could have avoided the stamp. Lol. So i won't be claiming. So will just try harder next month. L2B.x

OutofDebt-NOT-OutofDanger

No 27 today.

Last day of work today - hoping to find something decent soon though. Already had one interview so fingers crossed.

BDINI - Have a great holiday (try not to miss us too much:p)

RED - Will you be living up to your name?

Now to see how well I can do in September (where has the year gone????)

OodNood

freebyfifty

Good morning


Welcome to the last update of the month. Haven't we done brilliantly :j


Well done to everyone for capturing that last NSD

Beanielou – Well done on getting that last one :T and exceeding your target. :j I’ve given you your prizes, you’ve got a full house :j

Fae – Well done on getting that last one in. :T NSD #16 is a brilliant number, it’s over half the month. :j

Ifwishes – A brilliant end with NSD #17. :T Your prize is waiting.:j

Marmite – NSD #25 is a brilliant number for the month. :T Well done you. :j If you’re looking for rain there is plenty of it in Scotland at the moment :mad:

Oodnood – Wow. NSD #27. :j That’s excellent. :T Good luck with the job hubt, I hope you find something really soon.:)

Slowlyfading – An excellent finish with NSD #15 for you.:j Well done. :T :eek:To work on Monday.

Spoony – Well done spoony on all those NSDs. :j Getting up to NSD #25 is brilliant.:T



And hello to

Bottleofred- Enjoy the wedding I hope you have a fantastic time :T and avoid too much of a hangover

Kerri – Kitkats are always worth losing an NSD for.:rotfl:

Learning2 – Gosh you are strict with yourself over the NSDs. :T Well done for your dedication :T but I would have been very tempted to call yesterday a NSD.:o

freebyfifty

Good Morning (again)

Firstly I have to apologise for not being around for a couple of days and neglecting my duties :o:o Life kinda got in the way for a while there :mad:

I have updated the front page and I hope I have got everything right. It looks brilliant, we are all :A.

I ended the month on NSD #28 :T which I am astounded at. My bank balance is definitely showing the benefits of sticking to my budgets carefully


I'll keep checking back to make sure I get everyone on the front page correct.


Have a great day

Learning2Budget

Lol Freebie .....if i give myself an inch then i'll take a mile!!! Lots of stuff coming up that requires mega strict budget! But thank you. L2B.x

freebyfifty

Just updated the front page with some extra prizes for everyone who tried hard this month.
Just because you don't reach your target doesn't mean you don't deserve a little prize

beanielou

Thankyou Freeby for all your hard work in August and a massive well done on an awesome number of NSD's in August :j :j :j

Fae

Awww thank you for my prize

Fae