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Monday 27th April - What small DFW things will you do today?

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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:
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Comments

  • ziggy2407
    ziggy2407 Posts: 4,106 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I love, love, love my small things family - thank you for all your advice and support yesterday - feel a bit teary, thank you for taking the time to read and comment.

    Today is a new day and I am feeling quite positive and upbeat. Will be back to post my list later but for now I'm off to print off my 30 day walking workout and START -

    Thank you once again - I really don't feel I can thank you enough :T:T:T

    PS Yes Bob, mum is aware I've had a heart attack (we had her to stay for a week when I first came home - to make things easier for me :o) but one minute I'm doing too much and the next I'm not doing enough and shouldn't feel like this after all it's been a year - today is a new day and it's mine
    Goodreads 2025 Challenge :16/75
    Goodreads 2024 Challenge: 65/80
    Goodreads 2023 Challenge: 77/52


  • DawnW
    DawnW Posts: 7,758 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 27 April 2015 at 7:50PM
    Morning all :)

    Thanks for starting the thread Ziggy. I was really sorry to hear about the problems you are having with your mum :( I didn't comment last night, as lots of others had, but realistically you can't do more than you are doing. I had / have two brothers as well, and as in your case, they were of no use at all when our mum was with us. I think that is is very reasonable to ask them to visit her regularly, so that she expects them on a certain day, to give you at least the occasional day off. Even once a month would be better than nothing, and give your mum something different to focus on. Tell them that you seriously need their help on this given your own recent health issues, and it is no joke! Take care of yourself xx

    Jobs for today:
    Check banks Done
    Do a shopping list Done, Ocado delivery booked for tomorrow morning. This is a bit of a result as I have managed a couple of extra days without a shop - probably just because OH was away for two days :rotfl:
    Take new items to sales unit and tidy up after the weekend Done, nothing seems to have sold over the weekend, but I put a boxful of new things (and a chair) in, and tidied up
    Make a loaf in the breadmaker Granary again today
    Not a NSD - OH's truck has been in the garage for its MOT and service, and this needs to be picked up and paid for this morning :eek: Also need more compost for the garden. Truck cost about what I had expected :eek: Compost was on offer :)
    All meals from home - I made a big pie yesterday, so there is enough for today as well :)Done, had salad with thee pie, used some salad leaves and chives from the garden for this :)
    Do some housework - not sure what yet but if I do some each day it doesn't all pile up into an overwhelming mess (housework is not my favourite thing :o) Hmm can't think of anything I have done in this area :o
    Do something in the garden (much more my cup of tea :)), possibly some weeding if it has dried out enough after the rain we had at the weekend, but I need to sow some cucumber and courgette seeds as well. Weeded the broad beans and shallots, repotted the tomatoes and sowed some courgette and cucumber seeds
    Decluttering - determined not to let it build up again! This is not easy for an antique / junk dealer who keeps her spare stock at home :rotfl: I decluttered a chamber pot (don't laugh) and a large bowl from the garden. Both are a bit damaged - which is why they were in the garden, but I have priced them accordingly!!

    Right, OH is doing breakfast, which means that it won't be yogurt and fruit for me today :rotfl: Better make another cuppa and get on. It was a fried potato sandwich :o Back on the yogurt and fruit tomorrow! I did drag OH out for a walk this afternoon to hopefully mitigate a few of those calories- we explored the local nature reserve, which is lovely at this time of the year, and looked round a lovely church that we hadn't been inside before. One of the church officials was inside, and kindly told us about the history of the church.

    Hope everyone has a good day :)
  • Shortie
    Shortie Posts: 2,224 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Morning Ziggy {{hugs}} Yes. Today is yours and seize it by the horns xxx

    Back to the mill stone and on the train to work. Unfortunately all forums are blocked in my work place so I can only post via my mobile on the way in or out of work. I don't really pull up the laptop much on the evenings now and tend again to just use my phone.

    So, back to today:

    - Have an overnight oats in my bag for breakfast
    - Have leftovera boxed up for lunch
    - Have one of those super concentrated squashes packed to keep in my work drawer (from Saturday's haul)
    - Have a fresh supply of teabags in my bag for work
    - I have intentionally left my purse at home - a guarenteed NSD :-D
    - Mr Shortie is hopefully picking up the cheaper bathroom bits today (money for that will be coming out of the building fund)

    Hmmm, not sure what else at the moment

    Have a good day all xx
    April 2021 Grocery Challenge 34.29 / 250
  • Morning all,
    Ziggy I've just read and posted on last night's thread. I have three brothers that do naff all for my parents so you have my utmost sympathy.
    Today is a NSD for me. We will be baking and painting salt dough ornaments. I got a lovely print of my two boys' feet side by side to paint and hang up. Then we'll be going to see my parents as they go on holiday tomorrow and DS1 is going to really miss them.
    Tonight's dinner is going to be homemade chicken curry made with Aldi chicken thighs -£1.99 a pack ;)
    Started April 2015: CC Debt - £5620 :eek:
    DFW hoping to start saving as soon as debt is cleared
    NOT BUYING IT 2015!
    Emergency Fund #107: £5/£1000
    Roadkill Rebel #78
  • ziggy2407
    ziggy2407 Posts: 4,106 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 27 April 2015 at 9:12PM
    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.

    Well I'm back, exercise done and showered. A small little list:

    Packed lunch for DH & DS - Done
    TV off & music on - Done, I don't need my mind-numbing with daytime tv
    Washing on & Line dry -Done
    Craft - Done, made a few cards
    Package up Amazon return - Done
    Continue purge on Emails - Doing well, getting less & less emails every day
    Continue purge on FB & Twitter - Done
    Surveys -
    Check Banks - Done
    Check swapits -
    Enter a few comps - Done, won a gorgeous "Frozen bangle & necklace - which will be fab for a pressie later this year
    All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer - Done
    Make Fruit Salad for afters - Done
    Pamper feet this evening - Done
    Check https://www.freepostcodelottery.com - Remember there are now 5 chances to win - Done
    Read - (struggling with this one, not my usual kind of book at all - must have been a win - given up will pick another (life's too short) and donate this to the MacMillan table at mum's place) - not picked one yet

    Have a great day, love to you all

    C x
    Goodreads 2025 Challenge :16/75
    Goodreads 2024 Challenge: 65/80
    Goodreads 2023 Challenge: 77/52


  • 1HANNAH
    1HANNAH Posts: 855 Forumite
    edited 27 April 2015 at 2:21PM
    Good morning all, nice sunny day here :)

    Thanks for the start Ziggy, loving your positive start this morning.

    Dawn - Have a good day, I think I'm going to have yogurt & fruit for my breakfast now!
    Shortie - you sounds very focused this morning
    PPP - I remember doing salt dough with my boys, how time flies.

    My list for today
    *Switched mobile off over night Done
    * Heating off Done
    * All meals from stores - plan & prep Kids tea is left over sunday dinner, made spicy rice (using some of the many bottles of spices from the box I'm trying to remember to use) for hubby to go with some salmon I had in the fridge, the 2nd piece of salmon in the pack has gone into a crustless quiche with cottage cheese, eggs, mushrooms that were on there last legs, this will do my lunches for 3/4 days with some salad.
    * Walk to/from bus stop with boys Done this morning and will walk to collect them later too.
    * Make note of car mileage Done, last 10 weeks average mileage is 60/wk, since I decided to log it, I've got it down from roughly 85/week :)
    * Hang washing on line Done
    * Check Banking/update spreadsheets Done
    * Check email survey oppurtunities Done, Will check for more later
    * Unsubscribe from junk emails Done
    * Check out I-Say surveys as I think I may have done some of these a while back Done yes old account had 765 points, tried a couple of surveys but didn't qualify now at 780 only another 600 to get for a £10 voucher
    * See what else I can find in the cupboards to go into my food use up box - Don't think I have anything left to head into this box, got to focus on using it now, so breakfast included some flax seed & whey protein out of the box.
    * Read a few pages of my book, this will be in my car tonight waiting to collect ds from karate.
    * Clean & tidy fridge Done and this has made me make the meals as above to use up.
    * Check checkoutsmart Done couple of freebies on there so messaged sis to see if she can pick them up as I aren't planning on going to the shops!
    * Check shopitize Done nothing new
    * Do some Swagbucks Running SBTV apps as I type
    * Check Sun perks Done and entered a comp
    * Check FPL Done
    * Check TCB Done
    * Check Quidco Done and couple of freebies on Clicksnap too so same as above
    * Update freezer list Done
    * Make date cake (used up 1/2-23 packs of OOD dates enough to make 46 cakes!)
    * Add items to charity bag Done, added a padlock and some giant icecube trays
    * Use nectar search
    * Use pamper products (used up 1/17 nail polish 0/3 handcream 0/1 footcream 0/2 perfumes so far)
    * Use household products that have been around for ages (used up 2/5 shower spray 0/1 kitchen spray) Finished the 2nd shower spray
    Make families lunches for school/work & one for me too
    * Cut open a bottle of hubby's shampoo that he'd chucked out of the shower saying it was empty, and theres loads in there, so I've put the new one he'd got out back in the cupboard and put the cut one back in the shower for tomorrow.
    * Making a pot of rice pudding in the SC - trying to use up this broken basmati rice as the family aren't keen on it but this recipe turns to mush anyway!
    * Sorted out wrapping paper boxes (1 birthday paper other Xmas paper) birthday box only has a few rolls left in, want to use these up as a lot of the paper in the Xmas box is just sparkly paper that can be used for any purpose.


    The day was going so well, then about an hour ago, I heard rain (was actually hail stones) on the roof of the conservatory so I dashed out to bring in my washing, as I was half done, I've tripped and fell over a square plastic tub which has plants in and its broken and I've cut my legs in various places :(





    Following :money: to keep us debt free :j
  • January2015
    January2015 Posts: 2,369 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Bedding stripped, washed and on the line - in the glorious sunshine :)
    Beds remade
    Leather suite in the lounge steam cleaned and treated with leather conditioning cream - looking great :)
    Veggies peeled ready for dinner tonight
    DFW Nerd No. 1484 LBM 07/01/15 Debt was £95k :eek: Now debt free and happy :j
  • xJOJOx_2
    xJOJOx_2 Posts: 572 Forumite
    edited 27 April 2015 at 9:14PM
    Morning everyone! A lovely new week xx

    Daily Dfw
    Check Banking/Emails done
    Postcode Lotterydone
    Check Onepoll and any other surveys done
    Nightly routine (plugs/doors etc)
    Phone up pharmacy4u and register
    Write shopping list for few bits needed done
    Lunches prepped for tomorrow
    Slow cooker on for instant tea when back home later done

    Old school and making things last
    Use same 'daily' eyeshadow/lipstick to use up some supplies done
    All lights/switches/TV off when not in use done
    All meals from stock done
    Biscuits divided into small portions for littles one for quick grabs done
    Bag of raisins spilt and put into pots (lot cheaper than small bixes) done
    Take juice/snacks to town for little ones done
    Seam to acquired a lot of half jars of stuff need to use up, lemon curd done

    Entertainment and Leisure
    Read one chapter in book
    Ballet lesson for dd1 done
    Netflicks tonight

    Home and decluttering
    A load of washing
    Quick tidy round for later done
    Small bag to charity shop

    Upping my income
    Ebay at least one Item today
    Another box to sort for music magpie (on the ones with best prices)

    Have a good day all xx
    Debt Remaing £315 :j
    Breath out the past, Breath in the future
    Big Dreams Start Small
  • 1HANNAH
    1HANNAH Posts: 855 Forumite
    Jojo - that's a good idea focusing on using up 1 jar at a time, must do that with our jams, nearly out of lemon curd (which is there fave) so will plan on using the others up next and just replacing the 5 jars of jam etc with 1 lemon curd :)
    January2015 - I need to have a go at cleaning my cream leather sofa, thanks for the reminder!
    Following :money: to keep us debt free :j
  • xJOJOx_2
    xJOJOx_2 Posts: 572 Forumite
    1HANNAH wrote: »
    Jojo - that's a good idea focusing on using up 1 jar at a time, must do that with our jams, nearly out of lemon curd (which is there fave) so will plan on using the others up next and just replacing the 5 jars of jam etc with 1 lemon curd :)
    January2015 - I need to have a go at cleaning my cream leather sofa, thanks for the reminder!

    Yeah I was doing a quick check and found I had 7 different things open...so been concentrating on just one at a time now. In future just going to buy one thing as the open open is about to go now! Just trying to reduce and improve habits each week x
    Debt Remaing £315 :j
    Breath out the past, Breath in the future
    Big Dreams Start Small
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