The Fantastically Festive December NSD Challenge

MissE001

Hi addicted2shopping - I've added you to the front page. Well done on getting the first one in

Did anyone else have problems with the forum earlier? I tried to update a while ago and it seemed to crash

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!

beanielou

Yes I had problems earlier.

Sazzie23

Evening all

Welcome addicted - & well done already, knowing your danger times/places are half the battle.

Stranded I have you down for a target of 4 in a row

Knit Witch - well done 5 in a row - impressive stuff, hope you are better (and the computer too)

Kerri - I know what you mean, much as I hate waste and am skint - can't always make myself eat summat I really don't like.

Fed-up, back on schedule by the end of the week I expect ?

heyjude2013

NSD #5 for me today!

strandedinaber

Thanks Sazzie! Well done everyone on your NSDs today...

marmiterulesok

Yesterday was #7.

Nargleblast

And cheeky little Number 3 NSD sneaks into the cauldron of Doom......

Igor! Update please on Crimbo bash......but let me first inform you that kerri will be doing a pole dancing display in between the soup and the main course (she will be using the Crimbo tree, so thank goodness you didn't go with your original Mexican theme and use a giant cactus...).....we have had a request for egg nog and mulled wine - but NOT in the same glass and definitely leave out the reindeer antlers.......and one gang member is concerned your sprout and orange curry might be on the menu again (remember Hubert finished off the leftovers last year? Took me ages to get the stains off my shoes after he had finished doing what he is renowned for after a curry...) Oh, so sprout and orange curry is not on the menu this year? But sprout and pomegranate curry is? Oh dear.....

Anyway, carry on with whatever you are doing...but don't forget the turkey!

Knit_Witch

and remember Igor that the turkey should be dead, plucked, and innards removed BEFORE you stuff it!

Kate_fixing_it

Whoop whoop! :j having a little dance around to celebrate the halfway point and achieving...

NSD 6!!!

:j :j:A