Midsummer NSDness - the June NSD Challenge

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!

freebyfifty

So far

there are

16

of us signed up to take part in the June NSD Challenge

:T:T:T:T:T

freebyfifty

smithy81 wrote: »

I would love to join this it will be my first one so if I can do 7 NSD please I can see if I can increase it next month.

hanb wrote: »

*gulp* here goes! My first attempt! Can I go for 7 NSD please? I don't want to go too easy on myself first time round but don't want to set an unrealistic target! I CAN DO THIS

Welcome to both of you, you will be addicted to this brilliant challenge in no time at all.

Remember to come back and keep us up to date on how you are getting on. We will soon cheer you on or give you a kick up the behind
You will not come across a nicer or more supportive bunch of people.

Have fun and collect those NSDs :T

freebyfifty

bottleofred wrote: »

Hi,

I have a few Birthdays this month and Fathers day to fit in, so can I please go for 12 NSDs?

Thanks:)
And thank you for organising Junes NSD challenge:T

jaffacakegal wrote: »

Hi,

Not been around these parts for a few months, but even with a better paid job I seem to be worse off so here goes again!

Put me down for 10 NSDs please.

JCG x

suzitiger wrote: »

Hello, I would like to come back to the NSD thread, sorry I have been away for so long.

I would like to pledge 12NSDs for June.
Does anyone have any good tips on how to organise themselves for a good NSD month?

Hello :j It is great to see you all back :j

Nsding truly gets into your blood doesn't it?????

freebyfifty

zenshi wrote: »

I didn't take part in April but hit 20, so I made that my target in May but I failed miserably.

So, this month I'll split and go for 15 with 4 in a row

Oh no......that 'f' word nearly sneaked past my radar.
Good job Jaws is hungry and is on the look out




We never ever use the 'f' word on this thread. We might not meet our target and we might be struggling a little bit but every NSD is a good No Spend Day and so should be celebrated :j

zenshi

Oops sorry :eek: I have given myself a slap on the wrist

Nargleblast

Outside Ennessdee Towers the rain drizzles down in the fading light. On the Great Lawn at the back a lone figure struggles with mallet and ropes, attempting to put up a marquee. (It would help if he put down his battered case of shiny chef's knives and rucksack full of recipe books). A giant barbecue stands nearby (not too near in case the marquee catches fire, but near enough so partygoers can stumble from food to tent, via the open-air cocktail bar and the Portaloos. It is difficult in this light to determine what manner of creature is skewered over the barbecue - probably best not go there at present.

Igor! What are you doing? Putting up the marquee for the NSD gang Midsummer Ball?

Erm, Igor, I think you should know - Midsummer isn't till the 20-something of June. And why have you lit the barbecue already?
Yes, I know most of the gang like their meat well done - but not cremated! And what's that over there by the pergola? Oh, the stage area. For the entertainment.
Go on, then, I know you are dying to tell me - who have you booked?

Oh dear. He's only gone and booked The Good Ole Boys again. You remember, the country and western group who combine their music with a cross-dressing cabaret act. Oh, Igor, do you never learn? Remember the problem with Hubert nicking their stilettos? And the police raid? And Spoon having to explain the blue police box wasn't really a phone box but the Tardis? The officers of the law were not amused. Spoon ended up staying in a nice bijou hotel room with cushioned walls, and had to wear this fetching little jacket that fastened at the back.
And you've gone and booked them again?????

Sighhhhhhh.......I know Igor means well, organising the NSD gang outings, but things never seem to go right.....

Oh, well, at least I can cheer myself up by signing up for 15 NSDs in June please, Freeby!

freebyfifty

Nargleblast wrote: »

Outside Ennessdee Towers the rain drizzles down in the fading light. On the Great Lawn at the back a lone figure struggles with mallet and ropes, attempting to put up a marquee. (It would help if he put down his battered case of shiny chef's knives and rucksack full of recipe books). A giant barbecue stands nearby (not too near in case the marquee catches fire, but near enough so partygoers can stumble from food to tent, via the open-air cocktail bar and the Portaloos. It is difficult in this light to determine what manner of creature is skewered over the barbecue - probably best not go there at present.

Igor! What are you doing? Putting up the marquee for the NSD gang Midsummer Ball?

Erm, Igor, I think you should know - Midsummer isn't till the 20-something of June. And why have you lit the barbecue already?
Yes, I know most of the gang like their meat well done - but not cremated! And what's that over there by the pergola? Oh, the stage area. For the entertainment.
Go on, then, I know you are dying to tell me - who have you booked?

Oh dear. He's only gone and booked The Good Ole Boys again. You remember, the country and western group who combine their music with a cross-dressing cabaret act. Oh, Igor, do you never learn? Remember the problem with Hubert nicking their stilettos? And the police raid? And Spoon having to explain the blue police box wasn't really a phone box but the Tardis? The officers of the law were not amused. Spoon ended up staying in a nice bijou hotel room with cushioned walls, and had to wear this fetching little jacket that fastened at the back.
And you've gone and booked them again?????

Sighhhhhhh.......I know Igor means well, organising the NSD gang outings, but things never seem to go right.....

Oh, well, at least I can cheer myself up by signing up for 15 NSDs in June please, Freeby!

Blimmin heck :eek: It is no coincidence that I am leaving the country :rotfl::rotfl:



Nargle - you are officially a brilliant story teller :A Just brilliant :rotfl:

Nargleblast

That's nothing, Freeby - now you've let slip your holiday plans, watch out for the Spanish jokes.....que?

kerri_gt

freebyfifty wrote: »

Blimmin heck :eek: It is no coincidence that I am leaving the country :rotfl::rotfl:

Nargle - you are officially a brilliant story teller :A Just brilliant :rotfl:

I love Nargle's posts - I'm sure newcomers think we're all barking on here though....oh, that's right....we are :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Nargleblast wrote: »

That's nothing, Freeby - now you've let slip your holiday plans, watch out for the Spanish jokes.....que?

Oh no, don't mention that to Igor - I seem to recall his last offering of paella :eek::eek: OHHHH look - THERE's David Tennant - tied to the upright of the marquee - and there's us thinking he'd run off with Jinty after the Burns night shin dig, better let him down Nargle, given he's been there since Jan he looks a little miffed