We Are Decking the Halls with NSDs December Challenge

chris81418

Hello everyone! :wave:

Checking in to report that I caught NSD number 5 yesterday! :j

marmiterulesok wrote: »

Almost df!:j

How does it feel?:)

beanielou wrote: »

Nearly debt free chris~that must be a great feeling :j

Yes nearly there marmite and beanie . I'm a lil tentative if I'm honest, as I have to fork out for a couple of things this month so I may have to wait an extra payday, and I won't believe it until I 've paid off that final penny! :money:

Have a good weekend everyone and good luck catching those NSDs!

freebyfifty

Good Morning

My turn for the update this morning. Sorry its late

Well done to all those folks who have claimed another NSD

Abundant – An excellent total so far of NSD #5. :T Spend wisely over the next couple of days and then jump right back on the NSD sleigh.:)

BDINI – NSDs #5 & 6 all done and dusted. :T And speaking of done and dusted.....do you need that posse yet?:rotfl:

Beanielou – NSD #6 for you. Well done. :T And I feel your car pain. :eek: Hope the tyres are okay now.:)

Bigmumma – Woop woop to NSD #6 :T and I love your little elf picture. I may have to borrow that one.:)

Blindtoast – Well done on NSD #2 :T but you must have been pretty desperate to watch the muppets.:eek:

Chris81418 – Well done on NSD #4 & 5.:T You are racking them up now. :T Do you ever sleep?????:)

DanielleNic - Well done on NSD #4. :T You are doing great.:)

Kitschkitty – Well done on NSD #3. :T You are doing really well.:)

Liltdiddy – Woo Hoo NSD #[STRIKE]5[/STRIKE] 6 :rotfl: and 4-in-a-row. :T That is brilliant. Well done.:T

Marmite – Well done on collecting NSD #5.:T If I was surrounded by 10 cm of snow I’d be inside eating cake too.:rotfl:

Muffy - There isn’t anything wrong with declaring NSD #2. :T It’s better than none at all and it is a very spendy time of year. Give yourself a pat on the back for even having those two.:T

MummyRivett – NSD #7 and a whole week of not spending. :T That is amazing. Very well done.:T

Nannygladys – Hurrah indeed. :T NSD #5 calls for a hip hip hurrah.:T

P0lly – NSD #5 in the bag. Well done. :T The Christmas food can wait another couple of weeks can’t it?

Rising – Beanielou is a genius. :T NSD #4 in the bag. Woop woop. :T

Slowlyfading – What you on about!!:mad: NSD #3 is an excellent number to have in the bag and if I know you’ll get lots more. Don’t be so hard on yourself.:)

VickyV – Well done on claiming NSD #4 and 3-in-a-row.:T You are doing so well, long may it continue.:)

WantToBeSE – NSD #5 in the bag for you. :T Well done.:)

freebyfifty

Well the front page has been updated and I'd say we a pretty brilliant bunch :T

I managed NSD #7 yesterday and hit my 7-in-a-row target :j
Its not all good news though My car has been written off and I am waiting on the insurance company getting back to me with a settlement price I doubt I'll get very much and how I am supposed to afford another car heaven only knows Luckily my DM has offered me hers until after Christmas as she hardly uses it and I have to get to work but it is only a short term thing I could scream (lots).

Have a great day everyone

rising_from_the_ashes

freebyfifty wrote: »

Its not all good news though My car has been written off and I am waiting on the insurance company getting back to me with a settlement price I doubt I'll get very much and how I am supposed to afford another car heaven only knows Luckily my DM has offered me hers until after Christmas as she hardly uses it and I have to get to work but it is only a short term thing I could scream (lots).

Ohhhhh beep, that's pants freeby Big thumbs up to your DM & really hope the settlement figure is OK and you can get a new one soon

JAMIEDODGER

Yesterday was number 5 and not going to open purse all weekend so hopefully another couple to add on by Sunday evening, fingers crossed!

lemmings1986

hi all, hope everyone is well.
freeby i hope you car your car situation sorted.
just reporting nsd 4 for today and hopefully one tomorrow.

EverTheOptimist

Just popping by to declare NSD # 2 for yesterday.

Will be spending today and hopefully topping up on bits so can spend less next week if I can be bothered to get out of bed!!

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!

WantToBeSE

NSD #6 today

Trying to come up with ideas of what i can do with the kids to keep them occupied.
Now they are 12 and 8, its getting harder to do free/cheap stuff with them. Going to the park doesnt cut it, and free things like the museum/art gallery are a 45min drive away,. so not free/cheap after petrol and parking costs (besides, we have been there loads of times before, and its getting boring for all of us now)!

IF

Morning all :hello:

Got my 4th NSD

Thank you
IF…x