What Small Things Will You Do This Week? 22/11/21

Bagpuss741

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 😀

Bagpuss741

Today I have/will:

1.  Checked online banking
2.  NSD
3.  Meals from stores
4.  Duolingo Welsh
5.  Surveys
6.  Read free book snuggled up to cat as its freezing here
7.  Have received £5.53 payment from prolific so have withdrawn it and paid £5 to vanquis
8.  Earned £5 Mastercards with Ipsos say have paid it straight off Very

EssexHebridean

Morning earlybird Bagpuss - thanks for the thread! It's distinctly chilly here too - my fingers were cold in spite of gloves on the bike this morning! 

Banking checked here and our Santander Account Switch bonus has landed- yay! Now need to decide where it's going... Also:
- Meals all planned and tonight's bolognese already defrosted and ready to go.
- MrEH made an extra batch of rolls yesterday so we're all set for the week.
- LED lightbulbs ordered from Arg0s - need to collect those later and get them installed tonight
- Aiming for a run of NSD's this week to get me to my month's target
- bath tonight instead of showers in the morning

Things do be done through this week for our "one small thing" tasks:
- Clear and dust the TV unit
- give the TV itself a thorough clean
- Dust mantlepiece and open shelves
- Clean all mirrors
- find 5 things in the front room that ought not to be there, and relocate/throw/charity shop

Have a lovely week all! 

DawnW

Evening all

Thanks for starting the thread @Bagpuss741

We seem to be a bit thin on the ground - hopefully others will come along and join the three of us soon!

Today's list:

Chilly dog walk first thing

Housework today - OH did the kitchen and conservatory, I did the lounge and dining room. My bit was bigger, but his was messier     

I then cleaned the bathroom, dusted the bedroom furniture and tidied some stuff away in the spare room that the little ones had been playing with (they love getting my sales stock out, especially the more outlandish vintage costume jewellery that nobody wants ) 

Finished my pantry / cleaning stuff / toiletries etc inventory that I started yesterday. Noted items that I have run out of, or almost, on the shopping list for later in the week.

Load of washing pegged out on the line, now airing by the stove. Actually the airer is on the other side of the room, but OH insists on hanging the sock hanger thingies on the brackets that support the mantleshelf. The brackets are in the form of birds, and it looks as though the birds are holding the sock hangers in their beaks   It looks like something from some mad film. Hoping no unexpected visitors decide call round!

Not much cooking needed today, as we had leftover risotto from yesterday to finish up.

Bagpuss741

Today I have/will:

1.  Checked online banking
2.  NSD
3.  Surveys
4.  Duolingo Welsh
5.  Read free book
6.  Washed jumpers and they are now drying on airer
7.  Meals from stores
8.  Write all bill dates in organiser as next months bills are slowly arriving

Keep warm all

EssexHebridean

dawn I am absolutely with your OH - that sounds like the perfect place to hang the sock hangers!

I probably need to think about a toiletries inventory too - I know I'm getting low on my favourite cleanser and that is already on my Christmas list, but I need to consider what else is needed. I should finish a bubble bath next time I have a bath though, I know that!

Today for me looks like:
- extra cycling this morning as had a bit of spare time when I parked the car
- Banks checked and a couple of transfers made
- keep an eye on OnePoll & Prolific
- Charge watch & phone at work
- tea tonight is from the plan - tuna salad - with avocado if the little blighters have ripened! 
- Gym tonight
- one job from the "small things" to be done later.
- WM on overnight as MrEH will have rugby training kit to add to his game kit from Saturday

I tweaked the electricity monitor last night as I realised the timings were wrong, but I think I need to tweak it again to adjust when it's picking up that we're on night rate, it's doing it too early at the moment. Might be easiest just to adjust the clock on it to 15 minutes slow as the rate switches can only be done in 30 minute increments.
 

DawnW

Evening all

Work all day so not much else done!

Walked to work and back, a couple of miles round trip, so a worthwhile bit of exercise for an old one!

Folded up the washing (including the bits on the sock thingies - no longer hanging from the birds' beaks!) and put it in the airing cupboard

Took a marmite sandwich with me for lunch - really into marmite at the moment!

OH cooking tonight, though it is mainly reheating something I made ealier, doing a jacket potato and making a salad.

Called into Boots on the way home to get over the counter allergy meds, but nothing else spent.

Must check the banks at some point this evening.

EssexHebridean

Dawn I am disappointed that your birds are no longer carrying lots of socks!   Also with you on the marmite thing - my personal favourite sandwich is marmite and peanut butter with some good strong thinly sliced cheddar in the middle - delicious! 

I've been slacking on my "one small thing" goals this week so will aim to get one of those done tonight - possibly cleaning the mirrors. Not much else going on here other than the usual bits - aiming for a NSD, which it *might* be unless MrEH decides his car needs fuel tonight. if it does then I will probably book the night's hotel we need for our return from Scotland in the New Year this evening too. Otherwise that will wait until the weekend.  Food from plan - although switched about as the avocado for the guacamole to go with the chilli wasn't ripe so that has been shoved in a paper bag with a banana until tomorrow, and we'll have liver & onions tonight. I'll probably make another double batch of mixed root mash too and freeze half. Need to get the mince for tomorrow out of the freezer tonight too. 

The Santander bonus got sent mostly to Premium Bonds. 

BlueJ94

Morning all.

Not much going on besides working, I got a week off work next week from my main job, but I'm still working in Sainsburys but only my contracted days so I will get some extra rest where needed. I also plan on starting the dreaded Christmas shop

CC's are going well, I've paid Barclaycard and Fluid off in full

Bagpuss741

Today I have/will:

1.  Checked online banking
2.  Bought gift bags ready to start wrapping Christmas presents on the weekend
3.  Meals from stores
4.  Surveys
5.  Duolingo Welsh
6.  Read free book

DawnW

Afternoon all

@EssexHebridean you will be pleased to hear that the birds will soon be holding up the sock hangers again, as I did a load of washing again today. Currently on the line, but will get it in shortly, and put on airer / birds  

Other than that, I have / will:

Done the weekly shop, must update my spending diary in a minute

Usual kitchen / bathroom clean up

Dog walk

I am making Lyonnaise mackerel for dinner tonight, and am also about to make an apple and quince crumble to use some of the  home grown fruit from the freezer, and some scones.