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

Jelly_Biactol

NSD 7 today :j

Congratulations to everyone else, too, on their recent NSDs - keep up the good work :T

moneypenny2k

solventsoon wrote: »

Evening everyone :wave:



:j:j:jmoneypenny - yay to a fabulous NSD no 11, you are indeed almost there with just one more to nab. Yukkk to the snow, I really hope you don’t have to drive in it tomorrow, will keep my fingers crossed for you x :A

Phew.... sorry this is so long :o

Sadly had to go to work but it wasn't a bad day, bought petrol on the way so not a NSD either. Wondering how I'm going to get through to next half term I'm worn out already:(

WantToBeSE

Another NSD today So that makes NSD #9

Had a great day on the hunt for job number 2. I was discussing the fact that i want to become self employed (hence my username) as a cleaner, with my friend last night.
She had mentioned that she was looking for a cleaner, as was her neighbour.
So i popped over and we discussed it at length this afternoon, and it has been agreed that they will happily use my services :T..so now i have to start researching what i have to do to become a sole trader with the HMRC, how to prove that they are paying me, how many hours etc i am doing...if anyone has any ideas, that'd be great.

what a wonderful start to 2013 for me :j

MummyRivett

Looks like today is going to be my 19th NSD I can't believe I'm only one day off target. I'm going to have to up the anti next month.

solventsoon

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Another NSD today So that makes NSD #9

Had a great day on the hunt for job number 2. I was discussing the fact that i want to become self employed (hence my username) as a cleaner, with my friend last night.
She had mentioned that she was looking for a cleaner, as was her neighbour.
So i popped over and we discussed it at length this afternoon, and it has been agreed that they will happily use my services :T..so now i have to start researching what i have to do to become a sole trader with the HMRC, how to prove that they are paying me, how many hours etc i am doing...if anyone has any ideas, that'd be great.

what a wonderful start to 2013 for me :j

Woop woop, well done you!!:j:j

I'll pm you later with some info - been SE for 3 years and there is lots of help available when starting up x

MummyRivett

Just another Whoop for today, £50.17 cash back confirmed from Quidco

I'm going home now to celebrate with Chips and Egg & Miranda.

See you all later on tonight

PennySaving

Evening All,
Happy to report that I now have NSD No. 4 :j
I have been inside all day but back to work tomorrow. DS2's fruit cocktail was delicious! He made me laugh as well when he declared after arriving home from school "I have learnt to wash up now Mum".

WantToBeSE

solventsoon wrote: »

Woop woop, well done you!!:j:j

I'll pm you later with some info - been SE for 3 years and there is lots of help available when starting up x

Thanks so so much!! I dont really know anything about it to be honest, but i have always wanted to be SE, and there's no time like the present-especially when it all comes just at the right time

UnionGirl

No. 6 for me today thanks.

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!