Fri 11th Jan - What small DFW things will you do 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:

allydowd

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Sometimes there are reasons why people act in a way even if we don't realise what they are...

Not for everyone of course! But things aren't always what they seem

I taught Primary special needs kids for years in a dedicated unit, and certainly programmes for such little dudes were often effective. However, the town in which I work has many support programmes and makes in-roads at rehab, but just can't counteract one the high rates of alcohol and substance abuse and apathy, not to mention the crime that goes with it.

However, mental and behavioural support provision is virtually non-existent. eg. Two years ago I asked my NHS doctor for bereavement counselling. Even though I was off work for six weeks, had had previous bouts of depression and was starting to feel suicidal he told me the NHS just couldn't afford anything other than pills for me. My case wasn't 'serious' enough as it wasn't complicated by addiction, crime or children. My partner and I ended up making our own plan for my recovery and I came off the pills two months ago. If you want to get well here you have to get well yourself! The young folk hanging around the town bus station generally can't do that, they have no-one with enough resources to help. And most agencies won't give them the second/third/fourth/fifth chance at rehab.

Like, on this forum, if you want your life to change you gotta do it yourself, with a little help from your (distance, supportive and dedicated) friends. Thank-you everyone on this forum.


"There is one consolation in being sick; and that is the possibility that you may recover to a better state than you were ever in before." Henry David Thoreau

"It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure." Joseph Campbell

"The love of family and the admiration of friends is much more important than wealth and privilege." Charles Kuralt

little_pink_purse

Good morning Allydowd and all that follow

well the normal get DD up lol

made lunch for work so a nsd or lsd if i dont have juice left in the car
fingers crossed

so today
meals from stores
check the bank
work
smile
wash on

better get my finger out

love your debt total allydowd its so low xxxxlppxxxx

allydowd

Hi folks, :wave:

It's my weekend so I'm gonna be busy:

:www: Finish painting the stairs with paint leftover from other rooms.

:www: Spend less than £10 in Tesco for remaining week til PayDay. Done.

:www: Work out how I'm gonna spend my wages next week. No Council Tax to be paid til April! Done.

:www: It's nearly my birthday so OH and I are gonna work out what I gifts I really need. Use Quidco mobile app for spend-free check-ins. (Link) If you have a smartphone and Quidco membership I'd recommend you look at this App. You can check-in to shops without going inside them or spending anything and earn 5p to 20p per time. Easy way to make a quid or two. We raided the charity shops for my birthday. I got 3 pairs of nearly new trousers and 2 shirts for work for £10.75. First clothes I've bought in 6 months. :T Made 30p on Quidco.

:www: Buy white radish seeds. 40p in Wilkinsons. OH is growing coriander and salad leaves on windowsill in homemade biodegradable seedling pots. (Video link) Done.

:www: Show OH video for how to make a wind-spinner to scare birds away from seedlings from beer cans. (Video link) Done.

:www: Read newspaper online. I read a different one each day. £0. (DailyMail Link)

:www: Read Miss Thrifty blog. (Link)

:www: OH to pay in £20 cheque from an Aunt. Late Xmas gift. Done.

:www: Use Nectar Points Toolbar for extra points. (Link)

:www: Replace watch battery with one from Poundshop instead of paying £5 for jeweller to do it. Done.

:exclamati Married person's tax allowance might be introduced as early as 2013. (Link

ziggy2407

Good Morning my lovelies

ally - Thanks for starting us off today. Thank you for all the hints, tips and support you offer to each one of us on the thread - we really do love and appreciate you :A

Hi :wave:to all the regulars and lurkers and a BIG welcome to all the newbies, this is a really FAB thread with so many lovely, caring, considerate and supportive people - and I am proud to call them my friends.

Today's small things:

Check Banks - Done
Check swapits - Done
Check www.freepostcodelottery.co.uk - Done
OH & LO packed lunches - Done
General Tidy up - Done
Work (11.30-2.00) - Done
Exercise - Done ( a little bit, not feeling too great still so every little is better than none)
Up to date on main email account -
Surveys -
Filing & Shredding -
Update Food Tracker - In progress
Meals from stores - Done
Decluttering -
Enter a few comps - Done a few
Read/Knit -

Have a great day, love to you all

C xx

NewlyFrugalMumof3

A very good morning to you all - IT's FRIDAY - hooray!

Allydowd - wow, what you wrote has really moved me. It takes a strong person to get themselves out and on top from falling under, whether it be mentally, emotionally, physically or all three.
Especially when there is so little supporting professional help when we may need it.

I too have been 'down there' and after having pills dished out willy nilly, I too can say I am very proud that I have been off them for nearly 2 years. Again, like you, I did it myself, but although it wasn't easy, I try and look at my difficulties and I compare them to others who are much worse off, through poverty, famine or war and it always humbles me and I can smile and realise what I do have around me.

Anyway, today I have/will:

washing on/hung on airers
BLD all from stores - homemade pizza tonight - mmmm
CHECK OUT MY NEW ALLOTMENT - WHOO HOO - have been on list nearly six years, but am now excited and shall walk dog and we can check it out together and see what work it needs and how I can plan from there.
Knit, knit, knit
Watch Mr Selfridge that I have taped
Online banking
Get sports bags ready for tomorrow, so am organised and CALM

Have a great day everyone. Keep smiling. :rotfl:

stitching_witch

Good morning all you out there in DFWland. It's bright and sunny here but bitterly cold. It'll be a day of keeping warm I think.

My list today:

• Toast and HM jam for breakfast
• Fed and watered the chickens
• Made packed lunch for DH from last night's left overs
• Checked banking - oh dear, still almost three weeks until payday
• Checked for surveys

I will also:

• Spend some time looking for a different job after a really carp day yesterday :mad:
• Have a nice hot bath then stick thermals on to keep warm
• Heating on bare minimum at the moment
• Do meal plan to end of month
• Generate shopping list from meal plan on my$upermarket.c0m
• Collect DGD from school and look after her at DD's house until 5.30
• Drink DD's coffee
• Do our 'double store' shopping trip on way home - Lidl first to get cheapest bits then finish at Mr T's
• Burn rescued wood on the fire tonight
• Spend the evening adding more info to the household folder

I's definitely a good job I don't work Fridays as I might have done something I regret. At least I have the weekend to calm down.

Have a good day folks,
Stitchy x

niksyg

Hello all and happy Friday!!

I haven't posted for a couple of days as I have been mega busy but managed to find a few minutes now to pop in.

Well today is my birthday...YAY! :j OH made me get up very early and we drove off for a breakfast picnic in the dark on a hill over looking Portsmouth which is something we used to do when we first met. It was really lovely and I had some lovely presents

Not many DFW things to report for today, other than I had confirmation that our remortgage has gone through fine, which will save us £100 per month :T

Enjoy your weekends all and I shall return after my weekend away when I need to focus on all things DFW!!

rising_from_the_ashes

Morning everyone thanks to Ally for starting us off .....Stitchy (((hugs))) on the job front - it's awful when it's not enjoyable anymore (know that feeling well!:() FrugalMum congrats on the new allotment :T here's to lots of home grown F&V

So ... little list from me today:

• Thermals on ... heating off (it's bloomin' freezing today!)
• Check banking and update spreadsheets
• Sort cats & tidy up
• VSP transfer done
• Sort Recipe to Try Folder done
• Walk dog x 2 - 1 done, beach later!
• Copy recipes out of supplement so I can sent to another MSEr done
• Send supplement to MSEr In envelope, ready to go!
• Write last thank you card & post done

That's it for now!
Have a great Friday everyone

La_escocesa

Hi everyone

Happy Birthday niksyg :T

Here's me:

Unsubscribed from emails from shops

Tweeted about yoga – drumming up support for my soon-to-be yoga business!


Brekkie & Lunch from stores

Just need to pick up cucumber and spring onion for our crispy duck and pancake ‘Fake Out’ treat for tonight

Finished my marking work - £5 – still not figured out when it’s paid to me but that’s me got £25 in the bank for the 5 papers I’ve marked

My thought for the day:
I find that staying out of the shops is the most effective way of not spending or wanting. I used to walk a different way to work – past shops – and the temptation ‘just to pop in’ was so bad in hindsight. Now that I need to make a bit more effort the same temptation isn’t there. There are still things that I think I ‘need’ but it generally comes from realising myself that it would be good to get such and such/running out of something or other, rather than me seeing something and wondering how I ever lived without it/must get it etc.

xx

allydowd

NewlyFrugalMumof3 wrote: »

Allydowd - wow, what you wrote has really moved me. It takes a strong person to get themselves out and on top from falling under, whether it be mentally, emotionally, physically or all three.
Especially when there is so little supporting professional help when we may need it.

I too have been 'down there' and after having pills dished out willy nilly, I too can say I am very proud that I have been off them for nearly 2 years. Again, like you, I did it myself, but although it wasn't easy...

Well done, you. :TTo be fair my OH is a physiotherapist who's also trained in Stress Management so I did get support at home but strictly speaking it's not appropriate for a therapist to treat a relative.