The Love is in the Air February NSD Challenge

positivelypurple

Reporting with NSDs# 7,8 & 9. I think, I've sort of lost track so may have reported one of those twice. I will go back and double-check my figures later on today. Just rushing out the door to the next event - ballet. Hope all are well!

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!

HeadAboveWater

Hmmmmm didn't do so good at the weekend unfortunately!

Saturday was a spendy day. Seeing as we weren't 'doing' valentines, I said I would cook a nice dinner for OH on Saturday night. Had got a recipe for a bacon and thyme sauce (OMG YUMMY!!) and asked what meat he wanted with it. He said steak. But butchers steak not Tescos!! Called in on my way to mums to get the meat, and spotted 2 rump steaks for £4.99. Great deal. But already had sirloin in my head. They were huge. Decided I'd splash out and get the 2 sirloins (OH always pays for dinner if we're out so my turn to treat!). It was almost £11 for the 2 steaks :eek: Weight was just over half a kilo so roughly about 10oz per steak.
Verdict? Worth every penny!! Soooooo tasy. Cooked to perfection. And melted in the mouth. Sauce turned out perfect too!

Sunday I was doing well with not spending, but girls were having a bit of a :eek::mad::( few days, so took them to Portstewart for a coffee/hot chocolate to take their mind off things. As usual I paid for the coffees (although loyalty card was nearly full so got one free! ) Stopped off at Tesco's on way home and got pizzas, although OH paid for them.

Figure it'll be a spendy day yet again for me but gonna have to try to keep it to a minimum :)

Hope everyone has a fab week

EDIT:
Oh! Managed to not spend money at lunch time so I'm actually getting my NSD after all

That's 7/12

MissE001

Well, that's me back from my lovely, relaxing long weekend with my mum, my DD and my sisters.....huge thanks to my lovely folks for paying for it for our Christmas :j

Just spent the last wee while catching up - I've missed you while I've been away!

BDINI - so sorry for your loss. Hope the job goes well today....

I only managed 1 NSD this weekend.....so nearly had NSD yesterday but DD "needed" a bag of chips from the best chippy is Scotland (apparently). It felt a bit mean to not let her have £1.75 just so I could catch another NSD - can't believe how much I struggled with the decision though. I'm definitely addicted now! :rotfl:

So, running total is #6 / 10

Spendy day required today (petrol and shopping) but got a good feeling that my target is in sight

wildcherry

I was hoping today would be a NSD but went over my food budget again this week!! Not a happy bunny! That's two weeks in a row that has happened. Still, I am doing quite well at sticking to my other cash budget. I took money out on the first of the month and am doing very well and eeking it out. This week will every penny will be spent but I don't mind too much as have dance this evening and am getting my nails done on Friday. I figure I've got to have some treats!!

I hope tomorrow will be a NSD. Will keep you posted....

PennySaving

Hi Everyone,
So sorry BDINI to read about the loss of you Nan. You have my heartfelt sympathies.
We have been the house of sick since Friday which has resulted in 2 NSDs though, making my total 7 NSDs for February so far. I am really hoping to get a few more in the bag this week to try and achieve my target of 12.

Jonesy88

Another NSD, i'm sooo close to my target!

NSD 14/15 and 6 in-a-row :j

flowerofscotland

Yesterday was

NSD # 7 and today is also looking good.

When I set my target I should have noticed the 2 hospital appointments that result in spending on what would otherwise be NSDs - car parking charges are unavoidable (even with a blue badge) and when one of appointments is a fasting one I can't refuse DH the customary coffee and biscuit afterwards

Basically to achieve my target I can only spend on 2 days before the end of the month - wish me luck

ModestyB

butdoineedit? wrote: »

Sorry i've been awol recently, but i think i may have to just give up this month, i had some really bad news on Tuesday when my mum rang to say my gran had been found dead.

It's been a really sad time for all of us, but it's not helped by the fact that none of my family like or speak to each other, so i have to play go between all the time, so that has left me feeling totally exhausted, & also very hurt that they care so little for my feelings that they would put me in this position.

Anyhow, with all the things needing sorting & paying for, i have totally lost track of my NSD, so may just hang around & chat for the rest of this month if that's ok?

Was planning to catch up with the thread, but i feel shattered, so ((((((((((((((big hugs)))))))))))))) to anyone who needs them, i'm going to head off to bed & get ready for my big day tomorrow.... first day of my new job, a small chink of light peeping from behind the big dark cloud!!

Oh my dear, I'm so very sorry for your loss. It's heartbreaking enough without other people being so selfcentred and putting it all on you. ((((Hugs)))).

Hope your first day has been a good one and they understand your being upset.

ModestyB

NSD 10 today.

Hugs to all who need one.