Wed 20th Jan - What small DFW things will you do today?

twiggy86

Morning all!

Last night I really wanted to be lazy but I thought to myself "no I've told the kind small things folks this is what I'm doing" so did some housework! :rotfl: So thanks for the motivation!

I also made overnight oats for breakfast (which I'm yet to eat yet as I'm rubbish at eating in the mornings!) as OH ate the last banana and I was going to attempt a smoothie this morning!

Yesterday was also a NSD!

So today I have/will:-
* Check banks
* Do a money shuffle so all money is in correct account
* Use free moisturiser
* Do washing up
* Rummage through freezer for something for dinner
* Take sausages out of freezer
* Take breakfast and lunch to work
* Check FPL
* Charge phone in work
* Read Martin's email
* Try to drink lots of water at work
* Pop to Home Bargains at lunch and only get what is needed!
* Go for a run(?)
* Dinner from stores
* Tidy bedroom
* Start sorting out utility room and two cupboards (maybe not all tonight) in preparation for getting my bum in gear and do some painting/diy this weekend!

Think that's everything for today. It will be an early night for me after a horrendous nights sleep!

debbie_debt

allydowd wrote: »

I'm really grateful that she cooks during the week, but does she have to 'decorate' the kitchen quite so liberally with food?! So, I powered down my laptop and headed into battle.

Ally you do make me laugh sometimes! This is a very similar narrative that goes through my mind each and every time my husband attempts to cook. I'm sure he does it on purpose so I dissuade him from it in future!!

For the first day in ages we've really got no major plans today. DS2 is tucked up for his morning nap as we speak but I've no idea what I'll do with him for the rest of the day when he wakes up. Maybe swimming at the gym to make use of our membership?

Other than entertaining the bear (his nickname :rotfl:), I will:

Rejoice that I seem to have had a £152 tax rebate through my wages, meaning that we don't have to tap the emergency fund to get us through to OHs payday :T
Aim for a NSD
Go through the meal planner to make sure I've ordered everything we need on the food delivery due tomorrow.
Hoover our filthy house
Breakfast/lunch/dinner from stores

Only a little list from me today. Have a good Wednesday everyone!

Debbie

lego_mum

Thanks for the start Ally,

Bob, Like Baileysbabe I do enough porridge for 5 days (also don't have a bigger bowl!!). Keeps well just needs a bit of milk to thin out when reheating. I also cook it in the microwave.

determined_new_ms

Morning guys :wave: thanks for starting the thread ally. Your kitchen sounds like my whole house every morning :eek::o:rotfl:

eek to those of you out in the frosty weather this morning. I just put the bins out and for those few short minutes it felt lovely and crisp.

My small plans for today:

*[STRIKE] checked banking[/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] read martin's email[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]put a load of washing on[/STRIKE] and hang on dryer
* [STRIKE]put away washing that is dry[/STRIKE]
* [STRIKE]continue with the spring clean of the kitchen - can only do it in fits and spurts as have dgd and she wants to play all of the time Will wash the windows & maybe clean out a cupboard[/STRIKE] did one window - it's all about the small things riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?
* [STRIKE]all meals from stores.[/STRIKE]
* put air in tyres - have borrowed my neighbours foot pump :T
*[STRIKE] do my meditations for the day. Have almost done my morning ones [/STRIKE]
* take dgd to a free play session this afternoon went to the museum instead
* submit meter readings
* [STRIKE]have updated frugal living s/s. We have really underspent on Jan grocery budget so should be able to put a bit extra to debt repayment :T [/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] freeze some stewed plums I made yesterday - was inspired by Dawn yesterday [/STRIKE]

That seems like enough Hope everyone has a great day x

foxgloves

Morning Campers,
Lol at description of Ally's kitchen. Mine looks the same right now, but I'm responsible for that myself! Will have to clear up as soon as I've finished my coffee (priorities!), or there will be no space for washing & stacking my jars for sterilising. OK, today's frugal activity:
*Soup for lunch (made yesterday). mr f took a portion for work & I've frozen the rest.
*Last of the rubber chicken & a big round up of veg made into chicken stew, as didn't get round to this yesterday. Just as well though, as a chilly stroll down the garden revealed some turnips for using & some nice parsley.
*Chickpeas I soaked yesterday cooked & am making spicy chickpea burgers. Delia recipe which we both like. Mixture made, just cooling ready to be made into burgers. Makes 8, so will put 2 aside to serve in buns with pickles & salad tomorrow, & will freeze the others as that's 3 more days of dinners later on.
*Marmalade oranges I prepped yesterday simmering on the hob. Just got to get my jars washed & into the oven, then can start jamming it. Am adding a dash of orange liqueur as it really brings out the brightness of the orangey flavour. I use some of this for presents. Dad has put in a request for his jar already!
*Make tomorrow's packed lunch.
*Keep downstairs heating off for as long as possible, despite fact that cat is massively grumping because the fire isn't on.
*Make a note on calendar of when energy company says our goodwill gesture payment will be in the bank. Development in this saga yesterday. Skip this bit as it's a bit dull, but for those who like this sort of thing. Here is the saga so far:
1) I don't get a bill between April 2015 & October 2015. I hear that the provider is having problems bedding in a new IT system from an email received about something else.
2)Mid-Oct, still no bill. I go online & discover that they have written to customers apologising & explaining that bills will be issued end of Oct. I didn't get a letter of any kind. I notice on my account that I am showing a balance credit of around £900. I email Customer Services to raise a complaint about lack of communication & pointing out that customers cannot budget for winter without knowing the true state of their accounts. No reply.
3)End of Oct. No bill. I send a letter of complaint about continued lack of bill & no response to my email of complaint.
4)End of first week in November, bill arrives. We are indeed in credit. Even after the 2 previously unbilled quarters have been deducted, we are £648 in credit. I raise a rebate of £248 via their website & receive a reply telling me this is fine & will be transferred to my bank account.
5)Later that week, a Customer Advisor rang me & apologised profusely for poor communications. I said I was feeling a lot happier now because I'd had my bill & had requested a rebate to deal with the stupidly high amount of credit on our account. He said he was ringing to offer me a £25 goodwill gesture payment to make up for poor communications. I accepted & he said it would arrive in my account in 14 days.
6)14 days later, no payment. 25 days later no payment, so I contact them again. Yes, they've paid me, but into my energy account. I explain that I'd talked to the advisor about reducing the credit balance on our account so why would he put it there & not into my bank account. Advisor says it can easily be transferred to my bank account, but will take about 14 days.
7)30 days later, no sign of it, so I contact them again and complain that I have now had poor communication from them on a goodwill gesture which was paid to me in amends for their..........poor communication.
8) I receive an email saying they understand my frustration but procedures must be followed so I will need to submit meter readings in 7 days time for them to be able to sanction the goodwill payment!
9)I reply (am now at Foxgloves Assertiveness Level 3) to say that nothing had previously been mentioned about meter readings, that this payment is not connected to my energy use at all, & that if readings were needed all along, then I had obviously been given wrong information by the previous advisor which had wasted a whole month, not to mention my time & energy checking for the bloody thing every couple of days!
10) Yesterday, I receive an email from a different advisor, apologising, & assuring me that the goodwill gesture payment which has now been increased to £50, will be in our bank account in 10 - 14 days.
This isn't even an energy company I dislike! I understand they have had horrendous IT issues & that they've had lots of new staff, but this has just gone on for far too long. Let's hope I'll soon be posting on my daily thread that the money has arrived!
For anyone who made it to the end of that saga, please go & put the kettle on & have a coffee. You deserve it for endurance!
CCL - Glad you are finding the Annoying Things List idea useful. I found I was sick of beating myself up over jobs which have been sitting there for ages, in some cases years, & I'm finding it motivating getting them done.
Love to all, must clear the kitchen for all my marmaladey jars now,
F xx

lego_mum

Foxgloves - I knew you'd been having an issue with the goodwill payment but didn't realise how long it had been going on! (what level number is top in Foxgloves assertiveness levels? )

Dh's mum has sent a package for the kids, they'd been to America and got the kids (well it was DH actually who asked for it) some Hershey bars, a Fantastic Mr Fox book, a little lego set & the Brian Robot from confused.c0m. I'm thinking I won't give them to the kids yet but maybe keep them for half term for a rainy day activity.

Happy to say I'm feeling a lot better this morning. Another night on the nightnurse and I actually feel quite human! Still not going to push my self today, will hopefully be back to normal activities tomorrow.

Todays list

Health & Fitness plans (lose this weight once and for all, no fad diets ever again!)
:starmod: Walk the boys to & from the bus stop :A
:starmod: Walk at least 7000 steps to get bounts points
:starmod: Eat for health
:starmod: Drink water through the day :A
:starmod: Monitor fitness goals etc using my fitbit daily & adjust when needed

Daily jobs:
:starmod: [STRIKE]Wash a load at 30 degrees [/STRIKE]:A not enough for a load
:starmod: [STRIKE]Hang washing on the line if dry/radiators if not[/STRIKE]
:starmod: Check banks/update spreadsheet :A
:starmod: Delete junk from emails :A
: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 :A ys sausages with mash & veg tonight
:starmod: Make families lunches for tomorrow
:starmod: Minimum heating on (set for 30 mins before dh gets up), plenty of blankets & jumpers available :A

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

Money making schemes
:starmod: Inbox pounds 4 searches :A
:starmod: Swagbucks :A
:starmod: Check Fpl
:starmod: Check luckyphone :A
:starmod: Check for surveys :A

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

Extras
:starmod: Make a date cake
:starmod: Email a thank you to my mother in law. :A
:starmod: Dh had to go to a meeting this morning and was sent a hire car for the day so no fuel/wear&tear costs for his car today :A
:starmod: DH will also get his lunch bought for him so lunch needed from me :A
:starmod: Message my mum and ask if she's got the local What's on brochure that would cover February half term, need to look for cheap activities to do with the kids :A

Hope everyone has a good day.

foxgloves

LegoMum - Lol. I go up to a Level 4, but I rarely have to use it, as Level 3 is so assertive that it generally gets results. Level 4 is kind of the scary level.
f x

lego_mum

foxgloves wrote: »

LegoMum - Lol. I go up to a Level 4, but I rarely have to use it, as Level 3 is so assertive that it generally gets results. Level 4 is kind of the scary level.
f x

Lol, lets hope that the energy company get it right now so they don't see level 4!

greensalad

I hate letting agents :mad:

Because I'm self-employed (company director) I told the LL my financial referencing might be a bit of a 'mare. He said it's fine, my partner's salary is enough to cover it most probably so they'll reference him.

Great. We go into referencing and he gets an email, fills in stuff, does HR department stuff, all golden. It's taken a week but we thought today was the day we were going to find out it was done.

Nope, they send ME a letter saying I need to do referencing. When we ask them why it's taken a week for them to decide they just ignore.

Why are letting agents so evil?! Ugh.

La_escocesa

[FONT=&quot]Hi everyone [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Thanks for the kick off Ally. :A [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I’ve been trying not to panic about where I’m going to find an extra £600 a month when my flat is empty come 1 February. My tenant had previously said she’d stay on after her fixed term ends on 30th Jan but then changed her mind meaning I got just over a week’s notice. Grrr. [FONT=&quot]:mad: [/FONT]It’s things like this that set me back to square one – I was just starting to get together with our finances and had started saving for empty periods but so far that fund only has £100. I could potentially ask for a mortgage repayment holiday for a few months while the place is on the market but what good would that do?! Then I’d be in more negative equity. I expect they wouldn’t allow it. Have been reading about how the mortgage co might accept a lower-than-outstanding balance purchase offer if it’s still more than they could get if it was repossessed, but in the meantime [FONT=&quot]I'll trundle on... [/FONT]:([/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Anyway, enough of my drivel... on with the small things: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Free parking at work courtesy of colleague off sick - £2 saved :T [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Cereal in work – free milk :cool: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Packed lunch :A [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Replied to biz email – could really do with the extra business!! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Looking for jobs for OH (he’s starting to make some money with his biz but not enough tbh!) [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]checking YNAB [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Leftovers for dinner tonight – Mexican chicken ‘lasagne’ type thing with salad :cool:[/FONT]