What Small Things Will You Do This Week? 08/11/21?

carrielovesfanta

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 😀

carrielovesfanta

Morning folks

Quick one before I start work!
Working 5 days at the moment - yay to the extra money but boo to the loss of free time! This weekend was very busy as a result. Lots of general organising and tidying, I made some pumpkin cookies on Sat morning and took them to the bonfire party that our allotments were having. Had quite good fun there. Then it was back to the allotment at about 10.30am on Sunday to have a good tidy of the plot - the pumpkin vines were still in situ, so we pulled them all up and strimmed the very overgrown grass where they had been. Also planted the onions and garlic. Brought home 5 big Queensland Blue squashes, some potatoes (including a few bonus ones discovered while digging the beds), the last apples and a good couple of handfuls of chard. The apples skins weren't very nice looking this year, but they were fine once peeled so I've cooked a load down into apple puree and cut some into chunks and frozen them.

So today's list:
No gym as completely aching from yesterday's efforts
B/L/D from stores
Heating off (I'm quite warm tbh)
Work very hard
Remember to have breaks from work. Luckily the job I'm doing has natural breaks but I need to remember to move during them
Make sure the curtains get closed before dark
Kintting - must make progress on Christmas items as have been very lazy over the past week.
Made some homemade yogurt in the thermos but seems very runny compared to what I remember. Am straining it through a cheesecloth. Will use the strained liquid in porridge/smoothies
Log cals in free app. Must lose this lockdown half a stone as my clothes don't fit
Free stretching routine later


Have a good one all

clf x 

BlueJ94

Morning!

I plan to 

Round down all CCs and Loans so say something is at £20.56 I'd pay the 56p!
Work
I've also got a cold so trying to reduce that whilst it's freezing in work isn't working so well

EssexHebridean

Thanks for the thread clf - that sounds like a busy day planned!  Jade - boo to the cold, and being in a cold environment too - although sometimes I think that helps prevent stuffy noses etc so maybe not all bad? 

It's the office for me as usual - I'm hoping the CH kicks in properly to warm it up soon too, we have HUGE single glazed windows (think old Bank building) so the place is a devil to keep warm and the heating gets turned right down overnight when there's nobody in so the first few hours of the day are always chilly. It's getting there though - gone from 15 > 16.5 degrees since I've been in so improving slowly! There will be plentiful cups of tea this morning to help keep me warm from the inside at least! 

Today:
- check banking
- Check OnePoll (I'm 20 points away from cashout!)
- Took the decision not to cycle this morning as I have a bit of a fibro flare going on and it's making me quite sore round the ribs on my right side - same place it always gets me - so have walked from the car to the office and will do the same back tonight, plus a (probably fairly short) walk at lunchtime just to top up the daylight levels.
- Tea will be from the meal plan and is already mostly prepped - just needs reheating and accompaniments done.
- drink my water!
- Make time for a yoga session tonight
- do one thing at home to deal with a "hotspot" - probably my dressing table
- Brought a bag of coppers plus a Northern Irish paper £5 note which has been kicking around at home for several years in to work to put in the British Legion tin - I'm now wearing my Poppy.

Work wise I'm aiming to shred the latest batch of approved files and get a new set ready for my Boss when he's in later, plus a couple of files for their post-completion stuff, stamp duty & registrations. 

Happy Monday all! 

Bagpuss741

Thanks for starting the thread @carrielovesfanta

Today I have/will:

1.  Checked online banking
2.  Went into Cardiff with mam as she wanted to do some Christmas shopping, had a free coffee in M&S by using my free drinks vouchers
3.  Meals from stores
4.  Catch up tv
5.  Duolingo Welsh
6.  Checked usb c adapter worked that mam has bought me for christmas
7.  Picked up a free card in Paperchase

financialfreedomkit

This is an inspiring thread! Thankyou! As I am paying off debt and I do most of that on payday, I find myself getting a bit bored and uninspired with my journey….. 
Therefore! This week I will do at least 10 hours of overtime. 

I will park in the cheaper car park and walk a bit further to work
i will make all my work meals in advance
and I’ll wear an extra jumper at home to keep the heating down for a bit longer! 

Thanks all! 

EssexHebridean

Welcome FFK!  it *is* tricky to avoid the monotony setting in when you're been "doing all the things" for a while - and this thread is great for finding new ideas of extra little things you can do, or can do better, too! 

anna42hmr

well i've managed to clear another £130 off my debts today, thanks to receiving the santander switch incentive for the account i applied for a little while ago, so before it could be spent, has been paid off.  Hopefully all being well my MBNA debt will be paid off by the November pay day.  If  so will be another credit card off my debt snowball list (fingers crossed).

EssexHebridean

Ooh exciting that the Santander switch money has started appearing - how long ago was your switch Anna? We were a bit late to the party so I suspect we've got at least a month to wait yet for ours!  Well done on paying yours off against the debt, too! 

DawnW

Afternoon all

Thanks for starting the thread CLF - you sound pretty busy!

Today I have / will:

Dog walk first thing

Load of washing, pegged outside, almost dry, now on airer

Decluttered 2 more items

Sewed GD's Beavers badges on her top. I will be teaching her how to sew on the next ones, I obviously failed with her mother, as she hates sewing even more than I do, and says she can't do it     

DD and little almost 4 y o GS came round earlier to collect said top, and GS and I played Mr Potato Head among other things!

DD dropped me off in town on her way back so I could post a parcel and get a few small items in Icyland, I walked back, a bit of extra exercise.

Dinner will be cauliflower and macaroni cheese, veggie day today.

anna42hmr

EssexHebridean said:

Ooh exciting that the Santander switch money has started appearing - how long ago was your switch Anna? We were a bit late to the party so I suspect we've got at least a month to wait yet for ours!  Well done on paying yours off against the debt, too! 

I opened the account on 13 September and requested the switch at the same time, however i set the switch to complete at a later date of 11 October,  to be honest was surprised it has been paid out that quick as was not anticipating it till next month at the earliest (seems like the switch request date is the trigger for the timeline of the payment rather than switch date itself, looking at red thread on the current account board).

I am looking at it as extra money i wouldn't have normally lol so that way can trick myself into thinking not lost anything by paying towards the debt, before i can decide to spend it elsewhere.

Have a couple other switches i am hoping on a pay out for whilst they are available, one from RBS (though thats chancing my arm a bit, as technically had one from Natwest in prior offer, but anecdotally doesn't seem they always are able to check, but want the account any way, so will see (for the Direct debit cash back).  The other one is the HSBC offer, for £110 and £30 voucher though that switch is not due to complete until next week.

If they both pay out, will also look to pay those towards the debt too (previously did the same with a Nationwide switch incentive).