The Awesome April NSD Challenge.

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marmiterulesok
marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
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edited 26 March 2017 at 12:51AM in Debt-free wannabe challenges
Spring is here.April showers,lambs bleating in the fields,little birds chirping in the trees,Easter eggs galore. :)
Yes indeed,a wondrous month!
So join us doing the NSD challenge,the best of them all! :j:j

You're all welcome. :money:
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  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
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    edited 30 April 2017 at 1:40PM
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    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 :D
    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 :money: & have been l-o-n-g time NSDers so don't panic :p
    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 :D
    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 action-smiley-076.gif
    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 [Weds mornings] in the cracked teapot & Ben's £1 coin for the gym locker [Friday lunch] 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 :D

    We have virtual outings to wonderful places that never cost us a bean :rotfl:New York, Edinburgh & Brighton have been a couple & nargle 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 :D The only thing to be aware of is Hubert the donkey who is partial to anything remotely edible but is not yet house-trained :o

    And Remember;
    there are no silly questions, so don't be afraid to ask us anything!
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
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    edited 7 May 2017 at 12:26PM
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    Here are our lovely prizes:

    1st target achieved:20tm1w5.jpg

    2nd target achieved: 2uik5g0.jpg

    3rd target achieved: kcm8lu.jpg

    Target exceeded: 2vd0ksx.jpg

    Consolation prize:5vvz46.jpg




    Shawn the Shark is here to gently encourage any over eager nsders not to use the 'F' word ie F-a-i-l.....Other deterents include the dreaded soggy paintbrush and a manky kipper breakfast lovingly prepared by Igor.You have been warned....

    ioeyk9.jpg
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
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    edited 7 May 2017 at 12:32PM
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    Post your target and I'll add your name to the list.

    marmiterulesok 14/15 5vvz46.jpg

    Florence J 5/13 5vvz46.jpg

    indigowarrior 2/12 5vvz46.jpg

    SkintTeacher 8/12 5vvz46.jpg

    Nargleblast 14/15 5vvz46.jpg

    Honeysucklelou2 9/10 5vvz46.jpg

    Jo Blogs 15/15 achieved! 20tm1w5.jpg2nd target 25/25 achieved! 2uik5g0.jpgTarget exceeded 26/25 achieved!2vd0ksx.jpg

    donkids22 9/10 5vvz46.jpg

    Chica Bonita 4/15 5vvz46.jpg

    dreamtruce 2/20 5vvz46.jpg

    DancingUnicorn 1/15 5vvz46.jpg


    Kittencat 0/8


    swimminginaseaofdebt 4/12 5vvz46.jpg

    Munchin 5/12 5vvz46.jpg


    Captain Bluebear 0/12


    Pennydreams 7/15 5vvz46.jpg

    wegle 10/165vvz46.jpg
  • marmiterulesok
    marmiterulesok Posts: 7,812 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker Photogenic
    edited 7 May 2017 at 12:34PM
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    Post your target and I'll add your name to the list!

    The prize:taggg4.jpg


    marmiterulesok 4

    Florence J 3

    indigowarrior 4

    SkintTeacher 5

    ChicaBonita 4

    DancingUnicorn 7

    Captain Bluebear 3

    Pennydreams 5

    Jo Blogs 3taggg4.jpg 5taggg4.jpg7taggg4.jpg7 taggg4.jpg
  • Florence_J
    Florence_J Posts: 1,942 Forumite
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    I'm in again.

    My targets are 13 NSDs with 3 in a row
    Debt Free Stage 1 - Completed 27/08/2020
    Debt Free Stage 2 - Completed 50/181 Payments
  • indigowarrior
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    Please sign me up. My NSDs are 12 and 4 in a row.
    No Spend November 2/15 and SPC 134
  • SkintTeacher
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    Yes please!
    12 NSDs 5 in a row
    Lower than normal to reflect the fact it is the month of my wedding!!!
    Thank you as ever marmiterulesok x
  • Nargleblast
    Nargleblast Posts: 10,762 Forumite
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    And now, a little ditty in honour of the occasion of the launching of the April NSD thread.

    Spring is sprung, the grass is ris
    I wonder where de birdie is?
    He's on de wing (now dat's absurd, de wing is on de bird..)


    15 NSDs for me, please, marmite!
    One life - your life - live it!
  • Nargleblast
    Nargleblast Posts: 10,762 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Debt-free and Proud!
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    Yes please!
    12 NSDs 5 in a row
    Lower than normal to reflect the fact it is the month of my wedding!!!
    Thank you as ever marmiterulesok x

    (Now, Igor, calm yourself, another party to gatecrash....)
    One life - your life - live it!
  • Kittencat
    Kittencat Posts: 699 Forumite
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    Lower target for me this month. 8 please Marmite.
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