May The Force Be With YOU!

NinjaSavingKat

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...........and MAY the odds be ever in your favour!!!

I am entirely ripping off two movie quotes here by the Hunger Games quote is a favourite and I have used in all my challenges. And for a jolly good reason!!!

The odds are YOUR'S to decide - the decision to sink in the mire of debt or dig your claws in and fight back is one only you can make!

Katniss Everdeen used her wits, her knowledge of what was close to her and common sense to stay alive in the Arena. She fought back against the city and won.

We are now entering the 5th MONTH of this year! We have precisely 8 months (including May) until I WILL be debt free and I want as many of you on the ride with me as possible! It's going to be tough, I have spent money where I shouldn't have bothered so the reigns are being pulled tight and I am not going out until New Years Ever....:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

So - YOU need to start fighting back! Fight back against those innate feelings and desires making you want to spend. Join my my "MAY The Force Be With YOU" challenge, join the community of Contenders who now hate spending money and have a slight adverse feeling towards buying something that isn't a yellow sticker..:rotfl:

We are on a long journey, we are friendly (and funny) and take no prisoners. DEBT is the enemy and we are slowly, one by one, fighting back. Through proper minute pre-planning we get through each month with minimal spends (sort of) and we want YOU to join in!

So the rules are simple... have a read through what's below. If it seems like something you want to join in with put your name in and I will allocate you a number...

Good Luck!!

.... this is NOT is a place to be rude, unhelpful, unkind or patronising. Everyone has a different battle, differing circumstances and differing lifestyles. We are here to help each other. If this is too tough for you please move on, don’t leave negative comments. If this seems too much of a “competition” for you then you don’t understand what we are doing - please move on and find something that suits you better.

• This Challenge will commence on 01st May 2013 @ midnight and close on the 31st May 2013 @ midnight.
• You will aim for 21 SFD's..(Spend Free Days). That gives you ten days to plan around...as per usual petrol is excluded along with medication and emergency travel funds - train tickets and petrol. (Again if you manage your entire food purchase on yellow stickers this is an SFD)
• You will check in everyday with whatever you wish to share - highs and lows - we are here to support each other!
• You will create a spreasheet of expenditure for the month. Including bills / rent or mortgage / vehicle spends including petrol / public transport etc. Then include emergency money for "unexpected bills" - Be realistic though! YOU MUST stick to this spreadsheet throughout May!
• Decide NOW how much you want to pay towards debts this month and pay it on the 1st - waiting until the end of the month to "see whats left" will never work.
• Decide what money goes on food - then reduce it by £20. Turn to supermarket own brands, reduced foods, Lidl's / Adli and retrain your tastebuds!
• Finish everything in your freezer and cupboards BEFORE spending any food money. You MAY only spend for essentials..bread, milk, veg and fruit! Until the cupboards are empty NO BULK BUYING.. you will not starve, the zombies aren't coming for you, the world will not flood and the end is not nigh. You do not need three months of meat, bread and cat food. Small purchases, planned and SPECIFIC!
• No eating out, no cafes, no Starbucks, no Costa, no work canteens, no hospital cafes...you shall not buy food out! You do not need to if you PLAN AHEAD!
• Decide now if you wish to have a planned excursion - which generally means something you can't get out of..a birthday, a promised child's outing etc. Otherwise I expect for THIS MONTH ONLY that you are a hermit! Anyone who wants to have a day out with you after the beginning of the month will be politely refused!
• Choose a DFD - a Debt Free Date! You NEED something to aim for - a challenge of your own. You don't need to be as hard on yourself as I am but being willy nilly and non-committal about your debt is not a good idea. Get determined and start planning!

Right that's it. Now who's in???:T

And finally..

***Please add your name on a post only. Comments and budgeting chat will start on the first of the month. Please DO NOT re-post the entire initial thread indicating what you can and can't do - please just leave your name for now to prevent this thread getting to long unnecessarily ***

Now bring it on!

NinjaSavingKat

Reserved for CONTENDERS!

1 = NSK
2 = Wannabee_In_Credit
3 = Living a Good Life
4 = Mrs Toast
5 = StationarySpender
6 = Siouxsie32
7 = Jonesy88
8 = Kaze652
9 = Sarah147
10 = Everhopeful09
11 = JayneTay
12 = Yorkshirelass
13 = AuntyRuby
14 = Abundant1972
15 = 32b3in2013
16 = Snozberry
17 = Matt2389
18 = Trajal
19 = Buffythedebtslayer
20 = Ecodude
21 = Thriftylass
22 = Bmma
23 = Angelpye
24 = His_Missus
25 = Lionheartedgirl
26 = Karmachilovething
27 = Ninno820
28 = BouncyMinky
29 = Learningtobudget
30 = GeorgieBrownO
31 = NannyGladys
32 = Emzilla
33 = ClootiesMum
34 = PurpleJay
35 = CrazyCatLady1
36 = RosieCheeksBlossom

wannabee_in_credit

I'm in again this month please Kat.
I've been absent for a while but raring to take up the challenge. I have 2 important birthdays this month (my hubby and my mother) but they are already bought for. And I have the car service and MOT due at the end of the month so I need to cut everything else back.
Time to get ruthless - I'm chucking an extra £130 at my debts this month.

Living_a_good_life

Im in too Kat - hope the move goes well tomorrow

Love LAGL xx

Mrs_Toast

I'm in again NSK. It's become so addictive even after the first month.

stationeryspender

I'm in as well Kat. Last month's challenge was so good for me. I really appreciate the support of this group. Bring it on!

Siouxsie32

Yip, me too

Jonesy88

I'm in, I'm in, I'm in!

kaze652

I'm in again, April's challange made me really look at my finances off to sort budgets etc out.

Sarah147

Count me in again please

Everhopeful09

I'm in too please! Slowly but surely getting better at these challenges! off to plan got a busy month in May so need to keep costs down! Xx