Sat/Sun 24th/25th Oct - what small DFW things will you do today?

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

Thanks for the support. This is the first full month of our new tighter budget and I havent done as well as I hoped. I was cross with DH because his answer was to borrow out of one of our savings pots but thats not the point. We have to learn to make our income cover our outgoings every month or we are going to end up in massive debt again.

This is the only place I can be completely honest about our financial situation. Either all my friends are very lucky, very hard working or just living beyond their means and not caring! Thanks for letting me offload.

Anyhow, I have done some baking, made a shepherds pie for tea and used up the last of the free apples in a crumble. Done a little bit of extra paid stuff which will earn me about £20 but it all helps!

Ooh and thanks for that website link CCL, havent come across that before.

And choclover I do things like that all the time. Right might have a bit of crumble before the teenagers descend on it.

foxgloves

Hello Frugalistas,
Started off very moany as had to call at sorting office to pick up another parcel (gorgeous sock yarn to knit a present). 8.45am. Queue already out of door. Two staff who had clearly not been recruited for their charm or parcel-finding skills. Grrrr. Anyway, I'm digressing already. Today's MSE efforts:
*Took picnic for our day out. Raining, but ate it in old stable with nice view. Most pleasant.
*Treated ourselves to coffees & scones 1st thing, but used our last bit of personal spends so no effect on bank account.
*Free coffees pm as there was some market research going on for the National Trust & people who agreed to answer 2 lots of questions got a free drink :-)
*mr f filled up with petrol at Saintsbury's as a lot cheaper than in our town. He bought me a magazine & was given a voucher for triple nectar points on our next shop.
*Froze 5 portions of pear compote. S-i-L called in & took a carrier bag full of pears. Yes!! Another dent in the pear mountain!
*Swerved a takeaway. Chatted to S-i-L for ages, almost sent out for a pizza, but had already got quorn pieces out of freezer so decided we would defo make curry as planned.
That's all. Cosy evening planned, probably watching a film. Have put lounge fire on for first time since March.......lovely, but you know what? It's going to go off in a bit as I'm used to our cold house & I'm too hot!!
F x

foxgloves

Kayannie - Glad the brown sauce recipe share was useful.

DNMS- I don't think we could ever make enough compost. Our garden is quite big - long & narrow, as is the case with lots of 1930s houses. It's about 30 foot X 130 foot. We have a third of it for growing veggies, so use lots of compost there, esp to top up our 2 raised beds (made from old railway sleepers). Then there's a small border in my greenhouse, so that gets a big load of compost twice a year, & I have some quite big flower borders which would LIKE some compost but there's usually very little left by then. I also use it mixed with bagged compost for planting up containers as it makes the bought-in stuff go a lot further. If I had the spare cash, I'd definitely consider buying 2 extra compost bins because I know we'd be able to fill them & use all of the compost. It's good stuff. Looks a bit lumpy sometimes when it first comes out, but I sometimes sieve it for containers & it looks so good that I can't believe it's the product of all our weeds, kitchen waste, flour bags, shreddings, etc! I love how you've got the gardening bug! Hope you'll still be posting next summer when you are picking your food crops because I'd love to hear how you've got on.
F x

chocolatelover93

chocolatelover93 wrote: »

Today's list:
- B/L/D from stores - had a takeaway for dinner was hangry though so probably good I did :P
- FPL
- Lucky Phone
- Survey(s) one
- SO for Rent
- SO for NPower debt
- Start DFW diary
- Read Martin's email (just realized I haven't yet)
- Complain to PO
- Change Clubcard address
- Complain to Sky
- Meal plan
- Blog post
- Load of washing
- Have a look at MS assignments

Seems to be a lot of complaining going on here!!

Not done a lot on my list but sitting in bed chilling think it's what I needed as felt a bit stressed earlier and hangry :P

crazy_cat_lady

Hi everyone
I'm staying up a bit later, just because I can lie in tomorrow if I want to. Suspect that might come back to bite me in the morning but we'll see - I remain hopeful. I've had quite a productive day actually, without too much stress so feeling ok.
I am so jealous of all of you that like gardening, and having chickens etc. I would love to be able to do something like that but I think I would honestly just see it as another stress to deal with. I get no pleasure at all from doing the gardening (my garden is incredibly biodiverse :rotfl:) but I do like being outside on a nice day.

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

Today's list
[STRIKE]:) check banking[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]:) get ds to football training[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]:) emergency cat food shop[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]:) pop to my friend's shop and stock up on meat [/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]:) take kids to gymnastics class[/STRIKE] Well we went but it was cancelled for the second time in four weeks.
[STRIKE]:) try and collect at least one bag of rubbish from around the house[/STRIKE] Two
[STRIKE]:) relax time[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]:) go through Christmas presents bought and see what is still to do[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]:) inventory cupboards and write a shopping list for the week ahead[/STRIKE]
spend some time reading my book

Didn't do any book reading but I did spend time surfing that Sainsbury's site I found. I'm pretty determined to use up our never ending stores so it's nice to get some suggestions.
I also did an inventory of all my smellies and am horrified to confess that I have 27 different lotions/creams/moisturisers among other things. I can confirm I'm not in need of any smellies other than deodorant in the short term.
See you in the morning all - have a good night :beer:

Bobarella

Chocolate - looks like your blog has been taken off your sig by the forum....

DawnW

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

I am so jealous of all of you that like gardening, and having chickens etc. I would love to be able to do something like that but I think I would honestly just see it as another stress to deal with. I get no pleasure at all from doing the gardening (my garden is incredibly biodiverse :rotfl:) but I do like being outside on a nice day.

Didn't do any book reading but I did spend time surfing that Sainsbury's site I found. I'm pretty determined to use up our never ending stores so it's nice to get some suggestions.
I also did an inventory of all my smellies and am horrified to confess that I have 27 different lotions/creams/moisturisers among other things. I can confirm I'm not in need of any smellies other than deodorant in the short term.
See you in the morning all - have a good night :beer:

I have always liked gardening, and found it to be a good antidote to my last stress fest of a job, but we are all different - it is a matter of finding what works for you

I have lots of lotions etc as well, mainly due to gift packs where the shower gel /bath foam and soap get used and the body lotion just lurks I tend to take unopened ones to the CS, as I rarely use it.

Liking the sound of that Sainsburys site - I must have a look

LittleMissDetermined

Been up since 4am with the dogs (nobody told them the clocks go back):mad:

This time has been spent in a productive DFW manner and I have:

*checked all banking/card accounts
*updated new bank details for TCB
*signed up for swag bucks and completed what feels like a million surveys :rotfl:
*joined the selfie lottery (via referrals)
*joined LuckyPhone (via referrals)
*joined the Free Postcode Lottery (via referrals)

Took ages to understand why my Halifax balance had gone up instead of down from my PADding but then realised it's INTEREST

LMD x

PurpleFairy26

Morning all :hello:

Didn't get chance to post yesterday as I was 'working' in London and I didn't want to use my phone too much as the battery has been draining quickly recently. Must look for a cheap boost that I can use on the move as my contract is really cheap and I don't want to hike the contract just for a new phone. Anyway list for today;
Washing on 30 overnight, drying on airer
Order cheap product from amaz0n, got a random £2 voucher taken off - even cheaper
Check landlord insurance has tracked at £co £75 due
Look out for e mail voucher from £co payout for some other cb - will use to buy Christmas present and then pay the equivalent from pressie fund to CC
Moved difference that I got the insurance cheaper by (before cashback) as overpayment to cc
Likely day out with family today, have free tickets to steam train. But of a drive, but petrol is covered so an economical day out
Do some mindset training, as back at work tomorrow after half term maybe a pick my (positive) attitude day
Meal plan for week, fridge and freezer are pretty bare. However, have stretched not going to butchers for another month so am happy. Will definitely get order to collect next week though.
Swap energy providers

Foxglove - have you checked your local council website, we live in East mids too (i think you may do too) and our give away a composter for free, I got one for our old house. Maybe worth a look?

Think that's all, have a good day everyone. Hugs to those that are feeling a bit under the weather.

Jonno

lego_mum

Morning all,

I didn't post yesterday and found that I wasn't very productive either!
So here's my list as we've got lots to do before going away for a few days with dh & the kids.

Health & Fitness plans (lose this weight once and for all, no fad diets ever again!)
:starmod: Walk at least 7000 steps to get bounts points
: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 in now, would like to get it all dried and ironed today
:starmod: Hang washing on the line
:starmod: Check banks/update spreadsheet
:starmod: Delete junk from emails
:starmod: Clean & tidy fridge (make sure we don’t waste anything)
:starmod: Use something out of the food use up box
:starmod: Plan today’s meals from stores
:starmod: Make a picnic for the drive tomorrow
: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: Take bags to cs if I get time NOPE
:starmod: Work out how to change light bulb on dh’s fancy reading lamp done


Money making schemes
:starmod: Inbox pounds 5 searches
:starmod: Swagbucks
:starmod: Check Fpl
:starmod: Check luckyphone
:starmod: Check for surveys


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

Extras
:starmod: Sew missing button onto my winter coat: Finally got round to doing this & also ds2's medal strap
:starmod: Check tyres & get fuel
:starmod: Finish off the packing as much as I can is done, just a few bits to add in the morning
:starmod: