Friday 7th Aug - What small DFW things will you do today?

allydowd

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 important! :money:

allydowd

MONEY MAKING AND SAVING SITES AS OFTEN MENTIONED IN THIS FORUM:

• A Girl Called Jack, cheap recipes ( Link
  
• Benefits check-up ( Link )
• Birthday Bingo, daily free game ( Link )
  
• Coupon Shop Forum list of money-off coupons (Link)
  
• eBid ( Link )
  
• Freecycle ( Link )
• FreeStuff ( Link )
  
• FreeUKStuff ( Link )
• i-Say Surveys (Link)
• List of online newspapers. At bottom of the linked page. ( Link )
• MSE Boost Your Income page. Gateway to lots of money-making links. ( Link )
• MSE Abbreviations Explained ( Link )
• MSE Deals and Vouchers ( Link )
• MSE Wow Offers ( Link )
• NHS Minor Ailment Service article (Link)
  
• My Supermarket ( Link )
• OnePoll ( Link )
• Quidco ( Link )
• Reclaim PPI at no cost to yourself ( Link )
• Resolver tool. Helps you draft a letter, send it, monitor replies and then escalate it to an Ombudsman or key complaint body if it's not sorted. (Link)
  
• SayNoTo0870 cheap phone number finder ( Link )
  
• Survey sites that pay for your opinions ( Link )
• Swagbucks ( Link )
• Swapit ( Link )
• Tesco Orchard product testing (Link)
  
• Tickety Split cheap train tickets (Link)
  
• Toluna ( Link )
  
• TopCashBack ( Link )
• You Need A Budget site and App (Link) New link!
  

If this list helps you today please click "Thanks".

allydowd

Morning DFW-Warriors,

Well it's Friday at Dowd Towers, the sun is shining and it's going to be another busy day. I need to be positive today. Every wee thing is a victory over the Black Dog and another DFW-Warrior victory. This despite the fact that my ex-employer hasn't bothered to pay my 60 hours holiday pay to me today as promised.

Nillionaire Month Two (nearly month three):

:grinheart Look at finances. Luckily there's no bills going out this week so the missing holiday pay isn't going to be a problem in that respect. I've emailed my ex-employer to ask what the Smurf is going on. It just means I can only pay off 1/3 of my dental bill until that money comes through so I now have a £50 temporary debt, which I'm not best pleased about.

:grinheart Do job-seeking and go to the Jobcentre. Oh joy! (Yawns and falls asleep.) Must remind OH that blatant sarcasm and speaking one's mind in the Jobcentre is not conducive to receiving JSA payments!? :rotfl:

:grinheart Return EE Power Bar for our own safety(!) and claim £20 e-voucher. (Link)

:grinheart OH will spend remaining £5 High Street voucher on food in Iceland.

:grinheart Go for a run locally if the mood takes me.

:grinheart Charge phone in the car for free.

:grinheart Lunch will be the remaining home-made lentil, homegrown potato and sad vegetable soup served with a sandwich.

:grinheart Free spearmint tea from leaves in the garden.

:grinheart Take wombled receipt into Tesco.

MSE Tool:

:grinheart Martin's free Budget Planner (Link)


Keep fighting, Warriors.

maria3104

Hi All

After a few days of utter horrors with stress overload, this morning I have completed my three hours sleep.Done poultry, been swimming and got to work determined to turn the corner. Am concerned about wierd body illness sensations that have resulted from this odd stress phase in my life. Burning legs off the scale, swollen glands and headless chicken brain! Lucky DH who lives with me has taken to hiding in sheds outside!

Have a birthday roast dinner to do for sat for 17. One of whom is my dil who has taken to saying vile things to me whenever she has an audience and I think this on top of management work stress is what has tipped me over the edge. So, roll on sunday, will do lots of washing up and sighing and weeding and swimming and talking to self and hopefully laughing! I am too old to let this stuff get to me in this way. (Who am I trying to kid).

On MSE front I can report whole dinner is from stores bar around £20 of posher veg than we would normally eat. My Mr T order should still be around £50, so should still come in under budget for august.

Am very impressed with everyone else, you all seem to be making good progress. I wish it would stop raining here long enough to hang out washing.

My domestic objective for august include emptying one freezer and then defrosting it! Will no doubt find lots and lots of peas.

Have a good day everyone. Maria

determined_new_ms

maria3104 wrote: »

Hi All

After a few days of utter horrors with stress overload, this morning I have completed my three hours sleep.Done poultry, been swimming and got to work determined to turn the corner. Am concerned about wierd body illness sensations that have resulted from this odd stress phase in my life. Burning legs off the scale, swollen glands and headless chicken brain! Lucky DH who lives with me has taken to hiding in sheds outside!

Have a birthday roast dinner to do for sat for 17. One of whom is my dil who has taken to saying vile things to me whenever she has an audience and I think this on top of management work stress is what has tipped me over the edge. So, roll on sunday, will do lots of washing up and sighing and weeding and swimming and talking to self and hopefully laughing! I am too old to let this stuff get to me in this way. (Who am I trying to kid).

On MSE front I can report whole dinner is from stores bar around £20 of posher veg than we would normally eat. My Mr T order should still be around £50, so should still come in under budget for august.

Am very impressed with everyone else, you all seem to be making good progress. I wish it would stop raining here long enough to hang out washing.

My domestic objective for august include emptying one freezer and then defrosting it! Will no doubt find lots and lots of peas.

Have a good day everyone. Maria

Hi Maria :hello: sorry you're having such a tough time, have a dodgy hug :grouphug: just one thing that might be helpful with the dinner. If your dil says anything vile calmly (and without being defensive) just look at her and ask "did you mean to be so rude?" Tip I got off netmums & think is good x

determined_new_ms

Morning everyone :wave: happy Friday! :j Thanks for starting us off ally & good luck with jobcentre/sorting out your wages with your employer :mad: seriously good luck with JC! (after my recent experiences I think anyone using it needs luck!)

Got back from camping yesterday. Had a lovely time, really remote, just a group of us women and children in a field! Managed to forage some blackberries which I am going to freeze for making wine

Today I am going to drive to Holland to see an old friend with another friend. Really looking forward to spending time with these friends, we have all known each other since our late teens.

OMG FatVonD I'm so sorry to have read your news! What a scoundrel your oh has been! Really hope you're ok x

Small things to do today:

* update GC spends
* [STRIKE]check banking[/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] emailed oh to see if he has the france travel kit in his car. If he does will drive over there in his lunch break[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* pop into town to do a few bits[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]return shoes I brought on Tuesday. They were from Lidl and were only £4 but when I got them home they weren't as nice as I thought[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]while in Lidl get bread and ham for oh & dgd while I'm away[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]check onepoll[/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] pack bag & make sure I have my passport[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]print off ticket for crossing[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]return ex-mil's ice blocks[/STRIKE]
Do a load of washing & put on the line
* [STRIKE]make food & drinks for journey[/STRIKE]
* do quick repairs on a couple of tops
* [STRIKE]water plants & leave note on backdoor to remind oh to water them while I'm away[/STRIKE]

Ok think that's my lot! Have a lovely day you lot x

greensalad

To do:

:starmod: [STRIKE]Cycle to work[/STRIKE]
:starmod: [STRIKE]Print out healthcare claim form and healthcare letter[/STRIKE]
:starmod: Post letter on lunch break
:starmod: [strike]Check bank account for any outgoings to clear in YNAB[/strike]
:starmod: [strike]Do polls[/strike] £38.50 hopefully I can make it to cashout next week.
:starmod: Book hotel for Alumni weekend
:starmod: Book event tickets for Alumni weekend
:starmod: Dye hair
:starmod: Clean bathroom

twiggy86

Morning all!

Maria - sorry you're having a bad time recently.

DMS - have a great time with your friends.

Greensalad - did you check TCB and QuidCo before booking hotel? If not may be worth checking if there's anything if you need to book in the future.

Yesterday was my second NSD of the week!!! Hoping for another today! Can't remember the last time I had 3 in a week!

Today I have/will:-
* Check banks
* Do load of washing on 30 degree quick wash
* Hang washing on line
* Do washing up (OH's "job" but he repeatedly runs the hot water!)
* Take rolls and bacon out of freezer for dinner
* Check FPL
* Check PayPal
* Take lunch to work
* Locate new deodorant which is rattling around in my car somewhere!
* Earn more SBs
* Earn more on OnePoll
* Go for a walk at lunch
* Dinner from stores (HM burgers - I'm excited!)
* Do more crochet (nearly at the end of my ball of wool so need to get to the end before mum comes round on Sunday as not sure how to end/start!)
* Friend may be popping round later for a brew and a natter

I think that's everything for today. Hope you all have a good day and if I'm not around over the weekend - I hope you have a good weekend too!

greensalad

twiggy86 wrote: »

Greensalad - did you check TCB and QuidCo before booking hotel? If not may be worth checking if there's anything if you need to book in the future.

Yes definitely! I always use Quidco. In fact, just last week I used my Quidco payment (I cash it out to Amazon vouchers) to pay for leg waxing stuff, and a Spanish dictionary for my lessons! From now on though, any money I get from Quidco will be building up for my christmas shopping pot. I usually manage to do all the stocking fillers for my BF through money earned from Quidco

Bobarella

Afternoon All

Maria - your DIL needs putting in her place. What sort of thing does she say? And have you discussed with your son? Please don't put your health at risk it's too precious. Hope the big meal goes well.

Welcome back Determined.

What a pain about your holiday pay Ally. But it's just a temporary debt so don't beat yourself up.

I have started chipping away at my goal to clear the rest of the debt that didn't go onto the 0% card. Chopped off £143.18 of the £643.18 this morning. For neatness sake I have £50 coming for participating in some more business research for my energy provider (it's deathly boring this time around though) £5 from COS. So that takes me to £445 to find by the end or August. Can't decide whether to claw back then £180 that accidentally went into my EF yesterday or not...will see how I go.

It's slow at work this morning but a table of 3 mum's and babe's have just arrived so that's something. Am really looking forward to the weekend this week less than 3 working hours to go now.:T

Bob

twiggy86

Taking after Ally and posting a freebie I just found - free Beloved cereal bars at Waitrose - https://www.belovedates.com/try-me-free/waitrose01/