Sat/Sun 13/14 December 2014 What small DFW will you do this weekend?

maria3104

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

maria3104

Hi EVeryone,

Thought I would start us off.

Been up since 4.30 a.m. so have hammered cheap rate elec. Dishwasher on and washer and dryer. I really need to hoover, but think DH will go berserk if I go in bedroom to retrieve hoover! Could be pushing it.
Also done farm VAT, took 2 hours, but as machines were running what else could I do. Recorded Mary last night and am comforted by her choc mousse recipe as I try to fight depression of the reality check that is farm paperwork!
Anyway, more jobs for today
1. hoover
2. iron
3. keep washing, may do 2 loads full rate to clear mountain
4. Go outside for an hour and chop dead stems off things in orchard.Monty might call it putting garden to bed!
5. Unpack Mr T
6. May consider having an alcohlic beverage tonight, just to check I don't like it!

Hope everyone has a good day.

Bobarella

Good morning Maria
Your up & at em. Good for you!
I am off to work shortly. I will be doing 10 hours today & 8 tommorow as overtime. Just trying to gather as much in as possible before the christmas break as being self employed I have 2 weeks with no wages coming up. But I feel calm about it as I've planned for it as best I can.
I will have to break my 2 day NSD spree as we need butter & cat food. But if I earn enough in tips today to cover those items then I will count it as NSD anyway as free money. Better get my best service face on
Have re gifted an item for son to take to birthday party today. It's still in the wrapper after he recieved it last Christmas. Reused a birthday card by rubbing out the pencil it was written in ( we photographed all the cards & the kids writing first for memories sake) & of course reused wrapping paper.
Husband & son should be on a NSD too as the party starts early and finishes after lunch. I don't imagine they'll do much after that.
Anyway that's me.

For those that were talking about veg yesterday. I'd hold off buying it just yet. Start looking now in the mark downs and see what bargains you can get. If things are on the turn you can prep & par boil root veg in advance for the freezer. I think you can even shred cabbage and freeze that (anyone??)
Every penny's a prisoner!

See you on the other side.
Bob

twiggy86

Ahhh just lost my post!!!!

Morning all!

Long day today as picking friends up from the airport tonight but they're giving me £100!

Today I will:
* post on here DONE
* check banks DONE
* pay money into bank DONE
* pay off some debt DONE - £50 off OD and £20 off beds
* park in asd@ so can get parking back DONE
* shop to small list in asd@ using coupons so shouldn't cost much hard cash DONE - see post below if you're interested
* keep eyes peeled for roadkill! NO LUCK - THINK BOBARELLA MUST HAVE GOT THERE FIRST
* visit friend and deliver Xmas card DONE
* clean fridge DONE
* take cushions off sofa and hoover HOOVER SOUNDS FUNNY AGAIN SO ILL WAIT AS MUM IS POPPING ROUND AND SHE CAN NORMALLY FIX IT!
* do two loads of washing DONE
* buy meat for Xmas day
* buy alcohol for Xmas period using deals in Mr t

Think that's everything for today! Quick post before it disappears again!

Gainingcontrol14

Hi everyone, thanks Maria for starting us off on this lovely sunny day! Hope everyone is ok! Yesterday was a productive day, was certainly not a NSD but it did dawn on me that I don't ever have NSD! Disgusting hey! That is something I need to plan for! Always spending on something! I ticked my whole list off except for the tidy up blitz! Hopefully that one will come today! Car only cost £15 so I was very chuffed about that!!

So for the weekend my list is:

- write Christmas cards and either deliver or 2nd class post.
- finish wrapping presents and checking the list off. (Next year I will be more in control of the money so there will be less spend spend spend and more scrimp scrimp scrimp)
- I don't want to but check online banking and figure out where to make some extra money in a week
- start a budget plan to include dates of payments
- food cupboard - meal plan - run the stock down as it's ridiculous!
- tidy blitz!
- declutter a cupboard of unwanted stuff to organise wanted stuff
- washing, drying and ironing (oh the joys)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

maria3104

Hi Bob

Hope you have a great weekend earning.

Currently done all on my days list apart from the outside stuff. Quite fancy watching an old recording of Monty before I start to get myself in the mood and check I have the right outfit on!

Have fun. Whatever we are doing today has to be better than fighting our way round shops buying stuff no one really wants anyway!

carrielovesfanta

Morning folks!

Everyone seems up-'n'-at-'em this morning!

I had a good restful sleep and the cold appears to be on its way out. OH is still in bed - think it might be a difficult day for him today. Am trying to persuade him to get uo.

Today's mse list

• Make bread in breadmaker
• Bits of deep cleaning - will try to enlist OH with this. I've already cleaned 3 panels in the dining room doors (hate this job so do a few at a time). Also deep cleaned some of the woodwork in the kitchen
• Make spare bed
• Possibly make Christmas biscuits
• Crochet bunting for friend's wedding (and weave in ends )
• Crochet gloves for OH (chunky wool so shouldn't take long)
• Wrap Christmas presents if OH ever gets up
• Weekend washing. Put towels in at 90' as it service washes the machine at the same time!
• Towels outside to dry for what it's worth
• Try to get OH to come for a walk in nice crispy winter weather. Visit tree with mistletoe on it.
• Make bed with lovely cosy brushed cotton duvet cover
• B/L/D from stores

Right - if that doesn't keep me out of trouble, I don't know what will!


Have a good one all


clf x

DawnW

Hello all

Not much sleep due to coughing, I ended up getting up and coming downstairs between 2-6

Still, it is a lovely day and I did manage to sleep between 6-8.

So far today I have:
Hoovered top floor bedroom
Persuaded OH to do rest of hoovering while I walked to the post office to post the Xmas cards that need to go airmail to France
Bought some mince from the butchers while out, as I didn't get the beef stew I had planned into the SC in time I will do that tomorrow. We will have bolognese or something like that tonight.
Decluttered a lamp to the charity shop that takes electrical goods

OH also cleaned the chickens out so I don't have to do that Might be something to do with the brewery tour he is going on this afternoon :rotfl:

Still to do:
Continue tidying and dusting
Declutter another item which someone is coming round to collect this afternoon
Write and post rest of Xmas cards
Wrap presents - got them all now, except for some food bits
Put some stuff that dissolves hair etc down the drain in the ensuite shower (the glamour )
Put washing outside for a while as it is lovely and sunny. It will freshen it up if nothing else
Make bolognese for dinner, and enough for Monday as well

Hope everyone has a nice day

GettingOrganised

Hi everyone, some very busy lists going on today.

Maria - do you ever sleep?! You achieve so much before I've even considered waking up!
Boberalla - hope you get lots of tips at work over the weekend.
Twiggy - another long list and great to get some extra cash for the airport run.
Gaining control - great news on the cost of the car, they always cause such worry when they go for repairs, don't they? And this site really gets you to focus on NSD and budgeting for Christmas. I think I've done better this year, but can definitely improve next year too.
CLF - some lovely sounding present making (I would love to start making things like this). You're so supportive of your OH, I hope he is able to go on the lovely walk you've got planned.
Dawn - hope you get well soon - coughing all night is horrible. Glad you managed to get a couple of hours this morning.

Thanks for everyone's kind words following my little rant about the house the other day. Feeling much better now.

Well, DD was feeling a little under the weather last night and still isn't 100%, so we didn't go to her swimming lesson this morning.
We nipped to a couple of shops to get some unexpected Christmas gifts (family living aboard and didn't think I'd have to buy for them until January)
Diesel bought at asd@ as cheapest around
Bought some staples until my big shop tomorrow or Monday
Load of washing done on economy and bed linen now in.
Ironing to do - not so much this week so shouldn't take too long.
Clean fridge (common theme this weekend!) Mine is also quite empty so would be best to do before more food goes in it
All meals from stores
Haircut later - dry cut to save some pennies
Need to do a general tidy up
Sort out outfit for tonight and polish nails. DH and I are going out which is a nice change. Only to a local pub to see a band play, so shouldn't be too expensive.

Right, must finish my brew and crack on with my little list.

twiggy86

I am turning into a MSE master! Well not quite but I wanted to share my little shop with you.

Parked in asda and walked into town so I could get a few bits to get parking back. So I bought:
3 x febreeze sleep serenity - £3 each or 3 for £5. Plus I had a £1 coupon and a 50p coupon = 3 febreeze for £3.50
Diet coke and Pepsi - £1.25 each or 2 for £2. Plus 75p through shopitize and £1.25 through click snap = FREE
Shloer - £1 but had 50p off coupon
Carex - 80p plus 30p through shopitize
Plus £1.50 parking back which I would have paid if I parked elsewhere in town.
So a £12.40 shop came to £5.40 plus I'll get £2.30 through the apps taking it to £3.10!! Not bad for my first coupon shop!

Plus I had 3 free coupons for the new innocent range but they didn't sell them so have to try elsewhere!

Rachiedabbler70

Hope you don't mind me joining for a weekend. I usually post on the pay your debt off and I've reached my target early for 2014 so thought I'd have a look around and this thread looked interesting.:D


DFW things today;


Bought 3 chickens and cut them up into portions and frozen them. So much cheaper than buying all the cuts separately. The 3 carcasses are going to get made into stock for Christmas Day gravy.:)


Dug around in the freezer and found some steak so made a hot pot with a load of veg as well. It is cooking in the slow cooker at the moment - will add some herb dumplings in a few hours - should fill up me and the kids.:)


Going to put the slow cooker on overnight as well because I want to cook a big batch of chilli and then I'll put it on tomorrow and make a curry.


Finally, made a Christmas box up for my mum and step dad - I've put in jam, crackers, potted beef, choc orange, nachos, dip, pop corn and a dvd - will add some perishable items before Christmas Day (cheese and grapes probably). They have everything so I thought a DVD night in might prove thoughtful even though doesn't cost much.:D


Enjoying reading your posts. x