Sat/Sun 10th/11th November - What small DFW things will you be doing today?

allydowd

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.

Examples could be 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. :money:

Happy Saturday! Fell asleep on the sofa last night and was awoken by a robin singing on the windowsill.

Today I will be:

~Arguing with B&Q and winning.

~Earning money through Quidco using the Check-In feature of the Quidco App. Yesterday I earned £2 this way, and didn't spend a penny and it Confirmed immediately! http://www.quidco.com/app/

~Planning DFW move with OH. Precisely what will I move on each day of moving week and with which of our army of volunteer removal 'staff'? So far I've recruited a colleague, a cousin and two nephews. Make a giant week-planner and stick on kitchen door.

~Writing list of questions to ask Housing Officer when we sign for the key.

~Teaching OH to do first mystery shop with Grass Roots. They're still recruiting: Click here to for joining details.

~Changing loads of addresses online to avoid paying for phonecalls/stamps. Especially important to remember to notify EHIC card, ScotBlood and Organ Donors, which were forgotten last time I moved. I virtually never mail a letter these days. Use saynoto0870 to find cheap telephone numbers for anyone I have to call. Used this free list of who to tell we're moving. If anyone wants a copy of my personalised list which has cheap phone numbers and where specifically on the website to click to change your address for the organisations I had to contact send me a Private Message and I'll PM it to you. (To send a PM click on allydowd above this message then on send private message. I will take the security precaution of throwing in a few companies I don't deal with and deleting some that I do so you don't have my full personal history!)

~Looking on Freecycle.org for anyone giving away gardening items local. I do give as well as take: Last year I mainly gave away, this month I'm mainly taking.

~Backing up my Money Spreadsheet by emailing it to myself. I'd be lost if anything happened to it.

~Remembering this: No-one is rich enough to buy back their past. If you keep looking back at your past you are missing out on your now. You are making yourself suffer. Forgetting past mistakes will help you deal with today's challenges. Whatever you're going through, you can cope. Make a plan of action and stick to it.

~Reading everyone's fab ideas on here for being a DFW.

~Talk to OH about home insurance. Will we take the second cheapest policy (£68 per annum) because the cheapest company (£63 per annum) have screwed us over in the past?

~Read local paper online. Look for car boot sales etc. Furious that local rag has started charging £4.99/month for full access to the online paper. Now I can only read half the articles. And the 'real 'paper' is honestly only four sheets of newsprint a day. I'll just do without reading all the stories.

~Find someone who has a spare kettle they can loan me for moving week so we can have one in our home in P*G* and one in our home in I*.

rising_from_the_ashes

Morning Ally thanks for starting us off again:D - best of luck with the B&Q arguing .... I know you'll win!

My list so far:

• Check online banking & see if any shuffling needs done
• Look for savings account / ISA for boiler fund money (making progress - just sooooo many to look at before deciding!). PO one seems good but you can only manage by phone/in branch and I really like to be able to look at my accounts online so this is putting me off this one.
• Download Quidco App Ally's linked to above & also look at the Grass Roots MS one ....:D
• Hunt for other Apps that might be useful - I really don't take full advantage of my phone:o
• Do some work on 2013 budgets
• B / L / D from stores - LO Risotto for lunch (yum!):)
• Don't smoke
• Thermals on ..... heating off - this is actually working as haven't needed to turn the heating up at all the last few days :T
• Sort out / service sewing machine (never got this done yesterday) - again thanks to Ally for the links
• Finish throw for new (old) table (if I get the SM working)
• Washing & hang up to dry
• Sort cats & must put old litter trays up loft out the way
• Check bird feeders and top up if needed
• Ironing
• Declutter & tidy up

Have a wonderful weekend everyone:D

allydowd

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

best of luck with the B&Q arguing .... I know you'll win!

• Hunt for other Apps that might be useful - I really don't take full advantage of my phone:o
• Sort out / service sewing machine (never got this done yesterday) - again thanks to Ally for the link

~ LOL. I hope I'll win!

~Among other things I have two online banking Apps, a calendar, BBC News, a Converter (metres to feet, currency etc), Facebook for chatting to pals for almost nowt, a talking SatNav to use when driving, a Notepad, Quidco, Traveline Scotland, WomanLog, Weather and a Dictaphone. And every one is used for money-saving. Save yourself time and misery by reading the reviews before installing. I didn't the first time; disaster!

~If your sewing machine still won't work post the make and model and we'll see if we can find you further free help. If you're not sure it should be on a little metal plate or foil sticker somewhere on the machine.

determined_new_ms

Morning ally & rising :wave: Thanks for starting us off ally! Can I ask what did you put in your application for the grass roots? Not entirely sure how to sell myself in that setting???

My plans for the day

* check banking
* update spending diary
* go for a run
* go collect free bags of plaster at 11 off of a freecycler
* start job application x 2
* stripping wallpaper
* go out for a drink with oh tonight
* all meals from stores
* take photo of table, buggy & sink to put on fleabay tomorrow

That's it.

Ally I really like your comment about living in now and forgiving yourself for past mistakes. I may print that off. Someone said to me recently that I have been so caught up in guilt for my parental mistakes and I should concentrate on parenting my daughter now. Makes a lot of sense. I've been trying to practice mindfulness when I am overwhelmed by thoughts, just sticking in the moment, not thinking about anything and just being absorbed by what I am doing - it does help x

La E sorry to hear you have slipped off of the wagon, horrid for you to make a £35 rapped knuckles. You guys have had it tough financially though so I can understand why this has happened for you. Now Mr La E is working and things are looking good for you guys I'm sure you'll resolve it quickly (((hugs)))

ellesbellesxxx

Hello!
We went for a lovely dinner last night (Not mse style at all but needed some fun as house fell through this week) and both of us admitted to feeling unfulfilled at work. So today, rather than being gloomy going to start being positive and changing things for the better... if I stop buying chocolate to comfort eat, prob I will lose the 4 or so lb that have put on since work got tough! (And save the pennies!)

So...
* Send off phone bill to get 70 cashback
*Just checked bank and mystery dine money gone in
* Buy christmas presents using loyalty card points and discount cards
* Get a free massage (9 treatments at my salon gets 1 free treatment!)
* look for a fabulous new teaching job - with less hours and less responsibility!!! (Cunning plan to teach music to make up hours on days off - apparently HUGE demand for piano lessons where I live)
* Have lunch at a friends

Hope you all have a great day xx

Candy0107

Morning gang ,

Thanks to allydowd for starting the thread today. Hugs to those that need them and hi :hello: to newbies

Happy Saturday one and all. Today I have/will do.....

• Went food shopping and used aa card - £2 towards aa membership (unfortunately, can't afford to give this up as we have an oldish car)
• Checked lottery £2 something on last nights ticket and £10 on a scratch card
• Looked at clothes at Sainsburys but decided I didn't need/want anything
• Mum bought breakfast while we were out
• Planned food for the week while we were eating breakfast
• Decided to take back one of the tops I bought yesterday as 1) it didn't fit :mad: and 2) I can't really justify the £8 when I have a sparkly top to wear in my wardrobe - unfortunately, I don't really have many 'going out' clothes as I don't really go anywhere
• Will put £2 on Tuesdays lottery as I am returning the top
• I have looked at the price of aa cover - money already in my savings account
• Need to do a couple of hours of studying
• Watching bits on the skybox rather than going out
• Will be sorting through the fruit bowl - old bananas are mushed and frozen and wrinkly apples are cooked and frozen
• Checked banking
• Need to find sparkly top and a top to wear under top 2 (thinish gold knitted top)
• Emptied purse and put change on the large coke bottle
• May bake a cake

Think that's about it for me

Love to you all :smileyhea
Candy xxx

allydowd

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Morning ally & rising :wave: Thanks for starting us off ally! Can I ask what did you put in your application for the grass roots? Not entirely sure how to sell myself in that setting???

I applied years ago, so I can't remember! However, my partner recently applied succesfully and put about three sentences something like:

"In my job as a xxx I have developed finely honed observations skills. I'm accomplished at record keeping and have a sense of fair play. I'm accustomed to producing accurate reports and have well-developed form-completion skills".

I am told they only ask you to write a couple of sentences so they can be sure you have sufficient grasp of English.

Feel free to plagiarise.

allydowd

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Ally I really like your comment about living in now and forgiving yourself for past mistakes. I may print that off. Someone said to me recently that I have been so caught up in guilt for my parental mistakes and I should concentrate on parenting my daughter now. Makes a lot of sense. I've been trying to practice mindfulness when I am overwhelmed by thoughts, just sticking in the moment, not thinking about anything and just being absorbed by what I am doing - it does help x

I once attended a Buddhist relaxation workshop and there was a lot of talk about being mindful and staying in the moment. Very helpful sentiments. (I'm not a Buddhist; I'm something quite different.)

This morning's quote was advice from my OH who is a stress management therapist.

I used to suffer with annoying, persistent, nagging thoughts and all I could do with that was keep the mind really busy, even if 'busy' was laying off the sofa listening intently to relaxing music.

And remember, no pain is permanent; everything passes in time.

rising_from_the_ashes

Made some progress but really in need of a snooze before I tackle the rest:o

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

My list so far:

• Check online banking & see if any shuffling needs done Done .... nothing unexpected (thank goodness!)
  
• Look for savings account / ISA for boiler fund money (making progress - just sooooo many to look at before deciding!). PO one seems good but you can only manage by phone/in branch and I really like to be able to look at my accounts online so this is putting me off this one. Still undecided
  
• Download Quidco App Ally's linked to above & also look at the Grass Roots MS one ....:D
• Hunt for other Apps that might be useful - I really don't take full advantage of my phone:o
• Do some work on 2013 budgets
• B / L / D from stores - LO Risotto for lunch (yum!):) Risotto was yum! Have some LO chicken & carrot/swede/potato mash from yesterday for dinner
  
• Don't smoke Temptation still there .... wonder when that goes?
• Thermals on ..... heating off - this is actually working as haven't needed to turn the heating up at all the last few days Still working well
• Sort out / service sewing machine (never got this done yesterday) - again thanks to Ally for the links Done as best as I can .... have had the end plate off and been inside and it was def jamming but couldn't see any obvious reason for it. Have oiled all the moving parts I could reach and put back together - seems to be moving better but still not totally smoothly. Just had a thought: wondering if a good spray of WD40 on the whole inside section (where the metal moving parts are) may help - anyone tried this?
• Finish throw for new (old) table (if I get the SM working) Finished!:) Has been washed & ironed (easier to get the creases out when wet!) and hung up to dry
  
• Washing & hang up to dry Done
• Sort cats & must put old litter trays up loft out the way
• Check bird feeders and top up if needed Done
• Ironing Done
• Declutter & tidy up

Still aways to go!

Candy0107 wrote: »

I can't really justify the £8 when I have a sparkly top to wear in my wardrobe - unfortunately, I don't really have many 'going out' clothes as I don't really go anywhere

Neither do I Candy .... but on the positive side, better that way than having a whole wardrobe full of stuff that you've bought & never wear!:)

Candy0107

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Neither do I Candy .... but on the positive side, better that way than having a whole wardrobe full of stuff that you've bought & never wear!:)

My problem is that I am +size and 5ft 10 with a long body so t shirts tend to end up like a crop top after a while :eek:

Still can't find the red sparkly top - currently going through my mountain of tops/wardrobe decluttering.....I have to find the top

Candy xxx

little_pink_purse

Good Afternoon

Sorry ive been missing for days
thanks for starting us ally
i hope you are all well

so today

i must check my banking not look forward to that
have got the family round so we might have a takeaway
i must get my stuff ready for work iam working crazy shifts
then iam off for 3 weeks wow
bet i go back for extra shifts lol

bet go iam still in my pjs lazy lazy me xxxxxlppxxxx