Tuesday 21st October - What small DFW things will you do today?

ziggy2407

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:

ziggy2407

Good Morning All

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. Dont forget we also have a small things on Facebook, if anyone wishes to join

Today I will:

Meet friend with 8 frames she ordered -
Check Banks -
Check swapits -
Packed lunch for DH - Done
Craft -
Enter a few comps -
Sort emails (& unsubscribe where possible) -
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer -
Read book (from stash) - In progress,
Check https://www.freepostcodelottery.com -

Have a great evening, love to you all

C

DawnW

Hello Ziggy, and everyone else who comes along later

Still feeling a bit bleurrgh, and not really done anything yet except have breakfast and feed the chickens and dog

Still to do:

Check banks Done

Peg washing out - it is really windy, and if it stays on the line, it will probably dry :rotfl: Done, and it dried!

Tidy up, hoover downstairs and wash kitchen floor, as it is my day to look after baby GD tomorrow. She is an enthusiastic crawler and I don't want her to get dirty or eat any small items on the floor :eek: DD appeared with her this afternoon, but I managed to get this done while they walked to town to go to the post office

Walk to the weekly Tuesday market in town and buy a loaf of bread. I don't need anything else today. Bought a cauliflower as well

Sort out OH's truck insurance. Not changing suppliers as his insurance is not a standard one, and most companies will not cover for some reason (vehicle, not him). The good news is that it costs less than it did last year Done, also taxed it, so far from a NSD today!

Dinner tonight will be leftovers, but I have some puff pastry left so will make an apple pie for pudding with apples from the fruit bowl Didn't get to the apple pie, but the leftovers were yummy!

Hope everyone has a nice day

peony40

Morning all,

Sorry you are still feeling rough Dawn.

Woke up in the night feeling physically sick, stomach is still tender so going to take it easy today.

I am expecting a grocery shop delivery today, I brought it forward by a week as there were quite a few essentials that we need now. It is going to make November a long month but I will manage (trying to be confident here!)

Other plans are to do some more quick cycle washes.
Dry on the unheated airers as none of the clothes are needed urgently, so this will save a few pennies.

Continue to use the flask for coffee during the day to save electricity.

Cook extra mince tonight ready for Thursday's dinner too.

Continue crocheting while listening to classic fm, my favourite way to spend my afternoons.

Take care all.

Bobarella

Afternoon All

Ziggy - Your son sounds like he is doing very well indeed with his money saving ways. Good work you must be proud of him. I will take your lead & suggest we continue to save 50% at least of any birthday or christmas money given to him. We have made a good start with his funds, & even in the midst of the bad times I have refused to cancel the DD into his savings. My reasoning being, my parents never gave me a bean. They could have but due to my Dad basically drinking every penny that came into the house never did. It has made my life a lot harder. I want him to have better & can see how much it matters to be given a helping hand in life. Im not talking about spoiling kids, that is just doing no one a favour, but when you are down to your last few quid and cant afford electricity or food, which is a situation I found myself in, in my late teens, it would be nice to have a solid fund to fall back on.

Solvency Seeker - Agree, re your friends kid, TMI! I hope the parents do put the money back!

Ratison -Regarding NSD rules, people set their own. Its whaetver you feel is a NSD. For example, if you take it that most people pay bills by DD these days, then most days would be a spend day unless you set all your bills to go out on the 1st for example. So, NSDs seem to mean the days you leave your purse at home and dont buy treats. Food, petrol or travel costs are essentials.

Aloofdragon -I agree that this section is great for reminding us of the small things we can all do to make a difference & I am always grateful when I see someone has started it off. For example I have managed to save £18 per month on the DD cost I was paying simply by reviewing with First utility what we were really spending per month. I also got a large rebate this month too because I know our winter usage wont be that much more (small house, well insulated, people out most of the time) it is well worth having a look at.

Head out the sand -Why do you think your older boy is hopeless at saving? Im interested. For example. I am good with money, but circumstance has been a downfall of mine. OH is not good with money naturally which he says comes from being the youngest of 3 who was never talked to at home about the family budget. I used to know all the time that we struggled & my mum would often unload on me as the oldest exactly what problems we were facing. Which has helped the pair of us more??

Foxgloves - Thanks for the facinating insight into your family tree. I love the sound of your Great Aunt. What a cool lady.
I do think however that the older generation were the way they were because they were not babied by the state, not that I dont agree with benefits etc, but I do think the messages we have recieved over the last 50 years or so from government have created a nation who like easy credit & often have no home making skills whatsoever. I think the government need to seriously address that, and am delighted Martin Lewis has managed to get schools to include financial education on the curriculum. I often now see classes in the supermarket with shopping lists & a teacher with them. Long may it continue.

Sorry a bit verbal today! Will go now...

Bob

solvencyseeker

Hello all,
Glad to be at work today while the wind is blowing and the rain lashing against the window. Though I am slightly envious of an afternoon crocheting and listening to the radio. Still, have got 4 days leave next week .
Much of mine is the usual stuff - lift to work, all meals from home/stores. Soup for lunch, spag bol for tea. Laundry is on the airer. If I do a load every day I should be able to not use the tumble drier....
Young son has got an interview for an apprenticeship on Friday (not sure I mentioned that he handed his notice in at the pub so needs to find something asap). Fingers crossed.
Best wishes x

Bagpuss741

Today I have/will:

1. Checked online banking
2. NSD
3. Surveys
4. Meals from stores
5. Take neighbour to hospital to visit her husband
6. Did my nans food shopping

twiggy86

Today I have/will:-
1. Check online banking (pleased I did as have received £122 from water company for overpayment!)
2. Earn Swagbucks (just started so need to review posts about how best to earn)
3. Phone mobile provider - try to get a new deal or consider changing
4. Phone Bcard - try negotiate lower interest rate
5. Hanging washing online (and pray it's still on the line when I get home)


Ok so I guess those last two are potentially bigger things!


Wish me luck as I'm a wimp at negotiating!

Bobarella

Sorry! Also meant to say sorry your feeling ill Dawn.

foxgloves

Greetings Moneysavers,
Hope poorly people soon start to pick up....Dawn, I too had a flu jab for the first time this year even though I had to pay. I had such horrible flu back in Jan that mr f just didn't know what to do with me, so I took myself off for the jab. I didn't get any odd symptoms, tho the pharmacist warned me that this could happen & is more likely in people having the jab for the first time. I did feel tired for a couple of days, but nothing more than that.
Today, we've had everything here from bright sunshine to black as pitch sky, big rain, gales & hail! NOT a day for doing my garden jobs.
Some bits of money-saving:
*Usual little energy saving measures - really motivated since yesterday's bill - so switched off iron for final garment, saved hot kettle water in flask for next drink, no heating on, etc.
*Did some surveys - all very boring ones today.
*Made bread dough for rolls & tonight's pizza.
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch.....or rather defrosted it, as it's leftovers, yay!
*Mended bra.......or did my best as it's quite a newish one, but I rather fear a small piece of it may still be lodged somewhere in the washing machine.
*Arranged time to drop off a birthday gift rather than pay to post quite a large parcel.
*Do some holiday planning with mr f as we want to take enough food with us to make most of our meals so that we're not endlessly spending on bits & bobs of food & eating out while we're away.
*Continue decluttering. Have got a drawer of massively tangled embroidery threads & 2 books of gift labels for cutting out. Have got hole punch ready & am going to combine the two to make lots of useable labels. Anything leftover will be off to the bin or in the case of the threads.....useful colours will be stored around card bobbins to use for mending & hideous colours will go off down the shed for tying in plants/veggies, etc.....but they will be dealt with today, as I'm sick of seeing them! Have still really got the decluttering bug.
OK, off to get that pizza finished & see if I can dodge the rain to pop down the garden to pick some salad.
See you,
f x

twiggy86

Wanted to update you all...


Just called Bcard to ask if they could lower the interest rate and they did - just like that! They've decreased it from 19.9% to 6.9% on the current balance, although its still 19.9% on further purchases - however as I'm trying to decrease my debt I won't be buying on it!


Why didn't I do this before? ? Literally took 5 minutes!