The "Just Keep Swimming" July NSD Thread

freebyfifty

Good Morning everyone

I hope everyone has a fantastic hump day and goes out and captures the last NSD of the month. That monthly average needs to rocket :T


Have a great day

beanielou

Good to see you Spoony :wave:

Happy Wednesday all.
Cant believe it's the last day of July already :eek:

beanielou

freeby~It is all about what suits YOU & the merry band of helpers.

lilian1977

NSD #11 yesterday and hoping for #12 today - so I didn't quite make target but I WILL in August!

IF

August's NSD Thread - Click here

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:

Declaring my 17th NSD

Thank you freeby, spoon and Sazzie
IF

Got my prize :dance:

HeadAboveWater

As far as I remember, yesterday was a NSD, bringing me to 8/14. Today will be a spendy day unless something changes between now and hometime!!

(sorry for the vague-ness of my post - kinda distracted with stuff at the min! )

EDIT:
It was actually a NSD after all! Lodged my 'shrapnel' into the bank and straight off my credit card, returned 2 items, and 'bought' a new hair dye with a Boots voucher (and got the change back on a gift card!) So I'm actually money up today!!!



9/14 total for July! 'See' you all in August!

cardi80

Today won't be a NSD today for me as it's payday at last.

This has been great to make me plan my spending a lot more so huge thanks for you all for running it! :T:T

Jelly_Biactol

I'm declaring early so I won't be able to spend anything later:), so

NSD 15 today :T

and

Monthly Target hit :j

lilian1977

Had to send mortgage paperwork by special delivery so actually, today wasn't a NSD Declaring at 11 NSDs in that case. Must try harder!