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

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!

moneypenny2k

Beanie and Marmite Hope you're feeling better today

EverTheOptimist wrote: »

Morning everyone

Unfortunately another spendy day today but popping in so I can keep up with the thread, it's moving so quickly.

Plan for today

Up and blitz the house, go food shopping, get petrol, come back for lunch, go to the cinema, pop and see the folks then relax.

What a day.

(And hoping to get some lovely birthday pressies along the way!!:D )

Have a good day everyone.

:bdaycake:Happy birthday Evertheoptimist, you share your birthday with my grandson :D I'm sure you're every bit as wonderful as he is

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Happy Birthday EverTheOptimist! Have a wonderful day!

So today will be NSD #5

Can i ask- do you all work out your budgets at the start of every month/day/payday and then withdraw the cash you need until the next month/day/payday?
I am thinking of doing this, so that i then dont have to touch my bank account in between (apart from moving money into savings accounts).
Trying to think of any drawbacks to doing this, but cant really think of any, so i'll give it a go i think!!

I do all my DDs and SOs on Microsoft Money, so I can keep an eye on my cash flow, then I have a set amount that I get out of the bank on a Friday, that is for groceries, petrol and anything else spendy that I need, when that's gone it's gone till next Friday. I agree it's about working out what works for you.

I also empty all my small change in a pot every day, keeping only £3 in coins in my purse as a float, then every so often I use the money in the pot to pay off something extra from one of the credit cards. That makes me think twice about raiding the pots.

Candlewick wrote: »

Morning everyone, hope you are well.

A very busy day yesterday and didn't even have chance to log on and was exhausted by the time I went to bed.

I am finally able to declare DAY 2 NSD. Day 6 of no smoking today and am feeling much better. £39 saved so far and that's just on the ciggies.

Have a good day.

CW

Well done Candlewick, very proud of you. I need to borrow your willpower as I need to lose the stone that I've put on since I hurt my knee in August, it's starting to affect my mobility So pass us over a bucket of willpower will ya? :rotfl:


Well I'm declaring NSD 3 today as I won't be going out, having a last quiet day before the mayhem of school tomorrow:eek::eek: Oh boy am I dreading it, thought I'd managed to get back to a reasonable getting up time but didn't wake up till 11am today. Tomorrow is going to be hell on legs :rotfl:

Have a good one all

rising_from_the_ashes

No 3 today please ..... not going anywhere near a shop & managing to resist online temptation!:D

EverTheOptimist

Thank you for the birthday wishes everyone. You are all :A. xx

Well so far, have got petrol, been food shopping for the week, picked up my new maternity tankini for my spa day on Tuesday. bought a birthday gift for mum for Friday. Had lunch... now about to start the housework and waiting for the darts to start!!!

Then cinema and to my folks for a birthday tea.

Sounds busier than it has felt.

And i got a birthday phone call from hubby in Afghan, which has made my day and he even managed to get a present to me. He's such an :A

Hope everyone's enjoying their day.

Giggles86

I did my shopping yesterday so today is NSD #2 doesn't feel like I'm being very successful so far though I'm having an afternoon of making soup so I don't need to make lunches for work for the next couple of weeks

babes21

Ooh I need to start doing these again!! This forum really spurred me on and helped me keep track last time around.

beanielou

EverTheOptimist ~Enjoy your day
Yah for your hubby getting a pressie to you :j
When are you due?

fedupandskint

Get in! A NSD today making it NSD 3 today!

-daydreamer-

I'm hoping for another NSD today, as I don't plan on leaving the house, but i'll update later just in case...

Happy Birthday EverTheOptimist!!! Hope you have an amazing day!! _party_

Well done on meeting your target Dizzie Lizzie! Here's hoping you surpass it... :T

Candlewick- Congratulations on still not smoking and the NSD, well done!

and a very big thankyou to Freebyfifty for all the hard work you put into updating everything! I do appreciate it!

donna_dynamo

Hi all another 3 NSDs for me since last time i posted that maked it 6 NSD's for the month so far and 6 out of 6 on the days.:j:j. Got DD1 new shoes yesterday and thought it would be a spendy day but my dad has given me the money so i didn't spend anything. Been making the most of what we have round the house been exercising with the wii game i had for christmas and eating whats in the freezer and cupboards and not going to the shop every day and buying extras.