The Mad March NSD Challenge

Candlewick

Evening :wave:

After finally finishing all my housework yesterday, I had a lovely afternoon and meal with my family.

Freeby, you seemed to be as busy as me yesterday morning :eek:

Today has been an unexpected spend day due to more work related expenses. I might have to give some thought to changing this rule because that was my only spend today.

I think I may have to go food shopping tomorrow as I am now running low on everything but will see what time I finish work and whether I can push myself for another day or two.

I found a fiver on the way home from work and have decided when I do go food shopping I will spend it on cat food and donate it to the local cat rescue shelter. I would get no enjoyment from spending it on myself thinking some old dear or someone really desperate for money had lost it so will put it to good use.

Now for the e-b*y news ....... :jI have 3 watchers on one item and one bid :j, nothing on the other two but I'm not greedy and will be patient.

I have updated my signature by an extra smoke free day because my figure didn't tally to my quit smoking calculator and I would hate to deprive myself of it.

Marmite, my cat seems all better. I am back to having to open my front door carefully.

I see I have missed lots on needing updaters (note to self, must read through posts more carefully) so am happy to be on the reserve list should anyone not be able to do it.

Enjoy your evening.

CW

cw18

managed to resist the lure of Amaz0n today (a couple of bits I'm waiting to order when I have a spend day), so I'm now on NSD #6 :T

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, Marmite, Cheryl and Sazzie 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!

marmiterulesok

Good evening everyone!:wave:

Monday’s here again!At least Friday is one day closer...I hope you’ve all had a good day.

Anyway,here’s the update:

Well done to:

Armchairexpert that’s great,# 3 in the bag!:j:j:jPlease don’t throw inthe towel,that way disaster doth lie and you’ll also get a kick up the wotsit from yours truly!You can do it!:D

Beanie well done,you’ve bagged #11!:j:j:jGlad you had a good time with your friend.

BigMummaF brilliant,you’ve nabbed #7!:j:j:jSounds like you all had a lovely meal.

chrisico that’s fab,# 5 bagged and halfway there!:j:j:jPlease take care not to injure yourself again.:)

cw18 well done on reaching # 4 and # 5!:j:j:jAnd a sneaky #6!:beer:

flowerofscotland that’s # 5 in the bag,great!:j:j:j

Emslovesmickey well done on nabbing #8!:j:j:jHope your crafting projects go well.

EverTheOptimist that's great,you've nabbed # 5!:j:j:jGood luck for the rest of the week.:)

flubberyzing great stuff,you've got # 7!:j:j:jHope things start going more smoothly for you at work.Like you say,it might take a wee while.I'm sure you'll 'sort them out'!

HeadAboveWater well done,you’ve reached # 2!:j:j:jYou won’t be stuck for long!

Jelly Biactol that’s # 8 nabbed,brilliant stuff!:j:j:j

Karenccs67 wow,# 4 caught very firmly,well done!:j:j:j

kerry gt brilliant,you've reached # 6!:j:j:jBrr to boot camp,glad it's not me out there!:eek:

mad scientist well done,you've got # 6 and halfway there!:j:j:j

ModestyB great stuff,well done on nabbing # 4to 7!:j:j:j

slowlyfading that's great,you've bagged #7!:j:j:j

The Dragon well done on reaching # 9!:j:j:j

Wildcherry well done on getting # 5!:j:j:jStay warm-we’re in for a cold spell again!

Hi to:

candlewick hope the ebay sales bear fruit.I'm glad that kitty seems fully recovered.:)

PennySaving good luck getting more nsds in the week!:)

Sazzie23 hope that you feel better soon.(((hugs)))

The Boss you'll get one very soon I'll bet!:D

And little,old marmite has nabbed # 9 and my 6 in a row!:j:j:jI am mucho pleased.Tomorrow will be a spend day,then I think I'm going to try another 6 in a row.:D

Have a good week folks!

marmiterulesok

cw18 wrote: »

managed to resist the lure of Amaz0n today (a couple of bits I'm waiting to order when I have a spend day), so I'm now on NSD #6 :T

I've done the same and am holding out until tomorrow-maybe!:)

Nargleblast

Good evening NSD gang!

Have fallen right off NSD bandwagon I'm afraid, but will try and get at least a few NSDs this month.

kerri_gt

Nargleblast wrote: »

Good evening NSD gang!

Have fallen right off NSD bandwagon I'm afraid, but will try and get at least a few NSDs this month.

Oh well...at least you haven't fallen into Igor's cauldron of doom :eek:

March seems to be a funny month. We've got past the excitement of Xmas, and the Jan feeling of tightening the belt (or for some of us just the belt being tighter :rotfl:) and the Sales for anyone who partakes. Feb seems to be another one where we all manage to be frugal(er) - it's bearable as it's a short month. Then March hits and it seems to be wham, lots of car expenses for folks, plus seems to be 101 other 'necessary' spends the have crept up on us. Not sure if it's something to do with the change of the seasons or just a conscious / subconscious rebellion against the prev two months. It's a bit like the urge to suddenly cook hearty stews come October

cw18

kerri_gt wrote: »

Then March hits and it seems to be wham, lots of car expenses for folks

Tell me about it !!!

An unscheduled spend of £123 on a new exhaust for me last Monday, and today OH's car went into the garage to have an oil leak looked at. Turns out it's the head gasket, and to sort that they have to remove the engine so he's looking at a bill of £700 :eek: Plus his front pads and disks apparently need doing in the next couple of months at an extra £400 That's the refurb of his bathroom put on the back burner for a considerable time

Lucky for him that I don't expect expensive presents, days out and holidays :beer:

charleybear

charleybear - woop indeed to NSD no 4, that’s very well-earned with all that resisting you did today.. keep it up!

Thanks that is really lovely, although I'm afraid to say that today I spent a little bit of money on almost the last birthday presents for my boyfriend. There is only 1 thing that is needed to finish off his birthday presents... A pack of millions sweets. Then and only then will it be complete.

hopefully then things will ease up about spending.
I have to start watching my bank account now which is really a good thing. Hoping to put a bit away in my savings after I get paid (29th March)

freebyfifty

Good Morning

The front page is up to date again.


Have a brilliant Tuesday everyone