Friday 7th February - What small DFW things will you do today?

littlepinkstars44

When we start out on the Debt-Free Wannabe 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

littlepinkstars44

No thread this morning? I was in a rush to get to work this morning and never started it. I hate Friday's, as I have college till 9:30pm on Thurday nights, and by the time I get home its about 10pm....then by the time I get settled, put my things away and take my make up it's almost 11pm before I get to bed, then up again at 5am for work

Anyways, hope your all having a good day!
My list for today:

• Work 6am - 3pm done
• Call bank and sort out transferring money done
• Transfer money online banking with other bank (too many banks!) done
• Check Ebay done
• Check online accounts done
• Check CC accounts online done
• Check Quidco done
• Coppers out of purse and into jar done
• £2 coin out of purse and into jar done
• Buy some large stamps at work done
• Change foreign coin for normal £1 coin! (The self scan tills in my work gave me a foreign coin in my change yesterday! Even though technically I'm in charge of the cash for the store - I swear I didn't put it in there, think a customer must have) done, luckily store manager trusts me and changed it, as can't find receipt now!
• Post Ebay sales done
• Package up today's Ebay sales to pop in post box before work tomorrow done
• Work shirts washed and over heaters/airer to dry done
• Quick tidy up done
• Put away clean washing or add to ironing pile if needed done
• Organize and put away PJ's, socks, undies etc done
• Take 1/2 Hour to myself to de-stress done
• 1/2 Hour of maths studying done
• Long shower/wash hair/shave/scrub and general pamper session
• Read some of my book
• Early night

ikesmummy

Thanks for the thread Littlpinkstars, did come in search of it a couple of times earlier and even considered trying to start it myself a have really enjoyed posting on it but didn't now if there was some kind of etiquette?

Sounds like you definitely deserve the long shower/pamper time with your book an early night at the end of your list.

Don't feel like I have had a great day in respect of the little DFW things but maybe it was better than I thought actually

• Work my half day from home saving on diesel
• All meals from stores
• Make a raisin and cinnamon loaf instead of buying the hot cross buns I fancied
• Help friend with a job application (she even brought round some fancy cakes to say thank you)
• Wrap up warm to avoid having the heating on
• Keep sipping home brewed lemon and ginger drinks (much nicer and cheaper than shop brought cold drinks)
• Tonight his home made McDonalds - kids are happy with this, much cheaper and much tastier and healthier too.
• Cuddle up on the sofa with hubby and watch something on the box saving on heating and no cinema prices in sight!!

foxgloves

Afternoon all,
Busy morning cleaning & tidying, then into town.
A few small things today:
*Did shopping list now that meal plan is sorted.
*Went to local discount store with my seed list & managed to pick up 4 packs off my list for slightly more than the cost of ONE pack from my usual online supplier. Picked 3 more packs up from local garden centre (to support local business) & got a free pack of tomato seeds with them. Will get rest online as now have a £5 off voucher.
*Bought lovely size 14 dress ('Seasalt') from charity shop as a goal garment (I've dieted down from a 24/26), then when I got home......I can get in it!! OK, there's got to be a bit more mid-section toning & another stone off before I wear it out, but it was sooooo motivating. mr f said 'Ooooh, sexy dress'......I think I spoiled the moment by saying '£4-99!'
*Went in Oxfam bookshop to look at vintage cookery books (did not succumb) but the reductions on their Christmas giftwrap & cards was so good (70% off) that I bought most of what I shall need this year for £4-90. Nice quality stuff too! Bargain!
*Went to village butcher for their stewing steak offer (for freezer), plus kidney, plus steaks for Valentine's Night. Decided we would save money by cooking a nice meal at home ourselves instead of going out. mr f volunteered to 'downgrade' (!!) to a massive piece of rump instead of the usual massive piece of something infinitely more expensive. Butcher always rounds bill down to nearest £1 & tells us what next week's offers will be, which is helpful with meal planning.
*Updated budgets as soon as I got home. I find this really helps me keep our different 'pots' of money straight. i.e Seeds from 'Household Piggy', Dress from my February 'Personal Spends', Meat from 'Grocery Budget', Cards & wrap from 'Presents Piggy'. It sounds complicated, but as the Budgeter-in-Chief in this relationship, it really helps focus me on what we are spending.....if it isn't in the relevant 'Piggy', then we can't spend it without cutting back elsewhere.
*Made list of all our little energy-saving measures as promised SettinIn I'd post them this week. Will get them on the weekend thread.
*Rounded up a pile of vouchers/gift cards into my handbag ready for a shopping trip tomorrow, also 'Clothing Piggy' money. My aim is that we buy what we need without touching bank account at all. Fingers crossed!
Well, it's not my cooking night so I'm going to sort out that seed order, trying to 'work' my voucher to get the best possible deal, then I'm going to put my feet up with a magazine & my knitting.
Have a good Friday night, frugal friends,
foxgloves xx

Chrisblue1962

My small DFW items today...

• Closed Skipton BS account (1.0% gross) and opened online account with Sainsburys (1.3% gross) - I am determined to put something in this account EVERY month, come hell or high water, even if it's only £1.00 - it's the principle that counts.

• Got some coinage bags from bank to cash in coinage in my savings jar - I haven't got a clue how much is in there - probably about a fiver :rotfl:...well, whatever it is, it all comes in handy!

Keep DFW'ing folks!

GettingOrganised

Hi everyone, thanks for starting the thread LPS. Congrats to foxgloves for the dress, it's a fantastic feeling getter smaller size clothes when you're losing weight, much more satisfying then just seeing the numbers go down on the scales. Looking forward to your money saving list over the weekend, hopefully I can pick up some tips I can put into practice.

My list is becoming like a broken record:
HM soup for lunch (everyone else in the office had chips, but I resisted, thanks to the LTW challenge)
Load of washing over the radiators
Another load in the washing machine, this can go on the radiators tomorrow
Lovely chat with my Mum on the phone - 1hr 20mins! (Thankfully she called me)
Heating only just gone on and will be on as little as possible
Going to check my purse for any change to go in my sealed pot, I've been holding onto to it in case of an emergency shop run, but I haven't needed to go for anything
Checked postcode lottery
Will check bank later

Just jumped on the scales for the first time since before Christmas as I felt a little less 'bulging out of my trousers' today and I've lost 3 pounds. I know I definately put on more during Christmas and January (birthday month, so healthy eating never starts then), so my weight loss is probably much higher than this. Very pleased as I haven't been actively trying, it's just another benefit of being MSE!

Bobarella

Hi Everyone

Thanks for starting the thread littlepinkstar & can totally see how such a long day would render you incapable of anything else! Sounds like you still did an amazing job of getting through your list.

Ikesmummy - Do you know how to do starting the thread? If not, I think the general plan is, copy what is said in the top post each day, into a fresh thread, titled with the day, date & a smilie. Then after you've got that up, do another post into it with your own items for the day, think the logic is if someone else is starting the thread too there is less chance of duplication??

Foxgloves -I am in total amazement at your weight loss, how have you done it? That is incredible! Not only out of debt but super fit by the sounds of it, well done you!

Today for me.

1) Check banking
2) Check Adpoints
3) Check Greasy Palm
4) Lunchbox for littleman
5) Leftovers for my dinner.

Other than that its been a highly frustrating, stressful experience. Mainly due to no time, feeling like I am firefighting on every front at work rather than achieveing, & running around like an absolute maniac inbetween. Oh & plus still feeling a bit crap to be honest. Being self employed is sometimes a pile of pants when you are ill and run down & could absolutely do with a day chilling but no one pays you for that sadly, so got to keep treking. Tommorow off thank god!

Night all.

Bob

WelshKitty85

Should have been a NSD today but got stuck in ridiculous traffic because of roadworks on the way to the kids school, making them too late for breakfast club. Grrrr! This meant I had to pop into the corner shop to get them a cereal bar each. I hate them not having a proper breakfast and even more frustrated that I had left the house early today but still ended up being late. This also made me late for uni. Grrr!

On the plus side:
Took coffee in travel mug
Made packed lunches for me & children
Tonights meal was from stores
Checked bank accounts -all ok
Done some swagbucking and cashed out £10 into paypal
Checked free postcode lottery

littlepinkstars44

I seem to have taken on the role of starting the thread each morning, lol! Only because i'm up at that time and like to plan my day before work!
All I do is copy and paste from the previous day's, change the date and add the smiley face..nothing to it really!

Managed to get through the "big" things on my list today, hurrah. Now going to enjoy my dinner and my wee pamper night, while also working on reducing my toiletry stash...hurrah! 2 birds and all that!

Hope you all have a lovely evening whatever your doing

got-it-spend-it

Evening fellow debt-free'rs.

We've had a more frugal day than planned as we were supposed to take the boys to a dinosaur museum, but DS2 was poorly last night so we didn't. Might go tomorrow if everyone is well enough.

-All meals from stores and coffee at home.
-Mystery shop, earning me £18 for about 20 minutes work.
-Small shop in Iceland for items that are much cheaper in there- added receipt to grocery challenge.
-Small shop in 99p shop for items that are much cheaper in there.
-Check ebay items- one new bid today.
-Took boys for a free walk along the front once DS2 had perked up- lovely to blow away the cobwebs in the sunshine.
-Had a facebook message that I have won a bottle of Original Source shower gel in a brand new fragrance. Very happy with that as I don't often remember to enter comps but I've had some great prizes through FB ones.

I nearly bought a new shampoo and conditioner to try in the 99p shop, but I put it back as I have loads in the cupboard. I know it's only a small saving, but I am a nightmare for impulse buying so it felt good to be in control. I also resisted using my Costa points for a coffee in town- saving them for when I am more in need.

Fruball

Hello :hello: I am new to this thread - hope you don't mind me joining in

I have created a meal plan Mon-Fri for the next 3 weeks with help from the kids. They have taken it in turns to choose dishes that I wrote on a piece of paper and they will help me cook on the days where they have chosen the meal

All meals on the plan are purse friendly

We are out for lunch with friends on Sunday but there are always tonnes of veggies served separately and we often bring them home as it is a dreadful waste when they aren't eaten. I am going to turn them into veggie burgers to incorporate into the meal plan or freeze for another time (easy to make, just roughly mash all your leftover veg and combine with mashed potato and herbs/spices/grated cheese if you like, shape into burger/sausage shapes, roll in egg and breadcrumbs and either fry or bake in oven).

I have also turned the heating down as I don't think we need it as warm as we have it at the moment (which is still much cooler than most other houses I go in!)