the daydream fund challenge thread

Poosmate

Hey all, well as you'll probably guess with my Happy New Year post being posted exactly at midnight (a pure fluke I might add!) I stayed in last night.

Happy birthday to all the horses in the world, they're like the Queen they have their own birthday and the official one.

I really enjoy staying in on NYE, I've done all the going out, partying and getting wrecked and the last time I did it I had such a hangover the next day, so I guess I'm too old for it now. Although, I suppose I could go out and not get wrecked (not a concept I am familiar with I must admit!). Having said that, I am so unaccustomed to going out now I'd probably have one drink and keel over! lol

Anyway, I spent last night reflecting on the year past and felt really quite happy. I entered my last log in my financial journal and created a new one for the first 3 months of this year. I thought about what I am bringing from 2010 into 2011. I think I have a good start. A couple of weeks ago I spent my £25 of Morrisons Miles vouchers on coffee, cat food and toilet roll (I wanted to get it before the VAT rise so saved myself about 62p in VAT) - Laugh ye not! That's 2 packets of noodles and a box of cuppasoups, so two meals and two half meals! Anyway, I have 48 rolls of toilet roll (11 months worth!) and enough cat food for a couple of months at least and probably about the same for the coffee! Good start!! I also feel like the last couple of years I've been in training regarding my debt busting, so this year is graduation year, I've lost many bad financial habits and gained many new good financial habits - time to put that training into real action.

CTC, I agree about the recession. Without doubt there are going to be tough times ahead for us all. My main fear is the interest rate rise on the mortgage as part of my debt is tied to my mortgage (in my reserve account). So, my main goal over the next few months is to pay as much off my highest charged interest rate debt to reduce the minimum payments so that, should the need arise, I can drop down the payments to the minimums for a while.

I only have short term (3 months) and long term (10 years) plans. My 10 year plan to be mortgage and debt free is still on track (give or take 6-12 months). I find it so difficult to even try to plan much further forward than 3 months and these last few months of unexpected expenses has backed that up.

Anyway, enough from me. Hope we all achieve our goals for this year. Good luck all,

Poo

Poosmate

I forgot to mention in my previous post the price of scrap metal is on the up. Copper especially - up to £4700 per ton!

Another thing I'm bringing into 2011 is sorting my scrap metal and processing it so that I can transport it to the scrapyard. I must spend at least 5 mins a day doing this (only so that I can do a little each day). I find if I can get into a habit it will continue whereas if I do it all in one go, I'll probably let it build again and have to have another "one go". Better to do a bit each day, get into the habit and eventually I will have a working system. Yay!

Watch the prices here:

http://www.letsrecycle.com/prices/metals/

Hope that helps someone,

Poo

rhiwfield

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

This is spookily uncanny, as you quoted a quote in one of your posts and now this about getting ready to move fast... but you dont know what else is happening.... Have you got a sixth sense or do you know what really is happening..:rotfl:

CTC, if I really knew what was going to happen I'd probably not have to worry about getting wood cheaper :rotfl::rotfl:

Thing is, when you started this thread you took a first step towards your dream. I'm just guessing, really, that you can see the hassle ahead for you in 2011 not only as aggro but also as some kind of opportunity, maybe even one thats already visible to you. That kind of opportunity may not come around again but you seem to be getting yourself in the frame of mind to grab it... and I really hope you do. If you miss it, when you could have got it, you'll be kicking yourself.

Let me tell you a true story. Several years ago I was working in London, hating every minute. I'd bought a flat there as it was too long a commute, so that meant seeing less and less of my family. I was stuck there during the 90's recession for 10 whole years, in negative equity for a time, but talking to an estate agent at the millennium I was told that my flat was now worth twice what I'd paid for it. Selling the flat would mean that I could repay the mortgage on the family house and have a small lump sum left. I took the plunge, left a job that was driving me crazy, and returned home, jobless. Fast forward to the present and I see my grandchildren most days, have learned new skills, achieved a few things and am pretty happy most of the time. Not much money, mind

Cue the scenario if I'd stayed in London for the high pay job, and I guess it would have been divorce with all the trimmings.

Sometimes you have to be able to grab opportunities when they arise and it really helps to be geared up to do that, especially mentally. This year there will be sellers that have had enough, seeing rising interest rates and limited market recovery if any. It should be deal time for those able to move.

Just about the only boss I ever respected once said to me, "If you try to make something happen there's no guarantee of success. But I will guarantee that if you dont try, you definitely wont succeed"

COOLTRIKERCHICK

rhiwfield wrote: »

CTC, if I really knew what was going to happen I'd probably not have to worry about getting wood cheaper :rotfl::rotfl:

Thing is, when you started this thread you took a first step towards your dream. I'm just guessing, really, that you can see the hassle ahead for you in 2011 not only as aggro but also as some kind of opportunity, maybe even one thats already visible to you. That kind of opportunity may not come around again but you seem to be getting yourself in the frame of mind to grab it... and I really hope you do. If you miss it, when you could have got it, you'll be kicking yourself.

Let me tell you a true story. Several years ago I was working in London, hating every minute. I'd bought a flat there as it was too long a commute, so that meant seeing less and less of my family. I was stuck there during the 90's recession for 10 whole years, in negative equity for a time, but talking to an estate agent at the millennium I was told that my flat was now worth twice what I'd paid for it. Selling the flat would mean that I could repay the mortgage on the family house and have a small lump sum left. I took the plunge, left a job that was driving me crazy, and returned home, jobless. Fast forward to the present and I see my grandchildren most days, have learned new skills, achieved a few things and am pretty happy most of the time. Not much money, mind

Cue the scenario if I'd stayed in London for the high pay job, and I guess it would have been divorce with all the trimmings.

Sometimes you have to be able to grab opportunities when they arise and it really helps to be geared up to do that, especially mentally. This year there will be sellers that have had enough, seeing rising interest rates and limited market recovery if any. It should be deal time for those able to move.

Just about the only boss I ever respected once said to me, "If you try to make something happen there's no guarantee of success. But I will guarantee that if you dont try, you definitely wont succeed"

Rhiwfield.... I just want to give a huge cyber sloppy kiss and hug..as you are soooo tuned in to my situation at the moment, without actually knowing the situation.....

You are soooooooooooo spot on about metally being geared up, before now i have only dreamed and wished i could have land etc.... the final straw broke a few weeks ago, which now has totally changed my attiude and my thinking towards it all...

Your quote about guarantee of success is another good and thought and soooooo hitting home....

Just out of curio what type of job did you do in London?

lostinrates

Poosmate wrote: »

http://www.letsrecycle.com/prices/metals/

Hope that helps someone,

Poo

It helps me! Thank you. I'm just not sure how to take my scrap in. Is barbed wire any good, and old currugated iron? I have at least a tonne!

stitching_witch

I'd just like to slip out of lurker-ville for a few minutes to wish you all a very happy New Year.

I wish I had a crystal ball to foretell what 2011 has in store for me. Well actually, two would be better - one showing what would happen if I carry on as I am, and one showing what would happen if I took the other route. Not asking too much am I??? I have some serious decisions to make in the next few weeks which will affect the rest of my life, so I need to ensure I choose the right path.

2010 was a bad year for the stitching witch, and I want to thank everyone on here for continuing to make me smile, chuckle and uplifted.

I am determined 2011 will be MY year and I shall be back with renewed vigour after FIL's funeral on 14th Jan. :j

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

It helps me! Thank you. I'm just not sure how to take my scrap in. Is barbed wire any good, and old currugated iron? I have at least a tonne!

Corrugated iron is fine, but some places don't like barbed wire or sheep fence because, allegedly, it can jam their machines. We couldn't get a worse reception at our local tip if we took in raw sewage instead of wire, so we take that to Barnstaple where they seem altogether more laid-back.

But maybe some folk here will have had better experiences,
or have even sold old sheep fencing/wire. If you have a tonne, a scrappie may be more interested, literally taking the rough with the smooth.

alfie_1

im sure we have all had our ups and downs. many years ago an old [true] gypsy lady told me i would always have a pound in my pocket... i know you are thinking that she probably said that to everyone! but she told me of some future events in my life that at the time were ridiculous. but within 2 years her prediction came true. i was in hospital being told i would not be able to do a lot of things, prolonged walking,standing ,lifting etc.... i remembered what else she said then.... she said if i always looked for luck then luck would find me. wether it was sheer fluke that her prediction happened, i will never know but i overcame my disability,and always am the opptomist since. i do not believe in bad luck, i believe you have to only find the good. being alive is my 1st one. i dont let things get me down, if i do i come out fighting when i give myself an option "do or die"....
so.... think what you DO have ,rather than waste time thinking what you HAVENT !!
i feel rich because i have my son, fresh air, my animals and a roof over my head.

rhiwfield

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Just out of curio what type of job did you do in London?

CTC, different kinds of risk analysis over many years, companies/directors economies, industries, financial stuctures, commodities, usually to determine whether or not to agree a financial exposure. Still pretty handy with a spreadsheet

But I got out and kept my family, sanity, integrity and self respect. All I sacrificed was my money and prospects, not other people's as so many have done in recent years when lining their own pockets. No brainer really

Really hope you get where you want to be

Stitching-Witch, not sure I'd want to know the future, though I do like to provide for it. But if carrying on as you are leaves you unhappy or dissatisfied then you know you need to change something, even if its only your expectations. I've found being positive and taking action to achieve a goal is life enhancing

Poosmate

lostinrates wrote: »

It helps me! Thank you. I'm just not sure how to take my scrap in. Is barbed wire any good, and old currugated iron? I have at least a tonne!

That's the $64m question! I have never weighed in any scrap yet. I don't have a great deal of it. Now I have a smaller car (Son of Satan) I doubt I'd get more than a few stone in it! lol

I know aluminium drinks cans and foil and I know copper. I'm not sure about other metals and metal mixes. I have some small plates that look like aluminium but they are magnetic so not sure what metal that is. Could they be tin? Zinc? aluminium mix, zinc mix? Who knows?! They are the bottoms of Pringles canisters. I also have food cans, I need to take the labels off I think. Again, I'm not sure if you have to take the labels off or not! I also don't know if I should take the different metals in at different times.

I'm not a very good scrappie am I?! lol

Time for coffee. I think I'll liberate some copper wire from it's plastic sleeving whilst I wait for the kettle to boil.

Be back soon,

Poo