The Super-Duper September NSD Challenge

freebyfifty

Welcome to the Serptember 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/4727824

freebyfifty

Because you are all a bunch of treasures



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

Target Exceeded




The Challengers

Amber03 – 10/8
Anniebox – 10/7
Azlan – 10/7
Beanielou – 11/11 Target Met 2nd Target Met 15/153rd Target Met 19/19
Bigbeff – 15/
BJD – 10/10 Target Met
Blindtoast – 22/22Target Met
Bottleofred -12/11
Candlewick – 14/13
Candy0107 – 25/
Cardi80 – 15/13
Cherry – 10/
Debtfreeju – 15/
Evertheoptimist – 10/10 Target Met Target Exceeded 10/11
Fedup – 17/17 Target Met 2nd Target Met 20/20 3rd Target Met 23/23Target Exceeded 23/29
Flowerofscotland – 12/12 Target Met Target Increased 15/13
Freeby – 12/12 Target Met 2nd Target Met 17/17 3rd Target Reached 22/22 Target Exceeded 22/24
Gettingthere – 10/10 Target Met
Georgette – 10/3
Georgiebrown – 10/3
Headabove – 10/9
Hohoho – 10/
If– 17/14
Indebtbet – 12/10
Jaxsmar – 12/12 Target Met Target Exceeded 12/21
Jen – 10/2
Katholicos – 10/7
Kerri – 12/12 Target Met Target Exceeded 12/15
Knit Witch – 10/10 Target Met 2nd Target Reached 15/15 3rd Target Met 20/20 Target Exceeded 20/24
Ladymay – 10/6
Lilian1977 – 14/5
Littlemiss – 20/
Littlemissdeter – 12/12 Target Met Target Exceeded 12/14
Littlepink – 10/
LizzieB – 14/
Lovefull – 20/20 Target Met Target Exceeded 20/22
Marmite – 10/10 Target Met Target Exceeded 10/13
Miss Debt – 12/7
MissE – 15/15 Target Met 2nd Target Reached 17/17 Target Exceeded 17/18
ModestyB – 15/15 Target MetTarget Exceeded 15/21
Motoko – 12/10
MrsCautious – 10/7
Mummyof2 – 20/
Nargle – 10/10 Target Met Target Increased 13/12
Onehit – 10/
Opal – 11/10
Poohbear – 20/11
Positivelypurple – 10/
Rising – 10/2
Sazzie – 22/22 Target Met Target Exceeded 22/23
Scuff – 15/4
Shazzer – 3/1
Shinner – 10/
SillySpender – 8/8 Target Met Target Increased 11/8
Slowlyfading – 20/19
Student – 10/2
Stripeygirl – 12/12 Target Met
Suziebabe – 10/9
Suzitiger – 10/8
Taranaman – 10/10 Target Met Target Exceeded 10/11
Teacher79 – 17/17 Target Met Target Exceeded 17/19
Tinker – 12/4
Trying1 – 10/1
Wegle – 10/10 Target Met 2nd Target Reached 15/15 Target Exceeded 15/19
Wildcherry – 15/5
Xcarlyx -15/4
Zafiro – 10/10 Target Met Target Exceeded 10/20

freebyfifty

Reserved - just in case I need it later

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-Row Challengers

Azlan - 3-in-a-Row Target Met
Candlewick - 4-in-a-Row
FlowerofScotland - 3-in-a-Row Target Met 4-in-a-row 5-in-a-row
Freeby - 4-in-a-Row Target Met 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row 8-in-a-row
Jaxsmar - 4-in-a-Row
Knitwitch - 4-in-a-Row Target Met 5-in-a-row
lillian - 3-in-a-Row Target Met 4-in-a-row
Littlemissk - 6-in-a-Row
Lovefull - 5-in-a-Row
Marmite - 3-in-a-Row Target Met 4-in-a-row
Miss Debt - 3-in-a-Row Target Met 4-in-a-row 5-in-a-row 6-in-a-row
Onehit- 3-in-a-row
Sazzie - 5-in-a-Row
Tinker - 4-in-a-Row
xcarlyx - 5-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!

EverTheOptimist

Thanks for the new thread Freeby

I will go for 10 again please. I was thinking of going back to my usual 12 but I'm thinking about taking the little man to some groups now he's almost 4 months old so there maybe more spends than usual. But I will try and group my spends together to minimise the days I'm spending,

ModestyB

Thank you Freeby for starting the new thread. I think I'll be ambitious this month and try for 15 NSDs. DH will have to be chained up again to make it possible. :rotfl:

Freeby, you and all our lovely updaters are the treasures around here.:D

jaxsmar

please put me down for 12 NSD's with 4 in a row. Thank you for all your hard work in running these threads it really DOES help.

ladymay

Hello!

Used to do this ages ago, time to get back on the wagon!

Can I go for 10 please?

cherryscented88

10please first one!

positivelypurple

Hello everyone.

We're back from our extended 8 week holiday and I've landed with a big fat bump. We've been home for a little over 48 hours and I'm feeling a bit flat. Sure I'll be fine, just need to get back into the swing of things.

Can you out me down for 10 NSDs please. I'll redouble my efforts this month to make up for all the holidaying.