Thursday 8th October - 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 )
• Coupon Shop Forum list of money-off coupons (Link)
  
• eBid ( Link )
  
• Freecycle ( Link )
• Free Postcode Lottery ( Link )
• FreeStuff ( Link )
  
• FreeUKStuff ( Link )
• i-Say Surveys (Link)
• List of online newspapers. At bottom of the linked page. ( Link )
• LuckyPhone free lottery with loyalty rewards (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)

List checked 29 Sept 2015.

allydowd

Morning DFW-Ninjas,

Despite today being my day off my body decided to wake up at 4:30am. Might have a nap this afternoon. Mentally, though, I'm back to 80% contented on the Dowd Scale.

So here begins our fifth month of Debt-Free-ness. :T Successes have included exploiting a credit card for rewards without running up a debt and coming through unemployment still solvent. And holding down my new job, of course.

OH is at the dentist for the major work that's twice been postponed at lunchtime. TBH I won't be surprised if it's postponed again. OH is still asleep so I'm trying to creep around like a mouse so as not to wake her.


Debt-Free Nillionaire Month 5:

* Checked broadband allowance.

* Did i-Say and GfK surveys.

* Use Ancestry subscription. There is a membership fee but it's a cheaper habit that going to the yacht club like the old me used to.

* Post stamps I sold on eBay.

* £6 of credit card rewards are due in Nov.

* Boss has confirmed what my salary will be now that I'm trained up. It's slightly more than I was expecting.

* Will be looking out for the Aurora Borealis again tonight. Free entertainment. Facebookers can get updates on their visibility here. (Link)

* Continue to use Relaxation Apps. (Link)

* De-junk my laptop, again.

* Chose a lightweight scarf from storage and find favourite hat.

<<<<<< Updated my Avatar to something a bit more positive.


Have a good day everyone, keep the DFW faith.

ziggy2407

Good Morning Everyone

Ally - Thanks for starting us off today

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.

Up early thanks to daughters dog (who is now snoring loudly in her basket ), bit of a boring list as nothing needs doing - no washing/no ironing what to do? ermm so very small list but at least it will be another NSD (so I suppose that's something to celebrate:rotfl:)today I will:

Packed lunch for DH & DS
Make butternut squash soup in slow cooker
Bump listings for sale (freegle/facebook)
Read meters & chart
Craft?
Continue purge on Emails
Surveys
Check Banks
Enter a few comps
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer
Read book (from groaning shelf)
Check https://www.freepostcodelottery.com - Remember there are now 5 chances to win
Check Lucky Phone

Have a great day, love to you all

C x

allydowd

News:

* New RBS 3% Cashback Current account launches next week. (Link)

* Sky is putting up it's prices, again. (Link)

* Morrison's is ditching it's Price Match promise and you'll no longer get points at M Local stores. (Link) (Link2)

* Articles: Are you sitting on a gold-mine of unclaimed loyalty points? (Link) (Link2)

* Sainsbury's launches 5p off a litre of petrol throughout October through Nectar Points: (Link)

maria3104

Hi All

Thanks for starting us off Ally.
Easy work day today, training. Lovely buffet for lunch to look forward to.
Not so easy money day as I have to go shopping for chicken food, compost and other bits and am bound to be tempted to just put a few little other things in there!

Sticking to menu plan. Feel like a guru. Watched bake off last night and was sat wondering about the cost of those ingredients. Wonder what those final bakes cost? Wonderful skills, fabulous stuff, just wondering?
Washing done cheap rate.
Plan tonight to watch Wives and daughters and knit and sleep.
Have a good day everyone.
M

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all - thanks for the start Ally. Pleased to hear that you're feeling a bit better, and hope that all goes well with your OH and the dentist today. You've done SO much over the past few months - I'd be so proud.
Back into school and work today after a couple of days out. It will be interesting to see what progress my classes have made while I was out. I'm now of course a bit behind with stuff but determined I won't stress about it.
Little list for today:
check banking and PAD
leave a note for dh asking him to do some housework today please
mark my last set of tests and a set of books
timetable every minute of my time at work today
do not stress
post a letter that has been sitting on my table for ages
investigate the possibility of PPI on a loan I had 16 years ago which I thought was out of time for a claim but may not be.
Have a good day everyone.:beer:

determined_new_ms

Morning guys :wave: thanks for starting the thread ally! Hope oh's dental appointment goes ahead and is as gentle as can be!

ziggy - no ironing I hear you say??! :dance:

Well today dgd goes to the cm's so will be a busy day for me. Cm sent me a message to say she's done dgd a roast dinner so no need to send in a packed lunch :T

Small things for today:

*[STRIKE] check banking[/STRIKE]
* doing a ms assignment. Need to read through the paperwork
* go into b&q/screwfix while in town to get bits needed for few odd jobs. Search through shed/garage beforehand to make sure we haven't already got the bits needed...
* photo bits for ebay and write up so I can just list this evening
[STRIKE]* book ferry to go to Belgium this weekend - hope the deal via martin's newsletter last week is still going (£22 return with 6 bottles of wine :beer:)[/STRIKE]
* do a job search
* fill holes/cracks in plaster throughout the house
* measure up for wood needed
* all meals from stores
* check meal plan and get something out of freezer
* load of washing & on line. Lovely day here :j
* water plants and pick any tomatoes
* repaired 2 suitcases. One the little toggles to open and close the zipper had fallen off of used a bit of pink ribben. Result: I can now open & close it and it will be easier to spot when I'm collecting my luggage the other one both of the handles had come away from their fastenings so I couldn't pick it up. Now fixed will put them back in the loft soon

Ok I think that's all I need to do. Have a great day x

allydowd

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

investigate the possibility of PPI on a loan I had 16 years ago which I thought was out of time for a claim but may not be.

Crazy Cat Lady, a statute of limitations means banks don't need to keep PPI records after six years. However, there is no official cut-off time for you to attempt to claim. It is easier to do this if you still have the paperwork.

I would advise you to read this easy, but thorough, guide to claiming. There are PPI template letters on this page too. (Link)

Bobarella

Morning All

Thanks for the start Ally. I agree you've done amazing things in your debt free time. Not least coming through unemployment without any debt. In the old days I'm guessing you would have? I certainly know I'd do things different in the tighter times if I thought the way I do now so thanks again DFW thread for keeping us on the straight and narrow. And good luck to your OH with the dentist.

Ziggy- snoring dogs and cats are the bane of my life. My son often grumbles that our cat kept him awake snoring. Yum to butternut soup.

Maria - I didn't see the final. But I agree that the cost of what they make must be a lot higher than the workaday bakes most people would produce. However from a ratings POV the budget on a show like Bake Off vs the Apprentice,BB, etc must make the TV execs laugh up their sleeves.

CCL -good luck back at work. And with the PPI claim. After MTS recent huge win it must inspire you to get on and do it?

Determined -hope you get the most out of your childcare hours today. Sounds like you are busy as usual.

Well today for us. Bit of a disturbed night for the little one. I think I'd forgotten how much hard work it is at first figuring out sleep/feed patterns.. but the fact she is feeding well is reason for relief in itself as I know many people have massive woes in that department.

I am hoping they will let me go home today. I was 24 hours post birth last night at 1am. And the doctor had said it is normally ok depending on the mum. I need to get them to sort out my pain relief as that's a little on the light side but other than that I feel ready to get out of here. I know what you are all going to say but I'm not going to go and do the lambada I just want to be at home for DS who has been looked after very well by my husbands mum and dad, his grandparents but he does need his routine back to 'normal' OH is doing the school run this morning, & well go from there. Wish us luck with being discharged.

NSD'S all this week funny enough although OH did shell out for a round of expensive coffees for the family from the hospital Costalottos when everyone came to visit us yesterday. Ouch!

Have a great day all.
Bob

lego_mum

Morning all, Thanks Ally for the start, good to hear that you are feeling happier. Hope that OH's appointment goes well.
Ziggy - I have piles of ironing if you fancy it
Ccl - Worth a try I'd say!
Maria, I can never stick to a food plan for some reason
Dnms, Sounds like a good deal with the trip & wine!

Health & Fitness plans (lose this weight once and for all, no fad diets ever again!)
:starmod: Walk the boys to & from the bus stop
:starmod: Gym class – aiming for 5 a week (works out to less then 80p/class!)
:starmod: Fill water bottle at the gym
:starmod: [STRIKE]Shower/dry hair at the gym, save my water & electricity! [/STRIKE]
:starmod: Walk at least 7000 steps to get bounts points Done
:starmod: Eat for health
:starmod: Drink water through the day
:starmod: Monitor fitness goals etc using my fitbit daily & adjust when needed


Daily jobs:
:starmod: Wash a load at 30 degrees done
:starmod: Hang washing on the line if dry not much of a breeze so don't hold out much hope of the towels drying though!
:starmod: Check banks/update spreadsheet and found 5p on the way to the bus stop
:starmod: Delete junk from emails
:starmod: Clean & tidy fridge (make sure we don’t waste anything) Bacon to use up
:starmod: Use something out of the food use up box made another date cake from the dried OOD mountain!!
:starmod: Plan today’s meals from stores Bacon, sausage, beans & tomatoes for tonight to use up the bacon
:starmod: Make families lunches for tomorrow done
:starmod: No heating on yet, plenty of blankets & jumpers available 

Tidy home = Tidy mind
:starmod: Hoover carpets
:starmod: Clean the kitchen using minimal products
:starmod: Tidy at least one cupboard
:starmod: Gather together items for the cs
:starmod: Work out how to change light bulb on dh’s fancy reading lamp

Money making schemes
:starmod: Inbox pounds 5 searches
:starmod: Swagbucks
:starmod: Check Fpl
:starmod: Check luckyphone done
:starmod: Check for surveys
:starmod: Rm survey done and saved some paper that will come in handy for the printer

Freebies/vouchers/offers
:starmod: Check 02 priorities
:starmod: Check tcb/quidco
:starmod: Check cos/shopit

Extras
:starmod: Pick up clothes ordered from M&s
:starmod: Ironing (unless I can get Ziggy to come and do it?? )

Have a good day all