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

Helsbels8080

Good morning everyone

Haven't managed to get on for a few days, back to work and OH insisted I had early nights to try and finish off the 'flu bug' I have hanging around. A bit better today but still coughing and sneezing!

Thankfully I have managed to catch another 2 NSDs - Thursday was NSD #5 and Friday was NSD #6 :j Hoping to catch another one today but not going to report until it's definite.

Happy Saturday all, have fun.

MummyRivett

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.

lurvlyloz

NSD 5/18 yesterday

fedupandskint

NSD 8 for me today as I'm not going out shopping or online shopping either

rising_from_the_ashes

No 5 please .... had to get petrol & pet food but out their budgets & not over (only just on the petrol :eek: I'd forgotten how expensive it is after not needing it for so long!)

beanielou

kezlou~Sorry to read your news.
I was always told would be in wheelchair by 40 & was 50 last year & have avoided as yet.
Take care.

NSD no 12 .
Still feel dire & have not been out for a week.
Bah is all.
How much longer :mad:

coolcats

10 NSD for me doing well only 5 till I get to the target and so much month still left. I can see the target being increased! Its far too wet to go out today, who wants to go out in the rain just to spend money!

cw18

I've all the ingredients needed to make turkey and mushroom (and peas and sweetcorn) risotto, so no groceries needed today :T

The only money I've spent today was on something my OH asked me to check a local shop for, so I'll be reimbursed later when he gets here and it doesn't count as a spend for me

So I'm up to NSD #8 today

Two-thirds of the way to target, and less than half way through the month..... wonder if I can keep this up

WantToBeSE

Hi

FINALLY an NSD here today! So that's NSD #5.
Were up at the crack of dawn this morning, as my son wanted to spend all of his birthday money that the rest of the family had sent him, so we did that, but i didnt spend any money of my own, which is good

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!