Thursday 27 November - 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

DD265 - What are you crafting?
Bob - I think what you have agreed with DS is a great idea, we've been doing it for a few years now and IMO never too young to learn the valuable lessons regarding money - I keep telling him n-one will ever look after his money as well as he should (probably why at 11 he has over £10000 in savings )

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. Don't forget we also have a small things on Facebook, if anyone wishes to join.

Here's to a good day (didn't do much yesterday, so tired and have yet another cold ):

Check Christmas present list -
Claim vouchers from Ristorante (pizzas) -
Check Banks -
Check swapits -
Re-list couple of things on FB -
Continue purge on emails -
Packed lunch for DH & DS - Done
Enter a few comps -
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer -
Check https://www.freepostcodelottery.com - Remember there are now 3 chances to win
Check Birthday Bingo -
Craft -

Have a great day,love to you all

C x

maria3104

Wow Ziggy impressive son saving lump there.

Yesterday was another NSD for me, there have been loads in Nov, lost count, but I still managed to exceed grocery target. Anyway have missed cheap rate electric for my morning wash. So not a great start, but if we eat from fridge and I have another NSD I will be content. All days cant be our best.

Hope to get a new client today, so if this comes off it will cover my washing habit for a bit!

DawnW

Morning all

Thanks for starting the thread Ziggy.

For me today:
So far, chickens fed, breakfast eaten from food in the house, breadmaker on

Need to:
* Bring beds purchased from FB selling site into the house (currently in garage) and sort out bedlinen.
* Tidy up
* Photograph bed currently in spare room and put on local FB selling site
* Declutter 2 drawers - I can hardly open them at the moment :eek:
* Hopefully find an item that I think is in them that can go on ebay
* Visit sales unit, tidy up and restock if needed
* Possibly small shop needed - a bit low on loo roll. I will double check, as I would like a NSD
* Heating only in bathroom, airing cupboard and on low in loft conversion bedroom (it is freezing up there if not :eek:), on timer
* Light woodburner later, fill kettles for free hot water for tea and washing up when it is on
* Meals from stores - lots of ends of bread to use up, so my version of French bread pizza (clue - you can use any bread ) and salad for dinner, soup and quiche leftovers for lunch
* Start larder inventory :eek: now that really is a job for a wet murky day, which is what we seem to have

Hope everyone has a nice day

twiggy86

Morning everyone


Today I have/will:-
1. Check banks
2. Pay money received from TCB off CC
3. Reconcile spreadsheet
4. Lunch from home
5. Fill water bottle up at work
6. Earn 100 SBs
7. Earn £1 on OnePoll
8. Sort out washing on airer - grr not dry last night!
9. Look into price of tumble dryers - not MSE but the washing isn't drying and ends up smelling funny!
10. Must find out paperwork to cancel phone insurance!
11. Make voucher to go in with my mum's xmas present
12. Wrap mum's xmas present
13. Decide what to get everyone else!
14. Dinner from cupboards/freezer
15. Find money for Zumba - possibly going to dry down the back of the sofa!
16. Charge phone in the evening rather than leave it on overnight
17. Light candles again tonight - super cosy last night and saves electricity!


Quite a long list today but some of them have been lurking on there for a while so must actually do some of them!

maria3104

Feeling focused. Still an NSD. Going home to feed from fridge and log fire. Still got no central heating on, but even our tiny house is now chilly. Will leave it to DH to make the decision.

foxgloves

Hello Thursday Savers,
Today's frugal activity:
*Pay-day, so my Big Budget Day: Reconciled November budget & checked everything gone out correctly, set December's budget. Had hoped to transfer an extra sum into savings, but I broke a tooth this morning (Aaaaaggggghhhhh! Am nervous around dentists, esp when they're wielding drills) so have had to leave a cushion of money available for the repair bill :-(
*Paid off a credit card in full. Will also be able to pay off our other card in full when that bill arrives, which surprised me as it's got some festive spending on it & I had to roll it over this time last year when I don't think it was entirely paid off till Feb. Defo pays off big time to buy gifts all year round & pop them away in the presents box.
*Set December amounts for paying into our Pigs. (Car, clothes, household, etc.)
*Sold 2 pairs of my hand knitted baby socks & transferred the money to Bathroom Fund.
*Read energy meters & uploaded to website.
*Did some surveys.
*Cashed in my Ipsos points for my next £10 John Lewis voucher.
*Then, coincidentally, Postie delivered £15 John Lewis vouchers from Toluna Surveys, so added them to my stash, which will hopefully go towards a Kenwood Chef, providing the laptop doesn't die first!
*Entered 2 competitions.
*Wrapped Christmas gift for someone I shall see tomorrow, which will save a little bit of postage.
*Did next week's meal plans.
*Started shopping list, which I'll finish later when I've had a cup of tea.
*Big filing session of all my financial stuff.
*Arranged a couple more social things for the run-up to Christmas & made sure they are on the calendar. I've said hundreds of times, I know, but being very organised always saves me money!
*Downstairs heating off until 5pm, except bathroom towel radiator.
*Knitted a bit more of the Christmas gift I'm working on.
*Dinner as per meal plans - the Hairy Bikers' Lentil & Butternut Curry I batch-cooked a while back for freezer. Cheap lunch too, as we both had the leek & potato soup I made earlier this week. What a rib-sticker! Mr f texted to request that we have it again, which is fine by me as it's just 3 potatoes, 3 leeks, a litre of stock, 2 cloves of garlic, a tbsp of oil & seasoning! Cheapmongous!!
OK, time to get the kettle on the hob.
f x

Bobarella

Hi All

Ziggy - Thats amazing, what a great way to start off his financial life. I hope he can carry on through later years too, as the 18-25 age has to be one of the hardest now for all young people. I had a credit card by 18 & an overdraft as soon as I started uni. I wish so much I'd set myself up better for that time.

Foxgloves - Ouch! You poor thing breaking a tooth. Sounds horrible. Have you got Denplan as an option at yours? We are able to spread payments on larger bills interest free. Worth a thought? Loving the sound of the handmade baby socks, gorgeous.

Dawn -Yum pizza toast!

Twiggy -If its your first time buying a tumble make sure its suitable for your property before you buy. Some need access to a window for the pipe to dangle out, think they are called condensing ones?

Maria -Well done on your NSD!

Me today. Worked 4.5 hours. Walked to school. Only spend all day was £1.45 for the bus home so classing it as a NSD.
I found a brand match coupon for £2.11 outside sainsburys!! Exciting as that means a free dinner tommorow with whatever I can get for that.
I cooked the YS pork & YS stock pot pack before I went to work this morning to make a stew for the grand cost of £2. Will do around 6 portions.
Called my sons child investment trust company, they had sent us some weird letter regarding changing the units to clean units?? Anyway a very bored sounding man told me it just means the anhual charges are going to be a lot lower. Why do they have to be so opaque??
I also filled in some paperwork to have my sons childrens bond which has just matured, transfered out so we can add it to his savings account. The interest they offer is so poor & it seems a bad idea to leave it tied up for another 5 years.
Think thats it for me. My new trainers arrived from ebay today (at a grand cost of £8 for really nice Nike hi tops) & I immediately dropped a splash of bleach on them. Bleep, Bleep Bleeeeeeeping bleach!!!

Night

Bob

Ratison

Evening all,

I've had another NSD day today. And it's payday tomorrow! Which is debt repayment day!

Need to budget realistic amounts for Christmas parties etc this month. I have two to go to, both paid for but will need drinks. Note to self - I do not need anything new to wear!!!

Also, I get paid earlier than usual in December (about 6 days earlier) so I have to get into the mindset that the pay tomorrow still needs to last the full month, otherwise January will be extra grim :eek:

I've done some surveys today - some better than others! Swagbucks surveys are quite annoying as I never seem to meet the criteria, but Ipsos is coming good.

Heating is on for a little bit, and I'm going to have a bath, as I'm having a bit of miserable, can't-be-bothered week. :undecided

GettingOrganised

Hi everyone, I've not posted for a few days. Just don't seem to have enough hours in the day and I think I'm coming down with a cold. So, sorry for being away, I still try to read what you're all up to, as it keeps me on the straight and narrow.

My list over the last few days:
All meals from stores all week
Found 1p yesterday and put it in my sealed pot for next year
Completed most of my Christmas present shopping now - just 2 presents to get and work's Secret Santa (which is probably the most challenging!)
Heating has been on for longer than 2 hours a day now - it is getting quite cold now. But, I'm still much more aware of it that I used to be. I used to out it on and not switch it off until I went to bed.
DD has decided to quit her drama and musical theatre lessons - she has been fed up for a while, so we'll try something new next year. On the plus side, it has saved me £66 this week as subs were due for the next term!
Checked PCL and BB
Need to check bank account

I don't feel as disciplined at the moment - some MSE things I've really got to grips with and are now routine, but other things I really struggle with still. I hope it's just a small blip and I can get back on track. I think it's because Christmas has become my main focus, not money saving.