The "Just Keep Swimming" July NSD Thread

heyjude2013

So after disappearing off these boards for a large part of June, I will get back on the wagon for July.

Can I please have a target of 14 NSD's and 4-in-a-row?

Thanks everyone for running this thread....I tried to deny the exisitance of June's challenge and the MSE boards in general, but alas, it turns out you're real after all....:rotfl:

x

marmiterulesok

Thanks freeby for the new thread.

I'm going to aim high for July and go for 18 please and 4 in a row.

Lizzie_Bennet

Hi :wave::wave: I've been lurking for a bit but now it's time to jump in at the deep end. Can I please join in this challenge? I'm hoping for 15 NSDs in July with 3 in a row. Thank you!

Nargleblast

Just flying by to register my July target of 15 NSDs!

If any newbies wonder why the July thread has started so early, it's because freeby is off to sunny Spain and wanted to get the thread up and running beforehand. Don't worry, though, there is a happy band of updaters who will keep us all on track with regular updates of how we are doing. Ifwishes will regularly post the rules of the challenge as a reminder, as well as various entertaining pictures to keep us all amused. There is coffee and tea always on the go at our HQ, Ennessdee Towers, and you can have a free guided tour to look at the Cauldron of Doom, where all the NSDs we collect each month get deposited. Igor as usual will be providing the sandwiches. (Not bad sandwiches, actually, if you avoid the ferret and chutney ones....)

solventsoon

Evening everyone :wave:

While freeby is away, I'll be adding everyone to the "challengees" and "in a row" posts and I'll pop in once a day to do this.

Welcome to our newbies, it's good to have you all on board and I hope you enjoy the challenge once it gets up and running

Lovely to see so many of the "oldies" joining up again, we should be in for a good month by the looks of it.

Back tomorrow with an update

spoon xx

PS: And whatever you do, please avoid the ferret and chutney sandwiches and ignore Igor's entreaties to try his sprout and chocolate whisky..... Nargle has never been the same since she tried it :eek:

Lurkerderp

Time to stop lurking and get my feet wet! I'll start myself off gently....

7 NSDs in July.

:hello:

solventsoon

Lurkerderp wrote: »

Time to stop lurking and get my feet wet! I'll start myself off gently....

7 NSDs in July.

:hello:

Hello Lurkerkerp :hello: and welcome out of lurkdom:D Thank you for honouring us with your first ever MSE post, hope it's the first of many.

I'll be back later to add you to the challenge, in the meantime find yourself a chair and a clean mug, you're part of the gang now

busybumblebee

Morning all :j

Count me in again for this MEGA addictive challenge

I've not quite met target yet for this month, but will do this weekend and hope to smash this month's :T

Welcome to all the newcomers - it's a lovely place to be!

Anyway.... For July I shall be committing to 12 NSD's and a 3-in-a-row

IF

Lurkerderp wrote: »

Time to stop lurking and get my feet wet! I'll start myself off gently....

7 NSDs in July.

Last edited by Lurkerderp; Today at 1:51 AM. Reason: Can't make number a different colour. Did I mention I'm new?!!

How to change the Colour

Highlight the sentence you would like to change the colour of

Click on the colour option and select the colour from the pop up



And here you go



Hope this helped

IF

IF

Hiya all and welcome to July's NSD thread :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!