The Awesome Amazing August NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

freebyfifty

Sorry Sazzie - I missed you on the update.

Will add you later if that's okay :T


And bloomin' heck - what a lovely guardian angel you are. :A I hope he is okay and I hope the Police have a word with traffic enforcement and reverse his ticket and moved his car somewhere safe

marmiterulesok

sazzie I would say that the car is the least of his worries.I hope he's doing ok.You acted very well.

fedupandskint

NSD 22 yesterday - bought some flowers for mum but out of the birthday budget and we're off for a day out today also from the birthday budget covering all spends so it should be another NSD today too

Scuff

Morning all! It's Friday :dance: It's payday :dance: and I've got a week off work starting at 4pm sharp :dance:

Someone (me) is a bit excited today

Anyway I've got up to #18 wahooo! And I've just realised I've done 6 in a row!!!

I don't know if I'm cheating however, I went out for tea with 2 of my friends on Tuesday, but I had no money left. OH lent me £20 but as it's payday I'm giving it back today and counting today as the spendy day because today is the day I'm actually spending the money? Is this okay??

Suziebabe

Oh dear oh dear oh dear .... Not doing very well this month so far, I think I may have been over-ambitious in planning 10 NSDs when we've had/got company for over half the month. In a devious attempt to get an NSD today, I bought all the lunch & car parking in trips out with MIL yesterday and suggested she buys today - fingers crossed I can post tonight!!

bottleofred

Good Morning Folks,

Having real problems posting and am getting annoyed now!
Yesterday was NSD13. Today won't be an NSD though, as I have already spent and also am going out shopping shortly also!
Sazzie, you were just right to tell the man who was unwell to stop the car and hopefully he makes a full recovery.
Marmite, I will continue the donkey training and grow to look forward to the aches and pains!
Evertheoptomist, I am glad you enjoyed the spa!

IF

Morning :hello:

Declaring my 13th NSD


Thank you freeby, spoon and Sazzie
IF


I'm a wigglin' :dance:

HeadAboveWater

Wow well done sazzie! You did the right thing

Yay for payday scuff! And I would agree with your thinking ref today being your actual spend day

Spendy today for me as I was out for lunch with a friend and it was my turn to buy!

Have a great long weekend everyone

IF

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!