The Love is in the Air February 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!

DanielleNic87

Evening :wave:

I have now missed 2 NSD threads and need to get my act together. Please can you put me down for 15 NSD's this month please?

OutofDebt-NOT-OutofDanger

Bit late joining this month, but please put me down for 20 NSDs and 10 in a row.

Declaring NSD #1 for today.

kerri_gt

Yeah, great news about the consumer group Cheryl - just let us know when the new oven arrives and we'll all be over for tea

I was wondering whether to carry on with this challenge after doing it for 2 1/2 years :eek: Basically boot camp is keeping me out of the shops 3 /5 day when I'm working now and spends at lunchtime were a key reason I joined. I also keep a little notebook in my bag to keep my shopping (as well as to-do) lists and make notes of things as a I think of them. The two days I am in town I often split between what end I need to go to for what's on my list (which I've also had a chance to review by that point). BUT I do still tend to think in the NSD mindset (esp when online) so count me in for a target of 12 NSD in Feb.

I think giving myself a little leeway is going to help me feel better about the challenge again - I'd say boot camp is good for the :money: but given the payment I'm not so sure :eek: still, next one thankfully isn't due until next pay day so I should really use the amount this month towards paying towards debt:A

Oh. btw, today was NSD # 1

Jelly_Biactol

NSD 1 today, let's start as we mean to go on :j:j:j

solventsoon

Hello everyone :wave:

Welcome to everyone who has joined/re-joined today :wave:

Great news about the consumer group and new oven Cheryl :T:T

marmite - I'm not to keen on the kick up the wotsit either, bring back the kippers I say :rotfl:

And.. to avoid said kick up the wotsit I'm declaring NSD no 1 today, getting February off to a good start:D

Well done everyone for the NSDs nabbed today:T:j:T:j, that's a great start to February let's keep it going :j:j

freebyfifty

Good Morning

I am going to take the easy way out for the update this morning and just say


Well done to everyone who captured their first NSD on the first day of the month :j:j It's always great to get that first one under your belt.

and to everyone else

Don't worry, there are still loads more to be had. Stay focused and they'll soon be adding up.



Please check the front pages to make sure I have got your numbers right :cool: Let me know if there are any mistakes

freebyfifty

So far

There are

82

of us taking part in the February NSD challenge

and we have collected

12 NSDs

(but lots more to come)

:T:T:T:T

Candlewick

Morning everyone

It's lovely and sunny in London (well my part) but there is a chill in the air.

I am declaring today as my 1st NSD of the month. It's very tricky for me at the beginning of the month as I have d/ds going out over the first few days, another on the 19th and I won't forget my subscription this month although I am thinking about cancelling this for a while as I didn't even log on last month so a complete waste of £13 really.

Anything that leaves my bank account or is charged to my c/c (including work expenses even though I get them back) are all classed as spend days. However, I have been given a gift card as a thank you for a favour I did someone a few months ago and I'm not sure whether to include this as a spend ...... um will give that some thought. Strangely, I find it easier not spending any money at the weekends as opposed to during the week.

After another extremely busy week at work I am going to spend the day catching up on housework and then try and meal plan for the week. I have improved with my lunches but evening meals are still a nightmare.

Have a lovely Saturday.

BTW Freeby, do you listen to Radio 2? I ask because I noticed on Thursday you referred to it as Friday eve and I often hear a certain Mr Evans refer to Thursday the same!!

CW

freebyfifty

Candlewick wrote: »

BTW Freeby, do you listen to Radio 2? I ask because I noticed on Thursday you referred to it as Friday eve and I often hear a certain Mr Evans refer to Thursday the same!!

CW

:rotfl:I love Chris Evans in the morning. Apart from when he blethers on about the pots of cash he's got :mad: