What small DFW things will you do this week - 5 Sept.

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 :coffee: :hello:
As I'm up and about for work(!) I thought I'd start us off this week. Back to reality with the 6.30 alarm, but also back into routine... Just me up and about as the kids aren't back until tomorrow. I'm going to finish my breakfast then head straight off.
So, today's plans include
check banking and PAD
aim for nsd
all meals from stores except free buffet lunch at work
try and stay calm
make time for myself
exercise for health
leave a housework list for dh and the kids
knit/crochet
That will do - just really need to see what the day brings.

Bobarella

Morning Cat and all who follow

Hitting the trail again shortly. Things for the day
* Walk as much as I can
* Meeting with gallery owner
* Chase accountant about worrying letter
* Look for a good local electrician
* OH taking last of sausages for lunch
* Will use up leftovers for lunch for me
* Try and do some tidying post weekend
* Check banking
* Go to business bank and pay in some cash then pay water bill.

Think thats it for now.

Bye all.

Bob

ooitsme

I did my things yesterday even though I felt rubbish! = win

Today's things

1) go through my big pile of recipes which need organising and find some meal inspiration for using up stuff I already have

2) go through my bank statements for reclaiming on the last PDL I have to process

3) apart from petrol, I will have a NSD today.

Go for a run (but that's not money saving, although indirectly it is as I will have the energy to do one and two!)

determined_new_ms

Morning guys Quick post for me before I head out of the door. Have an office day today, which feels good as going around visiting schemes and people has left me feeling a little rudderless this past 2 weeks! Looking forward to building relationships with the people who are based in the office I am in

* checked banking & paid cc in full. Will do transfers from various pots this evening and set up ss
* got paid £15 for MS I did last month (ha it's ironic that now that I am hardly spending any money cos I'm on a consumer break I seem to keep getting extra cash! I got £15 in interest & £15 today. Paid at the end of last month for 3 days work and can't see myself spending it all! Oh the irony :rotfl:)
* submit expenses - only £4 but it's mine!
* lunch is lo salsa chicken with black beans with a couple of spoonfuls of lo rice to bulk it out & hm greek yogurt with pineapple. Foraged apples for snacks
* need to get petrol on way to work
* some exercise later. If it brightens up might go for a bike ride if not then might do 20 day shred
* need to go out in my lunch break and get a birthday card for my ds

Ok that's it. Have a great day x

MustTryHarderNow

Hi, new to the forum but keen! Today I will:
-make lunch from what I have (working at home today)
-check bank
-aiming for a No Spend Day. I guess paying my daughter's outstanding after school club balance doesn't count - it's from the joint account lol)
-dinner from what we have
(edit) - suddenly realised it's for the week not just today. Well, am working away so will try to avoid spending on travel snacks etc that I can't claim on expenses, and on Friday (day off) I will work on the book I'm writing in an attempt to make a little money on the side. I'll let you all know when you can buy it :-)


That's it. Am struggling to find other ways to save, will use this forum for inspiration! We already don't eat out/drink/smoke etc, I don't have gym membership etc. All ideas welcome.

It's mainly my coffee-out habit that's killing my good intentions. But working alone all day in the house, sometimes I just want to get out and see another human! Must resist!

That's it
-MTHN

Bobarella

MTHN yep I get that urge too sometimes. Perhaps dont go cold turkey on something that provides a valid social interaction but have a treat day instead. Plus if you go somewhere that has a loyalty scheme then you can get free ones. Or become a womble like me and look for the Mcd beans on discarded cups. Ok McD is not great but free coffee and somewhere with wifi to sit for a bit cant be discounted.

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)

SPOTLIGHT ON COUPON SHOP:

What is Cooking On A Bootstrap?

COAB is a website listing cheap recipes. Some are as cheap as 30p.

Here's the link if you want to try it out. (Link)



Links checked 28 August 2016.

allydowd

MustTryHarderNow wrote: »

That's it. Am struggling to find other ways to save, will use this forum for inspiration! We already don't eat out/drink/smoke etc, I don't have gym membership etc. All ideas welcome.

Welcome MTHN.

I would suggest: reading through my big purple list (above) for ideas.

The big savers/moneymakers in our household are:

-Join RM Surveys. You get rewarded in High Street vouchers and postage stamps. It is legal to sell on the stamps on eBay as long as you don't sell each stamp for more than it would cost at the Post Office. Last month I received £10 in vouchers and £12 in stamps for about 45 mins work.

- Use half the amount of washing powder recommended on the box. I promise you your clothes will still be clean or switch to using soap nuts. See details in here: (Link)

- Use Flubit to buy from Amazon more cheaply.

- Use the links in the purple list for freebies and discounts.

- Do not waste any food: none: nada: nichts. If you have a freezer put leftovers in it, even one piece of bread of a spoonful of veg. Find uses for everything: weetabix crumbs can be used to top crumble, for example. Wee scraps from the fridge can go into an omelette.

- Come into this Forum every day, you'll learn loads and we are a lovely bunch.

- Use the Demotivator. (Link) Did you know that if you spend £10 a week in coffee shop that's £520 a year? We have luxury coffee at home on weekends. We make coffee in the cafetiere and instead of milk use condensed milk and some whisky. Cheaper than coffee shops, still delicious.

-Most importantly...do a Money Makover. Here's it is. People have saved thousands by reading this page. I bet if you spend one day ploughing through it you will save at least £300 a year. (Link) That's not a lot of time to put in for big savings.

Good luck.

MustTryHarderNow

Ha I love McDs coffee because it is the cheapest - and actually not bad coffee either. I always collect the stickers! Am trying to take a flask out in the car with me at lunch (I live rurally) for my break, look at the countryside. Might cave in and go into town though, just to see some human faces!

MustTryHarderNow

Thanks! Yes, it's my coffee out habit that is my hardest to break, as I spend so much time alone that sometimes I just want to see people even if all I say is Large Latte Please. I reckon I can easily spend £15-20 a week on it if I am in a bad patch. I've been better lately but that's still a huge chunk of cash I should be putting against debt/using for my daily life to avoid using the credit card. NOT on coffee anyway!

Thanks for ideas, will check them out, I did the money makeover a couple of years ago and it was v helpful, need to do it again. but it's really the little things now which are all that's left...