Thursday 30th December 2010 – What Small Things…..

Candy0107

When we start out on the DFW trail we do loads of "big stuff" that makes quite a difference to our situation. These include having our lightbulb moment, cutting up the credit cards and cancelling Sky and the gym.

But once we have done the bigger stuff, we often feel that we are not making the same amount of progress, when in fact the small steps are helping us form good financial habits and helping us get closer everyday to staying in control and becoming debt free, or staying debt free! :money:!

Examples could be charging your phone up at work instead of at home to save your electricity, hanging washing out instead of using the tumble dryer or leaving your purse/wallet at home to avoid the risk of spending.!

So be proud of those small steps, they really are important.

Morning All

Hope you don’t mind me starting the thread – its year end at work so loads to do today!

Hi to all new posters. Hugs to those that need them.

Today I have/will
• Checked online banking – no change
• Check emails
• Meals from storecupboard
• Try to have a NSD
• Used my rail pass to get to work
• Work really hard at work as there is loads to do
• Catch up with friends on FB rather than texting people
• Read newspaper online
• Need to check out the freebies and the competition boards
• Enter comps online
• Washing on a quick wash 30 degrees

Need to send a snotty email to Npower and Moorcroft regarding a utilities debt I had at my flat – wont go into details because it makes me angry to think about it now!


Have a great day everyone
Candy xxx

OrangeFairy

Morning Candy and all that follow

Today

Top up orange phone to get free internet- done
Cut up xmas cards - haven't done this from yesterday - done
Tidy up for my Dad to visit- done
Eye test at specsavers with £10 voucher - done
check banking - done
Pick up 2 bargains reserved in Argos for present stash- done
Check sales - done
Dinner from stores
Lift in with OH at 8.30am to avoid bus fare into the next town - done
Visit bestfriend for a cup of tea - done
Make a decision of my first homemade gift to make for next xmas- done - Nan and Grandads photo book - home arranged rather than homemade
Meal plan for next week
Cards to be sort for early January birthdays

Thats me - better go wake the kiddiwinkles if we need to be out in half an hour!! x

stitching_witch

Good morning everyone, and thanks to Candy for starting the thread.

I shouldn't have gone into town yesterday - I ended up spending far too much money on myself - a smallholding magasine and fabric to make a winter hat - but it's still too much! Oh well, new budget starts on Saturday so I'll have to tighten the belt a little more. The VAT increase will hit me quite hard as there's very little spare as it is.


So far today I have:

• run DW overnight on Economy 7
• checked banking
• checked for surveys
• written an 8 page letter to my best friend for the price of a stamp - cheaper than phone call or texts
• fed and watered chickens and let them out to free-range

I will also:

• make DD's Christmas present as she's back from Wales tomorrow :eek:
• blitz the house as I'm babysitting DGS's baby brother this afternoon and he's now crawling
• make turkey, ham and leek pie from Xmas leftovers
• see how much meat is left on the carcass and use it all up in fried rice, stews etc, then make stock from bones
• try to encourage DH to add a couple of sheves in my kitchen cupboards as my ingredients are all over the place
• phone British G*s to ask where my energy monitor is - ordered in August and phoned about 4 times so far :mad:
• knit another 3cm of sock tonight

That doesn't seem very much like a day off, especially having Joey this afternoon - he's hard work, bless him

Hope you all have a good Thursday, stitchy x

determined_new_ms

Morning everyone :wave: as you can see I'm excited about another 5 days off :j

Candy thanks for starting the thread :A hope you get the Moorcroft/Npower thingy sorted, I know its easy for me to say but try to not let it get to you too much - its not worth the impact on ur health. As the lama would say if you do everything you can to sort it out its not worth being stressed about because you will sort it out

stitchy yay glad you treated yourself to something :T

kel I'm amazed at your organisation for next year!

Today:

• [STRIKE]check banking[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]shift some funds around[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]work out cc bill (what from what accounts)[/STRIKE]
• call theatre re comedy night that was cancelled this month and get them to send me tickets for the show in feb
• [STRIKE]go visit ex-mil[/STRIKE] had a lovely time
• visit new in-laws as oh's cousin is over (he hero worships him!)
• make turkey soup (so glad you mentioned using leftover turkey stitchy as I wasn't sure I still could :T) eeek I didn't do this
• [STRIKE]check for surveys[/STRIKE]
• vacuum 3rd floor of the house nope
• might pop into town and check out the sales nope
• [STRIKE]update spending diary - I bought xmas cards for family (still have enough left over from this & previous years for eveyone else!) and enough wrapping paper for years yesterday for £2.87 am going to put a note in my diary in Dec so I remember where I've stored them![/STRIKE]
• take trousers x2 to inlaws and ask mil to pin up so I can alter :T (2 smart pairs of trousers for work, both from cs ) nope
• go to the gym nope
• NSD
• put pennies in the pot & a £2 I found yesterday :T
  

Am really cross with dd as arranged to take her for a pizza and to the cinema yesterday. So I drove from the town I work in to hers and waited for 1/2 hr and she didn't show up :mad: anyway better take my own advice and be like the lama! Need to put something in place so this stops happening, really tired of it....

enough from me! Have a very happy Thursday :A

Erme

Thanks Candy for starting the thread..never mind the Llama I was in LaLa land yesterday having made the mistake of going on ebay@ 3am :eek:..the rest is an ebay disaster story...though I did manage to replace my free (half dieing) Bodum Granos machine for £50 when the budget was going to be originally £100 to replace that (would have gotten the £100 one but they didn't have it in stock and one being fixated I like had to have it yesterday )...Praise God for independant reviews is all I can say ...seriously think for someone like me who tends to buy 3 of an item before they find one they're happy with which would be a good insurance policy

So yeah never mind one too many espresso more like about 6 too many espressos yesterday playing with the new machine..

Am a little anxious about psych appt this am but know this is par for the course after the bad discharge from last admission....if I'm out of it tomorrow you know why...

Anyhow enough swaffle (I heard a good word the other night on radio 4 from the governor of Pennsylvania - woosification )

today's agenda (cos I'm in the mood :T)


AM -
• Wash up
• Blitz kitchen and hall
• Dr. C 11.00 am

LUNCH
PM

• Lounge
• Washing
• ?Ironing?

Nap approx 3.30/4pm if needed

• Menu plan

SUPPER

Eve

• Evening routine

• Knitting
• Reading
• Bible



E

determined_new_ms

where is this week's newsletter?????

WelshWoofer

Morning all!
Just 5 more days until I go back to work - boo! But equally :j, getting a bit bored now.

Today's jobs...

• Checked banks - no surprises
• Walked dog with new teeny ipod - made sure I had upbeat music on to make me walk faster!
• Put some CDs onto ipod - managed to find a way to transfer all old music from old ipod onto new one yesterday (700 songs) - they don't make it easy, I think they try to make you buy more music
• Hoover downstairs
• Go to M&S to buy nice food for OH and I for staying in on New Years Eve
• Go to butchers with OH for the next 2 weeks meat supply (he pays)
• Use up all the toiletries in the shower before starting nice new Xmas ones
• Mark some books
• Do any surveys that come

That's it for now - have a good day and NO STRESSING ANYONE!!!

Pernicious

Morning all,

It's been a while since I was up early enough to post in the morning :rotfl: but I must stop slacking & really get on with things today!

DNMS - I'm also wondering where Martin's email is this week, I guess he's having some time off over xmas! Sorry to hear your DD bailed on you

Today's plan:-

• Finish up organising the accounts paperwork
• [STRIKE]Find items to ebay[/STRIKE] Added a few more to the pile, more to go through though
• Keep reading through "losing lbs whilst saving £££'s" thread
• [STRIKE]Enter comps[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Check for surveys[/STRIKE]
• Finish tidying study
• [STRIKE]Tidy bedroom[/STRIKE] Half way there...*sighs*
• [STRIKE]More washing on eco setting[/STRIKE]
• Fold up dry washing & put away neatly to avoid it ending up on the floor & needing to be washed again!!
• [STRIKE]Washing up[/STRIKE]
• Spend at least 10mins going over my tkd terminology - need to past first time not shell out twice
• Enter 101 list if site is up & running again Not up yet
• [STRIKE]Dinner using up some leftovers & using my new cookbook[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Put together a regift box[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Put things bought in sales for birthdays/xmas into storage[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Book a haircut for tomorrow[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Ring Npower & ask why on earth my neighbour is still having trouble with them after our botched switchover[/STRIKE] :mad:
• [STRIKE]Find a receipt to return an item[/STRIKE] Found it! Now to return tomorrow
• Return said item & [STRIKE]pick up a few bits from the supermarket, sticking to list[/STRIKE] Completely forgot about returning it!!!
• [STRIKE]Work out budget to see if I can afford a gorgeous dress I have had my eye on for a few months...I avoided buying it when it was only 20% off, it's now nearly half price so I am sorely tempted...can I afford it though? Is it worth it?[/STRIKE] I've given in & gotten it, but worked out what I can & can't spend in February as well as Jan now!

Hope you all have a great, moneysaving day x

catmiaow

Hey all,

Going to have a lazy one today -

So far tidied after two messy cats
put washing on
emailed friend back
Done comps

I will:

Hang washing to dry
All food from stores
Put rubbish out
Get washed and dressed
Check bank
Use free mins and texts

Hope everyone has a good day!

katsu

Hi Everyone,

I have done/will do the following today:

* Brekkie from stores
* call far away Mr T store with my date I bought a faulty item (found relevant CC bill) so they can send me a new receipt so I can swap it (my local Mr T claims this is all required as product is branded, not a Mr T own brand :mad:)
* do RM survey posting data entry
* order 2nd hand desk chair on ebay
* do some tidying
* order dictation machine for uni course - have discovered best deal is not to use ebay, amazon or redeem high street vouchers but to use the nectar website double points offer online, even though the price on nectar is £20 dearer than Argos! Don't ask how long I spent working that out :rotfl:

Lemon_Tree

hi everyone
Today i will/have:
check online banking
get paperwork together to change bank details with employers
taken lunch into work
tea from cupboards
washing done over night in economy 7
washing hanging on inside line to dry
bake banana loaves with manky nana's unless hubby has done this by the time i get home
sliced and frozen lemons before they go off, ready for cakes in the future.