What small DFW things will you do this week? w/c 3rd March 2025

allydowd

When we start 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 canceling 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 every day 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!

allydowd

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

• Benefits check-up (Link)
• Birthday Freebies (Link)
  
• eBid (Link)
• Freecycle (Link)
• Freegle (Link)
  
• FreeStuff (Link)
• Income Tax Calculator (Link)
• Ipsos i-Say Surveys (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 Deals and Vouchers (Link)
• MSE Demotivator Tool (Link)
• MSE Credit Card Minimum Repayment Calculator (Link)
• NHS Minor Ailment Service article (Link)
• MSE Money Makeover (Link)
• MSE Reclaim Packaged Bank Account fees at no cost to yourself without using a claims company (Link)
• MSE Reclaiming guide (Link)
• MSE Stoozing Guide (Link)
• MSE Survey sites that pay for your opinions (Link)
• My Supermarket Compare (Link)
  
• NHS Free Prescription Checker (Link)
• OnePoll (Link)
• Parcel2Go: compare postage prices (Link)
  
• Parkopedia: compare parking charges (Link)
  
• Quidco (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. (www.resolver.co.uk)
• SayNoTo0870 cheap phone number finder (Link)
• Split Ticketing (Link)
  
• Super Saver Amazon Delivery Tool (Link)
  
• Swagbucks (Link)
  
• Toluna (Link)
  
• TopCashBack (Link)
• You Need A Budget site and App (Link)

Links last checked for workability 27th Jan 2025.

allydowd

DawnW said:

Ooh where is everyone? All ok I hope!

Sorry, @DawnW I was distracted.

allydowd

Hi March Money-Savers,

A precious day off today and I have a few things to do:

Debt-Free-Nillionaire Continuity Plan Year Nine:

Things I'll definitely do:

• Alarm clock off at the wall during day time.
• Reconciled my finances spreadsheet and made a backup copy.
  
• I'm something-other-than Christian but I will make pancakes today for DW who loves them. Will make from base ingredients, did not buy overpriced pancake mix.
  
• Lunch will be discounted Covent Garden Soup.
  
• Timing the drying of the washing so that the radiators are on when Dowd Towers is at it's coldest.
  
• Sort out my own nails.
  
• Filled my pill box so I remember my pills and don't get sick(er).
• Cleared my Letter Rack.
• Checked TopCashBack.
• Cleared all my emails.
• Did a survey to get a voucher code. Still waiting for the code.
• DW's birthday gift arrived, checked it over to ensure its OK.
• Bought packed lunches for the week ahead.
• Borrowed £50 from DW because I miscalculated something and I don't want our rent payment to bounce. I'll repay it on pay day. 0% interest. Saw a nice gift I thought DW might like but didn't buy it because the reviews were rubbish.
  
• Cleaned fridge so we don't die?!?!
• Yesterday's main entertainment was an afternoon nap after a strenuous week. 🤣
• Get the sewing machine out to fit a shoulder strap to my passport case. It'll be safer when we travel.
• Home haircut.
• Go sit at a viewpoint with a flask of coffee.

Things I might do if I can:

• Plan for a concert I'm going to next week.

DawnW

Morning @allydowd , thanks for the thread.

Worked really hard at home yesterday, scrubbing out the grubby conservatory (actually that sounds way too posh for the junk infested glass box at the back of the house ). Anyway, we cleaned it.

Shopping today, plus washing as the weather is supposed to be sunny once the frost goes.

I need to make a pie. I have both pastry and filling in the fridge, so it is just a matter of putting it together.

Not sure what else today will bring!

carrielovesfanta

Morning all

Thanks for starting us off @allydowd

It's pancake day, yes it's pancake day, it's p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day!

I'm back from the far reaches of Norway. I can highly recommend the coastal ferry/cruise except the fact that due to it being a ferry, it makes 2-3 port calls at night and when they use the thrusters to position the vessel alongside, the whole cabin shakes like an earthquake. Oslo was super expensive so I need to pay off my spends and knuckle down with MSE stuff. 

In other news, my b00b is ok (just hormonal changes, hooray!), we have a date for mum's op and it won't overlap with the mooted date for the house move. All is very quiet on the house front. I had an email from the EA while I was away saying that the vendor's solicitor was dragging their heels and they were going to give them a prod. Going to email my chappie tomorrow to see if there's any news, and if not, I'll do some prodding of my own. 

I offered to make pancakes for breakfast and OH said no thanks, he was happy with porridge, so that was a job saved!

Today's MSE things: 
B/L/D from stores. We have LOADS of veg in the house so no excuse not to eat healthily
WFH so saves petrol. OH working today. 
Go to gym tonight with my friend. Wonder if I can pause my membership while at mum's? 
Heating on 18' max
Washing outside to dry. It's drying really well in the spring sunshine this week which is lovely to see 
Dusting/cleaning during breaks from work
Walk round the block at lunchtime and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!

Have a lovely day all

clf x

La_escocesa

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for starting us off Ally. 

CLF - glad to hear you're ok. 💛

I'm slowly getting over a cold. I guess my immune system is just shot and that's what I've got to expect these days. 

⚡Applied for jobs 
⚡Housework - feel good factor; not paying a cleaner
⚡Free training - qualification paid by industry body 
⚡An hour of paid work 
⚡Applying for mentorship and being a mentor
⚡Free library book 
⚡Food from stores 

Bit of a boring day but just how I like it tbf. 

carrielovesfanta

Afternoon all

@La_escocesa - I hope your cold gets better soon

At work in the office today. Takes more petrol as OH drops me off and picks me up but it's good to get out the house. Not sure what the plan is later - I need to carry on packing/cleaning but that doesn't seem much of a fun plan for an evening! 

In MSE things:
OH has been tasked with picking a batch cook plan from a list. Although he was too tired to go to the shop for the ingredients(!). Maybe I'll go later? 
I might make some soup. I have a load of mangetout that I froze but they go a bit tough when defrosted so I'm thinking of a pea soup. 
I pegged some washing out on the line. It'll just air off indoors.
Charged phone in work

Have a good one all

clf x

DawnW

Afternoon all

Fairly easy day as I need to be at work in the shop tomorrow.

But I have:

Washed my hair and left it to dry on its own

Given the larder a bit of a sort out

Persuaded OH to help me move some stuff around in the garden

Checked the banks, all as expected

All meals from home.

ziggy2407

Hope everyone is well. 

I'm struggling posting at the minute as Im doing so little, by the time I was up today DH had already done the ironing and got a washload out.  We've been for a drive out and small walk for a change of scenery and fresh air.  So, today's small things

Checked Bank 
Load of washing and line dried (a great drying day) - DH
Ironing - DH

Checked: PMP, WinaDinner, LuckySpinner 
Read: Book (from shelves of doom)
Pamper time - used a couple of products up
Scanned packaging into Bower and Boots Recycling Scheme
March step goal : 3000 per day

Restricted electricty usage 6-7pm

See you all tomorrow

C x

carrielovesfanta

Morning all,

@ziggy2407 - I'm glad you got a little change of scene. It's lovely to see the spring sunshine isn't it?

I don't think there's much going on but here's my list:
OH to do a small shop and a batch cook
Have asked OH to pick up my prescriptions while he's out
OH going to hoover the stairs and porch.
Work buy our lunch on a Thurs so didn't bring anything. 
Gym tonight with my friend .

Have a good one all 

clf x