Monday 28th December - what small DFW things will you be doing today?

PurpleFairy26

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

PurpleFairy26

Morning everyone :hello:

Up early as small was awake and wanted to come down. Hope everyone is ok and enjoying the festive break. Just a small list from me:

Portion rest of pork and freeze
Go for a run
Girls to a party, present and card already done and wrapped
Maybe take tree down, to try and get some sense of normality back to proceedings
Go through loads of Christmas cars from previous years and recycle any that can't be made in to tags
Meals from stores, may make some broccoli and Stilton soup
More knitting
Early night, need to catch up on some sleep whilst I'm off

Think that's all for now, will check back later, Jonno

rising_from_the_ashes

Morning all taking advantage of a day off and had a lie in .... until 6:30 :rotfl:(I just can't sleep in these days!)

Thanks for starting us off Jonno

Still really dark here (I can just make out the house next door's roof outline)

Plans for today:

• Banking - transfer money to bills account to cover all d/debits (I was paid ridiculously early in Dec but have pretended it didn't happen & left the money where it was until today!) done
• Banking - transfer money to spends account this works so well for me, wish I'd done it years ago! I never carry the card for my 'main' account so can't be tempted to overspend:)) done
• Review SO to pets accounts (3 - 1 for boosters etc, 1 for vet treatment & another for everything else) done
• Do some more work on 2016 budget
• Go to shopping centre - need to return / exchange some items. Look for cheap / smart suit for job interview :eek:
• Hang up washing done
• Meals from stores
• Ironing (didn't get it yesterday )
• Start tidying house (mum coming on Weds!:eek:)
• Stay out the SM!
• Walk dog somewhere nice
• Do some colouring later

Have a good one everyone

DawnW

Morning Jonno, and everyone who comes along later
I was up quite early too, though no little ones here today

I am with you on wanting to get back to some kind of normality, and taking the tree down seems a good first step, but I will save that for tomorrow's list, as I will be looking after baby GD, and she would probably enjoy 'helping' to put the baubles away

List for today:
Joined a couple of DFW challenges for the New Year
OH has taken a packed lunch with him
Hens fed
Used up the best bits of a browning banana with my breakfast porridge (hens had the brown bits)
Dog walks x 2 Done
Washing out on line as it doesn't seem to be raining at the moment :T Got 3 loads almost dry, now on airer /in airing cupboard
Take down Christmas cards and put in the recycling, unless there are any that would make good gift tags I had a bit of a brainwave, and will put these aside till the end of January, when I have agreed to look after 2 small GDs aged 5 and 8. I will buy some cheap scrap type books in the pound shop, some glue sticks and they can cut up the cards and stick / do collages in the books. Should keep them happy for a while - having said this, I have still to take them down
Pay milk bill online (won't break the bank, it is only £1.89) Done
Look up on the Council's web site when the bins are scheduled to be collected. We don't have much waste / recycling normally but the bins are all nearly full this time Done, no collection till Wednesday and then only cardboard and plastic bottles :mad:
Sort out leftover unused Christmas cards and wrapping and put away for next year - they are in several different places at the moment! Still to do
Finish reorganising freezer to make room for excess mince pies and gingerbread stars Done
Continue using up festive leftovers - plenty of cheese and salads for lunch, and turkey curry for dinner Done, used up 2 slightly slimy carrots from fridge and some bits from the freezer in the curry - some chopped celery, chopped peppers and half a can of sweetcorn
Finished off Boxing Day trifle for pudding (3 of us, not just me, honest!)
NSD - I need more of these! Done
Also bathed smelly dog
Lit wood burner as it got chilly late this afternoon
Froze 1 portion of LO turkey curry and rice
* Food waste alert, half a jacket potato, which had already been reheated, went to the hens along with the brown banana bits

Right, better get that washing out! Hope you all have a good day

PS, Morning RFTA :wave:

carrielovesfanta

Morning folks!

Thanks to jonno for starting us off.

I know what everyone means about getting back to normal but I'm finding it hard. I'm actually supposed to be in work today but decided that as I'd be the only one, we can do flexitime anyway and there's no work on at the moment, that I may as well spend the time at home and gradually work it back.

I feel really twitchy in he house at the moment. Jobs that I've tried to ignore seem to be screaming at me. Perhaps I'm in spring clean mode already? OH has just left for the gym with all the clothes he's binning. They will go into the sally army bin by the retail park.

I'm also bothered today because I missed the bin men and the bin is full

Today's list:

• B/L/D from stores
• Take books and dvds to charity shop - shop closed. Will have to do tomorrow
  
• Go for a run - done
• Washing out on line, put away dry washing - done
• Tidy and sort through all my crochet patterns
• See if OH will let me bin the Christmas cards - done
• Sort through the utility room as it's a pigsty
• Email Yo Sushi about missing rolling mat - done
• Fix my gym gloves - done
• Decided to take my wedding dress to the charity shop. Mysterious brown stain on the front so have gently sponged it. Looks ok.
• List some expensive items on ebay - done

I may add more. Feel full of nervous energy.

Have a good one all


clf x

determined_new_ms

Morning guys thanks for starting us off jonno hi to Dawn and RFTA and to everyone else who comes along

Not sure we'll have much plans for today as dgd isn't herself and complaining of a stomach ache. If she's up for it we'll go for a walk at some point but if not will be a home & cuddles day...

Plans for today:

* hang washing out on line, should mean heated dryer only needs to be on for the evening
* put away loads of washing
* do some ironing
* all meals from stores - lo quesadillas for lunch
* turkey curry for dinner
* looked at transport for this evening - going out for a few drinks and cannot afford/do not want to spend £20 on a taxi as well as paying for a babysitter :eek: train is £3.10 return :T
* mend hem on dress to wear to work on NYE
* vacuum & polish upstairs & clean bathroom
* have spent some time sorting out finances, making various payments & transfers. Know what I've got to play with until I get paid in Jan
* transferred dgd's cb into savings account
* finish off cowl and start to think about knitting the sock pattern Mrs F sent me :A

That'll do. Really do need to do a thorough spring clean as everywhere is just dirty everyday. Probably won't do this today but needs to be done soon.

Have a good day guys x

Bobarella

Thanks for the start Jonno. I love Stilton soups! I do broccoli and Stilton or celery and Stilton both are so good. I don't add my cheese till the soup has been blended and then put in several good chunks and stir it in whilst it's still hot. Loads of black pepper too. Yum.

I am enjoying my break away. Traffic was a bit hideous up until the turn off for Brighton but a lot of that was holiday traffic. Plus the trains aren't running so much worse than usual.

MIL hhad made a big beef stew with lots of veg on the sides for dinner so we scoffed that before doing presents. We've been given another £60 so have added that to the wombling score which takes me over the magical £1,000 mark for the year! We also used barely quarter of a tank in petrol so unless we do much driving around whilst down here we should be able to get away with just refilling the half tank our friends had when we borrowed the car. We took a walk on the beach with the dog and son got his shoes soaked but enjoyed it anyway.

This morning have got up after a pretty good night considering baby in a cot for first time. Having a relaxing morning before we go down to the village to get supplies. Milk. Bread. A cheap pair of wellies for my son so he can go on the beach again.

My small things are probably all not being at home to be honest

It's sunny here too so that's another bonus.

Enjoy your Mondays all.

Bob

ziggy2407

Good Afternoon Everyone

Jonno - 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:

Take grandson home - Done
Check Banks - Done
Load of washing -
Arrange for Hob to be fitted (was delivered yesterday) -
Big tidy round -
Organise new calendar & diary -
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 - Done

Have a good day! Love to you all!

C x

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone thank you Jonno for starting us off today

CCL - glad you have hubby with you on Christmas day and you had a lovely day

Really nice to hear about everyone's Christmas and glad you all had a lovely time nice to see some new faces on here as well (well new to me haha)

Back to work today athough don't mind as started an hour later than usual plus getting paid time and a half and one day's holiday so well worth it

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas we had a lovely time and I was well and truly spoilt hubby got me a Curl Secrets (I've wanted one for ages but didn't want to spend that much on one - I didn't even realize he knew I wanted one!!) I got him a bread maker (second hand but works fine) as he has been banging on about getting one since we first met almost three years ago :eek: We got mum a new TV (her HDMI sockets burnt out in a bad storm last year) there are 4 of us children and 3 of us put in money to buy them one, it was lovely to see mum's face when she opened it, they couldn't really afford a new one and she got quite teary bless her (I know it sounds silly over a TV but they've had a bit of a rough year so it was nice they got something they needed).

Yesterday when the boiler packed up! Had call from hubby, the engenieer has been, apparently there was no oil in it and we had run out I didn't think we had as everything was working fine. Feel like such an idiot now luckily boiler was still in warranty so LL doesn't have to pay otherwise we would probably end up paying. Although it doesn't help we have no way of seeing what is actually in the tank but at least it's done now! Oil is cheap at the moment so hubby is off to get some more (he got some yesterday and that's when we noticed problem)

Anyway, trying to get back in the MSE spirit

Here is today's list:
- FPL
- Lucky Phone
- Survey/s
- Transfer money to "Bills Account"
- Enter a few competitions
- Catch up on posts on here
- B/D from stores
- Low spend lunch at work

Have a good day everyone

lego_mum

Good afternoon everyone & thanks for the start Jonno

Its so lovely hearing about everyone's Christmas Also interesting hearing people saying about taking trees down etc, I'm also making a start taking bits and pieces down.

Health & Fitness plans (lose this weight once and for all, no fad diets ever again!)
:starmod: Gym class – :dance:
:starmod: Fill water bottle at the gym :dance:
:starmod: Walk at least 7000 steps to get bounts points :dance:

Daily jobs:
:starmod: Wash a load at 30 degrees :dance:
:starmod: Hang washing on the line if dry/radiators if not :dance:
:starmod: Check banks/update spreadsheet :dance:
:starmod: Delete junk from emails :dance:
:starmod: Clean & tidy fridge (make sure we don’t waste anything) Lunch was using up yesterday's sausagemeat casserolely thing with some rice and a boiled egg!
:starmod: Plan today’s meals from stores :dance:
:starmod: Minimum heating on (set for 30 mins before dh gets up), plenty of blankets & jumpers available :dance: easy done as its so mild

Tidy home = Tidy mind
:starmod: Hoover carpets
:starmod: Clean the kitchen using minimal products :dance:

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

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

Extras
:starmod: Check car mileage :dance:
:starmod: Taken Christmas cards down and given them to my mum who'll take them to the recycling point :dance:
:starmod: Put one of the decotation boxes under the desk in the hall way and will add decorations in there each time I go past. Will just be left with the two trees up then. :dance:
:starmod: My dad cut dh & ds's hairs for them :dance:
:starmod: My mum was going into town so I've asked her to pop into Debenhams to see how much the xmas crackers have been reduced too, we had a pack of 12 but only 8 of us, I'd normally give the kids the others but just thought that if I get another box of 12 then that's enough for all of us for 2 xmas days


That's about it for today, hope everyone is having a good Monday.

Ratison

Afternoon all,

Chocolatelover I've also had broken boiler issues. Hoping ours will be fixed tomorrow as I'm fed up of being cold and huddling around an electric heater!

No spends for me today but I did order a dehumidifier yesterday. We have a lot of condensation plus a very cold utility with a now-warped wooden floor. And lots of washing that isn't drying as we have no heating. I also ordered some new shoes, which were reduced from £95 to £36. A necessary purchase - I was getting sick of wet feet as two pairs of boots / shoes didn't cope well with puddles and heavy rain.

My tree will be coming down on New Year's Eve. I like to start the new year with a clean house (and an early night). No partying for me!