The Love is in the Air February NSD Challenge

Candlewick

Morning

I have woken up feeling under the weather today so won't be going out. I think it's probably lack of sleep and stressing out over work which has been exceptionally busy the last few weeks due to shortage of staff for various reasons and our financial year coming to a close soon. Hopefully things will calm down a bit after that and then I am going to take a couple of well earned days off to recharge my batteries.

Day 12 for me today.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

CW

fedupandskint

I am happy to declare that today is NSD 7!

armchairexpert

NSD8, although I had to go stir-crazy at home with little ones today to achieve it! I am yet to find a single place to take children when the weather's unfriendly that doesn't require the outlay of dosh.

IF

Afternoon all :hello:

Got my 8th NSD

Thank you Freeby, Spoon, BDINI and Marmite
IF…x

Jonesy88

NSD 12 for me :j

Ebay sale netted a lovely £3.06

jaxsmar

quick update 9 NSD's :cool:

solventsoon

Hello everyone :wave:

I hope you all have some of this beautiful weather, it's like Spring here today:j:j:j:j

Just a quick visit to declare NSD no 12a yesterday and NSD no 14 today... I will not spend any money today and, to make sure that I don't, I'm borrowing someone's idea of changing my signature now (can't remember who it was, sorry:o, but a great idea:T:T).

Back later to catch up with all you lovely people

wildcherry

Just signing in quick to say this has been a NSD so its NSD#8 for me today!!
Very pleased!

couldsavemore_2

well after a bright start I've developed an awful cold and ha e been sneezing all day ive just been asleep for two hours so hoping i may feel a tad better. the only good thing about it is I've not celt well enough to go out shopping so another NSD for me no. 11/20

not been able to do much but have hoovered the car out, so annoying such a waste of the weekend.

going to start the ironing shouldn't be too strenuous must make a cup of tea first

take care everyone

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!