May the NSD Force Be With You - May NSD Challenge

HeadAboveWater

solventsoon wrote: »

Pleasure.. I'm just plain nosey and like to see what everyone's been up to

Why do you think I joined MSE in the first place?!?!? :rotfl: Only joking!!!

solventsoon wrote: »

Of course you will......... kick up the bum required?:D

Ummmm.... maybe... Debating about the stuff I seen in TK Maxx yesterday. Well, the jeans just, not so much the bag. We all know how difficult it is to get jeans to fit! Will only try them on....

solventsoon wrote: »

You're not doing too bad yourself :T

Says you!!!

IF

Morning all :hello:

I now have my 7th NSD

Thank you Freeby, Spoon, Marmite, Cheryl and Sazzie
IF…x

EverTheOptimist wrote: »

Well it turns out the cramps on Friday were contractions. :rotfl: AND....
Our beautiful baby boy arrived on Saturday morning. he is gorgeous and tiny and I love him to bits. And has kept us quite busy over the last few days. But I wouldn't change a thing.

Thank you for thinking of me and wishing me well.

AND baby ETO has helped me nab a couple more NSD's. :rotfl:

Awww congratulations from me too ETO :beer:

wildcherry

NSD#8 for me and I'm really happy with how I am getting on this month!
Really hope I will get to my target!

fedupandskint

NSD 14 today

Went to the dentist and paid for the check up - but - I claim the money back from my cashback plan so no need to stop my NSD plan! I was told I do a great job looking after my toothypegs too, especially since I downbranded on my toothpaste too.

Should get another one tomorrow too as its food shop day but the food budget money is already in my purse

ETO - Congrats on your new arrival!

freebyfifty

ETO

How wonderful, many, many congratulations. :j :j :j :j

Now we have a NSD baby :T:T:T

kerri_gt

fedupandskint wrote: »

NSD 14 today

Went to the dentist and paid for the check up - but - I claim the money back from my cashback plan so no need to stop my NSD plan! I was told I do a great job looking after my toothypegs too, especially since I downbranded on my toothpaste too.

Should get another one tomorrow too as its food shop day but the food budget money is already in my purse

ETO - Congrats on your new arrival!

My hygienist told me that all toothpaste really is, is lubricant for brushing, with a bit of detergent and some minty flavour. It's the brushing / flossing that counts (although she did hand me some free samples after that :rotfl:)

Well I'm a little bit :mad: today. Knew we needed milk but not counted as it's an essential in this house. However OH advised we also needed bread, now this was on my list for tomorrow when I planned to shop anyway - but I caved and bought some at lunchtime thinking he wanted some with his dinner...and he hasn't :mad::mad: (although i did have a slice with jam when I got home from work - so old skool). I'm half torn between declaring today as a NSD still, as bread was on my list for tomorrow and we had not a crumb in, but on the other hand, that doesn't stick with my rules and feels a bit like cheating

On the up side, FINALLY got some sun here this evening :j

beanielou

So no 12 today.
Have a car so did buy petrol but that is out of petrol budget.

getting-there-slowly

NSD 9 has been captured the tenth one maybe a bit more elusive!

cw18

Well, I'm going to start with HUGE congratulations to ETO. Not only up to NSD #9, but also a new baby boy



Beanie – #12 is brilliant :T
Fedup – #14 already!! you're within a whisker of target now :T
Gettingthere – and #9 means you're only 1 away from double figures and target :T
If – #7 is brilliant. well done :T
Spyder – congrats on #10 from yesterday :T
Wildcherry – and #8 takes you to more than half way to target :T


I managed #7 yesterday :T
But today was a D/Debit day (council tax), so I went out and grabbed some bread and a pizza for my tea.



another quiet night for me to pull together.....

IF

Hiya all :hello:
Could we please 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!