What do you on on your NSDs?

monnagran

Get up late, drink coffee, watch a bit of news, eat breakfast, drink coffee, wave a feather duster around, drink coffee, do a crossword, drink coffee, read all the useless bumf that came with the post, make a snack lunch, eat a snack lunch, drink coffee, read a book, find an old film on TV, drink tea, eat a biscuit, listen to a bit of music, drink more tea, write a letter, make a quick dinner, eat dinner, watch more TV, drink hot chocolate, go to bed.

HEAVEN.

x

Hermia

[QUOTE=DigForVictory;71273485Retired_in_London?_Pack_a_picnic_&_all_the_drink_you_can_carry_then_take_your_travel_pass_&_explore!_Pith_helmet_optional._Visit_Amersham,_pass_permitting,_then_Brentwood._There_may_be_nothing_spectacular_there_other_than_a_Tube_Station,_but_what_have_to_you_to_loose_checking?!_[/QUOTE]

One of my favourite things to do is just get a bus or tube and get off somewhere random and have a look around. It can be so interesting.

One thing I like doing is joining challenges online. At the moment I am involved in a A-Z author challenge so that involves lots of trips to the library and then discussing the books online. I also once did a photo a day challenge where I had to take a photo a day. That was fun and really improved my creative eye. You can pretty much find any challenge you want online and it can add interest to something you do anyway.

Uhtred_Ragnarsson

Caterina wrote: »

Ok, so we all like NSDs, zero money out of our pockets, good and well tested OS practice.

But what do you do? I find that when going out there is always the opportunity even for a tiny spend, so unless I am stuck home all day or go to the library and allotment there is very little I can do which is no-spend!

I have a prepaid (cheap, over 50s) gym membership that includes classes. But if I use it, would it be a NSD? After all, I have paid in advance for the facility (which I should use more often, BTW,).

I am curious to hear how others do it because from mid October we will be solely reliant on DH's pension and I really need to tighten up the purse strings, severely.

Thank you.

I don't see why you shouldn't use the gym just because you have paid for it in advance. Using that logic, on a NSD you couldn't have any food as you had bought and paid for it in advance.

I would definitely be in that gym

moneyistooshorttomention

JackieO

There really are some Councils (darn it) that just don't spend any money at all on providing free things to do (my new one for instance:(). All I've ever noticed them paying out for is maybe one or two "outings" a year specifically for the elderly and nothing at all for the rest of us.

Wouldnt mind so much if they didnt visibly waste money in a direction they consider essential (but it definitely isnt..:cool: - except in some peoples personal opinion).

If in area like that - then my definition of an NSD now is to get on a bus with map in hand and go exploring around a section on that map. I've not yet figured out what to do when the weather is too bad for that - other than experimenting with making my own foodstuffs/etc. Well it's sorta NSD:p. Have just carefully saved directions for making my own ricemilk I must experiment with for instance and read something earlier today about it being very easy to make one's own tofu - must google for directions to see if this is the case. Will have to think of further wintertime things - am contemplating teaching myself Bhangra dancing for instance (courtesy of having come across YouTube videos on how to do that).

maman

Can I turn this round and ask what would be different if it wasn't a NSD? OK I understand if you have to pay for travel but what is it you want to do that costs money?

VfM4meplse

A NSD can be really well spent if it is well structured. Time is such a precious luxury after all!

First task, get up-to-date with any paperwork and identify any areas that could be pruned (if only I actually did this!). This has the added advantage of starting the days as you mean to go on, in full MSE mode. Read the newspaper of your choice online.

Then an hour or two of concentrate housework, whilst catching up on your favourite radio show. I feel less stressed when my home is clean and orderly.

Enjoy a long lunch / prepare some food for the week ahead. Sling in a bit of meditation beforehand.

If I could I would spend every afternoon reading and drinking coffee, if not having friends over for tea.

Then a brisk evening stroll / some thing active to get the blood pumping back up to the brain.

Evenings can be spent catching up with friends in the phone, more reading, or watching TV if you're really bored.

Whatever you choose to do, write it down and stick to it.

Hermia

maman wrote: »

Can I turn this round and ask what would be different if it wasn't a NSD? OK I understand if you have to pay for travel but what is it you want to do that costs money?

That is a good point and probably a really good way for the OP to think about why having a NSD is a challenge. I have always had about four days a week where I don't spend money so it is strange to me, but I have always had a ridiculous number of hobbies and interests. I do have friends who really don't have any interests that don't cost money so I know it is a real struggle for some people.

I think the best thing to do if you are struggling with NSDs it so be as open-minded as possible. I have so many friends who complain that there is nothing free to do. When I point out all the free things to do in our area they just keep saying they don't like those things. I go along anyway. At worse I am a bit bored for an hour and at best I discover a new interest or even just have a nice walk getting there.

maman

Thanks hermia. I've read about NSDs but always assumed they were about not spending unnecessarily. The way I see it if you budget and plan your spending then NSDs happen plus you have to be able to choose between needs and wants. So OP has made a decision to join a gym so that money's accounted for and using it as often as possible is good value. If you do your meal plan and shop then the way to have NSDs is not to call into shops midweek. I know someone who's the total opposite and calls into shops most days for a ' few bits ' but always comes out with more than the milk she went in for!

Hermia

maman wrote: »

Thanks hermia. I've read about NSDs but always assumed they were about not spending unnecessarily. The way I see it if you budget and plan your spending then NSDs happen plus you have to be able to choose between needs and wants. So OP has made a decision to join a gym so that money's accounted for and using it as often as possible is good value. If you do your meal plan and shop then the way to have NSDs is not to call into shops midweek. I know someone who's the total opposite and calls into shops most days for a ' few bits ' but always comes out with more than the milk she went in for!

I agree with your definition of NSDs. I think their aim is to stop people just frittering money away without thinking about it. I still think people can get around that though. I have known people who do NSDs, but spend more money on the day before or after them! I know there are some hardcore NSD types who try to not spend at all for weeks on end, but I don't really see the point of that unless you really are in terrible poverty.

[Deleted User]

Time, like money, is so easily frittered away.At my time of life my time is probably more precious to me than cash, as I have more time behind me than in front IYSWIM

So I try to use my time to the best advantage, one reason ,apart from the obvious that I enjoy NSD's as they give me precious time to do things I want to do rather than wasting it by wandering aimlessly around shops spending cash I can't afford to on things I really don't want or need.
As a very busy 'retired' lady if I do have a day when I'm not actually doing something (very rare occasion) I treat it as a bonus and try to get through my to-do list not an easy task as it seems to get longer every day
I have a short walk I call my 'morning mile' which I do try to fit in every morning and it takes me about half an hour depending on how I feel,sometimes less ,sometimes more I mapped it out via Walk4Life .I see how the seasons have changed over a period of time ,I am on nodding terms with dog-walkers and others out for a stroll I have even done it in the rain with a waterproof on.I don't do it when its icy though as that would just be stupid, as at my age I am not a weeble and don't bounce very well if I fall over
The best part is there are no shops en route and so I never even need to take a purse with me,just a bottle of free tap water and my door key.I got into the habit of this a couple of years ago and its a good start to the day.You get back home feeling energised just from a short walk and then after a reviving coffee I can crack on with what ever I am doing.NSD's are to me a bonus from my busy life. Caterina I know you live in Greenwich so near to the most delightful park and as I spent a good part of my childhood there its well worth a stroll around ,even after all the tourists have gone.The Museum is amazing and just sitting watching the deer or the squirrels is good fun with a flask and a sarnie My DGS love going there conker collecting or have a stroll along the green path by the river so much to see,I envy anyone living in London for the amount of freebie stuff there is to do.

MTSTM I agree there are many councils who just don't make the effort for their tax payers . email your local councillor and ask why there isn't more stuff, that's what they are elected to do answer ratepayers questions .I am lucky that I live in Kent and have a fantastic local council in the Medway but the Kent County Council also have a site and most counties do.Look on Streetlife if you are lucky enough to have one nearby, that's an excellent place to look and ask Our local one is brilliant and has so may different bit on it where you can find the answers to most things..

With the internet the world is at your fingertips and there are so many things Why not just google ' Free things to do in ????' what ever area you live in, you maybe pleasantly surprised at what you find