What small DFW things will you do w/c 11th March?

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)
  
• 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)
  
• Parkopedia: compare parking charges (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)
• Split Ticketing (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) 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 March Money-Savers,

Morning!:coffee: It's still my w.e.e.k.e.n.d! I've been missing in action out in the real world again.



This weekend we had a lovely almost-free days entertainment heading up to Loch Lomond to see and photograph the Mandarin Ducks. If you don't know what they are google them; they're epic! We spent £1.49 on seed but it was worth it.


My blood test results came back "no further action for the next 3 months" which is good news.


Awoken at stupid o'clock by a genuine text from my bank alerting me to a fraud attempt on my bank account. :mad: Called the bank securely by clicking 'Call' on my banking App. The bandits hadn't got any money but had attempted a transaction. So now I'm card-less for three days until the new one arrives. :mad: Moved the cash into a trusted person's account for the time being. I can't think how anyone got my details. (I'm a former banker.) What an inconvenience!


Debt-Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Four:

* Check online banking. Done. Passwords changed.

* Check DW's online banking. Done. Her account is fine. Passwords changed.

* Continue my Challenge 500 miles challenge to travel 500 miles for free before the end of 2019: walking, hiking, climbing, cycling, running and swimming. Walk. Am up to 99/500 miles just now.

* Track my passport renewal online. Done. DW took my photo so no expense there. It's cheaper to renew online than my post.

* Make homemade 'Philadelphia' cheese using a bargain 2 litre of milk acquired for £1. Cost to buy that much Philly in Morrisons is £3.50.

* Order a prescription by phone as it's not on my Patient App. Grr.






“Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.”

PurpleFairy26

Morning ally and all who follow. Thanks for starting us off. I love Loch Lomond and lots of other Places in Scotland. So beautiful, your very lucky to be in easy travelling distance.

My list for today:
Check banking and move some money to the right places, update spreadsheet.
Reconcile just for points cc. Payments gone in today, it's showing in my available balance but not in my actual balance. How hard can it be. A few months ago they had a payment coming off my actual balance before it had actually left my bank account
More leftovers for tea
Make a lemon cake for puds/ lunchboxes
Get friend to drop me somewhere as my car is currently off road
Some washing, change a bed
Work from home so no commute
If I have time take a bag of clothes to the charity shop
Pay cheque in and some cash I earnt on a book of face sale yesterday

Have a good day everyone. Purps.

Baileys_Babe

Ally thank you for starting this weeks thread :A

We need to write this weeks meal plan (which runs Tuesday to Monday) today as we were never all in at the same time yesterday.

Todays list:
Go shopping and stick to list
Put ALL the shopping away
Wash hair and let it dry naturally
Take children to training
Pack drinks and snacks
Take hot drink in my thermal mug
Home educate children
PAD
Update spending diary

I hope to add more through out the day.

carrielovesfanta

Morning all!

Thanks to Ally for starting us off. PITA for you but I'm glad your bank was so on the ball. Mine weren't 10 years ago when someone emptied my account in BRAZIL!

So another normal day for me:

• B/L/D from stores: - done
• Log food in free app to track protein - done
• Prep tomorrow's food - done
• Check postcode lottery - done
• Charge phone in work - done
• Gym at lunchtime - done
• No alcohol - done
• Heating off all day - done
• Crochet - done

Have a good one all

clf

ziggy2407

Good Morning everyone

Ally - Thanks for starting us off today

Hi to all of the regulars and a BIG welcome to all the newbies, this is a really FAB thread with so many lovely, caring, considerate and supportive people.

Today's plans:

Check Bank & make PAD - Done
Ironing -
Enter a few comps -
Purge a few emails -
Swagbucks (new Swago board starts today) -
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer -
Check: Lucky Bob, PMP, WinaDinner -
Read Library Book -
Dig out the knitting needles & wool -

Have a great day!

C x

1LuckyLady

Morning all and thanks to Ally for this weeks thread.
PF, Thats why I love this thread too! It makes us think!
Ally, Glad you got the banking sorted!

I'm going to start with a Ta-dah! list
* ds2 to free school breakfast club
* gym session done (80p a class if do 5 classes a week as I try to) and refilled water bottle whilst there
* washed 2 loads that are now out blowing nicely on the line
* took amzn parcel I'm returning to the post office
* picked up prescriptions from pharmacy
* brunch omelette as I seem to have a lot of eggs at the minute
* swapped 2 really ripe bananas with my dad for 4 small not so ripe ones (perfect size for ds2)

To do
* check banking/update spreadsheets Done
* iron dh's work shirts, all other washing can just be hung away Done
* meal plan
* sort out new landland phones (replacing the curly cord hadn't solved my old phone problem) , programme in some numbers Done
* using recipe card/spice mix from s1mp1ycook kit for tea tonight that my dad sent over to us to use up Done
* swap books cupboard with dvd cupboard (organise as I do it to remind myself what we have) Done
* start a new charity shop bag Done
* make families lunches for tomorrow
Also went into the loft to find some old cushion covers, they're plain cream so will do for now until we see something we love. - Love shopping at home first (as we might actually just stick with these cream ones and not buy new )
** Sorted out medicine box - good job too as ds1 came home feeling unwell
Thats my starter, take care all.

ditty1234

Brought lunches
Will make 3. dinner from guest meal on Saturday
Have made an application for extra casual home work transcribing interviews, fingers crossed.
Plan meals for rest of week and bake rolls with left over yoghurt.
Tonight start working on freelance website.

DiscountDuck

Second week of making small steps, first week being brave enough to post what they are.

Today I hung the washed bath mat and all the smalls outside to dry instead of tumble drying with the clothes (so I do t have to iron them).
I got out the carpet washer and did the two upstairs carpets that desperately needed it, which I thought I’d have to replace but they’ve come up great.
I had the two bananas my kids won’t eat with a tin of custard for lunch.
Walked the dogs.
Defrosted sausages out of the freezer to have for tea with some sweet potatoes that need using up as mash tonight before they sprout in my pantry!
Called Sky and complained that I’m still being charged to be on the wrong tariff for broadband and landline, which they have now put right.
Going into my kids school this afternoon to hear the children read for an hour.
Taking the kids to the library after school for a free trip out to change our books.

natlie

Hi All

Hope you are all well

I've started my week exhausted as I was so busy on the weekend.

Walked to work - free and 5000 steps done
Brought lunch but genuinely concerned as to how much beetroot it contained TMI beetroot goes straight through me :rotfl:
Brought snacks too
Posted 6 eb*y parcels 1 paid just now and 4 waiting for payment
Found out I have £18 on my nectar card - now need to work out how to spend it
Gave some change to a rough sleeper today - just a young girl, she said she has a 3 year old daughter in care who she is allowed to visit once a month, she gives her all the 1&2ps she collects
Bought some good cheap second hand clothes for the kids from Eb*y over the weekend
Dinner tonight is a Vegan cornish pasty - I am so excited!
Bank looks ok
I have saved a Snowball thing for debt payments which made me feel good - I've looked at them in the past but never implemented it - this is my last stab at going it alone before I need help

Nat
x