The Spend Free September NSD Challenge

IF

Evening :hello:

Got my 15th NSD thank you :A

freebyfifty

Good Morning


Just a small update this morning


Well done to everyone who captured another NSD


Beanielou – NSD #19 for you. :T That’s a brilliant number, well done.:j

Dragon – Well done on getting NSD #20. :T Hope you are feeling better today, let everyone give you some much needed t.l.c. :A

Ifwishes – NSD #15 all done and dusted.:T Well done. :T I love you wiggly stick men.:)

Loubelle83 – Woop woop. :j Well done on making your target of NSD #10. :T See you in October

ModestyB – NSD #10 and target reached. :j That’s brilliant, well done. :T

Nargle – Another glorious one making NSD #14 :j in the bag. Well done. :T

Penny73 – NSD #10 for you.:T Well done.:T Hope you mange to squeeze in another one.:)

And hello to

BDINI - I only have one thing to say ..........Good Luck. Good Luck. Good Luck, well that's three things but you know what I mean :rotfl:

Flubbery – Have a fantastic birthday and a fantastic meal. :j Spoil yourself rotten, we only get the chance once a year.:rotfl:

JCG – The new job sounds great and you should have every confidence in yourself. :j They chose you remember, :A

freebyfifty

NSD #28 for me yesterday :T

I have decided I am not going anywhere today so I have no temptation to spend The cupboards are fully stocked, everything is paid so there is no need for me to go out. Now I just need to convince the part of my brain that wants to spend, spend, spend that this is a good idea


Have a great Saturday

brokemedic

freebyfifty wrote: »

NSD #28 for me yesterday :T

I have decided I am not going anywhere today so I have no temptation to spend The cupboards are fully stocked, everything is paid so there is no need for me to go out. Now I just need to convince the part of my brain that wants to spend, spend, spend that this is a good idea


Have a great Saturday

Wow, Double Wow;);) How did you manage 28 NSDs if you don't mind me asking??You must have so much self-control lol... I only have to walk past a chocolate bar and my brain starts thinking "I want that" lol..:D

Anyway, I am reporting 12 NSDs as I am going out today and tmrw. My target was 15 for the month so I am a little disappointed in myself but am going to think of it as a practice run for October.. have already signed up lol..

brokemedic

freebyfifty

brokemedic wrote: »

Wow, Double Wow;);) How did you manage 28 NSDs if you don't mind me asking??You must have so much self-control lol... I only have to walk past a chocolate bar and my brain starts thinking "I want that" lol..:D

Anyway, I am reporting 12 NSDs as I am going out today and tmrw. My target was 15 for the month so I am a little disappointed in myself but am going to think of it as a practice run for October.. have already signed up lol..

brokemedic

Thank you, but it's really not as impressive as it sounds.

I have a weekly budget. This is for groceries, diesel and all the other little incidental stuff that adds up (yesterday was the McMillan biggest coffee morning thing) If I am under budget or staying within my budget I class it as an NSD, if I am over then it's not and it won't be until I get to my new budget day (Saturday)
That NSD total just means I have stayed within my budget for the whole month
It is definitely helping me manage my money better and letting me live my life which, in the end, is what its all about


And don't be disappointed with your NSD total. 12 is a fantastic number to get and you're bound to have saved money from when you weren't an MSE'ver. Every NSD is a good NSD!!!!!!!

beanielou

Feel your pain freeby , I have a great desire to go & look for boots.
I do need some but need to do some reseach first & set a budget.
To avoid this I intend to stay at home in Pj's all day.

solventsoon

Morning everyone :wave:

BDINI - good luck from me too and well done for having the confidence to go ahead with it. He'll get what he deserves eventually

freeby - well done to your fabby NSD total :T:T Hope you manage to resist the temptation today

beanie - happy researching, hope you find just the boots at just the right price

Nargle - "wazzock"... I haven't heard that for years, love it :rotfl::rotfl:


Before I forget, which is becoming a recurrent theme with me , I'm now at 25 NSDs so my second target is conquered :j:j:j:j:j:j I think I'm happy about that

Today will be no 26 and another lovely cake prize :j:j
Like beanie and freeby, I'm staying in .... researching not boots but curtains

Have a good day everyone

kerri_gt

Minor miracle happened yesterday in the form of NSD #9 - think that's going to be my lot this month, can't beleive i haven't even made it into double figures. I guess that's what happens when work is so busy you fail to be a organised as usual. Some good news this morning with some unexpected extra pennies arriving though - not life changing but a nice little lift. Which reminds me, must check lotto is on for later

IF

Hi all :hello;

Declaring early my 16th NSD thank you :A

IF

Link to October's NSD challenge - 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 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!