The "Just Keep Swimming" July NSD Thread

kerri_gt

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

*delurks sheepishly*

Can't wait until August ..... I am keeping an eye on you all - just don't want to hijack until I'm starting properly again ..... BUT

Just realised that (after much trying and fai oops! nearly! not quite managing;)) I have .... drum roll please .... managed my 1st NSD today for I guess 6 months or so

I will be starting slowly!

*sneaks away even more sheepishly*

Good to see you again Rising, and well done on that NSD

Well not one yesterday as was pay day so bit of food purchased at L!dl. Today wasn't one either, few bits to get in town (incl some of those 1p crackers in Tacto - very useful for Xmas - sorry Spoony - and will donate some to the food bank too to pass on the good karma :A)

I also treated myself in B00ts, new hairbrush (the pins are literally falling out of mine as it's got a big split in it), nail polish for £1.89 and a new bronzer from seventeen range as bourgeois one I got is just naff (keeps filming over) - well a girl knows how to go wild

Lovely and sunny here today, though been cooler for the past two nights thank goodness. Thinking about a car boot on Sunday and hoping for the good weather to continue.

ps Red...I share your pain - apparently this exercise malarkey is good for us...i'm not so sure....:rotfl:

MissE001

Hello all, feels like ages since I've been anywhere near my favourite forum! Not quite sure where this month has gone.

I really thought I was going to have a great month what with being away for a week but has been rather disappointing since I last posted...

21st & 22nd NSD 9 and 10

25th & 26th NSD 11 and 12

Hoping for 1 today but won't declare until it's in the bag!

So currently at NSD # 12 / 15

Off to catch up with what's been happening - have a great weekend :beer:

fedupandskint

We're back!

Another NSD in the bag here - NSD 23!

beanielou

Back much earlier than expected :j
Thank you to the forum team for all their hard wcork :j

So NSD no 15 for me today.

kerri_gt

Whoo! just logged in for a nosey and amazed to see we're back so much earlier than expected. :j

Still on course for a NSD today, after a very lazy morning I've put a first coat of gloss on our front door which is drying nicely (needs 16hrs so won't be doing coat 2 until tomorrow - can't stand those quick dry / one coat paints) and me and OH have done a bit of work in the garden. Now contemplating having a small wall built to replace some timber bedding, but slightly afraid of what the cost might be. BBQ to be cleaned and decision to me made re: car boot tomorrow, all in all a day of domesticity. :A

IF

Afternoony all :hello:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

bottleofred

Good afternoon folks,

It has been a lovely day in NI so far today, although I did have to go out to work for a couple of hours earlier. I had an unexpected NSD yesterday and am declaring number 14:).
No NSD today, as I had to do some shopping and bought my paper. I did get some half price bargains with the shopping though!
Admittedly I only managed to grab it as my work got a bit complicated last night and instead of finishing at the usual 5pm, going for takeaway and then straight home to open a bottle of red juice, I had to work late, so went home and grabbed food from the fridge! It goes without saying that I opened a bottle of red juice! I mean, it was a friday night, so would be very rude not to:rotfl:
Freeby, your vet sounds like a very decent one!
Kerri, I cannot believe the damage that circuits did to me and although there is no class this monday night:(, will be going the following monday:)! The pain will get easier to manage:eek:
I wish you all a very pleasant Saturday as I am going out soon for the evening.

marmiterulesok

ModestyB wrote: »

Thank you Marmite, DD is still having problems but she's happy to be back at work. She's in admin at a doctors surgery so she's in a good place if anything happens.:D

That's good ModestyB.

freeby what a nice man.I hope the puppy is better.

rising well done on that nsd!

#16 today for me please.

EverTheOptimist

Evening all

NSD # 8 yesterday

Spend day today, am hoping to squeeze in another couple of NSD's before the end of the month, probably not going to get to target though.

Freeby - that's good news about the pup.

IF

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

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!