NST: December 2016: A pared back Christmas

abundant1972

Evening

First off...

Calling - You must be so excited. Keep us posted on your imminemt new arrival!

Mothernerd - you made me chuckle... 'Arseda' I love it!!!

So - today was going to be meeting with a friend for a potentially spendy evening. Didn't feel 100% this morning and had a horrific day at work so decided to stay in and reap another NSD! (I think I'm addicted)

Today = NSD number 6

So folks... I'm wondering what happens with the NSDs... Reading through... some are spending a couple of days on the run... so my question is:

1) Is it just that there was no plan... and you remembered something on the day?

2) Did something crop up that required a spend out the blue?

3) Was it a BAD day and it was a spend to cheer yourself up?

4) Something else...?

It's much easier for me as a single guy with no kids to worry about I admitt. Having one person to manage is much easier than 2 or 3. If you're partner doesn't get the whole NSD ethos it can be quite tricky to explain why you don't want to spend on something that to them may seem not worth thinking about...

I'm throwing this out there just for people to pause and question and be totally honest with themselves... Not a judgement... but an honest appraisal of your spending patterns and behaviours. I genuinely found that understanding yourself is the first step to success... (as you can see I've not quite mastered it as I slipped back into bad habits lol). Once you identify a pattern you can develop strategies...

E.g for the above...

1) Have a plan. Know what you need to buy for the week be it food, clothes, tickets for something... Try and buy said things on the same day. Less trips to the supermarket = less temptation to buy stuff you don't need...

2) Try and build a small Emergency Fund. It's hard when you are in debt... and the general advice is if you are paying of debts with a high % interest try and clear them first. Having a small slush fund - even £10, can give you a small measure of comfort. Just something to think on. I have £5 in change in my car in case I need to park anywhere. I then don't eat into my allotted spends each day... and can always top up the £5 on a 'Spend Day'. Just a small example.

3) I haven't quite mastered this one - but maybe find an old biscuit tin or decorate a shoe box and label it with 'Had a bad day!. Put in a few things to cheer yourself up... Build it up over the month. A few biscuits, a promise to have an hour's time out pampering yourself in the bath... You could cook a wonderful meal and freeze it, and have a ticket to use it - pure comfort food heaven... it could be anything. I have to resist gorging myself on whatever treats are in the house like I have done in the past haha... Something like this might help ration me.

4) Maybe see if you can think of a solution...

I would love to hear any suggestions people have...

So c'mon gang. Whatever bad start you may have had... think every penny not spent - is a penny saved towards your debt and ultimately your financial freedom...

:j

wishus

Just popping on to report NSD2. All work and no play for me at the moment...

Actually dreading Friday and the dreaded office Christmas party.

It's in the middle of nowhere... everyone else is going home and taxiing... I think I'll have to get ready in the office and take the bus.

Fmess

Morning all,

Woke up feeling odd, not quite sure why. Think it's that I slept through the night without waking up, but now I can't get motivated.

Yesterday was SFD number two Lots of working but cooked a sausage and potato bake and have another portion for tonight

Hope you all have a good day

*Jellie*

Am up to 3/15 after a late start.

apple_muncher

Abundant - love your analysis and questions! I think your 'reward box' is an excellent idea.

thriftylass

Hello,

SFD number three here. My reason for low SFD numbers is DH and low will power. At the start of December (started with a weekend pretty much), we went and did a top up shop, the drinks shop on Friday and big shop on the weekend. So part of it was also bad planning and that weird festive season feeling I get, oh it's December let's have a treat. I also bought xmas stuff on Amaz)n as soon as my vouchers came through rather than to wait for a spend day. Gosh sometimes I wish I was single without kids. That would be so much easier (well and I wouldn't have wedding and car debt :rotfl:). But reigned it in now and am back on track. Thanks for that post abundant.

I will start doing the treat box in January. DH and I will be both more on board hopefully then and certain things will get more restricted (things I see as treats now like a lovely fruit cider). So my plan for next year is to have a weekly treat of a bag of crisps or some chocolate (will make a hidden stash) also to reign in the daily snacking and finishing kids dinner type stuff. On top of that I will have a monthly treat (ca £7) of lunch at Jushi (loveliest sushi and smoothies, so quite a healthly treat). That way I have sth to look fwd too and it is way cheaper than our current habits. :cool:

Kids will have leftover lasagne for tea and we'll have LO lamb tagine. Save time on cooking tonight and invest it in christmas card writing (done 13/39 last night).

Bobarella

thriftylass wrote: »

Bobarella It was just the postie

Ah sorry. I read your post again and that was quite clear. It's so nice having smalls of the age where everything is exciting.

dolly84

I don't do the whole NSD thing really. As long as all my spends come within and preferably under budget I'm OK with that even if I spend something from those budgets every single day.

My grocery shop for this week is being delivered this afternoon, I've been cycling this morning (13 degrees warmer here than yesterday) in the wind and will walk the dog to mums later on.

I ordered some toothbrush heads yesterday but used Boots points to pay, I really, really hate paying for these things but I got a pack of 4 so can forget about them for 12 months.

dolly84

calling - hope baby arrives safely soon.

thriftylass

I just shuffled some money around and paid off one CC. So now everything is on 0%. One CC (900) and family debt (ca 1200) to go.