The Awesome Amazing August NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

Welcome to the August No Spend Day (NSD) thread!!

We are a happy (and some might say mildly insane) bunch doing battle with those retailers - and there’s plenty of temptation out there at the moment. We are seriously committed to saving money, but nobody said it can't be done with a smile on your face - so we organise riotous nights out and gatecrash any function going - all without leaving the comfort of our own imaginations or armchairs!

On a slightly more serious note, we are here to help each other avoid spending for the number of days we feel we can manage to try to take back some control over our hard-earned money. What you class as a "spend'" is entirely your choice; some people will try to shop on the days DD/SO etc are paid, whilst others will not include essentials such as rent. Have a look for a post from our sponsor (and godmother of this challenge) BigMummaF, this contains some guidelines and ideas for starting you off on the challenge.

It’s amazing how inventive you get when you’re determined NOT to spend - from weird menu ingredients to surprising DIY solutions - but you know what? 99% of the time those wacky ideas work.


Link to last month's challenge is below so any newcomers can see what we get up to (hmmmmm... on second thoughts, that might put you off...)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4661639

freebyfifty

Sometimes I write a little bit here to explain my choice of prizes for the month. This time the prizes need no explanation and only one word will do - CHOCOLATE :smileyhea


1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 3rd Target Met

Target Exceeded



The Challengers


Abigail- 7/
Allie – 10/
Beanielou – 14/14 1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 18/18 3rd Target Reached 22/22 Target Exceeded 22/25
Bottleofred – 14/14 1st Target MetTarget Exceeded 14/15
Candlewick – 15/15 1st Target Met
Cardi80 – 12/12 1st Target Met
Charleybear – 20/7
Debtfreefuture – 12/4
Evertheoptimist – 10/8
Exharris – 10/1
Fedup – 15/15 1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 20/203rd Target Met 25/25Target Exceeded 25/31
Flowerofscotland – 8/8 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 8/14
Freeby – 19/19 1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 24/24 3rd Target Met 27/27 Target Exceeded 27/28
Gettingthere – 12/12 1st Target Met
Headabove – 10/8
Helyonnaise – 10/1
If – 17/17 1st Target Met
Jaxsmar – 9/9 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 9/13
Jelly biactol – 15/13
Joedenise – 10/10 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 10/11
Kathy40 – 10/2
Kerri – 15/11
Knit Witch – 10/10 1st Target Met 2nd Target Met 20/203rd Target Reached 25/25Target Exceeded 25/27
Learning – 8/1
Lilian1977 – 14/9
Littlemiss – 20/20 1st Target Met
Littlepink – 10/8
LizzieB – 10/10 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 10/12
Loobeyloop – 15/8
Lovefull – 15/15 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 15/22
Lurkerdep – 12/12 Target Met
Madhatter – 10/1
Marmite – 18/18 1st Target Met Target Increased 23/21
Mismatch – 15/4
MissE – 15/15 1st Target Met Target Increased 17/16
ModestyB – 10/10 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 10/14
Motoko – 12/11
Pooh – 6/5
Rising – 5/5 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 5/6
Sazzie – 20/20 1st Target Met 2nd Target Reached 22/223rd Target Met 25/25
Scuff – 20/20 1st Target Met
Slowlyfading – 16/11
Spoon – 15/3
Stripeygirl -12/12 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 12/13
Suziebabe – 10/7
Suzitiger – 10/1
Tinker – 10/10 1st Target Met Target Exceeded 10/14
Tiggy – 10/
Wildcherry -15/2

freebyfifty

Just in case we need it

freebyfifty

This is for anyone who wants to set themselves a target for a number of NSDs in a row. We had some impressive numbers on this over the past few months so if anyone would like to have a go at this, I'll add you here


The In-a-Rowers

Candlewick - 4-in-a-row Target Met
Cardi - 3-in-a-row Target Met
Charleybear - 5-in-a-row
Freeby - 7-in-a-row Target Met 8-in-a-row
Jelly B - 5-in-a-row
Knit Witch - 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row 8-in-a-row
Lilian - 4-in-a-row Target Met
Littlemiss - 6-in-a-row
LizzieB - 3-in-a-row
Loobyloop - 4-in-a-row Target Met
Lovefull - 3-in-a-row Target Met 4-in-a-row 5-in-a-row 8-in-a-row
Lurker - 3-in-a-row Target Met
Marmite - 4-in-a-row Target Met 5-in-a-row
Mismatch - 3-in-a-row
Sazzie - 4-in-a-row Target Met
Sazzie - 5-in-a-row Target Met
Scuff - 5-in-a-row Target Met 6-in-a-row
Tinker - 3-in-a-row Target Met 4-in-a-row

freebyfifty

Hi lovely NSD gang:A
As you can see there is lots of activity on this challenge at the moment and it's difficult sometimes to see how many NSDs you're all declaring on posts.
Could I ask you to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that I can see them easily when I whizz through the posts - red would be best but I don't really mind as long as I 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!

Knit_Witch

Hmm can I have a starter for 10 please? With 4 in a row?

Oh and I am trying to lose weight

Jelly_Biactol

15 NSDs

and

5-in-a-row


for August, please:)

Loobeyloop

Hello!!! Please can I join in.....need all the help I can get to keep my spending at bay!!! I would like 15nsd!! and will try for 4 days in a row!!

Thank you!!

Nargleblast

I decide to have a break for the month of August and you decide the prizes will be chocolate. CHOCOLATE?????? Oy vay!

Just don't tell Boris (Igor's cousin, who will be caretaker at Ennessdee Towers while Igor is on his hols) or he'll make soup out of it....

Good luck for August's challenge, everyone, and see you all in September (now, Freeby, make sure September's prizes are amazing to make up for me missing August!)

IF

Another big thank you to Freeby, Spoon, and Sazzie for keeping us all in line :A

Please put me down for 17 NSD's

Thank you
IF

fedupandskint

15 NSD please for my first target as I luuuurve chocolate I'm going for all those choccie prizes in August!

A big thank you to everyone and all who runs the thread, totals up and posts pictures and posts - I wouldn't have got this far without you all.