The Autumnal October NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

Good Morning

Sorry the update is both late and short, I'm a teeny weeny bit hungover :o:o




BDINI – A brilliant NSD #3 in the bag for you. :j Keep your head high hun and things will come right in the end :A

Bottleofred- It’s lovely to have you back Red. :T Good luck with your target of 17 NSDs and well done for being up to NSD #4 already.:T

Brokemedic – Well done on getting up to NSD #5.:T And good luck for your 5-in-a-row challenge.:)

Gien – Welcome, you are on the front page good luck with your target of 10 NSDs :T

Learning2 – An excellent NSD #4 for you. :j Good for you in declaring early. Its all about finding what keeps us motivated.:T

Nargle – Well done on getting to NSD #2. :T They are enjoyed much better if they are 1-kickin and a-screaming. What a really nice message of support for BDINI too. You are an :A

P0lly – Good for you for getting NSD #2 :Tand well done for not going shopping as normal, it helps to break those money spending habits we all have.:T

Spending v – Well done on getting NSD #3. :T I must try the lying down on the floor thing.:rotfl:

Sue09 – Yay you’re off the mark with NSD #1 :T they will come flooding in now.:)

freebyfifty

I managed NSD #6 and 6-in-a-row yesterday :j


I shall be back later to properly catch up with everyone, I'm off for large amounts of coffee and paracetemol :o:o


Watch out for Fireball whisky and apple juice, it's like drinking Christmas but unlike Christmas you aren't prepared for it and it hits you like a train :cool: and leaves you feeling just like that the next day too

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 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!

IF

Morning all :hello:


Got my 3rd NSD thank you :A

mcjordi

can join?

going to go for 7 nsd's from today i may acheive more but lets not bite off more than i can chew yet lol

marmiterulesok

Hi everyone.Back from holiday,but this is just a flying visit,as I still have visitors.I hade a great time away and don't go back to work for a few days still.

Anyway,can I please have a target of 15 for this month please?

I'm already declaring #1 for today,as it's raining,so we're not going out.

Hope you are all well and bagging loads of lovely nsds!

mcjordi

yeah may as well declare 1st NSD im not going anywhere today..

need as many as possible between now and end of february (i need to decoarate the whole house and perhaps 2 new carpets :eek )

gien

You have my sympathy Freebyfifty, although I had to laugh at the christmas comparison!

I'm declaring number 1 NSD, as it's Sunday, all the shops here are shut, so no money spending opportunities.

I've spent the morning doing an inventory of my cupboards and the this afternoon I'm going to do a meal plan so I can minimise spendiness for the next week or more.
Think I'll ask the old stye board for help but off to walk the dog in the rain now!

Fae

I got NSD 4 on Friday and NSD 5 today. Did a bit of Christmas shopping yesterday, so a little bit of spending, but not too much.

Fae

Spending_Vs_Saving

Throwing stick in one hand and dog lead in the other ...sent dog into the bushes to go retrieve the tennis ball....


Out comes NSD number 4 screaming like a banshee :rotfl:

Must go to the cash machine later this evening (preferably after 4pm by which time the shops are shut )