The Love is in the Air February NSD Challenge

coolcats

12 NSD for me and a few days left to go, hopefully I can do it

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!

Candlewick

Morning :wave:

Day 18 for me today and am currently on 5-in-a-row so Freeby can I please increase my targets to 20 and my in-a-row to 7? I think Wednesday will be a spend day as I am supposed to be going out after work.

I am about to start preparing and cooking a couple of meals and lunches for this week (I am having dinner at my parents today) as my evening meal planning is still haphazard.

Jelly, I think it might have been your post that finally encouraged me to look into e-B*ay. I know when I wrote yesterday's message I said I had only listed the one item but I ended up putting on two others a bit later on!! I am a firm believer that if you haven't used something for 6 months then you don't need it but of course s*ds law has been known to come into play on occasions. :eek:

Spoon & Freeby, thanks for updating.

Have a lovely Sunday.

CW

Nargleblast

Am going to be a bit sneaky today and count today as another NSD. I have written out a cheque for DS school trip, but will not count it today as he won't hand it in until tomorrow (obviously, today being Sunday!) - and I already have a coupe of planned spends for tomorrow anyway.

So, drum roll etc......there are now 11 of my NSDs in the cauldron of Doom!!!!

Candlewick

Nargleblast wrote: »

Am going to be a bit sneaky today and count today as another NSD. I have written out a cheque for DS school trip, but will not count it today as he won't hand it in until tomorrow (obviously, today being Sunday!) - and I already have a coupe of planned spends for tomorrow anyway.

Nargle, I don't think that's cheating at all. You are only getting organised for tomorrow!!

CW

Jelly_Biactol

Candlewick wrote: »

Jelly, I think it might have been your post that finally encouraged me to look into e-B*ay. I know when I wrote yesterday's message I said I had only listed the one item but I ended up putting on two others a bit later on!! I am a firm believer that if you haven't used something for 6 months then you don't need it but of course s*ds law has been known to come into play on occasions. :eek:

Let us know how you get on with your first fleabay sales - I hope they go well for you:).
And if you sell something that you find you need in the future, you can always buy another one off fleabay - with any luck it'll cost less than the original one you sold:rotfl:

ModestyB

NSD 13 today, spent far too much yesterday. My 'in a row' challenge has not come to fruition this month, best I've done is 3.

Sending hugs and best wishes to all our poorly NSD friends and their families. Hope everything turns out well for everyone.

fedupandskint

I'm happy to declare a NSD 14 making it a NSD weekend!

Debtbusterintraining

Refusing to spend today so 5/9 NSDswith only 4 days to go I'm feeling the pressure!

karenccs67

#11 NSD today :T