What small DFW things will you do this week? w/c 19/12

determined_new_ms

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

phew felt like i was I was right in double thread territory!

Happy Monday guys not esp I ally much going on today dfw wise as am driving to my dd's and we're starting operation lounge man I hate decorating! Cleaned and emptied my car of any additional weight yesterday :eek: she will be feeding and watering me. Massive expense of going to buy her a carpet....

Grab something out of the freezer for tonight, call in at the sm on the way home tonight and see if there's a turkey....

packed lunches and bags for tomorrow

Get photos out of the loft

Hang up load of washing.

Freeze some chickpeas that aren't going to be used

OK that's and LL x

Allotrope

Good morning!

Today I'm going to persuade DD to clean my car for her pocket money instead of taking it to the car wash, and clipper the dog myself instead of paying £35 for a groomer to do it. It doesn't look nearly as good but I won't be as sad when he rolls in a cow pat either.

I'm also planning to investigate my pension paperwork as I haven't done this since I switched careers, and earn some Swagbucks... have a great Monday everyone!

foxgloves

Morning Campers,
Thanks for starting, DNMS. Today I will:
*Put another load of laundry on timer for a cheap tariff wash.
*Do rubber chicken. I can easily get another 2 days of meals from it, probably some sandwiches too & will be using the carcass for stock in tge slow cooker.
*Make lemon curd for a Christmas gift. Find a couple of nice jars from my recycled stash.
*Finish last round of my festive family quiz (which will involve them having to model something out of out of date icing, so should be fun)
*Crack on with 2nd sock so that I can wear them soon.
*Write my Christmas Eve baking schedule.
*Check online banking for a £30 payment which should have gone out late Oct/early Nov but has not appeared on our statements. It was the 1st 'double payment' of a new insurance policy. I understood it was to cover Oct & Nov, then normal monthly £16 payments would be collected from Dec. The Dec dd has gone out normally but no sign of the initial double one.
*1 survey done. Might do some more later if I feel like it.
*Another Amazon code received from brand forum I'm on at the moment, so will update my signature for survey income.
Ok....time to get myself moving.
F x

crazy_cat_lady

Morning all :coffee:
Well, I survived to the end of term :j although I confess to being pretty exhausted still. I'm quite pleased that I have the week ahead to wind down a bit, even though I have loads of little jobs that need doing, that I've been putting off for months. I've made a big list and today is about starting to progress through it. None of it is work related though...
So, here's today's list...
:xmassmile wash up
:xmassmile check banking and PAD (long story but we've ended up really short of cash this month, and it's not down to my overspending for a change)
:xmassmile fill at least 1 bag with rubbish
:xmassmile empty the recycling
:xmassmile try and start some present wrapping
:xmassmile urgently finish writing Christmas cards and post them
:xmassmile get on with crochet/knitting
:xmassmile change the bedding and wash
:xmassmile aim for nsd apart from posting cards
Hopefully now I'm back to list making I'll actually get something done today - have a good one everybody!

carrielovesfanta

Morning all!

Thanks to DNMS for starting the thread.

Finally got some sleep last night! Hooray!

Plus OH revisited operation Make-A-Loaf with success

Today's mission:

• B/L/D from stores
• Do budget spreadsheet with OH (will be baaaaad!)
• Crochet
• Heating on as little as poss
• Crossfit at lunchtime - really fun workout today
• Poss look at new energy tariff as ours either ends soon or has ended.
• Buy secret santa pressie
• Book nice cheap flights to see friend in Tenerife. Norwegian air do some good deals. - £90 each. Very good!

Will add more if I think of it

Have a good one all

clf x

1LuckyLady

Afternoon all,

Thanks for the start Dnms, good luck on your hunt for the ys Turkey!

Clf, Glad you got a good nights sleep

CCL, nice to see you back posting, hope you get lots of relaxation time this holidays

Foxgloves, Glad to hear that you got your results.

Allotrope, Sounds like you're going to be busy

We got back from our long weekend this afternoon. We had a lovely time and it ended with us saying we'd take my parents to the Toby carvery as a thank you but then they wouldn't let us pay. So apart from the petrol costs its been a really cheap weekend but the family time all together was priceless
(It was great to have a carvery as we have nothing in the fridge other then sauces, Mr T delivery booked for tomorrow )
Mse things we did included
- taking all the food needed with us, saved lots of time and lots of money
- took some bottles of alcohol with us, none of us really drink much as we are usually drinking but as we were all staying together it was the perfect opportunity, finished off the bottle of gin we bought for xmas 2014 and took a £3.75 bottle of baileys type stuff instead of the usual £10+ for proper baileys
- brought home the toiletries that were left in the shower rooms
- walked for miles, the car was parked on Friday lunchtime and not touched again until this morning.
- Had the heating on high in our accommodation most of the time
- took kids drinks/bottles, snacks etc into the entertainment shows etc spending less then £10 in total, which would have probably cost £35+ in total if we'd bought there!

Since coming home
* Checked banking/updated spreadsheets
* The washing machine has gone on with our weekends washing So nice not having lots of towels to do for a change
* Tonights food is going to be cheese & crackers after such a big lunch (also don't have much else in so it will have to do!)

Still need to
** Check fpl/luckypne/numberplate
** Radiator shuffle the washing
** Relax

Hope everyone is doing ok and enjoying the run up to Christmas.

DawnW

Afternoon all
Today I have / will:
No heating on downstairs, woodburner just been lit though!
Dog walks x 2, free exercise
Went to sales unit, added more stock and tidied up
Posted 3 ebay parcels -from now on I am saying no to 'can you get it to me by Christmas' pleas - what with it only being a few days away, and Post Office industrial action this week, I can make no such promises!
Took boxes of Maltesers to lovely sales unit and Post Office ladies Not moneysaving I guess, but nice to give a little thank you to people who have helped me out over the year
Popped into Iceland with shopping vouchers from RM surveys, I had £13 worth saved up. Bought tins of tuna, bread tea bags etc, plus some chocs for home, stuff to make a trifle etc for Christmas. Just over £19 of shopping for £6 something
Bought offer veg from Lidls, they look as though they will keep ok for a few days If they start to look a bit past it I will freeze them!
Chopped up and froze some chorizo that won't get used in the next week
Crossed items I have bought off shopping list so I don't buy them again! I have one more modest shopping trip planned, and anything we haven't got after that, we will make do without!
OH is out tonight, so a jacket potato and salad will do dinner for me!

I OUGHT to wrap some presents, but am unlikely to find the motivation for this tonight!

Bobarella

Hi All

Luckylady I'm amazed you have gin from 2014! That would not happen in my house I've never understood the leftover wine people use up in cooking either! If we open a bottle (wine) it gets used hic

Cat you made it!!!

Home made lemon curd sounds fantastic foxgloves

Baileys_Babe

No idea what is wrong with me today, woke up feeling completely washed out and I haven't improved

Earlier today I ran the children to various HE sessions as well as popping to Tesco's to pick up some things and managed to find a top to wear on Saturday night when we attend Christmas dinner with friends and family. The top was reduced to £6 and I had a voucher for £3 off £20 and the total for everything was £20.28, I have decided to use the voucher for the top.

This afternoon the Christmas tree was decorated and before our visitors arrive we have other decorations to put up as well as making something for the door, probably a wreath.

I've come to bed to see if an early night will improve things for tomorrow, so I should get off my parents and sleep.

Bobarella

I felt like that the other day BB had a horrible cold and no energy. It has now passed thankfully. Hope you feel better soon.

determined_new_ms

Not long back from visiting dd and the day decorating. Decorating went well and we got a lot done. Probably another 1 1/2 days and it will be done.

Nipped in the sm's on way home to see if there were any ys items got some prawn party food nibbles stuff for 9p, 500 grms natural yogurt for 3 1p and 2 loaves of bread @ 15p e also purchased a whole salmon which I got oh to fillet and have now portioned it up and froze. I have a problem with groceries at the moment as our freezers are bursting. Going to look through my Christmas list and whittle it down. I think we only really want for Christmas, a bottle of wine, a bottle of irish cream, a turkey (arrrrgggggghhhhhhhhh! Still no sign!) Some fresh fruit and veg and a box of pringles and a box of chocolate. Then I must keep my purse shut until well into the new year!

Dd gave me a handheld vacuum which is fortuitous as oh has been hankering for one, and a couple of rolls and some ham we didn't eat today (she was going to her bf's) actually just remembered I paid for it!

Still to finish off getting ready for tomorrow. Think I'm going to go and have a bath and read my book as oh is watching football....