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

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

Happy new week everyone :hello:

I’m off our shortly using my annual membership, so a quick post before I’m out the door. My list:
Take snack with me - friend treating me to a brew
Go for a decent walk whilst we’re there.
Leftovers for meals
Lovely to pack DD off with hm goodies in her lunchbox for school today
Bit of washing
Text pal
Sort a few things for charity bag
Check PMP

I’m sure there will be more. Check back later. Purps.

TryingAgain2022

-get books from library to dampen the temptation of buying books because PAYDAY (done)
-order books I’ve been thinking about (secondhand and cheap, I mean £8 for two cheap) (done, I am good at spending)
-order new bullet journal as I am 2 pages from the end of the current one (done, see above! £4.89 on Amazon for a high quality A5 notebook, thick cream pages… lovely)
-crack on with reading and re reading the books I have. I have three re-reads on the go at the moment. Classic.
-listen to drama/knowledge podcasts on the way to/from work. Makes me feel like it’s not a massive waste of my life plus it’s free!

-set reminder to check my royalties monthly. Pennies but still. I still need to rebuild the £100ish from last year as I will be paying it to a charity - it arrived in dribs and drabs so I spent it without realising whilst waiting for a payment of £100 to come in. Doh.
-write and submit a couple of things. Have been out of the game lately, need to get back in.
-move money to Monzo pots as per the Plan to not put anything on credit this year but instead (gasp) pay for it as I go.

-do surveys and pick my postcode
-check banks daily
-check school meals balances (done)
Reset Virgin standing order as I have been paid normal money this month

-eye appointment this week to see if I need a special lens or just exercises
-finally got date for ultrasound scan but luckily am feeling miles better so fingers crossed it’s all nothing
-expect results of blood test this week - was so nervous about it last week but now feeling more positive as symptoms have all but disappeared
-continue therapy from the NHS. Is it actually helping? Dunno.

-pack lunches and restrict coffee! I gave in 3 times last week to drive thru coffee on the way to work, was feeling so anxious that I wanted the virtual hug.
-send the non-christmas gift to my friend that has been sitting there since the Jan sales


-cancel membership of an online thing that I let go last year in case I got back into it, but now have decided it’s not giving me any benefit. It costs £100/year at the moment, one payment - if I rejoin in the future my ancient deal will not be available and it would be £37/month. But right now I am just not involved in this thing. (STILL NOT DONE! Why am I dithering? Would I miss it, this community I’ve hardy been involved in for three years??)

-continue to write down spends in my bullet journal


-TryingAgain

allydowd

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

• AirTime Rewards (Link)
  
• 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)
  
• 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.

ziggy2407

Hi Everyone

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.

PF - Thanks for starting us off today, hope you have a lovely day out!
TryingAgain - You sound so organised, well done and you're doing great. Have you had a look at the "Bookworm" thread (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6089316/bookworms-2020) - I used to be a massive buyer of books but am hoping not to buy any at all this year - helps using the library weekly and entering lots of book comps.

Today we hope to:

Check Bank & made PAD - Done
Strip and remake DS's bed -
Washing & Line Dry -
DS to Dr's -
Swagbucks -
Little bit of exercise (30 day squat challenge) -
Declutter -
Purge a few emails -
Enter a few comps -
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer -
Check: Lucky Bob, PMP, WinaDinner -
Read Library Book

Have a great day!

C x

allydowd

Hi February Frugalistas,

Thanks for the starter PF.


Debt-Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Five:

:idea: Check online banking.

:idea: Day 17 of 30 day Free Running Challenge. 33.4km/20.8miles so far.

: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: Cleaning with Stardrops and washable cloths.

:idea: DW repaired bin with superglue.


:idea: Claimed Meerkat Movies from a recent car insurance purchase.

ditty1234

Morning, got car share wrong and I was driving, lucky I didn't walk down to the pub (where we meet).
Brought hummus, carrots and sourdough rye for lunch.
Bought coffee and milk for coffee club at work and remembered to bring it.
Booked MOT on last day. (Luckily don't have any plans the following day).
Renewed car tax yesterday before going shopping, lucky the same as it ran out on Friday. Could not find my reminder!
Took fish out of freezer for later, ds might cook or I will when I get home.

Will call car insurance and try to get a re-quote as found a quote online for £29/mo instead of current £45. As it is now over a year since I had a run-in with a ladder that fell of a car in front of me.

Have found free exercises online to do for my ankle, will have to save up for physio.

I forgot to list that I need to update my spending book, it has been hiding in my work back pack.

1LuckyLady

Good afternoon all and thanks for this weeks thread Purps :T

Todays list
:grinheart Ys bread used from the freezer to go with eggs for the boys breakfasts ✅
:grinheart Cheap but healthy porridge for me (and logged details onto my food diary) ✅
:grinheart 1 class, run 1 week 2 of couch to 5K run done on the treadmill and refilled water bottle at the gym ✅
:grinheart Wash a load on the quick 30 degree wash and hang on the heated airer (and put the dehumidifier on in the room) ✅
:grinheart Dishwasher to run on the quick wash and empty ✅
:grinheart Sew up a hole in ds1s trousers
:grinheart Check banking /update spreadsheet ✅
:grinheart Make families lunches for tomorrow ✅
:grinheart Make a white sauce, will add some leftover veggies, chicken and a couple of bits of bacon as part of my fridge tidy. Will have tonight with mashed potato. A nice warm comfort food type meal, perfect for the families Monday blues. ✅

That's it for now. Take care all.

Also made another leek and potato soup using slow cooker stock.
Made 2 portions of brocoli and stilton soup using up some cheese dh has forgotten about since xmas (I don't like smelly cheese so this soup is just for dh!)

fudgecat

Washing on 30 degrees and out on line (watching weather like a hawk)
Tesco shop - hoovered up bargain reduced stuff eg 85p liver and cooking bacon 75p for casserole.
Spent £50.00 (including pack of filters for water jug - Special offer) so
5p off per litre on next fill for car
Changed broadband provider - MUCH cheaper!
Filing - get on top and sort out pension

carrielovesfanta

Hey folks

Thanks to Purps for starting the thread!

I kept trying to post and getting distracted!

Good news, I went back to the gym for the first time in 5 months today! feeling positive! Onwards and upwards!

Today's small things:
:heartpuls B/L/D from stores. I had a pulled pork burrito bowl for lunch and it was EPIC. - done
:heartpuls Check PMP - done
:heartpuls Wash on. Research 20 deg program vs 30 deg. - done
:heartpuls Quick tidy round - done
:heartpuls Charge phone in work - done
:heartpuls Freeze portion of rice that OH didn't take for lunch - got him to eat it for tea

Possibly some more?

Have a good one all

clf x

Baileys_Babe

PurpleFairy thank you for starting this weeks thread :A

So far today:
Meal planned
Written shopping list
Stuck to the list, except for a heavily reduced beef joint which with have put in the freezer, plan to have my parents over for dinner in a fortnight, we will cook it then
Put away ALL the shopping
Home educate children for free
B/L from stores
D prepared from stores, just needs popping in the oven
RM survey
Competition prize delivered
Took snacks & drinks to training

To do:
Make tomorrows dinner, we are out most of the day and won't be in long before dd goes out again
Taxi children to and from evening activity
Refuel OH car
Bake bread, currently proving
Make a batch of porridge
Pack snack, lunch & drinks for tomorrow