What small DFW things will you do w/c 3rd December?

allydowd

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:

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)
• Parcel2Go: compare postage prices (Link) New-ish
• Parkopedia: compare parking charges (Link) New-ish
• 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)
• Split Ticketing (Link) New
  
• Start Rescue Breakdown Cover (Link)
• Super Saver Amazon Delivery Tool (Link)
  
• Survey sites that pay for your opinions (Link)
  
• Swagbucks (Link)
  
• Swapit (Link)
  
• [STRIKE]Tickety Split cheap train tickets (Link) [/STRIKE] Site closed
  
• 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 December Devotees,

Morning!:coffee: Mysteriously the bedside alarm clock went off at midnight waking us both. Now wide awake. Oh well, might as well get up and make myself useful. Have already burnt my toast: ate it anyway.

Managed to get the date right on the thread this week.


Debt-Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Four:

* Check online banking. Done.

* Get some exercise along a local cycle path. Will drive DW at the RSPB reserve so she can stare at the birds and leave the car there. Then I'll get the train from the RSPB two stops and cycle back to the RSPB along Cycle Route 7 to meet her. I'm making my way along the CR7 in stages. And there's a bit of sun forecast. Single train fare will be £2.90. Done. Travelled between two unstaffed stations and no ticket seller.

* Make some homemade soup from scratch. Done. Pea, potato and pak choi. It'll get blended when DW awakes; DW won't notice the pak choi. Some for lunch and some for the freezer.

* Wrap two gifts I bought DW. Done. We buy plain wrapping paper that can be used for all occasions throughout the year.

* Decorate window with 'snowflakes' before DW wakes up. Clean said window and treat small area of mould with very chemically, but very effective, HG Mould Spray before DW wakes so that the smell has had a chance to go. Done.

* Open pile of unimportant mail I've been avoiding all week. Done.

* Deep cleaned DW's tea mugs with Astonish Paste. One pot lasts us a year. Done.


There are hidden blessings in every struggle.

allydowd

crazy_cat_lady wrote: »

CLF and Ally, you two crack me up! :rotfl: I'd tell you some chemistry jokes but all the good ones argon.

Hehehehe. Don't encourage me...


A neutron walked into a bar and asked, "How much for a gin and tonic?" The bartender smiled wryly and replied, "For you, no charge."

crazy_cat_lady

Thanks for putting a smile on my face early doors Ally
Feeling pretty good today - the worst of my cold has gone and school is closed today so I can have a truly relaxing day off and prepare myself for the onslaught tomorrow. Hoping to get some present wrapping done while the kids are out during the day.
Other than that, just the usual. Bit of food prep, quick hoover and tidy up and a load of washing. I'm sure that once I wake up a bit I'll be more 'with it' and think of some more things.

determined_new_ms

Morning Thanks for starting us off this week ally

Today I am off to London for a night away with some friends to see a concert. Am sure it will be a riotous evening full of laughter and frolics but at this point it seems a major hassle! Catching train at 12.30.

Madam a lot better than she was - last night her temp was 39.8 :eek: still not well, but at this point not thinking a trip to A&E is needed.... oh taking the day off to let her rest some more

I really need to pack my bag, and just generally get ready

I will also:

[STRIKE]* make a batch of chicken noodle soup for madam[/STRIKE] done used up 2 *almost finished* bags of noodles
[STRIKE]* put spag in pc for oh & madam[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* have paid cc off in full [/STRIKE]:D - love that the pay me to spend money I'm going to spend anyway!
[STRIKE]* checked banking and worked out what I can afford to spend today [/STRIKE]
* might have time to do a little sewing practice
* cast on final pair of xmas socks. Really need to get on with these ones or they won't be ready in time!
* still thinking of xmas gifts for ds & fil and what to get dd for her birthday. Yesterday I purchased gift for mil and it was £6 off from when I looked at it earlier in the week :j I got her a pair of slippers from accesorize that were £14 down from £20 :T
* charge phone
* maybe check onepoll. We'll see how I do for time

Right think I'll have a last cup of coffee then spring into action. Hope you all have a gentle Monday!

carrielovesfanta

Morning folks!

ccl - good to hear you sounding so chipper
DNMS - enjoy your trip, glad that Madam is getting a bit better
ally - am joining you in the !!!!!! sleep club.

My darling OH kneed me right up the jacksie at 4.30am and I've been awake since :eek:

Today's list:

• B/L/D from stores
• Charge phone in work - done
• Gym at lunch time if programming appears - it has appeared! - done. Good session today
• Log calories in free app - done
• Take dry stuff off washing rack - done
• Put my clothes away
• Close all the curtains when I get in
• Re-waterproof my shoes
• No sugary stuff (apart from liqueur choccy in advent calendar )
• No alcohol
• Sew in ends on Christmas scarf as it's now finished
• Message friend about meeting up next week hopefully - done
• Start planning my weekend as it's going to be quite busy - done
• Heating off as it's mild

Have a good one all

clf x

DawnW

Morning all
Horrible wet murky day here again

Thanks for the start Ally
Liking the sound of everyone's plans today
Hope LO is better soon DNMS
Boring list for me today:
So far:
Washed hair and allowed to dry naturally
Slightly squishy banana with breakfast
Checked banks, updated spreadsheet from bank totals and spending diary.
Bah, had to throw away a grapefruit as it had gone mouldy :mad: I suppose I shouldn't complain, as it was the last one from the big bag I bought at the market a week ago last Thursday. Still hate waste though!

Still to do:
More coffee! Definitely!
Wrap 2 more ebay parcels
Update and print the paperwork for Post Office drop off
RM surveys stuff
Go to sales unit with some more bits and pieces, hoping some stuff has sold so that there is room for them!
Leftovers for lunch
Load of washing - I have bought washing powder in a cardboard box this time (big boxes of Persil are on offer at Icyland). I have been using the liquid capsule things, but hate that they come in a rigid plastic container each time
Some cleaning, probably the living room
Make a frittata for dinner
Ought to think about writing some Christmas cards - I have plenty of RM surveys stamps to post them!

Baileys_Babe

Thank you Ally for starting this week's thread :A

Today's list:
Meal plan
RM survey
Educate children, mainly for free - will only need to pay for gymnastics, money budgeted for
Open curtains fully
Close curtains before dark
Food and drink from stores
Take drinks and snacks out with us today
Finance check in with OH

merida88

Ooh it's busy this Monday morning! Hi all, apologies for being AWOL the last few weeks :hello:

Thanks Ally for the new thread

Back at work after a week on hols, and already been a bit spendy this morning! I shall now settle down to deal with the inbox with a cup of coffee and a biscuit. Update properly later on!

1LuckyLady

Morning all,
Thanks for the new thread Ally.
I too, was in the wide awake club between 1-4am

Dnms, hope you have a fab night tonight and that madam is feeling better
Clf, enjoy your day!
Ziggy & HK, hope you're both doing ok.

My small things list today is a bit boring and not all mse but helps me achieve!
(needing the colour of the to lift me today)
ds1 had ys bread for toast with his scrambled eggs
ds2 had more of ends of cereal from the back of the cupboard for his breakfast
both kids on the school bus today as I'm not going past their schools to the gym
popped to aldeee with a list:) (didn't stick to the list unfortunately :cool:)
popped into icyland with little list and rm survey voucher and stuck to my list!
wash a load on the quick 30 degree wash - Dawn, I use washing powder and get a brand called Easy from Farmfoods which is ok
radiator shuffle the washing
run the dishwasher on the quick wash & empty
put a beef stew in the slowcooker - checking the fridge first for anything else to throw in it
make families lunches for tomorrow
check banking/update spreadsheets
record cars mileage
run the hoover around where needs it haha everywhere needed it!
write dh's sides xmas cards (I don't need to buy cards for a few years yet looking at my ys supply!! I bought loads a few years ago when the kids were doing cards for their class mates but the schools eco committee decided it was bad for the environment so they don't do it anymore!)
stew more fruit as I had to bin an orange that had gone mouldy :eek: Really annoys me if I waste food!
update freezer list
Blitz some leftover roasted veg into a soup added in the end of a bag of spinach
sorted out my purse and filed receipts for gifts safely
put some split peas & pearl barley into soak ready for a recipe tomorrow
spot cleaned the carpet in the kids games room, much cheaper then getting it properly cleaned as they'd only spill something on it again anyway!
switched auto renew off the playstat1ion so that we can look for a better deal when the time comes
Asked dh to print off some tickets for us at work, saves our ink!


Thats my starter, have a good day all.