Wednesday 16 March - 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, :hello:
Thanks for all the good wishes about dh. I am thrilled that he managed to get himself into work. He's usually a delivery driver but has gone back for 4 hours a day to do a bit of warehouse and admin work just for the time being. He was ok when he got home - said it was easy and couldn't be a long term thing for him, but he's pleased to be back in work.
Long day ahead for me. Full day of teaching, assembly, then parents evening. It will be a late finish for me and the kids
Here's my list:
Check banking and PAD
Read Martin's email
Meals from stores
Minimise use of heating
Aim for NSD
Do NOT stress at work
Full day of teaching
Get DH to do a bit of shopping before we run out of milk
It has to be short because I'm so busy with work. Have a good day all. :beer:

PurpleFairy26

Morning all :hello: thanks for starting us off cat glad your DH managed yesterday, hopefully things can move forward for all of you

My Wednesday will mainly look like this :
All washing away before builder gets here - last handful of items on rad now
Lunch to work, freezer raid (pakora and ys bread roll) will have defrosted by lunch time, plus slice of hm bread pudding, really easy and cheap recipe, will definitely be making more. May add dates next time to use up too
Check banking, pad, check surveys and FPL. Did really well yesterday and got about £1 from 1poll
Beef goulash in SC - done
Put curtains back up tonight, take pictures so I can sell in a couple of weeks when blinds arrive
Put some money on discounted cards I got from work discount site yesterday, must move from various pots to cover it. Got between 10-15% discount so very happy
Mum picking up gift from a shop for me today to save deliver cost
Last of out of date gifted bananas in breakfast smoothie

Think that's all, check back later

ziggy2407

Morning All

CCL - Thanks for starting us off today, so glad that your DH felt confident to go to work

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.

Another dull and overcast day forecast. Today I will:

Packed lunch for DH & DS - Done
Check Bank - Done
Walk to Post Office Sorting Office (need to collect 2 parcels missed yesterday) -
Ironing -
Declutter -
Bump listings on freegle/facebook etc -
Read -
Craft -
Continue purge on Emails -
Complete a few surveys -
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

foxgloves

CCL - Excellent news about your OH.
Jonno - I often make bread pudding (from the old Crank's cookbook). My Dad adores it so I sometimes make him one if I've got stale bread, milk, etc, to use up. Also, it freezes really well & as it contains wholemeal bread, dried fruit, etc, it can be a useful portable breakfast too, as it's filling & is nice with coffee. Never tried using dates but have used dried apricots, mixed peel & once I even crumbled in the last portion of Christmas pudding! Nothing wasted here!
Ziggy - Hello! Really grey again here. Bet you're the same.
F x

DawnW

Morning all
Thanks for starting us off CCL
Just a quick hello, as it is grandma day, and little GD will be here shortly.

I shan't get much done today, but it helps DD out by saving her childcare costs

* Finished off last of rhubarb from the freezer with breakfast porridge - moving onto blackberry and apple next
* Quick tidy up and put away items I don't want GD to get hold of (knives from cutlery drainer etc)
* Dog walk #1 done
* Washing off airer, folded and put in airing cupboard

Still to do:
* HM meals from stores
* Entertain GD for free

I will come back later to update if I manage to do anything else. Hope you all have a good day

foxgloves

Morning all,
Well, I decided to forego my car day today to save mr f from a 4 mile walk. He likes walking but has had a terrible night's sleep. Someone (not him) has ****** up on a work project & today he has to explain this to a SM (who is beyond dense) whose first thought is always who she can blame. So I'm planning a gardening day instead & hpping our tame robin will come & join me.
*Last of this week's laundry dried overnight on heated airer. Only paid to dry 1 load this week.
*Post ebay parcel.
*Free fitness digging over another big flower bed. I know I'd loathe the gym, but physical work in the fresh air surrounded by green stuff is another matter.
*Dinner as per meal plans - rice with turkey chilli I batch-cooked after Christmas. Lovely recipe. We always miss it when the last portion has gone.
*Check for surveys later but not intending to spend long on this.
*Work on my recycled coffee bag project if I have time.
Ok that's it. Hope everyone has a nice day.
Ziggy - I've just left you a little message in my previous post saying I bet the weather is grey & dull 'up the road' where you are too, but since typing that.....the sun's come out & there are 2 patches of blue!! That"s enough for me. Boots just going on & off to fetch the spade.
F xx
*

greensalad

Finally nearly finished unpacking, and getting into proper MSE ways again!

:starmod: [strike]Open First Direct ISA[/strike]
:starmod: Close First Direct savings
:starmod: [strike]Let work know about new account details[/strike] not sure if it'll be in place for tomorrow
:starmod: [strike]Eat breakfast and lunch from work canteen to save money[/strike]
:starmod: Get BF to send back his proof-of-address details for M&S bank
:starmod: Try and sew some drawers for new unit
:starmod: Carry on with washing
:starmod: Sort out and throw away old towels
:starmod: Put rest of rubbish in shed ready for collection

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)
  
• Cooking On A Bootstrap, cheap recipes ( Link)
• eBid ( Link )
  
• Freecycle ( Link )
• Free Postcode Lottery ( Link )
• FreeStuff ( Link )
  
• FreeUKStuff ( Link )
• Income Tax Calculator (Link)
  
• i-Say Surveys (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 )
• Wombling Guide (Link)
  
• You Need A Budget site and App (Link)

Checked 25 Feb 2016.

allydowd

Hi March Money-Watchers,

Thanks for the starter CCL:

Work day today but I had a chance to finish at 10.30am so I did. I work 10 hour shifts but a pay loophole means I can work 2.5 hours and then claim 10 hours holiday pay for the rest of the day. So, this means today I will be paid for 12.5 hours not 10 hours. I'm taking lots of holiday just now as another loophole means I can get paid holiday pay at manager's rate not associate's rate even though I stopped being a manager a month ago. OH came to pick me up but I walked the first 1km to save her a 2km detour.

Debt Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Month Ten:

* Took a packed lunch...but brought it home. Am turning the contents into an omelette.

* Watch the Budget.

* OH has repotted my indoor fuchsia and taken cuttings so we can have more free baby fuchsialings. I tended said fuchsia by removing white-fly, again.

* OH has brought more of last year's homegrown garlic and onions out of storage for us to use.

* Recharge solar-powered calculator on windowsill.

* Council Tax bill 2016 has arrived. Add figures to spreadsheet. Thankfully no increase again.

* Wrap OH's birthday gifts with paper left over from Decemberfest. She doesn't mind.

How you all doing?

HelleBelle

Hi all!

Today I have got a packed lunch.
Will check FPL.
Make drinks at work.
Bought a cheeky breakfast (£1.57 - bad)
Have a performance review later so hopefully a small payrise will be winging it's way to me next month (fingers crossed)
Will look into switching bank accounts to separate out my OD (thanks greensalad)

Hope you all have a great day!