The Mad March NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

Welcome to the March No Spend Day (NSD) thread!!

We are a happy (and some might say mildly insane) bunch doing battle with those retailers - and there’s plenty of temptation out there at the moment. We are seriously committed to saving money, but nobody said it can't be done with a smile on your face - so we organise riotous nights out and gatecrash any function going - all without leaving the comfort of our own imaginations or armchairs!

On a slightly more serious note, we are here to help each other avoid spending for the number of days we feel we can manage to try to take back some control over our hard-earned money. What you class as a "spend'" is entirely your choice; some people will try to shop on the days DD/SO etc are paid, whilst others will not include essentials such as rent. Have a look for a post from our sponsor (and godmother of this challenge) BigMummaF, this contains some guidelines and ideas for starting you off on the challenge.

It’s amazing how inventive you get when you’re determined NOT to spend - from weird menu ingredients to surprising DIY solutions - but you know what? 99% of the time those wacky ideas work.


Link to last month's challenge is below so any newcomers can see what we get up to (hmmmmm... on second thoughts, that might put you off...)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4411719


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freebyfifty

The year is marching on (get it :rotfl:) and our thoughts move from love to chocolate....but I'm sure that's not the true meaning of Easter :rotfl: Anyway, not only are we all as mad as March Hares we are all chocolate lovers, so I did my best to combine the two


1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 3rd Target Met
Target Exceeded


The Challengers

Amyc92- 5/
Armchair – 15/5
Baileys – 8/8 Target Met 2nd Target Met 10/10 3nd Target Reached 12/12 Target Exceeded 16/17
Beanielou – 15/15 Target Met 2nd Target Met 19/19 3rd Target Reached 22/22Target Exceeded 22/23
Bigmumma – 14/14 Target Met Target Exceeded 14/21
Bmma – 4/
BritAbroad – 15/10
Bt1 – 20/11
Candlewick – 15/14
Charleybear – 10/10 Target Met 2nd Target Met 15/15
Chrisico – 10/10 Target Met 2nd Target Met 15/15
Compliment – 10/
Couldsave – 20/4
Cuteas – 15/1
Cw18 –12/12 Target met 2nd Target Met 16/16 Target Exceeded 16/19
Debtbuster – 9/8
Debtfreefuture – 15/8
Delilahh –12/8
Donna d – 14/13
Dragon – 10/10 Target Met 2nd Target met 15/15 3rd Target Reached 20/20
Emloves – 15/15 Target Met 2nd Target Met 20/20Target Exceeded 20/23
Evertheoptimist – 12/12 Target MetTarget Exceeded 12/15
Fallenarcher - 10/2
Fancynancy – 12/5
Fedup – 17/17 Target Reached 2nd Target Reached 20/20 3rd Target Reached 22/22Target Exceeded 22/23
Flowerofscotland – 10/10 Target Met 2nd Target Reached 14/14 3rd Target Reached 16/16
Flubbery – 15/15 Target Met target Exceeded 15/16
Freeby – 20/20 Target Met 2nd Target Reached 24/24 3rd Target Met 26/26 Target Exceeded 26/30
Frugalsmurf – 5/
Greenanne – 10/1
Headabove – 12/8
If – 17/17 Target Met
Inthedeep – 6/1
Jaxsmar – 13/13 Target Met
Jelly biactol –15/13
Karenccs – 14/7
Katholicos – 18/5
Kerri –15/15 Target MetTarget Exceeded 15/17
Kittiej – 25/7
Lindsloo – 20/8
Lioness – 14/2
Lottie3000 – 8/1
Mad scientist – 12/12 Target Met 2nd Target Met 16/16 Target Exceeded 16/17
Mammyof4 – 16/
Marmite – 15/15 Target Met 2nd Target Met 18/18
MissE – 15/15 Target Met
ModestyB – 12/12 Target Met 2nd Target Met 15/15 Target Exceeded 15/21
Motoko – 15/8
Mrs Cautious – 10/10 Target Met Target Exceeded 10/14
Nargle – 12/9
New leaf – 10/10 Target Met Target Exceeded 10/12
Pennysaving – 12/12 Target Met Target Exceeded 12/13
Poohbear – 18/16
Positivelypurple – 15/5
Purplemum – 10/4
Sazdaz – 15/
Sazzie – 18/16
Slowlyfading – 18/13
Spoony – 20/20 Target Met Target Exceeded 20/27
The Boss – 11/11 Target met Target Exceeded 11/17
Tomandjerry –15/6
Wildcherry – 20/14

freebyfifty

Reserved for prizes and challengers

freebyfifty

This is for anyone who wants to set themselves a target for a number of NSDs in a row. We had some impressive numbers on this over the past few months so if anyone would like to have a go at this, I'll add you here

The In-a-Rowers

Armchair - 3-in-a-Row Target Met
Baileys - 3-in-a-Row Target Met
Bt1- 7-in-a-Row
Candlewick - 5-in-a-Row
Charleybear - 5-in-a-Row
Compliments - 3-in-a-Row
Couldsave - 5-in-a-Row
Delilahh - 3-in-a-Row Target Met
Dragon - 5-in-a-Row Target Met 6-in-a-Row
Freeby - 5-in-a-Row Target Met 6-in-a-Row
Greenanne - 3-in-a-Row
Jaxsmar - 3-in-a-Row
Jelly B - 5-in-a-Row
Lindsloo - 4-in-a-Row Target Met 5-in-a-Row
Marmite - 5-in-a-Row Target Met 6-in-a-Row
ModestyB - 5-in-a-Row Target Met 6-in-a-Row 7-in-a-Row 10-in-a-Row
New Leaf - 3-in-a-Row Target Met 4-in-a-Row 5-in-a-Row
Pooh Bear - 5-in-a-Row
Purplemum - 3-in-a-Row
Sazzie - 4-in-a-Row Target Met

freebyfifty

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!

The_Dragon

Usual starter for 10 and only 5 in a row this time please

emslovesmickey

Setting myself up for the usual 15 please

Nargleblast

Will try for 12 in March please!

Will be away for a week looking after Dad (his op is on Wednesday and I will travel down Sunday, coming back the following Sunday) so will not be around much but will try and keep a tally of NSDs ready to amaze you all when I get back.

cw18

Sign me up for 12 again please

katholicos

Hello all, could i please join the March NSD challenge for 18 days again. Many thanks!

Candlewick

Hello Freeby

I would like to join this challenge again if I may? After a successful February for me, I have worked out my possible NSDs to be about 15 and 5 in-a-row. That's taking into account 1 birthday celebration lunch and 1 leaver's lunch (two celebration lunches as far as I am concerned, the lazy mare ), Mother's day, Easter and d/ds.

Thank you.

CW