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Thu 31st July - What small DFW things will you be doing today?

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:
Debt-free day: 8th May 2015 "Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck," Dalai Llama
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  • allydowd
    allydowd Posts: 4,937 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Uniform Washer Name Dropper
    edited 31 July 2014 at 9:27PM
    Morning DFW-Jedis,

    Another early-ish again to have another shot at my Masterplan For World Domination. Basically I have a huge list of stuff to over the next five days; some of it fun and some of it essential. Yesterday went well so I've a smaller, but still epic, quest to deal with all the things that make me sigh with despair by the end of the week. So here I go:


    Masterplan For World Domination Day Four:


    :D Check online banking. Done. Fine.

    :D Check online payslip for holiday pay from last employer. Thank G-d, it should be paid tomorrow.

    :D Keep an eye on the book I'm trying to sell on eBay. Sold, now!

    :D Do Nectar AdPoints. None available.

    :D Do i-Say surveys. None available.

    :D Cook from stores. OH is doing homemade cauliflower cheese. Done. Huge success.

    :D Lift most of the red and Spanish onions from the garden as they've gone to seed. OH has done. Pleased with our crop.

    :D Do some photography with OH when it gets dark tonight. Too poor visibility last night, again! Done. Practised photographing birds at twilight.

    :D Clear up an issue with OH's National Insurance Contributions. Still to do, couldn't face it, but do have the correct telephone number now.

    :D Continue knitting hot water bottle cover. Might even finish it tonight. Done. Just needs finishing now.

    :D Pick sweet peas from the garden to bring indoors. Done.

    :D Put two folding chairs on Freecycle and look to see if there's anything I might ask for on there. Done

    :D Go for a free run tonight trying to use the hints OH gave me yesterday. Too tired.

    :D Get free Physio from OH. Done. Also received appointment details to see an NHS physiotherapist as required by cantankerous GP. How many therapists does a woman need?!

    :D Look for free, local events this weekend. Found a good one for the end of the month.

    :D Do a wee bit of housework using minimal products and reusable cloths. Done.

    :D OH put a wash on with a tissue inside a pocket, again. :mad: De-tissue pyjamas. The Snow Look isn't in this year. Done. Works best with sellotape and matching swear words.

    :D Read up on new Halifax Online Banking Mobile App which is being released soon. (Link)

    :D Look for gas/electricity bill online. Should be due today, I think. If I've paid more than two months too much by DIrect Debit I'll be entitled to have those two months refunded. Hoping this happens. Will also look at lowering the Direct Debit as I think it is higher than it needs to be, even allowing for the forthcoming Winter. Not there yet.

    :D Going to the local hill/moorland with a Countryside Ranger this afternoon to 'hunt' lizards and listen to a lecture on them. (Free event.) OH is hoping to get a photograph. Wrong day! Inaccurate date on website advert!

    Well that's me for today. Good luck on your quests, Jedis.


    MONEY MAKING AND SAVING SITES AS OFTEN MENTIONED IN THIS FORUM:

    • A Girl Called Jack, cheap recipes ( Link )
    • Benefits check-up ( Link )
    • Birthday Bingo, daily free game ( Link )
    • eBid ( Link )
    • Freecycle ( Link )
    • Free Postcode Lottery (Link)
    • FreeStuff ( Link )
    • FreeUKStuff ( Link )
    • i-Say Surveys (Link)
    • List of online newspapers. At bottom of the linked page. ( Link )
    • MSE Boost Your Income page. Gateway to lots of money-making links. ( Link )
    • MSE Abbreviations Explained ( Link )
    • MSE Deals and Vouchers ( Link )
    • MSE Wow Offers ( Link )
    • My Supermarket ( Link )
    • Nectar Points, AdPoints, Search Toolbar ( Link )
    • OnePoll ( Link )
    • Quidco ( Link )
    • Reclaim PPI at no cost to yourself ( Link )
    • SayNoTo0870 cheap phone number finder ( Link )
    • Survey sites that pay for your opinions ( Link )
    • Swagbucks ( Link )
    • Swapit ( Link )
    • Tesco Clubcard Free Movies and TV Shows Online ( Link )
    • Toluna ( Link )
    • TopCashBack ( Link )


    Offers:

    :D 15% off Homebase today and tomorrow online if you have a Nectar card. Use the code NEC.

    :D 15% off Homebase this weekend in store for everyone. Automatically discounted at the till.

    :D 15% off Homebase online Sat, Sun and Mon for everyone using the code DISC15.

    Freebies:

    :D If anyone wants to create a budget for themselves Halifax have a detailed, free tool on their website that anyone can use, even if you've no Halifax accounts. (Link)
    Debt-free day: 8th May 2015 "Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck," Dalai Llama
  • Morning folks.


    Bad Day at Black Rock here.:(


    Son1's employment has been, very suddenly, terminated. He has 1 weeks notice. He struggles with (clinical) depression and anxiety but was doing really well with this organisation and has had nothing but praise for his work. Slightly complicated by the fact that OH works for the same organisation. We will fight the decision but it's really all about cost cutting and son was the last person in. We will fight it but probably may as well just bash our heads against a brick wall.


    Fact is we do rely on his contribution in our Masterplan....


    Just when you think things are going well something else puts a spanner in.


    Sorry for the off topic post but felt the need to vent this.


    Am at work and will struggle to concentrate as am so angry and upset :mad:


    Hope everyone else has a better day x
  • Tiggy10
    Tiggy10 Posts: 443 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Morning all
    Thanks Ally for starting this morn.
    Sorry to hear that solvencyseeker - my OH lost his job 3 weeks ago through the company going into liquidation with no warning, the day before payday. I understand your frustration, I hope your son finds something else, good luck with your fight.


    Today is payday!! and I have paid off my cc! :D I now do not know whether I should cancel it or cut it up and leave it for a few months - its a credit builder so I want to know whats best in terms of my credit rating?
    - set a weekly budget and must stick to this
    - buy friends daughters gift from amazon - she loves frozen and managed to find an elsa doll for only £12 instead of the £45 everywhere else wanted.


    - use the moneysupermarket app to make a list of shopping we need have 3 out of 4 of the big ones in walking distance in town.
    -having a meal out this evening the one treat of the pay month.


    that's about it for today. have a good one all :)
    Paying it all off in 2017:
    Finance 1- [STRIKE]115[/STRIKE] Paid Jan 2017
    Finance 2- 335
    CC - [STRIKE]2000[/STRIKE]1800
    OD 1 - [STRIKE]2200[/STRIKE] 1850
    OD 2 - 2500
  • Good morning everyone, Ally – Thanks for starting the thread off this morning.

    My list for today:

    Check online banking
    Nectar adpoints
    All meals from stores
    Check free postcode lottery
    Catch up with emails
    Sign up with the £10 challenge for August
    Sort diary for next month
    Type up work for client
    Do mystery shopping work that is in for today
    Move the rest of the stuff from old house

    I think that is everything for today, Hope everyone had a good Thursday x
  • cocoloco
    cocoloco Posts: 589 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    :j Morning Campers! Its Thursday at last! :j

    Thank Ally for starting us off and for all the usefull information.

    Solvencyseeker- really sorry to hear about your son's plight- its tought enough dealing with made redundant especially if you suffer from depression. Could it be an options that they will re-hire him as soon as the comany's finance improves?

    Congratulation to Tiggy10 for paying off you CC! If you use your CC for credit building you would be better off using it for purchases during the month and pay off balance at the end of each month before any interest incurs.

    Another extra work day for me, 2 more nights after my day job, than I'm off for a few days. I'm ready for it, I feel like an elderly person - all my joints / muscles ache and making cracking sounds. :o

    My wee listy today:

    :starmod:Try to comlete surveys in my inbox (i-say and yougov) and onepoll. Viewsbank sits on 89p off the £6 payout, it takes forever! (since Feb14) :think:

    :starmod:B/L/D- from freezer / stores- YS chicken & ham pie, YS baby poatoes and YS cauliflower / broccoli- total cost for a good meal for 3 is £2.17- happy with that! :D

    :starmod:Work in my second job tonigh after diner, get some scraps for our babydog- last night she got roast beef. :p

    :starmod:Source new mattress for DD- the springs gave up and its need replacing ASAP. I want one locally that I can collect- no way I wll pay delivery cost / wait around all day. My OH has a volvo estate, it just have to fit! :dance:

    :starmod:Check bank to see if payment from my second job arrived- move it into savings for the time being. :)

    :starmod:Check for best exchange rate locally for euros- I usually use the cheque centre, best exchange rate locally but charge £1 handling fee- why? Investigate other sources, I begruge paying £1 for nothing. :p

    That's it for now, will check back in later see how everybody is doing. Good day to all!
    :p "NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS FREE FOOD" :p
    'They can have my money but not my life!'
    :eek: Debt & mortgage free in 18 years :eek:
    *
  • Tiggy10
    Tiggy10 Posts: 443 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    cocoloco wrote: »
    Congratulation to Tiggy10 for paying off you CC! If you use your CC for credit building you would be better off using it for purchases during the month and pay off balance at the end of each month before any interest incurs.

    Thank you! :) that's what ive been doing for the last 18 months, but ive got to a point where I pay it off on payday and then use it again, the cycle continues and im treating it as my own money. *slap on the wrists* I now need the money in my bank account to tackle the overdrafts - its gotta go! haha
    Paying it all off in 2017:
    Finance 1- [STRIKE]115[/STRIKE] Paid Jan 2017
    Finance 2- 335
    CC - [STRIKE]2000[/STRIKE]1800
    OD 1 - [STRIKE]2200[/STRIKE] 1850
    OD 2 - 2500
  • DawnW
    DawnW Posts: 7,628 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Hi all,
    Thanks for starting the thread Ally, and sorry to hear about Solvency Seeker's son's situation :(

    My list for today:

    Not spend anything :p
    Check banks
    Cut up and cook rhubarb that I was given yesterday
    Make bread and butter pickles with my cucumber mountain and recipe from Mrs Lurcherwalker on another thread :)
    Walk into town and check on stock levels in sales unit
    Watering pots and seedlings in the garden, still no sign of rain
    Walk mutt later
    Think about housework (not sure if I will get as far as doing any :o)

    Hope everyone has a good day.
  • Bagpuss741
    Bagpuss741 Posts: 2,291 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Sorry about your son's job SS:(

    Today I have/will:

    1, Checked online banking
    2, NSD
    3, Meals from stores
    4, Surveys
    5, Stay in and watch tv recorded in week (saves petrol and I'm not tempted to spend)
    6, Update snowball
    Tesco: £1361.19, Vanquis: £2644.73, Very: £563.08, Next: £1636.95, M&S: £1049.92. As of 5th February 2024. Slava Ukraini
  • foxgloves
    foxgloves Posts: 11,997 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Afternoon Campers,
    Back to try again. My post got eaten this morning, followed by a strange white screen of death. Feeling very motivated with money saving at the moment so here goes with my positive things:
    *Got up early & managed to do most of the ironing before the cheap electricity tariff ended.
    *Read meters & uploaded to Co-op Energy.
    *Top-sliced Augusts's grocery budget to spend £50 at local butcher to stock up freezer. Spent £55, but was very happy with the haul I got for that, & he knocked a bit of money off too. Divided everything up & froze, except for 1kg of minced steak which I made into 8 1/4 pounders first.
    *Rounded up any veg nearing its end time - spring greens, which I've shredded & will stir-fry with spices & garlic to go with tonight's meal & carrots which have been sliced, blanched & frozen.
    *Watered & fed veggie garden.
    *Picked a basket of veg & another pot of neighbour's invading blackberries :-)
    *mr f took car for 2 new tyres. Paid on credit card, but I've paid it off straight away. That way, we still get the points for the credit card purchase (M&S vouchers) but my accounting for the month remains straightforward & squeaky clean.
    *Postie brought us each a £10 John Lewis voucher from Toluna surveys......I had one from Ipsos yesterday, so that's £30 in one week. Felt motivated to check in & do a few.
    *Checked online banking to see if my £50 Ugov money has landed yet. Nope!
    *Updated 4 different budgets to reflect this week's expenditure & updated my Big Money Book. The Big Money Book is where it all happens in this house. Transferred £20 to the Bathroom Fund. Not much, but the tyres were a bit less than we expected, & every little helps.
    *Free knitting mag arrived, which I got via a voucher from my Mum. Hadn't realised it included a free knitting kit to make a cute dumpy little cat. Can think of several people who'd like one of those, so potential gift opportunities there, I think.
    *Made a loaf in the breadmaker.
    *All free leisure today - a recorded TV prog, library book, update my blog & finish knitting sleeve.
    *Still to do: next week's meal plans...I've only got as far as Tuesday, decide what to cook for guests who are visiting next week & write shopping list.
    Solvencyseeker - Shame about your son's predicament, especially as it seemed to be suiting him. Hope he is able to find something else soon.
    MMM - Sorry to hear about your cat. Losing a fur friend is always sad.
    Must get on now. Almost Friday now........
    f x
    2025's challenges: 1) To fill our 10 Savings Pots to their healthiest level ever
    2) To read 100 books (4/100)

    "Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards" (Soren Kirkegaard 1813-55)
  • allydowd
    allydowd Posts: 4,937 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Uniform Washer Name Dropper
    edited 31 July 2014 at 4:07PM
    Freebies:

    :D Free Krispy Kreme Donut via Facebook. I think the shops are only in England. (Link)

    :D Free RNLI Beach Smart Kit for families with children. You get an Identity Snapband and waterproof pen and activity booklet. As the RNLI are a charity please only order this if you will use it. (Link)

    :D Free sample of Ghost Eclipse. Go through to the third tab and request a sample at the bottom. (Link)
    Debt-free day: 8th May 2015 "Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck," Dalai Llama
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