Sat/Sun 12th/13th December - What small DFW things will you do this weekend?

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 are important!:money:

allydowd

Hi,

Another manic week over. Thank G-d! I must say I'm in awe of all you busy folk finding time to fit posting in. I pretty much ground to a halt list-wise though I have kept the MSE faith as much as I can.

Debt-Free Nillionaire Month 7

* I've been too busy at work to do much week-day spending this week. Work, eat, sleep, repeat...

* Just went to pay the rent and found the website is down for maintenance, sigh. At least we have two weeks rent free this month though it angers me that the Housing Asso don't advertise this so most people end up over-paying in December. Done.

* Planned entertainment spending this weekend. We're going out for lunch. Will stick to budget rigidly. Will not go to the bar afterwards. Will have a stroll along the coast before or after so OH can play with her camera. It's actually not going to rain today. The walk will do me good; been quite unwell this week.

* Watch things on tv recorder.

* Fix cooker when daylight finally appears. Done, simples. Loose wire, that was very fiddly to get back in.

* Use Facebook for chatting across the miles.

* Must get a home haircut. I look like "Dad" from "Bread". Or a scarecrow. Or a Derelict. Done.

* Still trying to give away fridge. No-one wants it! At last someone is interested. mind you "interested" and "will definitely collect" are two different things.

* See if anywhere local is selling sub-£1/litre fuel. (Link)

* Have worked out that if we want anything from the 'local' Poundshop it's actually cheaper to order it from Poundshop.com and pay £3 delivery than to drive to town and get it. Got 5% off as a new customer too.


Have a good weekend everyone.

allydowd

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Revised 31 Oct 2015.

PurpleFairy26

Morning Ally, thanks for starting us off. :hello: to you and all that follow. Your Oz fund is coming along nicely I see :T up early as DD2s internal alarm clock is still working to within a minute each day. Unfortunately it's set at 6.02am :rotfl:

My list for weekend:
Get rest of gifts wrapped just to make doubly sure I'm done
Write a couple of cards I'd forgotten about and put in post
Post samples for new customer and brochure
Text 2 customers about their amounts for products I've already delivered
Meals from stores
Need to pop to shop to get something for tomorrow when we have family round I went yesterday and wasn't particularly inspired
See if DD wants to make her birthday day cake today
PAD to card
See if I can list some stuff on FB although not sure many people interested this close to Christmas
Quick tidy round
Run - must do this

Enjoy your day everyone x

Have a good day everyone

allydowd

jonno7 wrote: »

Morning Ally, thanks for starting us off. :hello: to you and all that follow. Your Oz fund is coming along nicely I see :T up early as DD2s internal alarm clock is still working to within a minute each day. Unfortunately it's set at 6.02am :rotfl:

Yes, for the first time since childhood, I am saving!

My internal alarm clock is broken. Nightshift has killed it. I'm getting enough sleep but it's my rhythm that's smurfed.

Bobarella

Morning All

Ally - your reference to Bread made me laugh. From a similar time I found myself mentioning the kids show Jonny Briggs to my family the other day. OH who is 8 years older had no recollection of the show. Funny what you remember.

Jonno - were up early too. No sleep for the wicked. Awake since 5 something. ..

So today will be sponsored by all the coffee. Home made of course. Last night I made chicken wings for dinner which was very low cost. £1.25 per pack and I bought two. Served with a big pan of rice,peas, onions,tomatoes and stock. I made a big pot of stock whilst the dinner cooked so I used some straight away in the rice. Simple, cheap and yummy. Love how meals like that are so low key and adaptable. We went to Belize on our honeymoon and their favourite saying there is 'when your sick of beans and peas,have peas and beans' a good saying to live by

Have to go to the building society before 12 to pay some money in for DD. Will probably catch the bus as it's quite a long way with all the family in tow. Have money on my oyster so won't need to pay anything today.

Final batch of rum into the Christmas cake today then I will put the marzipan on.

Although son only has 2 days left of term he has managed to get a hole in his trousers. I wouldn't usually consider buying another pair before term starts again but he has a solo in the Christmas concert next week and I would feel bad sending him looking a bit scruffy. So need to find a decent pair for not too much. Probably H & M.

Work out how much is left for payments to debt. Have managed £300 so far this month.

Right better get going!

Bob

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning everyone

I have been a bit absent this week but I have been thinking of you all and trying to keep the spending under control. Actually I have just done the spreadsheets and have done really well but this next couple of weeks is my worst time when I start thinking I will just buy the kids this or that.

Bob Well done on the debt repayments. I bought DS expensive M&S school trousers this year because they fitted him really nicely. £13 a pair and one pair has gone into holes already. He is 15 so its not like he is rolling around on the floor in them either (well I hope not!). He may have to manage with one pair for now.

I was told last night that DSs friend has got a PS4 for Christmas. My boy would die for one but I am not sure that even if we had the money I would buy him one at £300. Hard isnt it? He understands bless him and he does have a fairly new Xbox.

Off to a Christmas tree festival today, hoping both boys will come it would be nice to do something Christmassy as a family. Need to call at the shops but be I will be very very sensible I promise.

DawnW

Morning all
Thanks for the start Ally

All the talk of holes in boys' school trousers reminds me of my DS when he was young. He was a shocker for that, and scuffed school shoes, and just as bad at 15 as he was at 5 :rotfl: Wasn't funny at the time, I used to pull my hair out, trying to work out how to afford replacements all the time. And children's clothes and shoes were relatively a lot more expensive then than they are now.

List for today:
Feed chickens (done)
Dog walks x 2 (looks as though OH is going to do #1 ) Done
Post Christmas cards Done
Write more Christmas cards (I must be nearly there now ). At least it isn't costing anything, as the cards were bought in the sales last January and the stamps are free from doing the postal survey Written some more, but still more to do :eek:
Go to the post office to send the couple of cards that are going to France Done
Take some bits to sales unit while out if I get the chance Done
Make soup with pheasant carcase and stock Not done - will do tomorrow
Make a loaf in the BM Done
Meal plan for next week Sort of done - must finish it!
Trip to Lidls needed, I will make a list and stick to it! Done
Wash kitchen and bathroom floors Bathroom done, kitchen tomorrow

Better get on with some of it! Hope everyone has a good day

foxgloves

Morning all,
Not even dressed yet. Unheard of for me. Must get a wriggle on. Not much on the list for today as going out later.
*Washed bedlinen overnight on cheap tariff. Pouring with rain so will drape over heated airer which I'll switch on tonight.
*Make bread sauce up to the cream stage & freeze.
*Knit a bit more of mr f's hiking socks while he's out of the house.
*Swap some change in the grocery purse. There are 2 x 50ps in there which could usefully go into my sealed pot (started it again this week).
*Managed 2 baths from one lot of hot water. These bits of energy saving do add up over the year.
*Free coffee at IKEA where we are calling in for tea lights. Not planning to buy anything else unless a useful affordable rugbpresents itself.
*Dinner at friends' house tonight so no cooking today for us.
This rain is set for all day. Our village is right by the river, but it doesn't look as though it will over-top just yet.
Have a good day all,
F x

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all.
Managed a lie in this morning until half past seven. Definitely on the mend but still not 100% - I must be careful not to overdo it today and tire myself out. I've just woken up with a load of guilt about not getting much done over the week and am desperate to sort it all out. I've already fed the cats, done a load of washing, washed dishes and sorted a full bag of rubbish... Just relaxing now while the boys are at ds football and planning the weekend ahead.
Still to come this weekend:
:rudolf: check through banking, budget and purse and sort out where on Earth I am with that.
:rudolf: get properly caught up on here
:rudolf: housework (desperate for a hoover through)
:rudolf: boys are at football this afternoon
:rudolf: put out 2 bags of rubbish
:rudolf: empty the recycling
:rudolf: spend some more time gift wrapping
:rudolf: dd to gymnastics
:rudolf: pop to BM for a mini Santa Hat for ds
:rudolf: do some knitting
:rudolf: all meals from stores (still need to run the freezer down)
:rudolf: inventory fridge and cupboards and plan for the week ahead
:rudolf: do not think about work...
Think that's it for the moment.

determined_new_ms

Morning guys :wave: thanks for starting the thread ally. Hope you and oh have a lovely day and you feel better x

So not much dfw things today - me and my bff are taking the littlies to see Santa's naughty elves! Already paid for but not cheap at £20 a ticket (but will come out of her cb)

bff, her husband & lo coming here for late lunch/early dinner. Didn't get time to make lasagna sauce yesterday so will put that on in a minute and prepare before I & oh will put in the oven later on so it's ready for when we all come back. just received a msg from bff that they have to cancel dinner as lo has an eye problem so has an eye appt after the elves. Will still make the lasagna but will freeze a batch of sauce for another day

Last night filled up by car with £35 petrol - the most my car has had in it since I stopped working! - as it was sub £1. Have to do several big journies next week so thought it was a good idea to fill up. Have saved £1.75 on what I would have spent anyway

Have made 4 chocolate pot spoons - 2 with marshmellows & 2 with amaretto pipettes for bff, her husband and her 2 kids. Will put them in the presentation bag once they've hardened

Need to hang up washing I did yesterday & clean bathroom

Work tonight. Should all keep me out of spending mischief! Have a great weekend everyone xxx