The Autumnal October NSD Challenge

NinjaSavingKat

brokemedic wrote: »

Posting my 6 NSD today and am going to try for 5 in a row this week as managed to get to my target three last week..

bm

Oh I am impressed - this is ace BM well done!!

gien

I really need milk and would usually just pop and pick some up and then do a bigger shop tomorrow. So, instead to get in a NSD I'm panning my week's shopping now and then going this afternoon to get everything in one go.

IF

Afternoon all :hello:

Giggles86

Today will have to be a spendy day as the rabbit is looking mournfully at me as though he knows the last of the bag of food is in his bowl! I also need some more sawdust and might even by him a more exciting treat so he can celebrate my newly acquired job with me. Drinks may also have to be bought tonight to celebrate (though I'm hoping someone else might pay!) Happy Monday all! TTFN

flubberyzing

Going to get in there early and declare today as NSD3!

Been doing some supply teaching of Year 1 in the next town this morning. Thought it would be all day... Turned out to be morning only. Oh well. I do get my mileage paid back though, so it's okay.

Nice class in a nice school though. Plus it's always good to earn some pennies.

mcjordi

spent £9 today

but on other news im not paying for the decoration now. landlord is providing vouchers for B+Q so will only need to buy carpets (3 i think so far) due to getting rewired and kitchen and bathroom in 3 weeks
so any savings from this will pay for them

EverTheOptimist

NSD # 3 today :j

Tomorrow was supposed to be NSD too, but having a work meeting in a local cafe so will have to buy myself a drink. Never Mind.

MuffinTops

I'm hitting NSD 2 today!

Time left for spending is over for me today as I'll soon be jolloping home and once there I do not have to pay an admission fee, so this one is so safely in the bag I've updated my signature to reflect it!

Christi

Popping in to declare NSD2 today. Hoping fo one tomorrow as well and should be ok if my Slimming World subscription is still valid. If not then will need to pay for that.

If tomorrow is a spendy day then Wednesday won't be so should be able to get 3 & 4 in by the end of the week.

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!