The Jumbo-normous January NSD Challenge!

A question about : The Jumbo-normous January NSD Challenge!

Yes,another year is behind us.We are all ready to dive into 2015 (really?!),but we all need a teensy little escape from the rough hardship of winter.

So,what better than to head off for a winter's cruise.The NSD gang are hoping to forget the cold,the dark nights,the rotten weather and we need something to help us get over the 'Annual Post-Brussel Sprouts Festival Blues'....so,when Igor suggested a cruise,we all jumped right in.

So,we are ready to fire up The Tardis again,to whizz us off to a lovely cruise ship,all from the comfort of our armchairs.

Feel free to join us.We have lots of fun activities planned.More of that later...For those of you who are new to the challenge,we are a happy (and some might say mildly insane) bunch doing battle with those retailers - and there's plenty of temptation out there at the moment. We are seriously committed to saving money, but nobody said it can't be done with a smile on your face - so we organize riotous nights out and gatecrash any function going - all without leaving the comfort of our own imaginations or armchairs!

On a slightly more serious note, we are here to help each other avoid spending for the number of days we feel we can manage to try to take back some control over our hard-earned money. What you class as a spend' is entirely your choice; some people will try to shop on the days DD/SO etc are paid, whilst others will not include essentials such as rent. Have a look for a post from our sponsor (and godmother of this challenge) BigMummaF, this contains some guidelines and ideas for starting you off on the challenge.

It's amazing how inventive you get when you're determined NOT to spend - from weird menu ingredients to surprising DIY solutions - but you know what? 99% of the time those wacky ideas work.

Just remember that mentioning the F word (f-a-i-l!) is not allowed,and anyone who does will have a swift visit from Shawn the Shark and his bruvers Vinnie and Arnie!

If you're new to the forum,click here to read the Intro Guide.

If you haven't already, join the forum to reply!

We're hoping to see lots of new faces this month,so don't be shy!

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Best answers:

• Some helpful suggestions and ideas to follow below from our sponsor and godmother, BigMummaF
  NO SPEND CHALLENGE.
• Bearing in mind that I didn't find it easy to get some 'good' animated gifs,here are the prizes;all that you need on a winter cruise:
  1st target A bit of sun
  2nd target A few nice drinks
  3rd target A good book
  4th target The odd swim in the pool
  Target exceeded Some whale watching
  The Consolation Prize Dolphins always make us smile!
• Post your target and I'll add you to the list.
  marmiterulesok 10/10 2nd target 15/15 Target exceeded 20/15
  Roundthebend 1/20
  Knit Witch 10/10 2nd target 15/15 3rd target 20/20 4th target 25/25
  Target exceeded 28/25
  scotmumof3 15/15 2nd target 17/18
  BritAbroad 6/8
  fedupandskint 20/202nd target23/23 3rd target 25/25 4th target 27/27
  candyapple 10/10 2nd target 15/15
  Candlewick 20/20
  lindsaygalaxy 0/15
  kermit2601 10/10 2nd target 12/12 Target exceeded 14/12
  donna dynamo 15/15 2nd target 18/20
  
  sonicetomeetyou 2/7
  Aloofdragon 0/18
  shezam 4/5
  jodles16 20/20 Target exceeded 22/20
  butterfly2507 10/10 2nd target 20/20 Target exceeded 26/20
  HelgatheHairy 0/12
  MummyRivett 20/20 Target exceeded 22/20
  black cat 11/15
  pathtofreedom 15/15 Target exceeded 20/15
  Philea 6/20
  Penguins86 10/10 2nd target 15/15
  helpme_115 4/10
  Pepperoni 1/15
  slowlyfading 20/20
  zenshi 15/15 2nd target18/18 Target exceeded 19/18
  Nargleblast 17/17 Target exceeded 19/17
  gothrockchic113/15
  Munchin 15/15
  MRSR68 5/15
  thrifty fifty 5/5 2nd target 10/10 3rd target 14/15
  nannygladys 0/15
  GaLa15 0/20
  cheexy 10/10 2nd target 15/15 Target exceeded 20/15
  lindor 12/12
  cw18 15/15 Target exceeded 19/15
  IrishRose12 10/10 Target exceeded 19/10
  LionessInWinter 10/10 Target exceeded 12/10
  redlaces 12/12 2nd target 15/15 3rd target 16/17
  LINKYPIE2009 7/10
  Gem-gem 15/15 Target exceeded 17/15
  IvyandEleanor 7/12
  willkeepontrying 11/20
  chesterroo 10/10
  svb53 0/20
  the.new.me 15/15 2nd target 19/19
  Wooftastic 12/12 Target exceeded 13/12
  jaxsmar 18/18 Target exceeded 23/18
  StressedSteph 0/20
  Pippin12 0/12
  grassgirl 0/10
  kerri gt 12/16
  Butti 2/10
  Samiszel14/15
  Aphidgirl 10/10
  lustyrusty 15/15
  Time to sort this out 0/12
  muffinman7 10/10 Target exceeded 10/26
  Starting Again 15/15 Target exceeded 20/15
  Hoipolloi 12/12 Target exceeded 18/12
  GJNA 0/15
  dlizi 2/20
  Tiffany Aching 3/15
  zafiro1984 15/15
  JoJoC 2/8
  Sundaysgirl 20/20
  mothershipton 8/10
  Learning2Budget 16/16 2nd target 19/20
  pennypinchingpenguin 2/10
  kathy40uk 16/16 2nd target 18/18 Target exceeded 19/18
  Missu 2/10
  Cwtchie 5/17
  lotti379 10/10 2nd target 15/15 Target exceeded 16/15
  Lattelover 2/10
  librahope4/10
  hotspur_pam 2/10
  busybubblebee 3/15
  DFF 10/10
  greensalad 3/?
  ktalwayskint 14/20
  Sirenne89 0/4
  Ellieseleven 10/10 Target exceeded12/10
• The In A Row Challenge prize is:
  Post your target and I'll add you to the list.
  marmiterulesok 5
  Roundthebend 5
  Knit Witch 12
  scotmumof3 3 4
  Candlewick 4
  4
  lindsaygalaxy 3
  kermit2601 5
  HelgatheHairy 4
  MummyRivett 5 5
  black cat 4
  pathtofreedom5
  Philae 5
  helpme_115 3
  zenshi 2 4
  2 2 2
  gothrockchic1 5
  Munchin 3
  cheexy 3 3 3 3
  Gem-gem 4
  Wooftastic 4
  Pippin12 3
  Samiszel 5
  lustyrusty 5 5 5
  muffin man 7 8
  Starting Again 5
  dlizi 5
  Learning2Budget 7
  Cwtchie 5
• Here is a link to December's thread.
• Please may I join? It's batten down the hatches time, so could I please go for a butt-kicking 20 please? Starting Jan 1st (my birthday!)
  And if like to try and get 5 in a row as an extra challenge please!
  RTB xx
  Edited to add:
  I won't be counting direct debits, nor the cheques I give school for trips/meals etc as I don't have control over the exact days these leave my account.
• Thank you!
  And here's to January!
• Excellent! Can I go for 10 and 5 in a row please Marmite!
• Thank you marmite for the nice new shiny thread in the nice new shiny year. Can you put me down for 15 NSD and I am going to try for3 in a row.
  Looking forward to the cruise got my seasick pills and my life jacket "just in case". Hopefully see you all there
• I'd like to join this thread!
  I used to do NSD a while back, but life got somewhat derailed in 2014. So I'd like to start again.
  I'm going for 8 NSDs in January.
• I'd like to aim for 20 NSD in January.
  Thanks for running the thread marmite, it helps keep me on track of my impulsive spending by planning and planning and planning!
• Hello and I'd love to join you all please
  I've been off MSE for a while and took part in this challenge about 2 years ago so I'm glad to see it's still thriving
  10 NSDs for me please to start me off gently
• Morning fellow NSDers
  Thanks for the new thread Marmite.
  With a New Year comes a fresh start… I am going to have a very frugal January and become more organised in my personal life. My budgets are set and my new spending diary is ready but I am hoping not to see too many entries in it! I am going to try and make January as cost neutral as possible!
  To assist with my grocery budget, I am unofficially taking part in dry January and intend on taking lunch to work every day which I did quite well with this year but there is definitely room for improvement.
  I have 4 unwanted Christmas presents. I know I sound ungrateful but I just won't use them so will eb*y them. They are very well known, good quality products so I am hoping to make a total of Ј80 from those.
  My rules:
  I will not be including anything that goes out by D / D as I seem to think it means I can have a blow out on those days.
  I will not be including any work related expenses as these are cost neutral once I have been reimbursed.
  I will be including all other spends despite they have been budgeted for.
  I have 3 birthdays in January. Two will be cash presents (I will be using some of my Christmas money for these) and the other I will buy via one of the gift cards I also received so can condense those into one spending day. I have one dinner that I will pick up the tab for but I shall hopefully source a voucher from Voucherc*des and then another of my gift cards can cover the cost.
  I will set a target of 20 days with 4 in-a-row.
  Candlewick
• Morning everyone
  The kids are still asleep in bed so it's a cuppa and quiet for me atm
  Can you put me down for 15 NSD and to try for 3 in a row.
  PJ day today so I am going to try get a bit organised today.
• Here's me!
  I would like to try for a conservative 10 NSD's this month as it's both my OH and my birthdays this month. Already got her present so hopefully I'll hit target early and can then up it.
  I will also attempt 5 in a row as I've not managed to hit that target yet (Soooooo close!).
• Hi going to try for my usual 15 NSDs. Good luck everyone for the new year, may you have lots of nsds.
• Hi everyone. I would like to try for a total of 7 NSDs for January.