Weds 3 August - What small DFW 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:

daydreamsofaunicorn

Morning, hope everyone is well (or as well as can be)

Finishing my 8th nightshift this morning, I’m absolutely shattered!! Looking forward to going home and hopefully not having to come back out until Friday (although this does look very unlikely). Also looking forward to getting lots done today / tonight and finally stop feeling like I’m chasing my tail. Plans for the day:

• Check bank account & update spreadsheet
• Charge phone/fitbit etc whilst still at work
• Check free postcode lottery
• Update spending diary for last few days / signature / Post in challenges that I’ve joined
• Transfer money to Dad
• Food from cupboards
• Chose a book from my huuuge collection to start reading
• Look for receipt for parcel I have sent a friend who hasn’t received it yet
• Go through stock of toiletries and cleaning products & see what I need
• Check direct debits and cancel old ones (paid £42 to Scottish Hydro when I shouldn’t have)
• Be mindful of electricity used
• Check when I should expect deposit from old flat back
• Make Bolognese for dinner and keep some for tomorrow
• Look for surveys / bingo / scratchcards (used to do these years ago, not sure if they’re even still about)
• Look through previous threads for other ideas on how to make some pennies
• Try not to go overboard when online shopping for birthday gift for brother & mum and dad’s anniversary gift
• Find a few things I know I need to take back along with their receipts
• Read some diaries / consider starting one myself (I don’t have any debt so not sure how people would feel about me being on the dfw thread going on about trying to save although I guess it’s pretty much the same as getting rid of debt)
• Update spends / signature at the end of the day
• Remember to take food out freezer for tomorrow
• Not exactly dfw but….work on my super duper things to do by the end of the month list (which is 2 pages long already!)

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!
Lx

YORKSHIRELASS

Morning all

Tired. Woke up at 1.30 am, went to the loo and realised that DS1 wasnt home. Got back into bed then laid there for half an hour before I decided to come downstairs, retrieve my phone and text him. He was Pokemon hunting(!!!). Then I couldnt get back to sleep. No idea when he eventually came in but his bedroom door is closed and his shoes are in the hall.

Both paid stuff but job no. 2 from home. Bit of housework, gym class tonight. Sinuses still feel stuffy but not as painful as last night. I will take some echinacea I think.

PurpleFairy26

Morning all :hello: thanks for starting us off la E hope you're feeling better yorkshirelass

My veg box arrived :j so I can now meal plan based on what we got. Lovely. It's the small things

My list today:
Left over melon I found in fridge to work as a snack
Left over spag Bol from tea for lunch
Bottle of (tap) water to work, hot drink for commute
Check banking, update spreadsheet
Check surveys and FPL
Text FIL to tell him I've ordered mil cake and how much it is
Washing out on line after doing on 30.
Meal plan

I'm sure there will be more. Enjoy your day folks. PF.

Bobarella

Morning All

Princess eeek to 4 weeks! Now have The Final Countdown music in my head for you

Daydreamsofaunicorn I dont think anyone would mind you having a savings diary in the DF section. But if you are trying to pay down your mortgage there is one for that too. 8 nightshifts is epic.

So small things today
1. Find something cheap or inexpensive to entertain the children today
2. Make a fruity cake to use up peaches (from yesterdays list)
3. Look around for roadkill. Found 32p yesterday
4. OH is working from home for the next 2 days which has saved hs around £20 this week
5. Just had a text to book a party. Thats £60 into the business kittty

Think thats it for me.

Bob

PurpleFairy26

http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/treeparty/?

Just signed up for this was in martins e mail this week if you have smalls

determined_new_ms

Hi guys - thanks for the starter La E! Princess I agree eek to the wedding being 4 weeks away! So exciting for you and you've done so we well on your budget x

Ok quick post as I dgd wanting a lot of attention. Have resorted to putting on an episode of PJ Masks so I can get 25 minutes to get a few things done before craft session. We're making little dolls out of toilet roll tubes and crafty bits in the house. Must remain patient!

Don't think I'm going to get a lot done today! Things I need/hope to do:

* tidy up!
* picked some courgettes, mangetout and chillis will freeze last 2 as won't eat today. Saving red chillis until I have enough to make chilli jam mmmmmm
* NSD - apart from a walk to the park and nipping to the allotment to check on/water plants later not planning on going anywhere to spend any money today
* all meals from stores
* make flapjacks with dgd this afternoon
* turn composter, add more brown materials & coffee grounds
* look for new bb supplier - still trying to bring living costs down!
* list some things on fleabay
* reply to fleabayer. Opps this slipped off of my radar yesterday!
* go to the allotment for an hour or so this evening
* read martin's email

Ok that's about it I think! Happy Wednesday y'all! x

determined_new_ms

whoop! Just had email from HR to say they've received they've received notification my dbs has been issued! So that means I'll be able to agree a start date with them :j

Can't say what a relief this is! This week has been financially very difficult as I have needed to spend out £145 on car tax, £60 on my car and I have committed £150 to helping my dd get things for her new flat. It has been hard to watch my savings just disappearing before my eyes! :beer:

Rejoice with me small things peeps! :beer:

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)
  
• Marriage Tax Allowance (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 28 June 2016.

foxgloves

Morning Money Savers,
Washing machine played up big time yesterday. It's old, so I imagined we'd be pricing up new ones today, but the load I put on first thing has washed & spun just fine so I'll keep an eye on it & experiment with different programmes. On to the frugal list:
*Laundry pegged outside where it's blowing dry in lovely breezy sunshine.
*Dough churning in the BM for a batch of little dinner rolls for when we have guests this weekend.
*A use-it-up onion & end of some celery chopped & in a container in the fridge for use in soup.
*Remembered to take pasta bake out of freezer for tonight & also 2 portions of the spicy chickpeas I froze last week for tomorrow's meal. We used to succumb to take-aways so often in the bad old days simply because we'd forgotten to take our food for that night out of the freezer. It's hardly rocket science, is it? But we used to be terrible, & now we're not, so anybody can reform their bad habits.
*Checked online banking. Loan is in account. Very straightforward, quick process. Just got to be sensible over car purchase now (may have to reign mr f in a bit. He's a reformed character these days, he really is, but he still seems to have a hankering for these 'limited editions'. He was in love with one we saw the other week, which I wasn't quite so keen on as not as new as I would like, but his longings came to nought as it was an automatic :-)
*Paid some money across to CC - another case of using it to buy planned budgeted for items then paying off within a couple of days to maximise vouchers from loyalty points.
*Water veggie garden & greenhouse.
*Pick tomatoes & spring onions.
*Pack work snacks for tomorrow.
*Might do ironing if I have time.....but will only be doing those things which really need it & will be switching off for final garment. These little things have to add up over time.
*Read meters & sent to energy provider who requested them so they must be getting ready to make up bills. Fingers crossed that we will still have a wodge of credit towards the winter. I think we will.
*Hopefully knit a bit more of Mum's present. I don't seem to have done very much recently....just 10 rows here & there.
Have a good day all.
F x

WannabeRich

Morning all!

I'm taking both DC to London today to see Les Mis. (They got a free and a half-price ticket in the Kids week promotion.) To minimise the cost, I'm :

-- walking us all to/from station -- Pokemon turns that from a trudge into a chance to pass 12 Pokestops!
-- bringing packed lunches and drinks
-- walking us back.