The Awesome Amazing August NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

There are

48

of us taking part in the August NSD Challenge

and so far we have collected

257 NSDs

:T:T:T:T:T

freebyfifty

Good Morning

Happy, happy Friday to you all

Some good numbers are coming in this month and we ain't finished yet

Fedup - Really well done on everything you,ve achieved so far this month, both the dissertation and the NSDs - that takes true dedication. I hope you'll have some time to relax now

Rising - Get your finger out woman :rotfl:You are a bad, bad spendy lady :rotfl: Hope you have a fabulous night out, you deserve it

Spoony - Where are yooooooooooooo??? We miss you.

If - that picture was just brilliant, I laughed for ages :rotfl:


I am up to NSD #13 and on a roll for no.14 today. I WILL NOT do my usual Friday trick of coming home from the gym at 7.00pm and thinking Oh sod it, I'll have a takeaway!!!!!:o:o:o:o

freebyfifty

Motoko_2

Yesterday was another NSD so that's 6 in all now :T

Hoping for another no spend weekend as well

marmiterulesok

Today will be a spendy day,just a few groceries.

Happy Friday everyone!

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!

IF

Morning all :hello:

Declaring my 10th NSD

Thank you freeby, spoon and Sazzie
IF

HeadAboveWater

Spendy day for me today...

Getting cupcakes made for me and the girls to have after our spa time tomorrow morning. And gonna get a bottle of shloer for us too (we get a wee private room to chillax in after our treatments! )

Dad's birthday tomorrow so have to get a card and... something!

Have to get a couple more things for our spag bol for tonight.

Probably a fairly spendy weekend too, as I have to pay for the rest of our treatments in the morning. Coffee out with OH at some point. And I'm sure there'll be other spending too Will try to keep it to a minimum

Have a great day and a fantastic weekend everybody

Lurkerderp

Haven't spent anything since Monday (yay!) so that gives me NSDs 5,6 and 7 and my first ever, much coveted 3-in-a-row!!

Have a fab Friday everyone xx :j:j:j

fedupandskint

Thanks for all the well dones - certainly is a great relief! Halfway through the final checks now with the rest to finish this weekend.

Did the food shop today out of budget so today is NSD 16