How To Save Up NP?

[Guest VioletFlare]

OK, so I've decided to buckle down and get my Secret Laboratory Map pieces so I can work on my lab rat, Taneso.

The only problem is that I have a very nasty habit of spending NP when I'm trying to actually save up for something... :worried:

I currently have 369,013 NP in my bank account as of posting this topic, and I need at leat 1.7 million NP for the complete set. Does anyone have tips on how to save up NP without wanting to spend any?

(I also apologize if this is in the wrong category, I wasn't sure if this was supposed to go here or Neopets General Chat...)

[noxiouslove]

I'm horrible at saving, too, but you could probably hide it on another account that you don't really use? You'll be less tempted at least. :d

[Guest VioletFlare]

I'm horrible at saving, too, but you could probably hide it on another account that you don't really use? You'll be less tempted at least. :D

 

That could maybe work, but I'm worried my account might get frozen if I try to transfer the NP back...

[emily_speck_15]

Start out the day by withdrawing 1np as many times as you can from the bank.  Then you can no longer access the money saved in there.  :) That is how I saved up.  Also, the stock market is a terrible way to make money quickly but is a great way to make money in the long run.  Right now I buy 15K worth in stocks daily, but I cash out all my stocks that reach 30nps so all the money I put in doubles eventually.  

[Anime]

Way back when I was actively saving, a friend told me this tip:

 

Set it so that you have a PIN on your bank, and then only on things you want to be safe that you never use (so take it off your SDB). Then set a new PIN by hitting random numbers with your eyes closed and copy/pasting the number in without looking at it. This way you can't get NP out of the bank without sending for the PIN (try not to lose your pass) which deters a LOT of impulse spending. If you don't want to try and bash a PIN in, ask a trusted friend or relative to do it real fast while you're sitting there with them but not looking.

 

Alternately, invest in stocks. Then you can't spend it AND you're making more! Just remember to keep an eye on them.

[Scoobert_Doo]

Maybe try giving yourself an allowance to spend on other stuff and the rest goes to your savings? The other part of saving and spending is earning. I know everyone has a different way of earning NP and not everyone has the ability to play every game or the same games. But here is an example: You can use Trudy's Surprise "winnings" and maybe your "dailies" NP winnings for yourself. I do know it does start out small, but from day 10 to day 24, you at least "win" 19K NP, with Trudy's Surprise. I do not know what you like to buy, and it may not be enough, but this is just an example. With "Ghoul Catchers", you can earn 50K NP a day. Put your "Ghoul Catchers" "winnings" into your savings. Two days of "Ghoul Catchers" will net you 100K. Sure, it will take 20 days of Ghoul Catchers to net 1M NP, but you will be closer to your goal for the Lab Ray pieces. You may be good at games, or trading stocks, or restocking, or "Food Club" bets, etc, all other ways of earning NP. I guess what I'm getting at is putting a larger amount into your savings, but keeping some amount as an allowance. That way, you don't feel you are saving all of the time and can't have some fun spending. Now if you have "expensive tastes", then you may have to look at what you want more: the expensive item or having a "lab rat". Another way to look at it, once you have the Lay Ray pieces, you are done with that - no more saving for it. Then, you can spend to your "heart's content". Enough of my blabbering. I think you get the idea. Just a thought.

[Guest VioletFlare]

Maybe try giving yourself an allowance to spend on other stuff and the rest goes to your savings? The other part of saving and spending is earning. I know everyone has a different way of earning NP and not everyone has the ability to play every game or the same games. But here is an example: You can use Trudy's Surprise "winnings" and maybe your "dailies" NP winnings for yourself. I do know it does start out small, but from day 10 to day 24, you at least "win" 19K NP, with Trudy's Surprise. I do not know what you like to buy, and it may not be enough, but this is just an example. With "Ghoul Catchers", you can earn 50K NP a day. Put your "Ghoul Catchers" "winnings" into your savings. Two days of "Ghoul Catchers" will net you 100K. Sure, it will take 20 days of Ghoul Catchers to net 1M NP, but you will be closer to your goal for the Lab Ray pieces. You may be good at games, or trading stocks, or restocking, or "Food Club" bets, etc, all other ways of earning NP. I guess what I'm getting at is putting a larger amount into your savings, but keeping some amount as an allowance. That way, you don't feel you are saving all of the time and can't have some fun spending. Now if you have "expensive tastes", then you may have to look at what you want more: the expensive item or having a "lab rat". Another way to look at it, once you have the Lay Ray pieces, you are done with that - no more saving for it. Then, you can spend to your "heart's content". Enough of my blabbering. I think you get the idea. Just a thought.

 

Oh, that sounds like a pretty good idea! I'll have to try it out sometime. :laughingsmiley:

[EmeraldDestiny2015]

Maybe try giving yourself an allowance to spend on other stuff and the rest goes to your savings? The other part of saving and spending is earning. I know everyone has a different way of earning NP and not everyone has the ability to play every game or the same games. But here is an example: You can use Trudy's Surprise "winnings" and maybe your "dailies" NP winnings for yourself. I do know it does start out small, but from day 10 to day 24, you at least "win" 19K NP, with Trudy's Surprise. I do not know what you like to buy, and it may not be enough, but this is just an example. With "Ghoul Catchers", you can earn 50K NP a day. Put your "Ghoul Catchers" "winnings" into your savings. Two days of "Ghoul Catchers" will net you 100K. Sure, it will take 20 days of Ghoul Catchers to net 1M NP, but you will be closer to your goal for the Lab Ray pieces. You may be good at games, or trading stocks, or restocking, or "Food Club" bets, etc, all other ways of earning NP. I guess what I'm getting at is putting a larger amount into your savings, but keeping some amount as an allowance. That way, you don't feel you are saving all of the time and can't have some fun spending. Now if you have "expensive tastes", then you may have to look at what you want more: the expensive item or having a "lab rat". Another way to look at it, once you have the Lay Ray pieces, you are done with that - no more saving for it. Then, you can spend to your "heart's content". Enough of my blabbering. I think you get the idea. Just a thought.

Scoobert's idea is pretty solid. 

Do any of your pets have decent battle stats? If so, fight Chia Clown and the Obelisk War Characters (just the ones with 8 hp). Chia Clown can give you Rainbow Paint Brush and Chocolate Ice Cream which can net a good amount of NP. The Obelisk War opponents drop codestones every once in a while, which you can quickly sell. 

[Guest VioletFlare]

Scoobert's idea is pretty solid. 

Do any of your pets have decent battle stats? If so, fight Chia Clown and the Obelisk War Characters (just the ones with 8 hp). Chia Clown can give you Rainbow Paint Brush and Chocolate Ice Cream which can net a good amount of NP. The Obelisk War opponents drop codestones every once in a while, which you can quickly sell. 

 

I'll admit I squeed a little when I heard Chia Clown gives out Rainbow Paint Brushes, heheh... ^^'

I'll have Aiveeus fight it a few times since I just healed him up.

[EmeraldDestiny2015]

I'll admit I squeed a little when I heard Chia Clown gives out Rainbow Paint Brushes, heheh... ^^'

I'll have Aiveeus fight it a few times since I just healed him up.

It's pretty rare to get the paint brush though...

You're more likely to get cheap food or codestones.  :rolleyes_anim:

[paperdoll66]

I would use SunnyNeo to keep track of lab map prices.  When it comes time to buy, I'd look through all the pages on the trading post.  A lot of the time, the cheapest listings get burried.

 

I've started to really like Food Club as a way of earning np.  There are a few different guides with suggested bets.  Doing dailies can really add up.  The Forgotten Shore and Altador Plot give good prizes, so I'd get access to them if you haven't already.

[Aquamentis12]

DON'T SPEND IT! Oh wait, that's been suggested.... LOL

 

Actually, it's amazing the full Lab Map is that pricey these days. O_o Since I don't zap, I don't keep track of pricing them. lol

 

Here's what I do, to help save. At the first of the month, I withdraw a small amount of NP, to get started, for on-site things like scratchcards, quests and the like. Then I go through the month. I also battle, though I've been slacking off there... lol But some of the items you can get from battling can be pretty good for selling in your shop. That helps fill your coffers too. Anyway, by the end of the month, usually the night of the last day. I deposit ALL my on-hand NP back into the bank, and start the process over on the first day of the new month after collecting my interest of course. ;) If you limit yourself like that, if you get near the lower part of the on-hand NP, it should motivate you to work to build it back up. Instead of taking it out of your bank. Consider it akin to challenging yourself. Games and some dailies offer good chances at making some decent NP. Put games into your favorites that you're decent or good at. Watch the ratios each month, since they change once a month.... Sometimes it'll benefit you, other times, you'll wonder what the heck TNT was thinking with some of the insanely high ratios. lol I know I do. lol

Of course check out the Forgotten Shore for the chance of finding some free np, monthly Freebies for a free 2k as well. I've seen stocks and Food club suggested as well but I don't know anything about those, though I have some friends who have managed to make quite a killing in both. lol

 

Best of luck! That first Mil is insane to get, but once you find what works for you, restocking, games, etc, you'll find it's not too bad, saving. Also, look at it this way, in SOME cases, items that are released may go DOWN in price, over the time while you're saving. So that means that when you're ready to buy said items, you'll be saving NP on them if their prices did indeed go down. :) So if there's something you want, really badly, watch it's price like a hawk until you can justify it, to yourself, to buying it. ;)

[Guest VioletFlare]

I just completed the Altador Plot, so there's another source of Neopoints! :thumbsup:

I have 383,163 Neopoints now, so I guess it's going kind of smoothly.

I just wish my shop were bigger so I could put in more stuff to sell, but I don't want to waste NP making it bigger...

 

Edit: I just impulsively bought a Blue Paint Brush for Aiveeus just so his fur matches his outfit more... -sigh- Luckily, one of my friends said she would give me some NP to set me on the right track again, but I don't want to seem like a money beggar...

[rubyredflamingfire]

I have a habit of spending np on neohome items, which is usually spurred on by visiting my neohome where I decide what else I need to buy. So what works for me is to avoid places on neopets that put me "in the mood" to spend np. Also, I visit the trading post often or even daily to check the price of the morphing potions I want to help remind me exactly how much I need to be able to buy those items. 

 

I think you actually have it a little easy considering how well Trudy's Surprise gives out neopoints. It took me several years of saving and winning a paintbrush from the Fruit Machine worth 80k for me to able to buy all my map pieces in 2014. I actually don't think it was worth it personally. I want very specific neopet colors, but species changes and stat decreases are way to common for my taste. I haven't zapped my pets since this spring because I don't want them to change species. Maybe you have already considered this, but maybe morphing potions will be a better choice? They're usually much cheaper than paint brushes and you're guaranteed to get that color/species combo when you use it. Not to mention all paint brushes and morphing potions are getting more and more affordable, especially with the help of Trudee's surprise. 

 

I have 2 million right now thanks to Trudee's surprise, purely doing my dalies, and getting and selling a Pirate Draik Egg from anchor managment.I'm waiting for mp's to depreciate some more and save more money before buying an Island Krawk Morphing Potion which is like 1.3 million right now. :D 

[herrashmoo]

My current saving strategy is that I try not to let myself have less than 50k or more than 150k on hand. The moment I hit 150k, I deposit 100k into the bank.

 

That way, you always have a decent amount of money on hand to get your day to day stuff done (food club, stocks, restocking, store expansion, controlled impulse buys), but never enough to blow it all away in one fell swoop. Playing on and off the last few weeks, I've already managed to hit 1.5mil, so it's totally doable, you've just gotta have a bit of self-control re: spending. :laughingsmiley:

[LunaS]

Just...try harder I guess? I've been playing on my current account for almost two years now. Had a hiatus of about a year or so where I didn't do neopets at all, and am now at 9,816,174 NP. I bought the lab map before that. It's best to save up in advance in case you want to get something, and not buy it straight away when you have the np, because otherwise you'll have to start from scratch again. Unless you run into a super bargain situation or something of course. 

I mean, it can't be that hard. I don't do stock trading, or food club or any of those things. I'm just good at four or five of the games, and selling stuff in my store. It was way easier to get NP and quality items to sell when Key Quest was still online though. Those were the days.

[WhiteWolf]

I have several ways of saving. First, always collect your daily interest at the bank. At the time, it may not seems like much, but it counts. Another easy one is the daily puzzle. Trudys Surprise is a great one for easy NP. If you play it for 25 days straight, you get 100,000NP. This makes it worth staying with, in my opinion.

 

My favorite thing to do is keep piling up the NP I have out until I get to 150,000. Then I go to the bank, collect my interest, and deposit 100k. If you can do it, this adds up quickly.

 

By the way, no matter how bad you are at it...Never overlook the featured game.

[jcwise89]

I have absolutely no trouble saving money (wish it was this easy in real life!!!!)  I have a system:  I do all the dailies first, including collecting my interest before I do anything else with the bank.  I only feed my pets jellies/omelette/other really cheap food that I get from the dailies.  I stock my shop with everything else I win from the dailies.  Play as many games as you like, especially ones that give you a high return for minimal effort (Catch the Petpet and Fashion Fever are good ones).  I also play Meerca Chase and Usuki Frenzy because I'm good at them and the games go quickly.  Then, I go through my inventory, putting things that sell for less than 5np in my SBD and anything over 5np in my shop (aside from omelettes/jellies, which I feed to my pets).  I also have good luck with the Wheel of Mediocrity, so I spin that every day with money I earn that day.  When I'm done, I deposit all my NPs into the bank.  I usually deposit about 10,000 a day on average, though with Trudy's Surprise it's more now!

 

It also helps that I don't fool with the neohome or customization of my pets aside from painting/zapping them.

 

Good luck!

[teeniem55]

I really dont have much trouble saving, but I also sell everything I get from dailies and deposit any money from random events. I never keep nps on hand. The only thing i spend nps on is the neologe for all of my pets. 

[faerie1811]

The easiest way to keep yourself from spending is to limit how much np you have on hand at any given time. I typically keep 1-5k on hand at any given time, otherwise everything gets deposited. Also don't forget to upgrade your bank account when you can because it raises your daily interest rates!

[Pikky126]

I just spent all of my savings on Neggs while I'm trying to save up for a Secret Laboratory Map.

I apparently have to employ all of these tips.

[teeniem55]

Yes, definitely take advantage of your interest.  You can make those mini goals- to get to the next bank interest level. 

[Guest VioletFlare]

I just spent all of my savings on Neggs while I'm trying to save up for a Secret Laboratory Map.

I apparently have to employ all of these tips.

 

Don't worry, you'll get there eventually! :thumbsup:  Looks like we're saving up together... or something like that... ^^'

 

But, great news! I now have over 500,000 NEOPOINTS! :woot: That's probably the most I've ever had! ... At least until I get enough to get that Secret Laboratory Map! ;)

[Venerian]

Hahah, congrats. 
I'm also saving up, but I want to go to the highest bank acc before buying the map I think.

So I will have the highest interest.

And I also bought too much stuff. At least, since I came back this month. 

I don't do much though. Dailies, stock market, maybe some ghoul catchers, sometimes some restocking when I feel like it.

So I guess I need to be patient :P