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

HeadAboveWater

NSD #6 for me today

Was in TK Maxx and 'spent' £13.50, but it was on a gift card which doesn't count!

The_Dragon

Claiming #13 please Freeby (and Igor NOT the Horseradish root!)

dizzy_lizzie

Hi everyone. I'm still at 9
Had a few spendy days but I'm still doing the challenge.
Well done to everyone achieving their nsds
x

MummyRivett

Today is 12 NSD for me, I haven't spent anything, infact I've been a slave to my desk today at work.

purple.sarah

NSD 8. 5 in a row!

Nargleblast

Tomorrow is set to be a mini-spendy day, as the Ringtons chappie is due to restock us with teabags. However, more NSDs have been sighted in the distance (..when you've finished the digging, Igor....)

(Igor! When I said book some music and Scottish dancers for the entertainment on Burns Night, you must remember the NSD gang are a refined and edificated bunch. They will not be amused with what you have booked! Honestly, you think people actually find entertainment in watching The McFlinging Jocks do unmentionable things with their sporrans, whilst Hamish plays The Stripper on the bagpipes???)

katholicos

Spoony, thanks so much for the encouragement :cheers:

Today has been NSD number 11 :yay:

ModestyB

:j:j:jModestyB - NSD no 10 added to the pot now and safely into double figures, that’s brilliant. Make sure you don’t cross your toes as well, you’ll fall over:rotfl:


Don't worry Spoony, I only do that when I'm safely sitting down! :rotfl:

Freeby, Spoony and everyone else. Thank you for the updates, I don't know how you manage. There's so many of us now, imagine if the thread grows this much over the year. :eek::eek::eek:

NSD 11 today as I haven't even been out with the dogs.

EverTheOptimist

Thank you to all the updaters and to free for keeping on top of the first page, wow what a job.

Declaring NSD #9 my colleague went to the shop but i resisted giving her any pennies for anything.

Might go off the boil a bit now as hubby is now due home from Afghan tomorrow instead of Friday. :j:j:j Can't wait, but it might put a stop to NSD's and cause an increase in spending but i'll do my best. But i am happy to be heading into the 15th with 9 NSD's.

Hope everyone is enjoying the snow. I dont mind whilst we have the small splattering we have but have made myself a bit phobic of driving it in.

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!