The "Just Keep Swimming" July NSD Thread

IF

Hiya all and welcome to August'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!

IF

Morning all :hello:

I now have my 4th NSD

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

[Deleted User]

Hi folks, I had a NSD yesterday. So that's me got 2 NSDs for July so far!

lilian1977

NSD #3 on Saturday and #4 today.

marmiterulesok

Hi all :wave:

I got #6 today.

if great picture,as usual....:rotfl:

flowerofscotland

Hello everyone.

I did say when I signed up for July that it would be a challenge and so it has proved - July is our busiest month for birthdays and this year there are some biggies in the mix. Then add in a graduation, a christening and some car expenses - result is that Sunday was the first NSD of the month with another nabbed yesterday. I can't think of any reason to spend money today so am claiming
3 NSDs making a total of 3/12

Thanks to everyone who does such a great job keeping the stats updated and well done to everyone so far

hanb

I'm baaaaaaaack :wave:

I've been sun(burn)ing mysel on the Pembrokeshire coast such good weather. I did get a bit spendy though - planned spends so that's ok.

Today will be my first NSD of the month! Yippee. Payday onThursday and need to book some flights but tomorrow should be spendless along with Friday and Saturday... famous last words

Hope all is well. Will catch up properly when I'm not in work x

Nargleblast

(A clear, azure sky over Ennessdee Towers. A blazing sun beats down, just the merest hint of a breeze wafts over the trees. On the lawns, various NSD gang members are sprawled out on sun loungers, clutching chilled glasses of very appetising-looking cocktails and nibbling on fruit, hors d'oevres and mini cupcakes.

Suddenly their peace is shattered. A raggedy column of travellers appears at the gates and marches towards the front door. Nargleblast is back from the intrepid NSD hunt, and is in full desert gear and smothered with sun lotion to protect the delicate Nargle skin. Igor, on the other hand, has slathered himself in chip fat and stinks of vinegar. As ever, he carries his battered suitcase of shiny chef's knives and his rucksack with the ever-expanding collection of recipe books.

While Nargleblast struggled to defeat the NSD army and capture prisoners, Igor spent his time scouring car boot sales and charity shops for Mrs Beeton's book on sushi, but instead brought back a book on Heston's Crazy Cocktails - 101 things to do with a bottle of vodka and some nitric acid. He will not be amused when he sees the NSD gang drinking their versions of cocktails, being of the opinion that the only cooking or drink-making to be done at Ennessdee Towers is done by Igor and nobody else. Better hide the pizza boxes, chaps!)

Right, Igor, let's get this lot into the Cauldron of Doom before they melt - one, two, 3 glorious NSDs !

A happy weekend's hunting indeed!

Knit_Witch

Oh Goddess Nargle, he hasn't managed to track down that last remaining copy of "The Jaime Oliver and Fanny Craddock Cookbook" has he?

I still shudder when thinking of the Aardvark Tagine :rotfl:

Nargleblast

Aardvark tagine - not too bad when you peel your aardvarks properly! The problem with the one Igor made that time was he was trying to iron his second best Sunday underpants at the same time as pouring in the dried apricots. Dunno how the apricots ended up in his underwear drawer.....and he's still looking for his underpants.....