Midsummer NSDness - the June NSD Challenge

IF

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!

IF

Morning all :hello:

I now have my 7th NSD

Thank you freeby, spoon, Marmite, Cheryl and Sazzie
IF

wildcherry

NSD #3 for me today. I really need to catch some NSD's this week to get to my target by the end of the month! :-/

zenshi

NSD 6 for me today

kathy40uk

:hello:

Hiya lovely NSD gang. Well done all on NSDs so far :T

Well I managed to get number 5 yesterday so I am chuffed

Was a strange day though..........got call from my mate at the other hostel, one of their residents had come in with a kitten which she wouldn't have been allowed to keep there and could I help:eek:being the sucker I am where animals are concerned I said yes. Knowing this would be hard as Lara can be 'bolshy' (when I got Lara she was a tiny six month old and has already seen off all the other cats in the neighbourhood who I was scared would bully her once she started going into the garden :rotfl:). So at 9 after work I went up to collect her......poor little thing she is only eight weeks old and had been taken from her mum and siblings that day so was meeowing continually . Had a word with a 'cat' person (I am so much more used to dogs!!) and realised I hadn't really got a 'safe room' where she could get used to me and new surroundings (I'm saying 'she' but I don't know yet; don't like saying 'it' though.............hope she doesn't get a complex if 'she''s a boy:p) So I made up Orphan's old crate (so glad now I haven't had the heart to get rid of it yet) which is big enough for her,bedding, a litter tray, food water and a 'cuddly toy' and 'she' and Lara can get used to each other.............bless, each time 'she' cried Lara ran away!!!Let 'her' out for a wander a few times through the evening and put her in crate overnight and let her wander this morning before I came into work this afternoon, I am not sure if it will work, they are very wary and new kitten seems to growl (and sounds enormous when she does :eek:) then Lara hisses but no 'fisticuffs', Lara still runs away if 'she' cries though......we shall see............so I put 'her' in the crate while I am at work today, at least I have the day off tomorrow so can keep an eye on them ............So many 'holes' to block up and dangers to look out for lol.


Today won't be an NSD as I'm on fumes so was getting petrol anyway but will need to add cat litter (she has shredded paper at the min!!) and think I'll get some kitten milk for her for a bit while she gets used to 'mum' not being there.


Will let you all know how it goes............will probably become neurotic


Keep those NSDs coming, see you all soon


:hello:

azlan

NSD #3 :jfor me yesterday thanks to a migraine - never theought any good could come from one!!!

slowlyfading

NSD 6 for me today

hotspur_pam

Will aim to get 10 NSD between tomorrow and the end of June . My daily spends will include a newspaper though as i must have my fix of tabloid tittle-tattle.

I also have some money on ASDA and Boots giftcards, so if push comes to shove and i need to spend, my aim will be to spend on those and not spend cash or use bank cards.

Cheers :wave:

0/10 NSD

beanielou

Hope the cat & kitten get used to eachother soon kathy.
Not one today as got some bits and bobs.
Must try harder!!

fedupandskint

NSD 8 today