Sat 22nd March/Sun 23rd March - What small DFW things will you do this wkend?

ziggy2407

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 :money:

ziggy2407

Good Morning All

DNMS - Have a fantastic holiday

Hi to all of the regulars and a BIG welcome to all the newbies, this is a really FAB thread with so many lovely, caring, considerate and supportive people.

Another quiet day and I really must crack on and get everything done (had visitors yesterday so didnt get much done), so I will:

Check Banks
Check swapits
Packed lunch for DH
Catch up on emails (& unsubscribe from any no longer wanted) -
Catch up on Adpoints -
Look at surveys in inbox -
Read library book -
Parcel up a few bits I want to send to friends (ready for posting Monday) -
Check www.freepostcodelottery.com -

Have a great day, love you all xx

C xx

soopa_de_doopa

Morning all hope you have beautiful sunshine wherever you are, it's lovely here but not sure for how long...... Feeling tired today as went to the pub with some friends last night, it was great to have a catch up and I only spent £8! Result!

DFW today:

* Breakfast, lunch & dinner from stores - omelette & potato wedges for tea tonight.

* off to the beauty salon in a bit to have a back neck and shoulder massage using vouchers I got for birthday and Xmas.

* Check bank.

* hair appointment - not DFW but haven't had it cut since beginning December and I take half a dozen eggs instead of a tip! She loves it!

* school shoe shopping with DS1 & DS2 using vouchers from work for Xmas.

* Power walk with good friend this afternoon.

* 5 loads of washing and line dry.

* quick nip to supermarket to get essentials for next week. Got a list, will not stray off it!

* write budget for April, it's not looking good, got loads of stuff that's all come at once, need to get creative!

Have a good day all.

Soopa x

littlepinkstars44

Afternoon everyone!!

My weekend plans:

Saturday

• Work 6:30-2:30 done
• Pick up mother's day pressie (my cousin made it) done
• Need to pop to shops for coffee (will look online and see who has it on offer this week) done - also realised I had £5 clubcard vouchers in purse so free coffee, vanilla syrup and sprinkles...looking forward to my coffee in the morning now!
• Quick tidy up done
• Work shirts washed and over airer to dry - will leave till tomorrow
• Read some of library book
• Catch up with US tv shows online

Sunday

• Get new brake light bulb and wipers for car (mot in a week!)
• Take trousers back (far too long)
• Quick trip to Lush for Easter goodies for myself (needed and much deserved!)
• 2 hours maths studying
• Figure out what I want to go over next week for tutoring session (getting private tutoring before exam in 7 weeks)
• 2 hours Biology OU studying
• Make a start on Biology TMA
• Ironing
• Clean clothes all put away
• Early night

kjp

Hello all!

Thanks for starting us off Ziggy!

A quietish weekend this week!

Today I have:
Been to gym
Checked bank
Checked FPL/Birthday Bingo
Done half of homework for Monday's class
Food from stores - crumpets and peanut butter for breakfast, bagel with cream cheese for lunch, sweet potato chilli with a roll for tea
NSD!
Reusing teabags - running v low and no food delivery til Tuesday!
Night in in front of TV!
Washing done and put away

Tomorrow I will:
Spin class at 10
Might get up early and pop down to the train station to buy ticket for Monday (using vouchers) before spin
Pop to Card Factory for Mother's Day card... No, wait. I have one at home. No need!
Pop to New Look to try and return a dress which ripped the first time I wore it...
Might go to John Lewis for free cake
List a few things on Ebay
More homework!
Food from stores - have chilli defrosting in fridge ready for tea
NSD (apart from train tickets)
Quick evening pamper
Early night ready for train on Monday!

Think that's my weekend, off to try and get a third use out of my teabag and catch up on the Good Wife!

Kxxx

good_advice

Hi everyone
Just been bathing the dog, lab puppy. She is quite big now, about 10 months old. horay! She loves baths.
Bonnie stands in the tub with warm water and bubble bath. Has a wash down with dog shampoo and is showered off. Towel dry.

This morning family and I went on a woodland walk

Washing done.
veg done ready for dinner. Pie, veg and mash today.

Ziggy, how painful was the MOT.

Soopa, hairdressers sounds nice, i cannot remember the last time i went.
Shopping with a list is so helpful. When I went to Tesco last Tuesday night. I had also looked at the things I needed on the shop web page.
It helped me make a penny pinching choice. Like i knew to look for Nescafe 300g for 4 pounds. i thought that was a good price so bought x2.

Pink stars you must rise early to be at work for 6.30am. i have done a few early morning cleaning jobs that started at that time.
Good luck with your exams.

kjp, you seem to be well organised. Hm cooking and studying.
Gym. I have never been to one of these! My adult DD goes.
I walk the dog or do some home exercises.

Have a quiet evening, no spending now :0)

GettingOrganised

Afternoon all,

Today I've:
Cleaned the oven
Walked to DD's swimming lesson
Four loads of washing inc bed sheets all done and most of it dried
Ironing done
Met a friend for lunch (walked into town), we had organised a while ago and on Thursday I won some Wetherspoon vouchers, so I used them to treat us both to free lunch
Put the loose change from the vouchers into my sealed pot
No spend day
Checked postcode lottery
Internet/phone bill came today, first month on a reduced tariff - I was spending around £40 per month and this month is £28 so very happy with this
HM mince and onion pie now in the oven for tea and there will be enough for tomorrow's tea too

Still to do over the weekend:
Meal plan and shopping list to the end of the month then go shopping
Try to find front room, still upside down following water burst and really needs to get back to normal
File away paperwork pile
Relax/family time

Hope everyone is having a nice money saving weekend?

[Deleted User]

Morning all! I have been a bit MIA for the last week or so, it has been pretty hectic and phone playing up so limited web access on the go. I am hanging on for the free handset in mid April and putting up with its temperamental behavior in the mean time.

Some MS activity in that I managed to get a work trip to Londinium earlier this week and combined it with catching up with some old friends, staying with one of them under the firms stay with a friend scheme, means I can claim back cost of her dinner as well as my own as a host gift.

Have just ordered the spare part for the washing machine from espares and talked a friend into giving me a hand fitting it on wednesday - cheap entertainment!! Visited my BFF yesterday to cuddle their baby and catch up, and she kindly let me put a few loads of washing through. Just one more load in the car that I might be able to do in work later, possibly! Need to keep up with bedding as guests coming in on Monday.

DFW status hit a bit of a disaster as household insurance price has rocketed - from around £450 last year to £1500 this year!!!!!!!!!! Been through all of the sites that :money: suggests, I can get the quote down to £500 but it excludes any damage from flooding. Apparently we are in a high risk flood area. No flood damage to nearby properties for 30 years plus and no sign of problems in recent months with all the heavy weather that hit the southwest. Mortgage company insist on flood damage inclusion, and the lowest I've found was £1000 (after a discount because I moved my car insurance to the same provider, then took the house insurance out as there was a 25% reduction on second policies with the provider). As this is a ongoing cost. not a one off I seriously wonder whether we can afford to keep living here and am a bit frustrated to find the property in exactly the same high risk category as if I lived on the bank of a regularly flooding river.

So frustratingly I spent £1250 yesterday :eek: and I had been so proud that I had budgeted enough to cover the annual premiums for both car and house, if they had stayed in the same ballpark. Can't yet face updating new CC totals in sig, maybe later.

So as I have a lot to recoup, today:

• Working 10-4 - need to clear some tasks, hopefully some overtime might be claimable
• Had friend over for dinner last night and cooked enough roasted veggies to use in pasta tonight - another friend coming over
• Lots of YS bread in freezer as hit the supermarkets ar bargain time
• Got guests arriving tomorrow = need to blitz the house tonight. They are staying all week which is lucrative but requires some planning as means I cant get to my wardrobe all week.
• Using car to get to work but will be taking recycling and charity shop stuff on way
• Ring friend to see about staying at their place night before our flight to Rome. Got to slash discretionary spending now!

Think that is about it!


Hope others are having a more penny pinching weekend xx

GettingOrganised

UPDATE:

Still to do over the weekend:
Meal plan and shopping list the end of the month then go shopping DONE - MANAGED TO GET UNDER BUDGET FOR MONTH TOO
Try to find front room, still upside down following water burst and really needs to get back to normal NOT DONE!
File away paperwork pile NOT DONE!
Relax/family time DONE

I scarified the housework for a lovely family trip to a local nature reserve. Stayed dry (but cold!) and only cost a few quid for parking and an ice cream for DD (children will eat ice cream no matter how cold it is, won't they?) Must admit, I don't regret this decision, we only get Sundays off together, and once the warmer weather comes, my DH will be working these too, so got to make the most of them.

Other MSE things for today:
Took drinks and snacks to nature reserve rather than buying anything there (we also had an early lunch before we went)
Prepared all packed lunches for tomorrow
Cooked a batch of mini sausage rolls for DH's snacks for the week whilst oven was on cooking tea

I've made a decision that no more chocolates or snacks will be bought until everything currently in the snack box has gone. We have a terrible habit of topping up the snacks and eating the new stuff and the same old things are left at the bottom and are then chucked away. DH is on board with this and DD has lots leftover from Christmas, I'm hoping it will have pretty much gone before the Easter Bunny arrives. I still know that it will be me who struggles the most with this one - eek, going to have to find some willpower from somewhere!