The Super-Duper September NSD Challenge

Nargleblast

ifwisheswerehorses... wrote: »

Hiya all and welcome to September's NSD thread :hello:
Could we please ask you to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that Freeby can see them easily when she whizzes through the posts.



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!

Just thought I'd post this whilst waiting for If to materialise!

beanielou

NSD 10 today I think.

IF

Nargleblast wrote: »

Just thought I'd post this whilst waiting for If to materialise!

I'm here!!

freebyfifty wrote: »

IF :T:T Where you been???? I missed you. The pressure to keep this lot entertained is enormous :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Hiya Freeby.......I rushed back :D:p:p

lovefullshelves

NSD #7 today, only a baggy contents were emptied!

Teacher79

Love the pics if

Spendy day today as had to pay milk money for teas and coffees at work which I'd forgotten to budget:eek:

NSD 7 and 8 on mon and tues after a very Spendy weekend.

About to crawl into my pit for tonight....is it really only thursday tomorrow?

MissE001

No NSD today - had to get change for the bus tomorrow so sneaky wee trip to A*da for non-essential spending so I could get change. I'm hoping for one tomorrow as the bus fare is budgeted - as long as I don't get tempted to go out for a drink after work meeting in Glasgow...or by the Vax offer in the weekly email :money:

Nice to have you back If :j

Taranaman

NSD today. Sunday and Monday only spent £1 both days so might start having nearly no spend days too, making the total so far 6 NSDs and 2 NNSDs.

freebyfifty

There are

66

of us taking part in the September NSD Challenge

and so far we have collected

255 NSDs

:T:T:T:T:T

selinas

The moment and it's difficult sometimes to see how many NSDs you're all declaring on posts....

freebyfifty