A question about : "Sealed Pot Challenge" ~ 7 ~ Part 2
Ok folks, here we are with SPC No 7!!
For all newcomers, yes Old Timers too - please read through this entire post to see what the SPC is all about.
However, do be sure to Join the forum first in order to be able to join the challenge - if you haven't already!
To everyone else, please keep chatting about your conquests etc from Post 2 onwards.
Hello yet again all dedicated MSE Sealed Pot Savers! We're off again with yet another Sealed Pot Challenge No 7. We've had 6 highly successful money-saving years, and it's purely through the determined saving of you all - many thanks to you great folk who have made this thread what it is!!
For all newcomers - a really huge heartfelt welcome! We're a terrific bunch who just adore greeting more members to the flock. 
Please read through the whole of this post to see what the SPC is all about.
The idea is to save as much as possible throughout the following year until just before Christmas - which this year will be to open our pots on Thursday the 27th November 2014. We save it in pots that we've pre-sealed to stop us being tempted to open them. Any spare cash can be put away, every day/week/month, whatever is best for you. If you have change left after you've been shopping - pop it in the pot! Why not...however small..it won't be missed. Most of us put the difference in that we've been saved on special offers etc, it's all saved at the shop so makes sense to save it in the pot!!
Below are the basics for making your pot and sealing.
Firstly: Get yourself a pot, and remember - it doesn't need to cost much, if anything. If money's tight use any pot for now, I.e. A sweet tin, coffee jar..extremely MSE!! Next - seal it with sellotape and be sure to make a slit in the lid, big enough for a 50p to go in. Later on, if you wish, take advantage of finding one in the sales after Christmas, or put one you fancy on your Christmas list! You can always buy ready sealed tins from reasonably priced shops! They're usually about a POUND!! 
It can also be interesting and challenging to make yourself a Paper Mache pig (or any animal) etc by using Frugaldom's recipe by clicking here then going to Post No. 597 or by going to a totally separate thread papier mache animal here. Many thanks to Frugaldom. After selecting your pot, seal round the lid with sellotape or superglue if necessary. Again, be sure to make a slit in the top that is the right size for at least a 50p! NB. If you make a Paper Mache pot you will need to operate on it at the end of each challenge! Still, you can always have the pleasure of making a new one towards the end of the year, or getting the kiddies involved - if you're the daring type!
Anyone wanting to show a picture of their pot on the thread, please click here and go down to Post No. 2433 where jakes-mum has kindly given all the directions. Many thanks to jakes-mum.
Terrimundi pots are available in many shops and on-line, they're very attractive and another ready sealed way to save, and though the manufacturers and retailers would have you believe you need to, you DO NOT need to smash them to remove your cash!! I've used mine for 5 years...and at the end of each year's (since 2009 when I graduated from a carton!) challenge hubby and I have a whale of a time, doing things the 'old' way by tilting the pot and using a knife! 
Though, last year DH bought a 12 steel ruler in from the shed which is thin and broad and perfect for the job. So be assured that, so long as you go carefully, you CAN use them again and again....unless you drop the darned things!! 
The term roadkill = any money found on pavements, parks etc; even in car parks and on shop floors.
NB. A few notes of interest.
1/ Any money given as a gift (other than Birthdays, Christmas etc) I.e.. Inherited can not be included as savings. Likewise any money put directly into the bank cannot be counted as savings with SPC. Money from small second jobs is ok, such as cleaning for Mrs Bloggs down the road/ taking in ironing, a PT job or anything similar is ok to be saved. Any savings saved via Christmas Clubs can also be used in your SPC Totals, it's another way of saving for Christmas after all, but please specify which is saved in your SPC pot and which is the CC money when declaring at the end of the year.
However, 2nd incomes can also come in many different and very lucrative guises and anything such as that would be unfair to other members. Mostly the SPC is a challenge to see how much we can save during the year..mostly it's relatively small amounts which are saved from wages, housekeeping etc. Remunerations via the letting of second homes cannot be included in the SPC.
2/ Whenever you're in the dilemma of ooh should I buy that? If you don't need it, but just want it - leave it there and pot the cash instead, you'll be much more satisfied with the accomplishment, pleased with your self-discipline too.
3/ You can ask me to put a Target on for you to try to meet, but it's not necessary. If you do set one, but are unable to meet it, it doesn't matter at all, at least you will have tried. A few people keep account of all they save, but most of us count what we save each day, then put it on the thread to help encourage others then we forget about it and ....wait for the surprise at the end of the year!
4/ Mainly it's a challenge to see how much we can save in a year for Christmas 2014. However, over the last 5 years we've had some members who needed theirs throughout the year for bills, and personally I'd far sooner they take it out for that than pay more interest or miss a due date. You can always start again, even if it's getting later in the year, you can also include what you need to spend in your Totals, after all, you'll have saved it. Whatever you need to do, don't worry about - be happy and proud you have saved!
5/ If you wish to save for something special, a holiday, wedding etc then please do so, the most important thing, is that you are saving ...and hopefully not tempted to take it out unnecessarily. If anyone has any other queries, then please sing out...though not too loudly, you might shatter your pots!
6/ At the end of the year (or when we've saved for what we wish) we all declare our Totals either by waiting until the last day of saving - or by putting our Totals on our signatures to remind sparky to include them in the Grand Total. The latter particularly applies to those using their money for holidays etc.
7/ Holding Pots: To anyone concerned about putting money into their pot..then needing it later in the week/month: Why not use one unsealed pot or purse as a 'holding pot' and pop the money in their first each day/week/month - then, if it's not desperately needed (for car parking costs, little Johnnies school trip etc) - put it in a Sealed one so it stays put. Do that each week and it'll save you taking money from the bank. Discipline yourself to only take what's needed though!
8/ Where to take bags of cash at the end of the year?: With regards to this all important question, here's vital help from girlatplay: I bank with Bank of Scotland and they accept as many change bags as you have, as long as you take them to the business banking counter. That is so handy for members to know, many thanks to GAP.
On this post is a list of members and their numbers, always display yours on your signatures please. If you don't do that then sparky, my 2nd In Command (bless you sparky) gets mad 
as he counts up all of our Totals using his spreadsheet and, in December I put a Grand Total on of ALL that we members have collected, what a terrific sight that is. As we get some who forget the date it can often be a couple of weeks or more until I'm able to put the Grand Total on my signature and on the thread, so please put yours on ASAP, thanks.
(Just a quiet word of warning to all those in the Liverpool area...be up very early in the mornings to get any roadkill....or sparky will have had the LOT (he has magnets on his shoes)!! Though LC 2 (luckycharlie) will be close on his heels! In the Cambridge area - forget it folks - jakes-mum will knock you to the floor to get any money! Think I'm joking??
Yet again, we've just had another truly amazing year, let's keep it going and see what we can achieve this year. Good luck everyone and save well!!
PLEASE take note everyone Thursday 27th November is the closing date for 2014, the day we declare what we've saved. Please, kindly declare your monies saved within 2 weeks of the 27th, thank you kindly.
The opening date for the next thread (2015) will be Friday 28th November 2014. Yes, the following day.
Anyone wishing to join please post on the thread to ask and I'll give you a number so you can join in the fun......and please do note that...no matter what time of year ....
It's Never Too Late To Join Us! and You Never Need To Re-join....well, unless you stop visiting us in November!
Sue x
Best answers:
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001 Sue-UU
002 sparky0107
003 Purplemumof2
004 SlowlyFading
005 Evertheoptimist
006 Redmel1621
007 Di-Dough
008 Buffythedebtslayer .....................Target Ј600
009 prophecy-grrl - Very many thanks to you, ALL, for your kind thoughts, but I promise you that I'm sooooooo much better now and feeling just fine again!!!!! You're such wonderful caring friends and I thank you sincerely for your kind thoughts which I so appreciate!
Thanks for the Cornwall answer, little_sweetie, and I'm so chuffed you had such a lovely time and great weather, same as us! I don't think the food poisoning has pit me off BBQs completely, but it's sure as heck put me off ever having chicken that's cooked on one - NEVER AGAIN!!!! Our lad absolutely loves cooking BBQs and doesn't normally have chicken, he was mortified to hear, bless him.
Yes thanks, atolaas, we had an amazing time with superb weather!!
Thanks Lynne, our Dr was aware of it all as I take vital pills daily, but as they go to the small intestine and the "problem" was in the large he said it shouldn't be a problem on the ailment but to contact him again if it went into this week, thankfully all's well now!
Ahhh, bless you, Rosy, but as you see above, all is thankfully well now, though I lost 9 Lbs altogether!!! Well done you with the SunWalk!
Delighted you had such a lovely holiday, Mummy+2.
All best wishes to kitty and to you, Meowhouse, I hope all turns out well.
Good to hear you've been enjoying yourself, Nell, have even more time to yourself when you can.
You're a very fortunate girl, Vicky, your Dad obviously loves spoiling his girl, bless him!
Quote: - Ah - ha
Made it through the portal okay but a bit lonesome eh.
Soooo glad that you feeling better Sue-UU
Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday
Lx - I'm here too lynne, I'm sure the others will soon find us
Modesty has just pointed out that we've lost LC2 as well as sparky and neither have we heard from nu1isit? for months. It's quite sad to lose some of our oldest members. I do hope they are ok.....
Just popped in to report 83p potted from a fleabay sale.
Hi Sue, glad you are feeling so much better.
Have a great evening everyone x - Yay I'm here
Found 5p on the train so got a lovely 19p - Here you are
Glad you feel better Sue, excellent weight loss even if a bit drastic
I have potted 45p today
Central London was hellish today. Loads of people milling around. My office overlooks Buckingham Palace so all the roads around us were chaos whilst people were waiting for the arrival of the cyclists. It's always bad around there, but today was particularly bad.
I hope everyone is well.
32b3 - Woohoo! new thread
I had nothing to say, I just wanted to be on the first page - Will be resuming potting tomorrow. Didnt spend anything on Saturday when I went out other than a fiver (that went on my debit card)! And yesterday and today I've stayed in!
Feeling very frugal atm LOL.
EDIT: Sue, could you add me with a target of Ј175 please? - Sue I'm so glad you're better, and I reckon you're right to avoid BBQ chicken from now on! Now it's time to spoil yourself and eat lots of lovely home-made cakes and bread, and put some of that weight back on
No potting in the rosyq household today but I'm hoping for some tomorrow. - Hello! *looks around the lovely new home*
So glad you're better Sue-UU!
To celebrate our new home, I've potted 20p. - Well isn't this nice....
Another 90p into pot 2. - Some more potting for me already this week
Decided I'm not going to keep a running total, going to wait for the surprise at the end - Morning all and a new thread.
Sue, nice to hear you're on the mend and feeling better. Cream cakes, chocolate and ice cream will soon put back on the lost pounds.
Potted just 3 x 20p coins and one of those was a "road-kill", left at the self-scan checkout - thanks.
This will be a low potting week as I'm trying to use up some of the amassed food stock!!
Must try harder next week though. lol
Just started raining again here, but looking forward to the "announced" heat-wave due soon.
Lynsey - Morning all. Ј1.60 out of pot today so I can put it on my Oyster. Will probably replenish that later with extras so all is not lost.
Ј80 out of savings (sig updated) to pay car tax, but that was budgeted for so dont need to dip into any other monies - Afternoon everybody. Hope all are well!
I've got 70p ready to put in my pot - it's getting really heavy now! - WooHoo new thread!!
Sue i am so glad you are feeling better Me being poorly and losing a chunk of weight is what kick-started my exercising and eating better, i really didn't want to put the weight back on again.
I am steadily potting away have a long weekend off this weekend so i'm sure that will boost my pot nicely.
Ruth x - Hi everyone, nice to have a new home.
I paid on my card yesterday but found a 5p and a 1p roadkill so potted those. =-)
Glad you're better Sue. Chicken should always be boiled before putting on a BBQ.
Hugs to all. - YAY....a nice new Shiny Bright home for us all
I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better Sue....that's great news...
I'm Potting Ј3.77 this Afternoon...
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