Shiny New Year, Shiny New Start. The January NSD Challenge

Jelly_Biactol

First day of the shortened NSD Challenge, and no spends today so NSD 1 for me.

And I also found some left-over Euros in a spare holiday wallet and cashed those in this morning, so I'm actually in credit - result :T

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!

Nargleblast

And today makes number 5 NSD in the Cauldron of Doom!

Must send Igor out hunting again tomorrow.

beanielou

Thank You Jelly Biactol for the info.
Havent managed to get it to work.
Will try again tomorrow!

Piquant_2

I have been awol from the thread, really sorry and I'll never catch up with you all now. I've actually achieved 9 NSDs so far. I've had a run up against my 5 in a row, but was let down by very droopy tights, meaning I had to spend two lots of 30p to use a toilet to haul them back up even then they kept sliding down to an area between crotch and knees, most uncomfortable....

suzitiger

Hi Everyone,
Another NSD for me, taking me up to #no.3
Slowly but surely...:j

BigMummaF

Have we missed Burn's Night &/or Chinese New Year :think: I dunnarf fancy a good, old fashioned knees up...must be the snow on the air, getting my nostrils twitching for a plate of eel pie & neeps _pale_


I'm all tucked up & snuggly, only having a mooch about mse before sleeps, so I thought I may as well let you know I've reached double figures today with 10 nsds. ..at last I've found something to help me drift off; I can't count sheep cuz I'm allergic to wool ...last one in turn out the lights please, & make sure the loo door is properly latched or it will clack-clack-clack all night, like it did last Saturday night S'alright for you, but my room's right underneath & it drives me scatty! *turns over, plumps up pillows & turns off lamp, sighing contendedly*

The_Dragon

Burn's Night - 25th January
Chinese New Year 10th February

flowerofscotland

Hi everyone. Some great results here

I would like to report NSD 7 for Wed

Had to spend on Thurs Fri and Sat but nothing that wasn't needed or budgeted and used Boots Advantage points for spends there

Have done weekly food shop and should be ok until Friday and aiming to get the week off to a good start with a NS Sunday

moneypenny2k

MummyRivett wrote: »

Happy Saturday everyone! Yesterday was another NSD for my that means 9 NSDs in total :T

Today we are going to the museum of childhood for my birthday treat, which is free.

I'm really looking forward to it, ive always wanted to go there.

I'm sure you had fun there MummyR, my grandson loves it.

Another NSD today which I believe takes me to 8 Couldn't be bothered to go out, spent the morning marking and the afternoon washing and watching TV. Really need to do some housework but it's not my number one priority at the mo. The glory of living alone lol

Got a cheque for £100 today, will bank that tomorrow and pay it off the credit card next week. I'm on target to have paid off £3k from one card since August and £1000 off another by the end of Jan and Feb respectively. Really starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hugs to those that need them, Hope everyone is having a good weekend