The "Just Keep Swimming" July NSD Thread

solventsoon

Me again, sorry :o I'm like the no 9 bus, you don't see me for days and then three posts at once!!

In case anyone's wondering, I've updated the front page to the end of yesterday as lovely Sazzie will be along later to do the update for today and I don't want to confuse her

That's all for now folks, as the lovely Bugs Bunny used to say:D

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!

solventsoon

Thanks If, I meant to add that and forgot :o

IF

solventsoon wrote: »

Thanks If, I meant to add that and forgot :o

No worries :beer:

kathy40uk

:hello:

Hi lovely NSD gang x

Well I had to go in early to take a client to the doctors but don't start till one so am off to work in a minute. As I had to put money in a meter at the doctors and we had got out of there quickly I made sure I have everything I need for the next week while I was in town, all except for cat litter which I will get at Mr M's on the way home so I am planning tomorrow to be my first NSD. I will have to get petrol etc on Weds on the way so I know that will be spendy. Got to have a tooth out tomorrow:eek:.but that has already been paid for at my check up last month:), then there's an 'Open day' at work in the afternoon.....am really looking forward to my time off after all that

Here's wishing everyone a good day

:hello:

lilian1977

Free cinema trip tonight but have agreed to bring popcorn - intending to buy from Tesc0 though as then it will come from my Clubcard Plus and therefore be a NSD as all monies on here are classed as the food budget I'll confirm later but I think this will be my first NSD of the month (my month started June 28th).

HeadAboveWater

...(again!!) to freeby, spoon, cheryl, sazzie and marmite and IF for taking the time out to do the updates, and also for giving us the (sometimes much needed!) encouragement to stick at the NSD challenge throughout the month

Happy 1st July and happy 1st NSD for me!!

That's 1/14 already! :j

OutofDebt-NOT-OutofDanger

After a (very) spendy June, really need to top up the cash funds so will go straight in for 22 NSDs with 5 in a row.

marmiterulesok

I got #1 today!:j

mismatch

had to have a tiny spend in tesco but scored in the reduced cabinet and used a club card voucher so it was only 15p. Tomorrow I'm going for 0 but I am forced to use a toll road for a work meeting. Think as I get that back on expenses it'll fall into no spend grey area.

Hope everyone's had a good first day and good luck for tomorrow :j