The Naughty but Nice November NSD Challenge

beth2242

NSD #11 :j

LeopardPrintsAndTea

NSD #14

My £10 refund from tesc*o have been put back in my account,
so I thought about about buying a coffee from starbucks because I was freezing, but after a while I was warmer...and *met* my mum in town to go straight home.

kerri_gt

Evening all, another busy day at work and feeling pretty cream crackered.

Big hugs to all those under the weather and what a lovely friend you have flubberyzing.

Kate - those pain killers remind me of some I had to take for a trapped nerve, it was so painful it was like someone had shoved a rod between my neck and shoulder, I could neither lie down nor sit up to ease it, but had to go into work for meetings (didn't take the painkillers till I got there). No idea what was discussed and couldn't have cared less at the time either :rotfl:

Well brownies from last night are yummy, if quite rich, still think i prefer the guinness recipe but I've had a vote for these too. Busy thinking up Xmas cup cake recipes next.

NSD # something here - mainly because I never made it away from my desk today and am still online now.

Kate_fixing_it

kerri gt I know that feeling! I had to go in for some essential training about 3 weeks after the break. I warned them I wasn't fit but they were insistent that I was there. To this day all I remember is that the screen was blue, I don't even remember getting home or how I got there...kinda sums up my afternoon too! They've worn off now and the pain is back so I might have to take another dose for supper

Everyone is doing so well! Some huge numbers coming in! Well done everyone :j

Kate x

AlexLK

NSD 5 for me, only 2 to go.

beanielou

Happy happy new car flubberyzing.
Hope all goes well tomorrow

kate~hope the pain improves a bit.

Another one today.Not too sure what number though.

strandedinaber

Wow, everyone's doing so well! Good job all No NSD for me today, I had to go buy food for the work graduation party today. Hoping I can claim one tomorrow though.

MissE001

Hello all - can't believe another week has flown by....and my NSD battle is not going well at all this month I've managed to capture another 2 taking me up to 5 / 20

I can't quite figure out why this month isn't panning out as well as expected. I have had a lot of work travel and unexpected socialising and kind of fell off the whole MSE wagon for a few weeks :money:. Anyway, all sorted now I hope - although there isn't enough month left to achieve my target

Well done to everyone who is nabbing their NSDs - I've updated our front page

charleybear / LeopardPrintsAndTea - I've updated with your new name so you don't need to wait till next month

ETO - thanks for the updates. I know it's not easy finding time....especially with the wee one

Hugs to all who need them :A

MissE001

There are

52

of us in this month's challenge and so far we've got

323 NSDs :j:j

MissE001

Hi lovely NSD gang:A
As you can see there is lots of activity on this challenge at the moment and it can be difficult sometimes to see how many NSDs you're all declaring on posts.
Could we ask you to highlight your number of NSDs in a colour and in bold so that we can see them easily when we whizz through the posts - red would be best but we don't really mind as long as we 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!