The Love is in the Air February NSD Challenge

couldsavemore_2

yesterday was a NSD so first of the month. 1/20

today however was a spend day shopping trip plus lunch out for a treat. tomorrow need to do the grocery shop..

hope everyone is having a good weekend

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!

purple.sarah

Put me down for 15. 5 in a row.

beanielou

dizzie lizzie~that is just really fantastic news :j :j
Hope you buy yourself a wee treat

dizzy_lizzie

beanielou wrote: »

dizzie lizzie~that is just really fantastic news :j :j
Hope you buy yourself a wee treat

Thanks beanie OHs job is a little bit unsure at the moment. He's an engineer and they've lost a big order due to the current climate so it's going in the savings if worst case scenario happens.
Mind you a wee treat wouldn't hurt would it
x

kerri_gt

Congrats on the PPI Dizzy Lizzie - great news :j we're still waiting to hear back from a well known cc company - submitted claim in Sept and still haven't actually got an outcome nor any of the confirmation letters they keep saying they are going to send....:mad:

Officially declaring NSD #2 - going to log off soon as temptation of online shopping is nagging - esp for new underwear, and my fav store is in the US with a rather hefty shipping rate :eek:

dizzy_lizzie

kerri_gt wrote: »

Congrats on the PPI Dizzy Lizzie - great news :j we're still waiting to hear back from a well known cc company - submitted claim in Sept and still haven't actually got an outcome nor any of the confirmation letters they keep saying they are going to send....:mad:

Thanks kerri. Hope you hear something soon. That does seem a long time to be waiting to hear from them. Maybe give them a ring on Monday and ask them were they are up to with it all and mention getting in touch with the Financial Ombudsman. Might chivvy it along a bit quicker.
x

Candlewick

kerri_gt wrote: »

Officially declaring NSD #2 - going to log off soon as temptation of online shopping is nagging - esp for new underwear, and my fav store is in the US with a rather hefty shipping rate :eek:

Kerri, if that's VS you are talking about, you are aware they have opened two branches over here? one in Bond Street the other at Westfield. I shouldn't be encouraging you but you could at least save on the shipping!!

I too am a big fan :-)

CW

MissE001

Too pleased with myself to wait until tomorrow to report my 1st NSD today! :j

Been tempted a couple of times but kept remembering that I'm aiming for 10 this month. Won't have any more until at least next Saturday - haircut tomorrow then need to buy my meals every night next week.....at least it's planned though

kerri_gt

Candlewick wrote: »

Kerri, if that's VS you are talking about, you are aware they have opened two branches over here? one in Bond Street the other at Westfield. I shouldn't be encouraging you but you could at least save on the shipping!!

I too am a big fan :-)

CW

I wish it was, it's actually Aerie - which isn't a super expensive brand there but I've bought a couple of pieces from them before so know the size / style and what their sizing is like. Unfortunately one of the bra's I got from there longer ago than I care to admit is really on it's last legs, it's got a great little inbuilt hook to make it racerback without having to cross the straps over which I never really find comfortable.