What small DFW things will you do w/c 19th November?

PurpleFairy26

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:

PurpleFairy26

Morning all :hello: quick post before I get on with my morning to do list before work:

Check banking
Look for best price for cat food, he definitely has a favourite and it's not the cheapest (obviously ) so want to get the best price for it
Leftovers for lunch for me and one of dawns scones
Packed lunch with some left overs for dd
Made coffee for commute with morning boil
Put washing on airer that was done overnight
Strain chicken stock from roast in sc overnight
Buy a couple of Christmas gifts online tonight, talk to DH about the last couple and then I'll be done, would like that to be by the end of this week so I can focus on other things
Fry up for tea tonight, lovely easy MSE meal
Cancel swimming dd, small is moving lessons to ones that are better and cheaper and closer so we can walk if we wanted :T just wondering why I didn't move her ages ago [eye roll]

Must go get smalls up and get myself ready for work, have a good day everyone, hope those that were feeling poorly are feeling better. Purps.

natlie

Hi

Monday not a fan

Stepped on the scale this morning - eek, Ive been putting off going back to the gym and I'm not one of those people who can lose weight without hard work so I'm doing it today. There is a Pure Gym opening around the corner and its £10.99 a month on the opening offer. Its is going to be my 40th birthday pressie to myself. It doesn't open until Dec 20th - doesn't seem like the best time to start haha

Today, check laundry situation and fold what was washed over the weekend
Heating is on to take the chill off this morning - its been really cold this weekend
Working from home so no travel costs and lunch and dinner from stores
Pay day tomorrow - have finished the month slightly over my overdraft - gutted thought I'd managed ok, worried Ive made a double payment to PayPal.

Painting went really well yesterday, am shattered now though, DD helped but managed to paint most of the tiles in the bathroom so going to clean that mess up too

Have a good Monday all

Nat
x

determined_new_ms

Morning Thanks for starting the thread purps nice one on new swimming lessons ticking so many boxes!

I have a day off today before I go straight back in to this week's shift's tomorrow! At least on Weds my colleague who I get on with is in. Should be a laugh the last 2 days of the week!

Today I'm going to go to the allotment for a couple of hours after dropping madam off. Really need to get serious with my winter prep!

Going to a spa with dd this afternoon a little pre-birthday treat

As well as that I hope to:

[STRIKE]* load of washing. Will hang it out for a few hours. Not sure if it'll do anything but we'll see....[/STRIKE]
* lo lamb stew for oh & I. Will do madam beans on toast (thank goodness for universal free school meals in yr 1 )
[STRIKE]* check onepoll[/STRIKE]
* madam going to free afterschool club - gotta love that extra hour!
* call bank. I didn't get my reward for this month even though I met the criteria last month!
[STRIKE]* call dentist to rebook appt[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* called optician and get them to send referral to dr rather than collecting[/STRIKE]
* knitting sock & reading book when I get time
* I think I will look at my xmas list as see who is left and have a think about what to get them
[STRIKE]* contact friend to see about borrowing something to wear for night out on Sat[/STRIKE]
* contact sil and wish her happy birthday. Send cards
* get food ready for next 3 days at work

Ok that's all. Happy Monday y'all

carrielovesfanta

Morning folks!

Thanks to purps for starting us off.

natalie - if you can, I really recommend weight training. I found that the fat just melted off and I can still eat like a horse (although am eating like two horses atm hahaha)

DNMS - enjoy your spa day!

I was a very good girl and finished everything on the list yesterday :A
I also finished the sock, in the dreaded Drops Delight yarn. Just don't ever buy it. The last ball was the worst yet. Parts of it weren't even spun.

Today's mission:

• B/L/D from stores. Got my butt in gear and made coronation chicken sandwich filler despite the fact that I cba. - done
• Binned a jar of questionable looking HM chutney. Food poisoning is not MSE - done
• OH working today - done
• Charge phone at work - done
• Nab 200ml milk from work for my porridge feel this is ok as I don't take milk in my hot drinks! - done
• Gym at lunchtime (back on it now) - done
• No sugary stuff - done
• No alcohol - done
• Heating off or low depending on temp in house - on for a bit. Off as soon as temp improved.
• Paint window frame tonight? - done
• Cast on last Christmas sock? - about to start

Have a good one all

clf x

allydowd

MONEY MAKING AND SAVING SITES AS OFTEN MENTIONED IN THIS FORUM:

• Benefits check-up (Link)
• Birthday Freebies (Link) New-ish!
  
• Coupon Shop Forum list of money-off coupons (Link)
• Cooking On A Bootstrap, cheap recipes. (Link)
  
• eBid (Link)
• Freecycle (Link)
• Freegle (Link)
  
• FreeStuff (Link)
• FreeUKStuff ( Link )
  
• Income Tax Calculator (Link)
• i-Say Surveys (Link)
• Jobseekers Railcard (Link)
  
• List of online newspapers. At bottom of the linked page. (Link)
  
• Marriage Tax Allowance (Link)
• Martin Lewis' Weekly List of Deals and Tips (Link)
• MSE Bank Charges Comparison Tool (Link)
  
• MSE Boost Your Income page. Gateway to lots of money-making links. (Link)
• MSE Budget Planner (Link)
  
• MSE Abbreviations Explained (Link)
  
• MSE Deals and Vouchers (Link)
• MSE Demotivator Tool (Link)
• MSE Credit Card Minimum Repayment Calculator (Link)
• MSE Money Makover (Link)
• MSE Piggybank Budgeting (Link)
• MSE Stoozing Guide (Link)
  
• MSE Wow Offers (Link)
  
• NHS Minor Ailment Service article (Link)
• My Supermarket (Link)
  
• NHS Free Prescription Checker (Link)
• OnePoll (Link)
• Pick My Postcode Lottery ( Link )
  
• Quidco (Link)
  
• Reclaim PPI at no cost to yourself without using a claims company. (Link)
• Reclaim Packaged Bank Account fees at no cost to yourself without using a claims company.(Link)
• Reclaim phone credit (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)
• Start Rescue Breakdown Cover (Link)
• Super Saver Amazon Delivery Tool (Link)
  
• Survey sites that pay for your opinions (Link)
  
• Swagbucks (Link)
  
• Swapit (Link)
  
• Tickety Split cheap train tickets (Link)
• Toluna (Link)
  
• TopCashBack (Link)
• Wombling Guide (Link)
• You Need A Budget site and App (Link)

If any of the links are broken, let me know.

allydowd

Hi November Networkers,

Morning!:coffee: Day off. Wet here but have prised myself out of my bed.


Thanks for the starter PF.

Debt-Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Four:

* Check online banking. Done.

* Get some exercise. Drive one town South. DW will nip to the shops and I will cycle along the coast. I've got a bit of a sore chest so I'm hoping this will clear out the cobwebs. I work in a dusty building. DW enjoys window shopping; I detest shopping in all its forms. This separate-but-together arrangement suits us both. Done.

* Clear emails. Done.

* Check Loyalty Points. Done.

* Stop £10 yearly Bike and Go subscription renewing now that I have my own bike. Done.

* Lunch will be defrosted, homemade butternut and parsnip soup. Done.



Things don't have to be perfect to be wonderful.

allydowd

News

Read this if you had, or now hold, Power of Attorney for someone. (Link)

1LuckyLady

Morning all,

Monday again, the weeks are really flying past.

Thanks PF for the start.

Todays list
Free breakfast at school for ds2
Gym session done and water bottle refilled
Alddee with my little shopping list which I stuck to apart from an extra bag of carrots as they were reduced and we get through lots of carrots here!
Washed a load on the quick 30 degree wash
Ran the dishwasher on the quick wash
To do
:cool: Record car mileage
:cool: Radiator shuffle the washing
:cool: Put away dry washing
:cool: Check banking/update spreadsheet
:cool: Clean kitchen and bathrooms using stardrops and microfibre cloths
:cool: Make families lunches for tomorrow
:cool: Freezer inventory needs updating, I've let this slide for some reason Was actually quite up to date
:cool: Check ds2s alarm is off at the wall
:cool: Triage the fridges - make sure nothing going off and then meal plan the next couple of days based on its contents
:cool: Sew up a little catch on ds1s coat before it gets bigger makes such a difference keeping my sewing bag downstairs, as when I kept it upstairs I'd end up making a little pile of stuff that needed mending and it would end up on that annoying things list, now as soon as I see something that needs doing I do it there and then.
:cool: Empty purse of receipts/vouchers and change

Thats my starter, hopefully I'll get it all done and lots more besides!

Take care all.
Whilst pottering around in the kitchen I've watched :money: Martin Lewis: 10 Things Your Kids Need to Know https://www.itv.com/hub/martin-lewis-10-things-your-kids-need-to-know/2a5698a0001 via @itvhub really glad I've watched it as I was away when it was on tv and itv hub has it on for only another 3 days. Going to get the kids to sit and watch it with me again tonight.


Checked off just for points credit card

foxgloves

Hi Monday Savers,
Mad busy day & still lots more to do. The frugal highlights are:
*Paid 2 more 50ps into my sealed pot.
*Put smoky black bean chilli in the slow cooker.
*Baked bread....ooooh, hang on, it needs to come out of the oven right now.......
.......right, I'm back....loaf looks nice.....I had some spare oats this morning which wouldn't quite fit in the jar, so I threw them into the bread dough & it's come out looking nicely rustic!
*Posted 5 ebay items.
*Sold 7 more ebay items & was thus motivated to photograph, weigh & list another 10.
*Did my mid-month budget check-in. Budgets are ok, but as December is set to be quite an expensive month, I have put an embargo on further spending on visa debit apart from next week's grocery shopping. Shouldn't cause an issue, as we don't require anything between now & then.
*Moved funds around to keep all my different pots straight.
*Started making a list of useful jobs that could be done on Wednesday when mr f is off & has asked me if I want a hand with anything. He may regret this!
*Entered a prize draw & did a couple of surveys.
*Gathered another 2kg of windfall apples.
*Hope to knit later, as managed to cast on next section of my jumper last night, but I do have lots of other stuff to do - was out last night & am out tomorrow night, so I could do with a more productive evening than watching 'Vikings' & fighting cat for prime position by the fire.
Right, must crack on. Have just run downstairs to put the jacket potatoes in, to try & get ahead of myself.
Hope everyone's got off to a reasonably decent start to the new week.
F xx

browneyed_girl

Evening all :wave:

Thanks for this week’s start Purps.

Hope everyone’s feeling better and optimistic for the week ahead.

Sad start here unfortunately. DH’s grandad passed away today Thankfully, DH drove up early this morning to see him and was in time to say goodbye - an hour later and he would have missed that opportunity .

DH on his way home now and picking up takeaway - a completely necessary spend given the circumstances. Normally, it would be a treat a couple of times a year! He’s also just phoned me and asked for radiators to be put on in the living room, as he thinks it unlikely he’ll be sleeping much tonight. This will be the first time we’ve used the radiators since March (had lots of fires instead with free wood) - not bad going!

Not much achieved today, other than keeping the 4 little ones happy and fed Have put together a meal plan and shopping list for the week; checked all my survey sites (another £5 cashed out on swag$); had a good tidy round and cleaned every surface I can find in the kitchen (that last one mostly out of worry for DH).

Here’s hoping the week can only get better...:o