Sunday 3rd January - what small Debt Free Wannabe things will you do today?!

La_escocesa

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:

La_escocesa

Hi everyone :hello:

How are we all doing?

I've enjoyed reading about your exploits over the past few days.

I thought I'd kick us off but now my 4 and a half stone dog is scrambling over me for a cuddle so I'm struggling to type.

I got up quite early this morning because I was so happy and excited about being home. :rotfl:

Today I'm going to blitz the house and generally catch up with cleaning/organising.

Need to pop out for groceries but will try to avoid that too if I can...

Doing ham in coke for dinner - cheap and delicious and will be enough left for sandwiches. :cool: (It's currently defrosting in the fridge to reduce running costs )

Catch up later!

:coffee:

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning everyone

After feeling really down for a few days I have woken up today feeling a tiny bit more positive. I had a long chat on the phone with my big brother last night which helped. Feel slightly sick about work tomorrow. I dont really enjoy my job but just looking on the online jobsearch I have realised how well paid I am! Will feel better once I am back tomorrow.

I have 2 loads of washing on the airer, will finish it off in the tumbler.
Meals will be out of the freezer today. Might be one or two leftover that have to be flung but we have done really well with this.
I need to see what is actually in the freezer and do a mealplan.

DS1 is going to see friends later so I will be on taxi duty. I need to get DS2 sat down with his school books as I know he has homework!

Oh and a bit of relaxation today too, last day of the holidays. Where did it go?

determined_new_ms

Morning La E & Yorkshirelass :wave: Thanks for starting the thread La E :A

Yorkshirelass sorry to hear you've been feeling down. I recommend lots of soul soothing things today to counter balance. Look after yourself x

Bob - re days out. My Bff has just told me she is going to sit down and put on her calendar local events going on over the year to make the most of things. I try to keep an eye out for what is going on free in the local area. Gosh if I was in London I would be going to all of the museums, I've been to some really great obscure ones on days out in London! I love the Horiman Museum with kids all the great parks in London. We go for walks - dgd is now just starting to be able to handle a small walk but she gets tired so easily! When I am planning a day out in London (or anywhere really) I've googled things to do with kids and loads of people have put up lists of things to do with reviews.

Am working 12-6 so ops to spend money I haven't got are slim! Have come down with a cold so feeling a bit rough so probably will go to bed when I come in

Before I go:

* hang up washing
* [STRIKE]get something out of freezer for tea[/STRIKE]
* take some soup to work to eat in my lunch
* NSD? Hopefully...
* work out the cc spends. Must do this today
* try to get hold of dd
* read book/knit - Foxgloves I've started the sock pattern :j I'm finding it a little fiddly using such small needles! Will no doubt keep you abreast of my progress :rotfl:
* freeze a couple of portions of soup for lunches in Jan for me and dgd. This is fantastic, my dgd likes soup :T I just assumed she wouldn't because my two hated it. But she loves it, great as it's very frugal, easy and best of all I get to shovel lots of veg = nutrients into her

Ok that's all I can think of. Have a great day x

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all
Thanks for the start LaE
Pleased to hear you're feeling a bit better today Yorkshire. I feel the same about the hols - can't believe I'm back in at work tomorrow. I feel fine about it for now, but I suspect that by this evening I will be fretting. Doesn't help that one of the cats woke me at 6am after my staying awake until half one this morning - so I'll be tired and irrational no doubt. I feel fine at the moment but there is only me and the cats up and about so no stress...
Lots to do today to keep my mind busy.
I have already
:staradmin made Nigel Slater's cake (cheers Dawn ), scones and a batch of rice pudding - it's on cooking now.
:staradmin checked my banking and have become slightly concerned that I can't see any money at all coming towards my account from dh. Hopefully it will arrive tomorrow, otherwise January is going to be the longest month EVER.
:staradmin completed a £25 survey from schoolzone
:staradmin changed the cat litter
:staradmin washed a load of dishes
And still to come
:staradmin tutoring
:staradmin bullying my kids until they give me the money they owe me
:staradmin packing my school bag for tomorrow
:staradmin visiting both parents (they are divorced so this is 2 visits)
:staradmin get a free feed at my mams
:staradmin investigate ideas for 'couple time' that don't involve alcohol or large spends :cool:
:staradmin aiming for a nsd
:staradmin more making stuff
:staradmin making sure dh does something (I am getting concerned about him being on his own in the house all day after tomorrow)
Hope everyone has a good day!:beer:
:hello: Morning DNMS - we cross posted

cowboymum

I thought I'd post here to try and get me a bit more motivated. Back to work tomorrow after 2 whole weeks off but actually looking forward to getting back into routine.

Today we're off to our nieces 18th birthday do - last celebration of the season. Been to this and it was lovely! Got doggy bags of leftovers so will add those into left overs tea.

Got washing in - will hang it and put bits on heated airer. Done two loads now!
Heating on but thermostat has broken so it's getting a bit tricky to switch it on or off (either boiling in the house or freezing!). Got to get it sorted today as I will need the house to be warm tomorrow (I am a childminder). DH bought a new thermostat but it's the wrong one so that will have to go back. House was very warm when we got back from party as heating was on the whole time. Got to get it sorted! DH will try to sort tomorro.
Buggy wheel is flat - will have to get new inner tube today (again will need this tomorrow).DH got a puncture repair kit so will do that later.
Have left over beef for tea but relatively few veg until tesco delivery tonight. Shouldn't be a problem as we are eating out at lunch time (not v mse but last one for a while). Might make a tomato sauce, stick bits of beef in and have with pasta or something! Did get carrots to go with tea
Got to take down Christmas tree and decorations today. Done
Clean and mop downstairs to get it ready for tomorrow. Done
Chat to oldest son about homework :eek: have done, he has got homework and is now doing it
Do thankyou cards with younger son and encourage older son to do this too! Oldest sons are in the post, youngest is struggling through them!
Also took back an extra present - £22 on credit card
Spent £11.60 on present for oldest son from youngest (yet more minecraft books!) - all in the budget.

DawnW

Morning all
Thanks for the start La E

Raining again here, with more heavy rain forecast
Must work out whether I need a few things at the shop, or if it can wait another day. I suspect the latter! Decided to wait, so another NSD. Nothing spent so far this year

Apart from that, today's list:
No heating on downstairs, will light the woodburner later Itis alight now, as it felt so cold and miserable. Making the most of it and burning some paperwork that would otherwise have to be shredded
Had an elderly apple from the fruit bowl with my porridge this morning
Dog walk(s) if it ever stops raining (mine only weighs a few pounds La E, and puddles are therefore quite a serious matter :rotfl:) Cleared up bit after lunch, managed a long walk with OH and mutt
See to hens (done, they had brussels sprout peelings this morning, as we finished the ones I bought for Christmas up last night ). They have proper chicken pellets as well of course, but they do enjoy vegetables and fruit as a treat. Done
Make parsnip soup for lunch, and chicken caesar salad for dinner - I have all the ingredients for these Soup done, eaten and the remains in a plastic tub in the fridge for tomorrow. Managed to use 2 large examples from the parsnip pile and some cream that needs using, so all good
Wipe out fridge Done, found and froze half a jar of cranberry sauce
Any surveys, FPL No surveys today, and didn't win the FPL, as usual :rotfl:
Sort out RM surveys tasks for the coming week Done Monday's and Tuesday's, need more information which isn't currently forthcoming on the web site to do the rest.
Sort out overflowing basket of empty jars in the larder, which I didn't get to yesterday Got brother to do this, as opposed to sitting on his backside all the time (where is that roll eyes smiley we used to have??)
Tidied larder and swept the floor, found some croutons to use up in the caesar salad I have planned for tonight. Not sure where they came from and when, as I generally just make that kind of thing, but it is a sealed pack so it will do - and fits with my aim of sorting out / streamlining the larder contentsand using up odd bits
Put aside a couple of Le Parfait jars and a biscuit barrel thing for the CS tomorrow
Went through letter rack and got rid of out of date / no longer needed paperwork via wood burner


Right, off to check if it has stopped raining! Hope you all have a good day

vickthestick

Good morning everyone,
I thought I'd actually post something. New Year, New Me and all that.
I have had a constant stream of visitors over Christmas, some of whom have been elderly and have felt the cold due to meds so we have had the heating on 24/7! Thankfully our current visitors are not feeling the cold!

Today, I'm off to church with the guests and the rest whilst DH and No4 daughter watch No3 daughter in her last Panto performance of the season.
I'm trying to use up what's in the fridge and cupboards before we go back to school on Thursday.
Windy Wilson says lots of rain due today and into Monday so we will mostly be staying home and watching Christmassy films.
Three loads of washing a day at the moment due to constant bed changes and all going through the tumbler as I have no other option with guests in all the rooms I could dry things in!
It's nice to see them. It'll be nice when they've gone home.
Must update the signature...

carrielovesfanta

Morning all!

Thanks to La E for starting us off

Yorkshirelass - I'm not looking forward to work either and I quite like my job. I just like being at home more!

Welcome to cowboymum, vickthestick and any other newcomers

Another damp, grey start here today. Wish there was some sunshine to kick-start me!

Decs all came down yesterday. I'm actually quite glad to see the back of them. I love Christmas and all the build-up to it, but after Christmas day, I'm kinda over it and just want to get back into a normal routine again. We decluttered an old tree and several ornaments that we didn't really like. They were all ones that my mum had passed to us, so they weren't really to our taste.

Having said that, we did have our first slice of Christmas cake, and rather lovely it was too (even if I do say so myself )

Because OH had moved the living room around before Christmas, there was a big gap where the tree was, next to the inglenook, so now we have moved all of the DVDs there. This of course then prompted the moving of the bureau, the bookcase, the wine rack, and a large amount of dusting (and vacuuming of yet another woodlouse graveyard).

OH is out recording today so I have free reign, so here's the list:

• B/L/D from stores. In fact D is left over curry nabbed from m-i-l's. I haven't got enough freezer space/boxes
• Rough-plan some meals for next week
• Order printer cable/power lead as ours came from my friend and had no lead.
• See if there's washing to be done. I def have dry stuff to put away. - of course the washing bin is full. Wash on and dry stuff put away.
  
• Crochet - not entirely happy with pattern. Have noticed a mistake and also adjusted granny square method as felt I could do it neater. - yep, my way is better
• May do exercise DVD at lunchtime. Weather too atrocious for a run and my sports bra is at work - done. The DVD is an hour long, but was still easier than crossfit!
  
• Maybe cook something
• Sewed up a tiny hole in a t-shirtof OH's - done
  
• Keep an eye on my Ebay items as they are ending tomorrow. All have at least 1 watcher. One item has received a bid and has 3 watchers!
• May take box of stuff out to the shed. Having a weird mental block re: the shed at the moment. Possibly because it will remind me of the state of the garden? - have managed to move that glass to the box in the utility room
• Still enjoying decluttering. As well as the decs, two random, never used and unattractive coasters have been put into the charity bag. The thing that I've really noticed about the stuff that I'm getting shot of, is that most of it wasn't something that I bought. It was either passed to me as a present, or given when someone else was decluttering. This suggests that at least I know my own taste - which is probably true as I'm very picky about things that I buy.

I might add more in the day. Feeling a bit sluggish. I blame the weather


Have a good one all


clf x

debbie_debt

Hello again!

I came close to my plan yesterday, but realised that my eldest needed new school shoes before Monday so my NSD went out the window. Annoying, but it was necessary spending. I managed to get the xmas decs down, hoovering done, cook a lasagna from stores and portion a load up for the baby and got a load of whoopies from the local spar, including a 38p fruit loaf that's now in the freezer for my breakfasts for the week

Today, I'll be:
B/L/D from stores
Mealplan for January
Taking baby swimming for free (at a gym we're a member of - so not quite free, but free at the point of access)
Resisting a drink and snack in the gym cafe!
Making a roast beef dinner from stores and portioning up more meals for the baby to avoid buying mega expensive jars.
Dog walking somewhere nice with free car parking
Load of washing and hanging out on the airer/radiators
Continuing my list of local free events and places to visit to go in the diary for the year's entertainment.
Trying to convince my husband that we don't need to spend a fortune on an expensive meal and cocktails when we go away next weekend. The trip was our christmas/anniversary present from my sister, which was lovely of her, but forces us to spend our own money while we're there, which seems like a bit of a mean present when we're broke!!

Have a good DFW day everyone :A

Debbie

CallyHoops

Good morning everyone


Thanks for the kind welcome yesterday. I had a good first day, three bags for the charity shop plus some baskets that have moved around the house more times than I care to remember so powering on today by sorting out the big wall cupboard in our bedroom. Wish me luck!


Other than that:

• Big dog walk in the rain
• Use up sausages in a casserole for dinner
• Make apple crumble with the softening apples in the fruit bowl
• Dry washing in the airing cupboard
• DD lunch from stores - she is working today (beans on toast for us I think!)

I've also got some bananas to use up so might make a banana bread too, see how the big wall cupboard goes and what time I have left as also have a huge pile of ironing with my name on it.


Well happy Sunday everyone, hope its a good one.


Cally :T