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

couldsavemore_2

should be a NSD again will confirm later but have no time for any spending today.


have a happy NSD everyone

FallenArcher

Another NSD for me yday Bringing me up to 6 out of my target of 10. Hopefully I'll achieve it this month!!

lottie3000

Managed number 5 yesterday. half way, half way through the month. I know i'm not going to manage today, tomorrow or Thursday, Saturday or Sunday so hoping for another 2 by the weekend and I'll be happy. I'm being quite strict on what I regard as a NSD and apart from DD's out of the joint account I am including everything even if money has already been set aside for it. This challenge definitely makes a difference to my bank balance and savings pots at the end of the month. Thanks to all involved I feel very supported with this forum

heartbreak_star

Yay! Another one today, making my total 4 NSDs for the month

HBS x

solventsoon

Hi everyone :wave:

Just a flying visit today... I'm having computer problems and may not be able to do an update tonight, apologies in advance.

Happy Tuesday everyone and fingers crossed for lots of NSDs.

x

rising_from_the_ashes

No 7 today .... boy, they're hard to come by this month!:o

Snowing here .... and it's lying :eek:

I hate snow .... bah humbug:o

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!

flowerofscotland

Yesterday (Monday) was NSD#9 for me but today isn't.
I got a call from a friend yesterday evening and arranged to meet for lunch - our different work schedules and locations mean we don't get to do this very often so didn't want to say no. It was my turn to pay for lunch (only in local coffee shop so not expensive). I told my friend about this challenge and as she is getting married in September she is also keen to save the pennies so we were discussing where we could eat a home made lunch. It will be easier in the summer (assuming we get one this year of course) as we can go to the park. We may have to have an indoor picnic in the car until the weather improves :rotfl:

Anyway am now determined to achieve NSD tomorrow and Thursday

Thanks for keeping track of all our small but effective triumphs

WantToBeSE

Sazzie23 wrote: »

WTBSE Good luck with the job app, dunno how many council jobs you have applied for, but I might be able to offer a few tips if it might help?

Thanks Sazzie-any tips would be really appreciated please

butdoineedit? wrote: »

WanttobeSE & Flubberyzing, good luck with the job hunting!!

Thanks butdoineedit another interview tomorrow, so fingers crossed!!

marmiterulesok wrote: »

WantToBeSE well done,you've nabbed # 7!:j:jGood luck with the job application

Thanks Marmite



So, another NSD here today, so i think its NSD #8

coolcats

12 NSD for me only 3 to go and the target has been beaten. Hoping this weekend that will be.
I could have a spending day soon, no snow yet but watching the weather just incase. I will need to stock up on milk and bread if we do. We don't get much but when we do the stocks take time to come back to the town. Local shops have a buying limit for both. Also a nasty hill to walk down and up.

Also friday or after I have an order to pick up for oldest. School uniform almost been out grown and as its all logoed we have to order it from the shop. Had new in sept as well, costing a fortune. I'm just hopefully it can be passed on to younger ones.

Had the bill for clubs for the term. They are good at waiting for the money so plan to pay the uniform and clubs money on what will be a spending day, save them all up.