Can Edinburgher be debt free and a mortgage holder by 30?

edinburgher

Managed to write another Dooyoo review last night. I won't be able to do any this evening as we're taking advantage of the 40% off Yo! Sushi vouchers that are doing the rounds at the moment

Also started my daily clicks and while the amounts are tiny, it's great to be making a few pounds for just conducting random searches etc.

I've added a new line to my signature to show my fledgling online savings. As my current plan is to make a full and final settlement offer on my credit card once my debts and savings converge it should serve as a useful psychological tool to keep me on the DFW straight and narrow. It's looking pretty puny at the moment, but watch this space

edinburgher

A delicious dinner and very affordable at £18 a head! We were brave and got the friendly staff to make up all the nice things we fancied but had been too timid to ask for on previous trips. I had some brilliant aubergine and sweet potato tempura and a great miso broth with tofu, wild mushrooms and soba noodles

Another £3 transferred into my savings from the 'change'.

Night all...

edinburgher

Bleurgh - think I'm falling to pieces Haven't had a proper night of sleep in three days now and it's wearing me out! Will try and get an early night tonight and see if that helps.

Today was relatively quiet on the DFW front, although I managed to do a few £s worth of daily clicks, started my free scratch again (10p baby!) and transferred another £5 into my savings account.

Still feeling cheerful and motivated after slaying the overdraft and will try to do some Dooyoo reviews tomorrow.

For the first time in ages I've started to think properly about the future. I know that might sound odd for someone who keeps a diary talking about looking forward to being debt free, but it's not that often that we really take the chance to re-assess exactly what it is we hope to achieve once we reach that magic day.

For me, I think a change of career would be my ultimate goal. I hate the minutiae of being a librarian and the fact that my job leaves no room for creativity. I love to cook and think I have a reasonable flair for it to, which makes me think that a career as a professional caterer/chef might suit very well (apart from the low wages).

I like to be on my feet, I'd rather be constantly busy than well paid and bored and there's 1001 things about the world of cuisine that make me smile. Not something that can be said for libraries.

One of the good things about being a civil servant is the fact that I can bank flexi time by working long hours and taking the time off in lieu in the subsequent month. I'm starting to think that there would be nothing to stop me doing a professional cookery course on day release during the 2010-11 academic year (apart from fear of failure). As some wise soul said, 'if something scares you, it's probably the right thing to do). Well, most of the time

poorbutrich

edinburgher wrote: »

Bleurgh - think I'm falling to pieces Haven't had a proper night of sleep in three days now and it's wearing me out! Will try and get an early night tonight and see if that helps.

Today was relatively quiet on the DFW front, although I managed to do a few £s worth of daily clicks, started my free scratch again (10p baby!) and transferred another £5 into my savings account.

Still feeling cheerful and motivated after slaying the overdraft and will try to do some Dooyoo reviews tomorrow.

For the first time in ages I've started to think properly about the future. I know that might sound odd for someone who keeps a diary talking about looking forward to being debt free, but it's not that often that we really take the chance to re-assess exactly what it is we hope to achieve once we reach that magic day.

For me, I think a change of career would be my ultimate goal. I hate the minutiae of being a librarian and the fact that my job leaves no room for creativity. I love to cook and think I have a reasonable flair for it to, which makes me think that a career as a professional caterer/chef might suit very well (apart from the low wages).

I like to be on my feet, I'd rather be constantly busy than well paid and bored and there's 1001 things about the world of cuisine that make me smile. Not something that can be said for libraries.

One of the good things about being a civil servant is the fact that I can bank flexi time by working long hours and taking the time off in lieu in the subsequent month. I'm starting to think that there would be nothing to stop me doing a professional cookery course on day release during the 2010-11 academic year (apart from fear of failure). As some wise soul said, 'if something scares you, it's probably the right thing to do). Well, most of the time

Hi Edinburgher
Just putting it all in writing has probably cleared this up in your head and has helped you take a step towards this. If cooking is what turns you on, that why not try to make a career out of it? You can always go back to your current career and if you don't try, you will always wonder....

Good luck!

edinburgher

Thanks poorbutrich, your comment

if you don't try, you will always wonder....

hits the nail on the head for me

No matter how many times I try and convince myself that a career in catering is a bad idea - 'the money will be rubbish', 'you're too old to start a new career', 'you hate the heat', I keep coming back to the idea. Sometimes you go a little mad with wondering.

I shall continue making the debt repayments, investigate Scottish and English FE colleges to see if there are any with a good reputation and start saving my fees early next year. With any luck I should be able to pay the fees outright if I stick to saving.

Like you say, I can always go back to my current career/top up my earnings with it. Either way I'd want to study for a couple of years, so I'd still have a good full time wage coming in until I'm in a position to commit to a career change.

edinburgher

Had a productive afternoon of looking at FE colleges and found a few in and around London that seem to fit the bill

Also paid £10 towards my savings, too tired for reviewing tonight!

poorbutrich

edinburgher wrote: »

Had a productive afternoon of looking at FE colleges and found a few in and around London that seem to fit the bill

Best of luck with this - perhaps once you have a taste of it, you'll know for sure. And remember there are lots of foodie jobs, so you don't have to work in a kitchen; you could write a book, create your own product line, be a consultant or even have your own TV show where you go and shout at people!

Whatever you decide will be the right answer! Good luck!

edinburgher

so you don't have to work in a kitchen; you could write a book, create your own product line, be a consultant or even have your own TV show where you go and shout at people!

All good points! I love to write and many of my reviews on Dooyoo are for food products and recipes. Oddly enough you're not the first person to mention the possibility of some writing...

Would also love to have my own product line - a cottage industry appeals greatly, this is definitely something that I will do in future to supplement my income if nothing else!

Feeling very motivated towards DFW pursuits today - finishing work at 3pm, so will have a chance to crack on with some further earning when I get back to the flat.

Planning on paying some more money into my savings, will make sure to do the usual daily scratches and clicks, enter some Classic FM and GMTV comps and continue with the reviewing..

edinburgher

Yay - I have completed enough surveys with Valued Opinions to earn a £10 voucher! Hopefully with this and my Dooyoo earnings I'll have enough vouchers to get my little sister a free birthday present in September and add the money from my presents budget to my savings

hypno06

Re the career change - I say look into it, and do it.....it is all down to the planning though.

I gave up a career in stockbroking, to do reflexology - not much different! I spent two years as a therapist, did some teaching for adult ed in my "new" subjects etc before deciding to go back into stockbroking, which I have never regretted.

What I DID do, was lots of thinking outside the box, before I handed in my notice. Had plan B ready, incase plan A took some time to work etc.

So, spend time saving, thinking, researching etc - you will come up with some ideas that appear sensible, but that just don't appeal, and you will come up with some ideas that others will say "you must be mad" but that you keep coming back to for some unknown reason - and at the end of the day you will make the right decision for you.

Go for it!