May the NSD Force Be With You - May NSD Challenge

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!

slowlyfading

Please put me down for 18 NSDs

Nargleblast

And straight from a triumphant achievement of the April challenge......must finalise arangements for May 1st shindig. All offers of food and drink gratefully received, just hide it from Hubert or he'll snaffle the lot.....new maypole up and well, not running, but standing there and waiting for Igor to finish tying all the ribbons on it.
BigMumma - Igor read your post about getting some "gangnam" for the bunting....and is now, between tying ribbons and stirring the turnip whisky, practising his "gangnam-style" maypole dance....trouble is, Hubert insists on wearing the stiletto heels he shoplifted last year (all four pairs of them) and consequently his imitation of a bloke riding a horse round a maypole is enough to give us all nightmares.....then, of course, Igor's on about Star Wars day on the 4th and is trying to shabby-chic the dustbin into an R2D2 costume....methinks May is going to be Mayhem month!

Thank goodness we have the NSD challenge to keep us sane.....

mad_scientist

How did it get to be nearly May already? :eek: Where does the year go?

I would like to join back in for May again please with a target of 15 NSDs. I am loving the flowery prizes so will definitely be getting myself one of those!

Thanks to freeby for starting us off again and to all the lovely updaters :A

rogueylawyer

BigMummaF wrote: »

Hi RL; just wondered if you'd spotted THIS Challenge that runs on the Boards too? It may help with work/school related grubstuff & there's a fair few threads with lots of lucious lunch ideas; if you'd like them, give us a shout & I'll post the links for you.

Hi MummaF, I have seen it but I am terrible at organising. I am going to go and get the soup out of the freezer to defrost right away, now you've reminded me!

freebyfifty

So far

there are

28

of us signed up for the May NSD Challenge

:T:T:T:T:T

karens42

Can I join in please and in for16 NSD for May, hoping to make NSD more a habit rather than an occasion x

The_Boss

Is there a thread for small spend days or can this be used?

My target would be 22, with a small spend being less than £5.

donna_dynamo

Hi all can i join in again like to try for 10 NSD's for this month. Been a bit short of my target for the last few months but i have lowered it with the idea i can get to target and then exceed it.

Motoko_2

Good Morning,

Please can you put me down for15 NSD.

I'm determind to crack 15 of the little blighters!

Happy Tuesday everyone:)