What small DFW things will you do w/c 10th August?

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 😀

PurpleFairy26

Morning folks, a brand new week. Yesterday didn’t turn out as planned so a few jobs are carried forward from that. I spent much of the day sleeping as I was totally worn out. I did manage to make a crumble and some hm fajita spice for tea but that was about it. Today’s list:

banking and update sheet
see if I have energy for jam making
feed pals cat, she said I can have anything that’s ready in her garden too 🙂
unsubscribe from some e mails 
place food order online, used some vouchers 
think about next weeks meal plan - can update order later in week when plan is finalised 
make some cakes for when friend pops round for socially distanced cuppa later 
quick load of washing on 
look at work schedule for the week and plan when I’m going to do what 

that’ll do for starters, have a good day all. Purps. 

ditty1234

Morning all and thanks to @PurpleFairy26 for starting up the week. 
I'm just updating spreadsheets - including my weigh in, which is now colour coded - red for gain, orange for moderate gain, green for loss and blue for amazing milestone. Today was an amazing milestone as I have lost 50% of my target weight loss. 
The other thing I wanted to log today was that I have looked into how to get cheap airport parking and I think the best way is qudco that will give me 47% back as I can't find it cheap anywhere and I cant be asked to park at some weird industrial lot and then take a taxi! As were off on a mini break to my mom's 80's in a few weeks. 
While I am concerned about this we will get tested that week and in the airport just in case and SD and it will break her heart if we don't show up. 
Apart from that today will just be slugging through the heat at my desk as I have an application to catch up on! 

ziggy2407

Good Morning 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.

Thanks for starting us off today @PurpleFairy26

Looking like another gorgeous day here, feeling warm already.  So far:
Checked Bank & made PAD
Post Office trip - posted 2 x parcels 
Bed stripped, washed and line drying 
Listed another item for sale 
Paid window cleaner

Later:
Buyer to collect a FB sale 
Exercise
Swagbucks
Purge a few emails 
Enter a few comps
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer  
Check: Lucky Bob, PMP, WinaDinner 
Read or knit

Have a good day everyone.

C x 

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the thread @PurpleFairy26! 
Congratulations on the weightloss @ditty1234!! 🙌 that's an amazing achievement 🎉 
Thanks for the warm welcome @ziggy2407 😊 
Today I have been doing some garden planning for the autumn and beyond so have chosen the ones I want - costs a fortune! 🙈 normally I would have just clicked the buy now button and shrugged it off but today I have made a list of them and their prices/quantities. I am going to look at local roadside plant sellers, better deals online, cuttings and seeds from friends/relatives, starting from seed and dividing my own. I'm really proud of myself not to give in to instant gratification for once! 😇😂 
I've eaten last night's leftovers (made from leftovers from during the week) for lunch and will have something with black tuscan kale, beetroot, a few peas and broadbeans, salad leaves and perhaps some climbing beans thrown in as that's what I have ready in the garden so a grain of some description and a beans of some kind will make it into a full meal (grains and beans in food cupboards already) along with some kind of dressing. No cash spent! 
Today I cleaned the washing line - I always use a tumble dryer normally - so that I can utilise that again and reduce my energy usage. First load is about to be hung out 😉 

1LuckyLady

Thank you @PurpleFairy26 for starting us off this week.  I hope you're feeling ok today. 
@smushesma Welcome to the thread,  its a great place to hang out!!  Sounds like you're doing really well. 
@ditty1234 Congrats on the 50% weightloss that's great. 
@ziggy2407 Thanks for your list as its reminded me to sort out my RM survey stuff!! not sure how I've missed it! 

Todays list for me
checked banking/updated spreadsheet
put away icyland delivery and updated inventory straight away
a walk around the block with each ds separately as they bicker if together (done nice and early before the thunder/lightning)
a walk/talk on the treadmill after lunch
watched several utube vids to learn how I should fold carrier bags!! Pre-covid I'd always use a fabric bag but the deliveries from icyland always come in bags 
triaged fridge and fruitbowl to make sure nothing gets wasted.  - chicken dinner for tea tonight using up lots of bendy veg
prep Rm stuff. 
Take care all. 

DawnW

Afternoon all

Thanks for starting us off Purps

Very hot here again today, but the sun keeps disappearing behind ominous looking cloud. It is really humid and uncomfortable.

Early morning dog walk, then spent the rest of the morning sorting out my sales unit. Took lots of new items, but also brought back lots of unsold stuff and now have to unload it from the car and put it away until its next outing    Sold an old but badly chipped Chinese vase as soon as I put it out - I don't care if it was Ming or something, it has been collecting dead flies in the kitchen windowsill forever  

My brother came round this afternoon for the first time for ages, as I was shielding and he works in a meat prep and packing plant, and most cases / outbreaks in this area seem to originate in those sorts of environments. Had a socially distanced cuppa in the garden. He brought round a big ham joint from his staff shop, and I gave him tomatoes, lettuce, French beans and a jar of pickled onions in return, which he wasn't expecting, but was pleased with.

Currently waiting for a delivery, but when it has arrived, I need to sort the carload of junk  antiques and vintage items, and the raspberries, tomatoes and French beans need picking AGAIN. Researching pickled chillies, as I have lots of those as well. Has anyone made them? I usually just freeze them or make chilli jam, but it would be nice to do something different. I also want to make some sourdough flatbreads, and some 'pizzas' from slices of the sourdough brick I made yesterday. It will be fine for that I am going to make a new, (totally inauthentic) starter I think, as my current one seems to have run out of oomph, despite feeding etc. I will use the old one up for flatbreads, as it doesn't matter if they are a bit, well, flat!

Meal planning has failed (again) - I was going to make a sausage and roasted veg bake (and may still do) but would rather not have the oven on in this heat, will try to think of something else instead - though it will be something I already have.

Nothing spent so far today, though I the milk bill arrived this morning with the milk. It is about £3.44 or something like that, so it can probably wait till tomorrow!

TryingAgain2022

Hello all. @smushesma I truly admire your restraint! I so nearly went mad at the garden centre yesterday! I like the idea of trying roadside sellers - we have a weekly market which often does cheap plants too, will take a look.
This week:

• -meal planning to avoid impulse visits to the supermarket
• -hanging washing out as it looks warm (though have just had downpour on my previously dry washing ....boo)
• -packing list for hols, to include meal planning as it's self catering
• -finding books I already own for hols. Might treat myself BUT only if I can't find anything I've not read - unlikely!
• -coffee at home/in flask if going out for a break in the car - have been slipping on that lately
• -start thinking about Christmas gifts. If I can spread across Sept-Dec, much better.

That's it. I went thru all money things this weekend and am annoyed at the interest rate on my 3 cards, but I can't get any transfer offers at the moment so am stuck with it. Cannot wait to ditch them (first one gone by September!) and tell lenders where to shove it.
-TA2022

delta13

Hello, I'd like to take part this week if you can spare room for a newbie! I'm on annual leave and I'm finding the longer the pandemic has gone on, the more I am erring towards spending on things unnecessarily when I have free time. So kicking that habit this week by keeping a little diary like this. I have a small amount of debt on a credit card - I was hoping an insurance payout would have arrived by now to clear it - but I'm also trying to save money for a deposit on a house, so being aware of my spends and making little savings here and there is important regardless.

Today I have:

• Checked my bank accounts, worked out my average "daily allowance" (what I have left over once this week's bills are accounted for) and moved some into savings ready to avoid temptation to spend - this week's savings will all go on the credit card.
• Used up some eggs and peppers that were in danger of passing their best to make shakshuka for lunch.
• Cleared out some storage boxes in my room and found some bits to donate, bits to go on ebay, and some bits for me to enjoy that I'd forgotten about (albums and films on a usb stick).
  

This evening I will:

• Bulk cook some dinner that I can freeze the leftovers for the week ahead
• Check cupboards to make treats for the week - I'm thinking cookies as I have a sweet-tooth, and will often buy myself biscuits when I do a weekly shop. I'm hoping knowing I have the cookies at home will stop me spending more.
• Finish my audiobook whilst hopefully watching a thunder storm!

PurpleFairy26

Hello @smushesma and @delta13 lovely to see newbies on the thread. Stick with us 😀

I slept ok despite the heat but yesterday afternoon was unbearable. No sun. Just muggyness.... appears more of the same this morning. Have opened the back doors to let in some air which will hopefully make a difference. My list today:

lunch will be fridge round up for everyone 
check banking, there is a discrepancy which I need to try and work out 
some thing out of freezer for tea 
cancel food order 
get smalls to try on shoes I ordered online for a second time and if they do fit, arrange for the return of the others (and tick one more back to school thing off my list) 
investigate the trainer/plimsolls situation for hand me downs 
chop and freeze some more courgettes 
still haven’t made jam.... I do at least have a recipe. 

Let’s see how today progresses. Have a good one. Purps. 

DawnW

Morning all

Looks like it is going to be really hot again - shouldn't moan, but I do find it very oppressive and draining. Couldn't face having the oven on last night, so made up a new 'thing' for dinner, which also used some of my courgette mountain (just as well, as OH has just found another one). I chopped up 3 courgettes fairly small and sauteed them (I used the griddle pan, but it doesn't matter really), cooked some pasta, stirred both together with some garlic and herb soft cheese (I used half of one of those little Bours*n cheeses from the supermarket for the two of us, but you could use any kind) and a splash of the pasta water to make it emulsify. Then served with a sprinkle of parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Was yummy and cheap, only took a short time to cook and didn't involve having the oven on in a heatwave

Anyway, today's plans:

Dog walk, free exercise (Done)

Wash hair and leave to dry naturally

Take boxes of sales stock upstairs - 2 flights - and put away in eaves cupboard (more free exercise)

Have a go at making sourdough flatbreads with tired starter stuff

Get some chicken breasts out to make tarragon chicken at some point (I have a huge tarragon plant and it is such a shame not to make use of it)

Pay milk bill

Water garden

Will need to make the sausage and roasted veg thing today for dinner, so will prep in advance before I wilt in the heat.