What Small DFW Things Will You Do w/c 13th January 2020?

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 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 January Joy-Seekers,

Woke up thinking it was breakfast-time - it was midnight.

:exclamatiThis Forum is being updated soon. If you are fond of your avatar <<<<< you need to download it and save it for later use as it won't reappear when the Forum migrates.



Debt-Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Five:

:idea: Check online banking.

:idea: Day 15 of 30 day Free Running Challenge. 30.3km/18.8miles so far. Had to take a few days off as ankle wasn't co-operating but I'll be back at it today.

:idea: Alarm clock off at the wall during day time.

:idea: Drink only water for a couple of hours.

:idea: Turn off Wifi box when not using it.

:idea: Defrosted batch-cooked soup for lunch.

little_pink_purse

Morning

thanks for starting us Ally

had a rubbish sleep

today's to do
check banking
try for a nsd
finish washing and ironing
drop food items to the the food bank
top up my sales stands
general tidy up
possible a cheeky wee nap

have a great day xxlppxx

foxgloves

Morning Frugalistas,
Just finishing my coffee & thinking about the shape of my week ahead. Tasks & activities will need to be based around:
*Keeping on top of budgeting, especially maintaining all our different budget pots correctly & outstanding financial admin - i. e paying an invoice, cashing out some survey income, etc.
*Keep on top of food waste..... as in not having any. Use-it-ups planned for a number of items this week.
*Continue with food tracking & increasing exercise.
*Carry on with a big research project. It shouldn't require any spending as long as I don't get carried away.
*Continue to knit my new jumper & socks (for presents bag)
*Resume garden clearing & prep so I'm ready to go at seed sowing time which begins next month.
*Avoid unnecessary spends. These will eat into the amount we have available to pay for all the work which needs doing on our house this year. So yes, we may be recently mortgage-free, but as we currently have no idea what the work on our house will cost, good & accurate budgeting is still as important as ever.
I'm feeling quite motivated for the week ahead, so I'm going to get cracking now I've had my caffeine.
Love to all,
F xx

Baileys_Babe

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

I hope you sleep better this evening.

Today's plan:
Only planned spending
Record all spending
Write shopping list
Go shopping and stick to the list
Put all the shopping away when we get home
Take drinks and snacks out with us
Keep with the meal plan
Home educate children

debbiedodge1737

Hello and thanks for starting a new thread and inviting me to continue :-)

Todays Penny Pinching Plans :

*Eat Pre Meal Prepped Breakfast roll and Balti , so only cooking rice
*Check online Banking
*NSD (Avoiding all shops online and off)
*Send husband in with full lunch and flask of coffee (Flask a new measure for pinching pennies)
*Opened a Swag Bucks account earlier will do what I can there
*Do the nectar surveys in my inbox and check points I have so far
*Sow Early Jalapenos (We love them so going to sow load to pickle)
*Did dishwasher , Boiled Full Kettle(in Thermos) and did washing on the cheaper tariff before 7:30am
*Hanging Washing on Airer
*Check and List one thing on Ebay
*Look at home wine making recipes

Think that's my penny pinching today

1LuckyLady

Morning all and good to see you followed us over Debbiedodge!

Thanks for this weeks thread Ally and I hope you and Lpp sleep better tonight.

I feel quite good this morning as I've eaten a frog!
Todays list
:grinheart Cheapo/healthy porridge for the kids breakfasts with some dried fruit in.
:grinheart Put a load in the washing machine on the quick 30 degree wash
:grinheart Did 1 gym class but cancelled the 2nd so I could deal with the frog below!
:grinheart Drove to the new dentist I wanted to try moving too, its recently relocated so its all nice, bright modern and fresh looking Very different from our current practice, they've booked me in for a free consultation and check up at the end of the month and I can decide from there - although they aren't taking on nhs patients if I do move over there the kids can go there as nhs patients too. - I'm glad I went as I can now hopefully mentally switch off for a bit with it as its really been bugging me all weekend. so fingers crossed!
:grinheart Popped into town as my mum had seen the colour fleece blanket I wanted for covering our leather sofa as she drove by on the bus yesterday (I needed 2 but had only been able to get 1 months ago and have kept popping in to ask if they had any ever since!) So £8.95 spent but it will finish off our little sitting room (and keep me warmer!)
:grinheart Whilst in town I popped ds1s old glasses into specsacvers to be recycled for charity
:grinheart Called into l1dl instead of aldddee as that was where I'd parked for my quick pop into town to avoid parking charges - got just the items on my list (milk/carrots) plus a bag of porridge oats as they sell them in a paper bag rather then plastic.
:grinheart Also got milkshake syrup, lentils & stew/soup mix from homebargains - so now my shopping list is empty!!

Still to do
:grinheart :grinheart Put all shopping away :grinheart
:grinheart :grinheart Hang washing on the heated airer as its raining hard now :grinheart
:grinheart :grinheart Check banking /update spreadsheet :grinheart
:grinheart :grinheart A bit of batch cooking with some mince I need to use - chilli and spag bol :grinheart & :grinheart
:grinheart :grinheart Make families lunches for tomorrow :grinheart
:grinheart :grinheart If the rain stops, go for a walk to the post office to post that phone to be recycled, if not will do it in the morning on my way home - TOMORROW
:grinheart :grinheart Iron dh's work shirts :grinheart (and put the rest of the washing away :grinheart)
:grinheart :grinheart rm surveys :grinheart
:grinheart :grinheart Sew up little hole in my cardie that I didn't do at the weekend :grinheart

Right, my coffee is drunk so I'm going to put some loud music on and make a start.
Take care all.
:grinheart Filled in some holes in the wall (& covered another batch of holes with a strategically placed picture frame :rotfl: as there a couple of rawl plugs that I couldn't get out!!
:grinheart Moved the box and large bag that's been sat in the hallway for a week into the back of my car (and added a few odd mugs into the box too) to drop into the charity shop on my way back tomorrow

PurpleFairy26

Afternoon all :hello: thanks for starting us off ally

My list for today:
Went with DH to meet someone about a part time job for DH. If it pans out will work for us and then. Fingers crossed.
Pick up free prescription x 2
Call dr to amend another prescription
Take some items back for a refund
Reply to some people interested in something I listed on marketplace yesterday
Meals from stores including leftovers from a roast
Put stock in sc

Have a good day folks.

carrielovesfanta

Hey everyone!

This week is going to be mad busy with work. I have been parachuted onto a job last minute to save it so there will be overtime monies coming my way!

I hope all those who had a poor sleep get lots of winks tonight and hugs to any poorlies

clf x

DawnW

Afternoon all
Thanks for the start Ally
It is rainy and windy here, storm Brendan apparently. Not dramatic, just rainy, windy and horrible! So no gardening today sadly

Today's list:
Leftover apple sauce with breakfast porridge this morning (well, it is just stewed fruit, after all!)
Went to sales unit and partially restocked

DD and GS came round after toddler group, so fed them both lunch
Put away returned sales stock and sort out some more items to take to shop
Check banks
Continue shopping list, but I shan't go today (NSD 6 of January today - I count them for another thread, but don't normally get many as I tend to shop little and often. Just haven't needed much so far this month though!)
Sort out spending spreadsheet - I think I have settled on one now!

Dinner will be jacket potato, salad and tuna mayo
Hope everyone is having a good day, and the weather is better where you are!