Tuesday 26th May - What small DFW things will you do today?

La_escocesa

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

Bobarella

Wow La E I was just thinking I must start the thread and lo & behold it appeared. What shall I think next? Must win the lottery....woh!

Well today is the first day this week that son's grand parents are looking after him for us. We are extremely grateful & in 6 years we've only sent him for 4 days at theirs before and never asked them to sit for us. They are in their mid to late 70's & live an hour and a half away so it's just not something we've wanted to do. But now he's older and easier to look after we thought maybe nows the time on special occasions like half term for him to have some quality time with them. Husband was off yesterday and also has Friday so it's really just 3 days...can you tell I am feeling a bit nervous & maybe a little guilty?? I really do not know what it must be to have endless childcare on tap as some seem to have. But having heard the tale last week (via a customer) of a poor grandmother who offered to take her grandkids to the seaside on holiday & her rude ungrateful children turning their nose up and insisting she took the kids to centre parcs ( I bloody wouldnt) I feel we are in the better camp.

And breathe Bob.

Anyway. On the pay day count down. OH gets paid Friday. But as things have been dire at the shop recently (easter holidays, 3 bank holidays, ridiculous weather & now roadworks) oh plus topping off the bill for the emergency works at the flat, I really don't know how much I will bring in. This sounds ridiculous as having recieved money from the insurance you'd think I'd be well sorted. But as I'm trying to pay down as much debt and stuff as possible I used it all for that. Plus did useful things like paying £300 off my insurance for the year, to try and get the remaining DD amounts down. I'm now wishing I'd kept more back but at the time it seemed ok.
So feeling anxious and stressed out this week. I am due more money from the insurance but I have no idea when it is coming or how much it will be. And more than anything I just want my wages that are not a great deal anyway to be available when I expect them to be! The joys of self employment.

So focusing on keeping costs screwed to the ground for the remains of this week.

Have a great one all.

Bob

La_escocesa

Hi gang!

First of all - sorry if you're reading this on the 'old' style forum - I couldn't figure out how to put a smiley in the title on the new version and I know how that is frowned upon. :rotfl:

Hope you are all having good DFW-days. :T

Back to Stardrops - I couldn't believe the price of it. The last time I got it for 70p and now the cheapest I've found has been £1 in Wilkos. That's how long it lasts! :rotfl:

So I've been continuing with KonMari - cleared out paperwork yesterday. It was pretty tough and a lot of my money issues came up - mostly about my flat (which I should never have bought) and my old house (which I should never have sold) and about all the money that's come into and gone out of my life over the past 8 years. Well, today is a new day and a new start. I need to get into a good 'feel good' place money-wise super quick... One technique I've read that is rather than thinking about paying bills think of it as you just donating large sums of money to companies for their good service to you out of the goodness of your own heart. :rotfl: Oh man - who thinks these things up! But maybe worth a shot!

Anyway, here's me:

• Brekkie at home
• Packed lunch
• LO chicken dinner
• Biz planning - didn't do this yesterday and it is a must tonight!!
• Sending paperwork to paper heaven via work's confidential waste (no need to buy a shredder :cool: )
• 30p posh coffee at home (Nespresso machine Xmas pressie :T )
• Bought paper coffee cups for 'fake away' coffee - yes, I know not as good as reusable one but I've still not found exactly what I'm looking for so I'm not wasting money on one that's not quite right or paying £2.50 a coffee in the meantime either

Ha ha Bob - that is the law of attraction working for you right there! That genie is just waiting to take your order! :rotfl: That sounds like a good idea for your son to go to his grandparents. He'll get spoilt and love it, I'm sure. I hear ya on the self employment front - OH is the same this week with everyone away on holiday. He's using the time to up his advertising - doing flyers/posters and his website.

Have a good day everyone!

1HANNAH

Good morning,


Only a quick post from me as its half term and we've got plans! lol


Bob, I'm sure you're ds will love his stay. I am one of the lucky ones who has childcare on tap, my sister & parents live 5mins & 10 mins drive from us. We see them a lot but I don't ask them to have the kids much, only for special occasions were we are away for a night etc. It is nice having that back up if we need it close by though (dh's parents live 250 miles away, can't see them ever having the boys!)
La Escocesa, thanks for the wilko tip, we have a card that we get a discount for there, so that's where I will look first.
So far I've
washed a load at 30 degrees,
Breakfast from stores, using porridge sachets (only 2 left now!! yay won't be buying these again!)
Got to get kids ready for swimming lesson (ds2) & kayaking (ds1) at the local pool, going to take a bottle of water with me also 2 apples for the kids post swim.


Will be back later with a proper list but World War 3 is breaking out in our bathroom so I better go!!

foxgloves

Morning Campers,
Well, today & tomorrow look like sunnier, dry days here this week, & Thurs & Fri forecast to be rainy, so am prioritising garden jobs today:
*Laundry done overnight on cheap tariff. Now drying out on line. Another load on....full price daytime tariff, grrr, but worth it to get everything dry for free.
*Dinner will be chicken stew & will incorporate rubber chicken, leftover gravy & the stock I made yesterday.
*Make packed lunch & work snacks for tomorrow.
*Plant out all remaining bedding plants -all grown from free seeds - including some in containers for dull front drive. Found selection of old clay flowerpots of various shapes & sizes in shed. Have planted a single mesembryanthemum in each, as bright jewel colours & think will look attractive (free!).
*Pick fresh herbs for use today.
*Opened a compost bin to save on buying more bagged. Good quality this year. So worthwhile making it.....just kitchen scraps & garden waste.
*Knit. I want to wear it!!
*Try to source new loo seat. Ours has cracked & is probably going to be a tricky shape for a replacement.
*Try to get my 'budgeting head' on ready for tomorrow's big budget day.
Ok, that's my coffee break done.....on with the muddy boots & back down the garden.
Love to all,
F x

Susan1962

Am making the most of a week off work by major decluttering all day yesterday and starting again today. Washed a load early evening when the solar panels were still working and hung it out overnight to dry (my mother would have been horrified!) Just put another load in the machine now and hope to clear the huge pile of laundry created by bringing down the summer clothes from the attic. My new washing machine (old one came to a horrible end sadly) has a "refresh" cycle and I'm just using a spoonful of baking soda instead of washing powder so hopefully that should be okay. Waited to run the dishwasher until after breakfast to take advantage of the solar panels and emptied out my purse and pockets for the change tin ...

maria3104

Hi All

Am back in work from a weekend resting in bed. Discovered this is the cheapest bank holiday ever. Watching Miss Marple DVDs is infact FREE.

Feel like a money savings guru.

Leftovers for tea tonight. Hope next weekend weather is as lovely as this one was. Feeling very sorry for those who did not enjoy our sunshine.
Happy Tuesday everyone. Bob as a Granny who never sees her GS, I am so delighted your boy will enjoy that special time with his Grandma. My Grandma introduced me to lots of lovely things I still enjoy today.

Maria x

Tidy_Up_Tash

Good Afternoon!

Thanks for the kick off La escocesa

Today we are sans children as my Mum is taking them out for the day. So, OH & I are pretty much chilling out for the day. Catching up on TV we've recorded, and on demand. Well earned rest Although, sadly, I do have work at 6

We still have our DFW heads on, though, and will be doing some little bits today...

• Leftovers for Dinner
• Get the last load of washing on the line to dry
• Start compiling shopping lists for Friday
• Book in eye test for a fortnights time. I have a voucher to use!
• Pick one problem area in the house each and sort it out

Have a good day!

lilian1977

Hi all

Didn't have that DFW a weekend but it was all budgeted, including a free day out on Monday that saw us at the cinema, having lunch and a soft play session and a bowling trip, all free!

My things today:

Submit Mystery Dine report - done. Paid on First Direct credit card that gives me £25 cashback after my first spend so should even get a double reimbursement!

Finally got to 849 on Swagbucks so order Amazon £5 voucher - done. Now to wait for it to arrive.

Quidco payout of £1.53 arrived so pay that off Credit Card - done.

Check banking - all fine.

Cancel SFS cinema tickets for tonight as too tired, someone else can use them - done

Think about what to have for meals this week - got loads of pasta sauce that needs using so maybe pasta bake.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner from stores.

Take back library books and pick up a new one.

Freepostcodelottery and any InboxPounds emails that come in.


I think that's everything. Have happy DFW days all.

Callisto

Hi all,

I really really need to get back to DFW ways. I seem to be having to pay out bajillions at the moment, including a payment plan with electricity company as I had a HUGE quarterly bill, this was the first winter in this house and I was careful with the storage heaters!

Also trying to save for a family holiday in July which I can't afford (and for which I will have to pay my sister back), that will mean getting my dog vaccinated against kennel cough and putting her into kennels for 6 nights. However I do not want to miss it as it will be the first holiday for Dad after his illness and all of my sisters are coming, and we aren't all together very often these days.

Anyway today I have/will:

Follow meal plan, everything from stores this week
Daily Swagbucks and any other survey invitations
1 load of washing done and outside to dry
Cancelled a DD, saving £4.50 a month
Write letter to see if I am entitled to any help towards dog's spay operation costs
List 20 items on Ebay to use free listings
Exam revision

1HANNAH

Ds1 loved kayaking this morning

After swimming/kayaking we went to my parents, (they looked after the boys so I could run for 30mins) as soon as I'd finished I walked up to their flat & a beef casserole was on the table ready for me It was very welcome as I was really hungry! We'd taken some of yesterday's baking for pud which was nice.
Back home, to get the swimming stuff on the line (as we are back at the pool for their normal swimming lessons at 4pm!)
Picked up (ys) leeks & a butternut squash this morning, so making leek & potato soup & a butternut squash & tomato soup.
Did a load of washing at 30 degrees, which has now line dried.
Doing swagbucks apps,
checked banking/updated spreadsheet

Hope everyone is having a good Tuesday