Thursday 17th December - What small DFW things will you do today?:)

crazy_cat_lady

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:

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all
Of course I am still awake. It's after midnight so I thought I'd start us off this morning as I may struggle to get up and find time to post before work. I seem to have swung from sleeping early and waking at 4am to not being able to switch off at night. Ah well - this will be temporary until school finishes so I am fine with it. :beer:
I have lots on my mind so definitely need a list of things to do over today otherwise I will forget.
Check banking and PAD
Aim for NSD
Enjoy free breakfast at work courtesy of my community leaders
Hope that my Secret Santa present arrives as I didn't have one today when we did it at work
Enjoy some time with my form class, leaving year 11 in charge
Write Christmas cards out (now urgent)
Mark a set of books (or 2, or 3 if I can)
School carol service to make me all festive
Leave dh to it :mad:
Get kids on board with housework
Get dd to cheerleading
Take some time out if things are becoming too much for me
Find something else to knit now that I have finished ds stocking. I want to go for more Christmas decorations but need a nice pattern.
Celebrate almost reaching the end of term
Think that's it for the moment. There may be more in the morning but I'll be back sooner or later.

La_escocesa

Hi CCL :wave: Thanks for the kick off. :A Your long holiday looming sounds fabulous!! I'm working until Christmas eve! Maybe next year I'll save some hols so I can take it all off.... :think:

Here's my listypopadoodle:

• Didn't buy a new Christmas jumper - wearing a top I got a couple of years ago
• £3 survey :T - will leave the money to build up and transfer it next Christmas
• Applied for some online MSs - not done this for a couple of years so had to redo profile but could then apply for 6 :T
• Chase up the rainforest people about the 1 month prime extension they said they'd give me :mad:
• Work's night out tonight :beer: Will NOT spend all of my YNAB December pub allowance in one go! :A

Which mystery shopping companies do guys use/recommend?

xxx

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning

Is it really only a week till Christmas?

Work this morning. I have some rubbish to take to the tip then I must do my finance spreadsheets and work out how much we have spent on the new bathroom so far.

Oh and I still have some Christmas cards left to do as well!

Shouldnt really need to spend anything today, except for some potatoes as there were none in Li@l on Tuesday.

Have a good Thursday everyone x

allydowd

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

• 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)
• Jack-At-A-Pinch, cheap recipes ( 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)

Revised 31 Oct 2015.

maria3104

Morning all
All machines on cheap rate this morning.
Should be a nsd. Finished a knitting project last night.
Meat from freezer sat in fridge defrosting.
Hardly slept this week , feel your pain ally!!
Have a good Thursday all.
Maria x

lego_mum

Morning all, Thanks CCl for the start.

Not been having time to post as been laying this flooring round at the tenants but I'm having a day off today as I had a prearranged catch up with my friend who makes me a fabulous Christmas cake every year :xmassmile cake is stunning she also has made gingerbread men for the kids and added in smarties & icing for them to decorate themselves!!, ooo she tried out a peanut butter cookie on me too, what a lovely way to start a morning!
I definitely find the days were I don't post up a list seem to be far less productive so in the new year I need to make posting here at the top of my list!!

Health & Fitness plans (lose this weight once and for all, no fad diets ever again!)
:starmod: Gym class – aiming for 5 a week (works out to less then 80p/class!) :xmassmile
:starmod: Fill water bottle at the gym :xmassmile
:starmod: Walk at least 7000 steps to get bounts points :xmassmile
: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 :xmassmile
:starmod: Hang washing on the line if dry/radiators if not :xmassmile
:starmod: Check banks/update spreadsheet :xmassmile
:starmod: Delete junk from emails :xmassmile
:starmod: Clean & tidy fridge (make sure we don’t waste anything) :xmassmile
:starmod: Use something out of the food use up box :xmassmile
:starmod: Plan today’s meals from stores :xmassmile
:starmod: Make families lunches for tomorrow - last ones of the year :xmassmile
:starmod: Minimum heating on (set for 30 mins before dh gets up), plenty of blankets & jumpers available :xmassmile

Tidy home = Tidy mind
:starmod: Hoover carpets
:starmod: Clean the kitchen using minimal products :xmassmile
:starmod: Tidy at least one cupboard :xmassmile
:starmod: Gather together items for the cs :xmassmile

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

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

Extras
:starmod: Make a date cake
:starmod: Sign off Tes cc :xmassmile
:starmod: Cut open shampoo bottle to use it all! :xmassmile
:starmod: Wrap the kids xmas eve hampers - these include pajama's & freebie bits we've picked up through the year like the 02 starwars stickers recently etc :xmassmile

Have a good day all

princess_pea

Morning all, thanks for starting CCL

I'm going to try and get into the habit of posting on here every day to keep me on the straight and narrow!


NSD and all meals from stores - I even managed to have breakfast this morning so hopefully will avoid buying anything at work - there are lots of biscuits in the staff room just in case!


A couple of bits have arrived from China to go in OH's stocking (a cupcake-corer and icing nozzles! :rotfl:) I'm still waiting for a hoody I ordered from the UK at the end of October!! They ignored my last email so I'll be ringing them today!


Banking and FPL to check. I've not done any surveys for ages but I don't think I'll have time to do any until the weekend


Busy day at work and I'm here until 6pm BUT it is very nearly Christmas and I'm looking forward to having a week and a half off!


Have a lovely day everyone

determined_new_ms

Morning thanks for the early start cat, hope you don't feel too tired today!

Last night at oh's parentals we had a lovely time, lovely roast lamb mmmmm and dgd loved her gift. It was so sweet!

On to day 2 without a TV! Although we have bought one and will pick it up tomorrow so not too much of a hardship Gives me time to do things in the evening rather than just vegging out in front of the telly :T

Working today so leaving in a couple of hours & intend to use the time wisely rather than wasting it online!

La E saw you have signed up for some ms assignments. I must say at this point after 6 months of doing it I really hate it! Looking forward now to finding and starting work, where I just go to work, work for the hours agreed and go home and that covers my expenses! I'm glad I've been able to take this time out of working for the man and feel some sense of achievement that we've made ends meet but jeez it's dull!

Things to do:

* finish last bit of paperwork - made good progress yesterday! Seems it wasn't as bad as I thought had just got a little bit out of order :T
* load of washing & hang up
* flylady bedroom & bathroom. Will do bathroom tonight after work
* wrap presents & write last of cards
* got chicken out of freezer for dinner will put it on before leaving
* need to pick up some lightbulbs - other than this should be a NSD
* actually get this ironing done once and for all!
*[STRIKE] submit meter readings[/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] reply to email about a MS assignment [/STRIKE]
* all meals from stores

ziggy2407

Good Morning Everyone

CCL - 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.

Today I will:

Order prescriptions -
Packed lunch for DS - Done
Packed tea for DH -
Deliver cards to neighbours -
Read meters & chart -
Check Banks - Done
Continue purge on Emails -
Enter a few comps -
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer -
Check https://www.freepostcodelottery.com - Remember there are now 5 chances to win -
Check Lucky Phone -

Have a good day! Love to you all!

C x

twiggy86

Morning all.

Hope you're feeling better today CCL.

Meeting a friend tonight but I think she's cooking me tea so hopefully be a NSD!

Today I have/will:-
* Check banks
* Submit meter readings
* Portion up chicken into separate bags and pop in freezer
* Take lunch to work
* Reshuffle money into appropriate pots
* Check TCB - £3.17 claimed
* Check QuidCo - £3.75 claimed
* Check FPL
* Earn more on OnePoll
* OH's dinner from stores

Hmmm, must be more than that!