The Remember Remember NSD November Challenge

WantToBeSE

Morning!

NSD #20 today Only another 5 to go until i hit my target

In regards to Christmas- this will be our 1st MSE style Christmas, and have done the whole thing for approx £500. I know this seems a lot to some, but compared to my orevious years (£500 each for the kids :eek:...i am embarassed to even admit it! ), its much smaller.
I have shopped around, and the only thing i bought at full price was my mums leather gloves from M&S, everything else i got reduced/on a glitch/money off etc.

p0lly

Good Morning all hope everyone is safe and well. I just looked out of the window its a stay home day for me and NSD 20

Thanks for the update Freebyfifty I may forget my purse I still need 5 more NSDs to get to my target.
On the subject of christmas. This year in January I wrote to everyone I buy presents for and explained that I would not be buying presents anymore except for the children. I explained it was because of rising costs and that I knew everyone was feeling the pinch.
I was dreading doing it and felt people may have been upset. I was amazed that everyone without exception was relieved by my taking the lead on this and many have copied my letter and done same.
I sent it in January because I also will not be buying birthday presents either and thought I would give everyone plenty of notice.

Have a good day everyone love P0lly x

kerri_gt

morning all. On the subject of Xmas - I guess I do tend to be a little guilty of over-consumerism Xmas was always a special time when I was a kid so i suppose i try and recapture some of that. I prob do spend a little too much on food / buy more than what we really need, although we'll find ourselves eating that packet of breadsticks in July rather than throw them away :rotfl: I am not guilty however of the vast trolly mountains where 4 people in a family each have a fully laden load looking like armageddon is upon us.

Present-wise, as child I was relativly lucky, the age diff between me and DB means I was pretty much an only child in that respect and I'm sure I did get more than many. However, I'm sure I wasn't over indulged like many seem to be these days, I'm genuinely shocked at what one of our friends spends on thier kids, Xbox games, watches, branded clothes, new trainers - you name it, they've got it - incl a 40" tv in their room :eek: I recall that there used to be one 'special' gift that we'd asked for at some stage and our circling of the entire argos catalogue in Oct was usually ignored :rotfl:

When I'm shopping I use codes / discounts / vouchers and deals wherever possible, have a list where I make notes of ideas for gifts (going back to what I actaully bought in 2009) - what I've spent, what i've saved using discounts and Net cost. I try and buy thoughtful gifts for each person and most of the kids in our family get money sent as a) i am not buying 7 xbox games :eek: b) since most live a good distance away it saves on postage costs.

What I can say is that I've never woken up on 1st Jan wondering how I'm going to pay my cc bill because of all the presents / food I've bought over Xmas (although what i've spent in the sales might be another thing :rotfl:)

IF

Morning all :hello:

StressedSteph

Hi, not been back on MSE for long and only just found this thread.

But there are 5 days left in November so I am going to try my best to do 5 NDS's until the end of November.

I will then sign up for the December thread, which will be a VERY tricky one :eek:.

Hope this is ok.

Good luck everyone xx

Nargleblast

Just dropping by to say a fabulous 13 NSDs are now mine!

Re: Christmas spending. I second and third and fourth and ninetysixth what has been said so far. In all the shops it is hard to find cards or decorations with a Nativity theme (although I am more of a pagan, believing in the celebration of the seasons, although I accept someone called Jesus did indeed live around 2000 years or so ago and was a great teacher) and the emphasis seems to be on buy this spend that or your family and friends won't love you.....

We have cut down on Christmas spending over the past few years due to being in debt, and can honestly say it is now more enjoyable because we focus on things that matter, and of course don't live in dread of the January credit card bills ( we no longer have credit cards ). And I am in one of those areas of work which does not close down on 23 December until 3rd January, so I see at first hand that even amidst the seasonal celebrations life still goes on with its fair share of hard knocks and !!!! times for many people.

Here endeth the sermon......let's celebrate the winter solstice/Yuletide/Christmas as a time of being with family and friends and being grateful for what we've got.

donna_dynamo

Hi all NSD 10 today target met:j:j. Must admit ven though i got to target i have overspent already this month and i still have the adults presents to get. Hopefully i can get the rest of the presents in the next couple of weeks before the shops get mega busy.

Fae

Hi,
Not an NSD today needed a few food bits for tea, but very hopeful for tomorrow.

I have been reading the comments about Christmas with interest, as you can see from my signature, I have very much guilty of overspending in the past, esp when it came to Christmas, but started to cut back over the last few years, and had a proper budget this year, and can honestly say this year is proving to be the most relaxed and enjoyable now that I am spending less, and not worrying about the new year CC statements.

Fae

rising_from_the_ashes

StressedSteph wrote: »

But there are 5 days left in November so I am going to try my best to do 5 NDS's until the end of November.

I will then sign up for the December thread, which will be a VERY tricky one :eek:.

Hi Steph, lovely to see you here - the wonderful Freeby will add you to the front page when she's next around


Haven't achieved a lot today but good news is I'm up to No 19

Freeby thanks for my wonderful prizes - front page is looking good!!!:T

lemmings1986

just reporting nsd 6
too cold and miserable to go out