The Love is in the Air February NSD Challenge

IF

Hiya my No Spendy chums :hello:
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 we ask you to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that Freeby, Spoon, BDINI and Marmite can see them easily when they whizz through the posts - red would be best but they don't really mind as long as they 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!

beanielou

That's a great deal MummyRivett on the chinese.
Sadly it is 18 miles to my nearest so cant justify a trip

You got a great deal on the flowers

Happy Friday all

marmiterulesok

butdoineedit? wrote: »

Half a day tomorrow & i'm free!!!!!! Nice day today, had a bit of a fuddle at lunch (although it did make me mad to see nasty boss eating my homemade fairy cakes :mad:) & got some next vouchers & a bottle of perfume for my leaving present. Have to say though that the only thing that made me feel sad to be going was a lovely hand painted acrd made for me by one of my clients & signed by all the lads on the course.... the one & only tear of my leaving sprang to my eye!! P is such a talented artist too that i am going to frame the card & hang it on the wall & i reckon one day when he's released he'll be famous & i'll have a one off original!!



Thanks marmite! I'm being good now & eating breakfast & evening meal every day (even if they are smaller portions, which isn't necessarily a bad thing!) Have to admit skipping lunch at work sometimes, but i think that's more about how sick just having to be there makes me feel, so promise once i have left tomorrow i will be back to normal (although i guess i'd better not pile on too many pounds or my new size 6 trousers won't fit already!!)

The card sounds lovely.Try to remember the good times.:)I'm glad you're eating regularly!:D

beanielou wrote: »

Bit disorganised at the mo so another one missed today.
But did get a fab new soup mug so pleased with that and also got a couple of Kinder eggs for 10p
So stressed at the mo that my healthy eating is slightly out of the window.
Bah is all.

((hugs))beanie.I hope that whatever is stressing you is resolved pronto.

freebyfifty wrote: »

As it is Friday, it must be time for a wiggle.





Have a great day

Yes please,especially since I've got the weekend off!:jIt doesn't happen often enough...

I'm thrilled to declare today as #4!!

Wishing you all a pleasant weekend.

slowlyfading

NSD 6 for me today

So glad it's Friday :j

Giggles86

I'm claiming NSD #4 so that what ever happens after the scout swimming gala tonight can't turn into a trip to Tesco for wine/beer! I shall be very good and come home and drink squash instead :-)

The_Dragon

Today ended up being #7 - too full of a cold to even WANT to go out (colour chosen as it is the same as my nose :rudolf: anyone :rotfl:)

Candlewick

Evening fellow NSDers :wave:

Well, first the good news. I am home earlier than usual and I have notched up another NSD making 5 and 3 in-a-row.

Now for the bad news.... My washing machine has packed up :mad: - my landlord will try to repair it or get me a new one (he's a very decent guy really but not yet called me back) however that will not me help this weekend unless he's super quick and doesn't have any plans.

My options are (in the event he can't get over here, can't fix it or can't buy a new one tomorrow) are:

• Find my nearest launderette (will cost)
• Take it to my mums on Sunday (free to me but not my parents but that's what parents are for right??)
• Handwash undies and take work clothes to dry cleaners (will cost) or
• Handwash the lot but I need to borrow a mangle

My bathroom currently looks like a chinese laundry as the quilt cover and pillow cases drip dry on the airer over the bath :eek: I don't think they are going to be dry anytime soon.

Looks like tomorrow could be an unexpected spend day. On the upside and unlike my bedding, at least I got home dry tonight

CW

EverTheOptimist

NSD # 3 today. :j:j

First day back at work in nearly 3 weeks as been on leave, so no opportunity to spend.

So nice going in for one day then being off again over the weekend.

flubberyzing

Candlewick, there must be something in the air! My washing machine has just packed up as well! Fortunately I was only washing a few items (but one was a thick fleece), and they are now drip-drying on an airer in the bath!

SIGH.

I was really looking forward to a good long soak in the bath tonight as well.

I also rent, so have just emailed my agents. They are normally pretty on the ball, so hopefully someone will be out to take a look at it in the next few days.

Apart from that, this is NSD5 done!

PennySaving

Evening! I love the Friday wiggles!

I am very happy to report I have made it to NSD 3