Wed 31 Dec 2014. What small DFW stuff will you do today?

maria3104

:j:j:):)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

Morning everyone.

Happy New Years Eve.

Today I will not be going out tonight. I have decided it is what I am not doing that is saving me money!

All machines are on cheap rate.
I am off to work, but for the morning only, Yay
Ham in ginger for tea tonight and early to bed. Will record the fireworks.

Have a great night everyone.

Amara

Hello!
Today, I'm going to:
- work, just short time
-do ironing, lots of it
- tidy up kitchen
- staying home tonight
See you soon!

Penguins86

Last day of the year!
Today I am going to:
Make cake and cookies to take to my brother's tonight
Go to my brother's for NYE a night of games and food bought by my mum

Nothing much but i do have a range of other jobs to do!

determined_new_ms

Morning maria & amara :wave: thanks for starting the thread maria can you put the ":)" in the title bar pls? Thanks!

Happy New Year's Eve everyone :beer: Hope it's a good penultimate day off from work for those who go back on Friday...

DFW things today:

* more blinking washing!
* checked banking
* need to reconcile cc statement - what from what pot etc
* finish cutting out material for another bag and put it together for my bff
* all meals from stores - going to make some potato & onion pastys for dgd & some banana bread to use up glut. Might also make banana & mango smoothie - we have so many!
* submit meter readings - will do this today

Not sure what we are doing today/tonight. Received a text from friend inviting us to hers for the evening as she is having a gathering. I would like to but she lives in the next town along and it'd be about £40 for a taxi back :eek: Need to speak to oh and make a plan...

Have a lovely day guys x

[Deleted User]

I'll be staying in tonight (not that I have anywhere to go or anyone to go with!). But I have treated myself to a very small bit of fillet steak and a nice half bottle of red so it's not all bad. I'll be saying goodbye to 2014 with pleasure as it's not been the best of times for me.

determined_new_ms

Me either Missu, be glad to see the back of it...

Ratison

Morning all, thanks for starting us off Maria.

Today I'm going to sort out my YNAB budget and check out some of the archived webinars. Can't figure out how to input my credit card repayment without seemingly having to budget twice for it. I'm sure it's very simple!

This month is going to be a mega frugal month. I am paying £600 off my debts so it needs to be! I'm going to look at the grocery challenge and get some ideas about how little I can actually spend this month. Obviously there's loads of food in the house from Christmas so I shouldn't need to shop for a while.

Christmas tree is coming down today, I like a fresh start for the new year. Staying in tonight despite having a couple of cheap offers (friend's having parties). Just not sure I want to wake up and start 2015 feeling terrible!

carrielovesfanta

Morning folks


Thanks to Maria for starting the thread off


I hope that whatever people are doing tonight, they are happy and safe. I hope that 2015 is a better year for all of you


I've been very busy already today!

• Cleaned big bathroom
• Washed and dried up breakfast bits and a few bits from last night
• Froze some rolls that were going to go hard
• Put a wash on
• Packed suitcase for tomorrow
• Put presents for tomorrow into a big bag, ready to grab and go
• Breakfasted, showered, dressed and off to work!

So the continuing mission:

• OH to hoover
• Go to retail park at lunch and look for remaining Christmas presents for great Aunties etc that I will see at the weekend... oops
• Charge phone in work
• Check online banking
• Check ebay (10 watchers on one thing and 4 on the other! woohoo!)
• B/L from stores. Dinner... OH has been debating a Chinese takeaway but there's lots to use in the fridge. Will play by ear and take any fridge stuff to mum's.
• Clean other bathroom when I get home
• Finish my mum's present - am recording a favourite book onto CD for her. OH is playing the songs and I'm doing the words.
• Not going out - early night for us because we're getting up at 6am to drive to Essex :eek:

Wowzers - and I'm working til 5 today. Better get going! - edit: been granted an early dart. Woohoo!


Have a lovely day all


clf x

Bobarella

Morning All
Thanks for starting us off Maria. I am also on the frugal NYE train & it may just be a dry one too. Having not drunk for 4 months pre xmas, the 2 bottles of £5 Cava we splashed out on (because they had 75 extra tesco points) Have done us nicely but I don't have the urge to spend more on booze.
At present we are all snuggled up watching the cat in the hat drinking tea/coffee & eating tangerines (small boy) when I checked the banking earlier aside from one nasty shock (zipcar had charged us £118 for some reason) our balance had barely changed since the 24th.
Oh yes why had Zipcar done that? I rang them & was told it's an annual membership fee. But I protested we only joined and paid that in november. Oh they said and promptly agreed to refund it within 3 to 5 working days. That sort of mistake could have been the difference between our rent going out or not a few months back. Again I am now mighty glad of all the hard work we've put into getting straight.
I have to go shopping today as we've literally nothing in the fridge. I have carrot soup made for lunch then tonight will be jackets I think. Have defrosted some leftover chilli as topping and will do tuna mayo for son's.

After reading one of the American blogs I follow about discussing financial goals with your spouse I did nobble mine over morning coffee ( a la Foxgloves?) & we agreed once our emergency fund is full we will split the amount we are currently putting in between a holiday fund & a baby mortgage over payments fund. This is very exciting for us & we should reach that point by September. Yes we could pay off our debt even faster but I also want to get started on the mortgage and we need a proper holiday next year after none for 3.

I really need to find 13p today as well to top off my December roadkill fund to £5 (so important lol) so I will venture out soon.

Finally, thanks to all who have made this thread a safe, happy haven for me in 2014.

Bob

bambos

Morning all,

Today my DFW things will be:

Sorting out my wardrobe hanging space as it's hugely overcrowded

Cleaning the bathroom

Watching recorded films with the kids

Ironing

Going to my brothers this evening and been asked to contribute to the buffet so found a bag of sausage rolls in the freezer I can cook and might chuck a cake in the oven to take over too

Husband is off to the shop to buy some sugar as we've run out so very low cost day indeed.