May the NSD Force Be With You - May NSD Challenge

MissE001

Thanks for the new thread freeby - love the prizes for May, they're just lovely

I've got DD's birthday, a couple of nights out and a haircut to budget for in May. Think I'll aim for 15 and see how that works out for me :A

Thanks to all the lovely updaters and fellow NSDers who keep us all motivated :money:

IF

Big Thank you to Freeby for doing May's NSD thread xx




Special thank you to Spoon, Marmite, Cheryl and Sazzie who do the updates, you are stars too :A

Could you put me down for 17 NSD's please :beer:

Thank you
IF...x

The_Dragon

Can I go for my usual starter of 10 and 6 in a row! :eek:

EverTheOptimist

Afternoon all.

Thanks freeby for the new thread. Thank you to all the updaters too. It definitely keeps me focused.

I am only going for 10 for May. Although I'm hoping a combination of hopefully giving birth soonish and not needing to go out anywhere might mean I can increase my target during the month.

rogueylawyer

I have (just about) achieved my target for April, but there was a point of seriously falling off the wagon, and I have spent more than double last month's 'pin money', just on lunchtime food and rubbish.

So this month I would like to challenge myself to 15 NSDs , narrowing my own definition a little.

Thank you to everyone who keeps this thread going, and all of us on the straight and narrow!

zenshi

I'm going to have a stab at 20 NSD

ModestyB

Thank you Freeby for the new thread. Plus all our lovely updaters. :T:T:T:T

I'm just going for 10 nsds this month, what with DD's, DIL's and my own birthdays plus daytrips and celebrations and theatre going I might be lucky to reach that.
I won't try for in-a-row as I've been f...f....f....flippin' hopeless lately at them.

Welcome to all our newbies. Good luck in reaching your targets.

Xandersmum

Can I try 10 NSDs please!

I have fallen into a terrible habit of popping to the shops on the school run that needs to be stopped!

busybumblebee

Hi all
I'm brand new to the forums this week and this challenge looks fantabulous! Can I join you lovely people this month please? It's a first try and I've wrote a rough plan for the month of when I'm doing things, so I'm going to be brave and go straight for 10 this month please? I look forward to joining in the fun :-)

IF

Hiya my No Spendy chums :hello:
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!