The Awesome Amazing August NSD Challenge

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 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!

tinkermcjingles

Please may I join?

I'll go for 10NSD with 3 in a row!

Suziebabe

Hello! Can I join please?

I'm a long-time lurker on MSE, and think I may finally have had that lightbulb moment everyone talks about (d'oh!) after a few months of upheavals at work & realising just how much of a possible redundancy payout would have had to go on paying out debts instead of useful alternatives!

So I've been browsing the DFW boards all weekend, and building up momentum/courage to do a proper SOA - but in the meantime, i want to start on something positive - and no spend days certainly can't do any harm! And then at least when I finally do my SOA I'll be able to take some comfort that I've started in the right direction! (I know, clutching at straws)

So I would like to start with a pledge of 10 NSDs please. Oh, and no in a rows yet please, baby steps for me ....

Thanks.

Sazzie23

Hello
Thanks Freeby for starting this thread, Mmm I love choccie

Now for a target, well it's a 31 day month so I should have a high target but its also my birthday month and I already have at least 3 meals out booked, (don't actually know how I'm going to pay for them mind you, it'll be basics baked beans and crackers for the rest of the month I think :rotfl:

I digress so I'm going to aim for 20 NSD please and 4 in a row

Many thanks

freebyfifty

So far

there are

17

of us signed up for the August NSD Challenge

:T:T:T:T:T

Sazzie23

Welcome Suziebabe

Well done for making a first steps, its not easy or nice but it sounds like you found NSD challenge at the right time.

Welcome to Tinkermcjingles

Good luck with your targets, just ask if you need any advice lots of long time NSDers on here have loads of ideas

exharris

Hi, I'd like to commit to 10 NSDs in August please

lilian1977

Hi all

I only managed 12 out of my target of 14 in July, so I am going to go for 14 again and see if I can make it this time!

Please can I also go for 4 in a row?

Good luck all.

LittleMissKitty

Hi guys,

I'm in for:

20 days
6 in-a-row

HeadAboveWater

I'm gonna be a wimp and reduce my target to 10 NSDs please!! Have struggled the last few months (as you can see by my sig!) but want to hit target again!!!

Good luck everybody!!