Boopydoo's challenge for 2009

boopydoo

Evening all!

My OH has set me a challenge tonight so I thought if I popped on here and started a diary I could get a few hints, tips and most importantly a good kick up the backside if I start to waiver! Before I tell you the challenge I should tell you a bit about myself.

I'm in my final year at university doing a course that I hate so much. I failed an exam at Christmas and finally plucked up the courage to tell my parents and my OH after weeks of worrying. My parents are really supportive, they know how hard I worked even though I hate the course. I was more worried about my OH as he is a geek when it comes to exams and just qualified as a chartered accountant.

Anyway after resigning myself to the fact that I won't get any sort of marketable degree (I will be lucky to get a third!) so I can't apply for any graduate jobs.

So tonight my OH told me if I can save £1500 by September, he will take out a loan so I can start up a business. Obviously he will have a say in it but essentially it will be my business and his input will be minimal. All sounds good?

Now the hard part: I only make £150 per week after tax and have around £2000 debt although £1200 of that is in an interest free overdraft. So I need ways to try and increase my income.

Also I have no idea what type of business to get involved in. I'm open to any sort of suggestion so thanks in advance for any help

Boopy x

boopydoo

So sat down this morning and figured out that there are 25 weeks until the start of September- which works out at a nice round £60 a week to save. That seems steep but I have loads of stuff to stick on ebay and my sister is going to help me do it all cos she can't use ebay and wants me to help her!

I have the last part of my student loan coming in at the start of next month so I think I will just throw it at my credit cards and cut them up!

My other little money makers are my daily scratch (currently at £3.31 woohoo! lol) and cashback which is sitting at £68 but could really do with something else to bump up the cash

clearing_out_my_pockets

Hi :wave:

Do you live with your OH or with your parents?

Also, you should try listing on amazon for some items - with ebay you pay a listing fee even if your item doesn't sell. On amazon the final fee is slightly higher but it's a no sale, no fee basis.

whatatwit

Hi Boopy.

If you have aread through the threads, there are a lot of self employed who are struggling at the moment.

What are you good at, is there maybe something you could do from home in your spare time and have a lesser paid job during the day?

boopydoo

clearing_out_my_pockets wrote: »

Hi :wave:

Do you live with your OH or with your parents?

Also, you should try listing on amazon for some items - with ebay you pay a listing fee even if your item doesn't sell. On amazon the final fee is slightly higher but it's a no sale, no fee basis.

We both still live at home with our parents. We talked about the future but he said he would rather see me set up with a job and happy as that's more important to us living together. He is totally opposed to renting so I will need some sort of income for when we do try and get a mortgage

boopydoo

whatatwit wrote: »

Hi Boopy.

If you have aread through the threads, there are a lot of self employed who are struggling at the moment.

What are you good at, is there maybe something you could do from home in your spare time and have a lesser paid job during the day?

I would like to do something with kids. I can't really take on another job until I have finished with uni at the end of May so come June I would be happy to take on another job to try and bump my wages.

boopydoo

Emptied one of my money boxes tonight- hadn't intended to but my darling nephew posted one of my necklaces into it so it had to be opened to retrieve it!!! Had £50 in there and got paid today so paid £66 of my catalogue bill and that's its finished- only money I owe them now won't get interest until next month and it's all for my mum so she will be paying it before interest is added! YAY one debt down!

Spent the day with my sister yesterday ebaying and still have loads to put on so fingers crossed. Have decided to try and clear CCs before starting to save so all money earned on ebay is going to get thrown at that

Hermia

Out of interest are you still continuing with your degree? If you are do you think you can really knuckle down and at least get a reasonable degree? Being a graduate always helps in life even with starting upa business as it makes you look committed etc. I really struggled with some parts of my degree (and can barely remember anything I learnt) but I worked my **** off in the final year and managed to get a 2:1.

boopydoo

I'm still going to finish my degree but no amount of work is going to get me above a 2:2 especially after failing an exam at Xmas. Really I'm just finishing it so I can say I have a degree

Tustastic

Well done on all your DFW achievements so far.:) Hermia has made a good point - do think about it. You've either got a degree or you haven't, as far as most jobs are concerned. Evidence that you are honest, reliable, hardworking, achieving and keen is much more important. If I was interviewing you I'd be impressed that you persevered to complete a degree course even though you found it tough going, instead of dropping out and living off the bank of mum and dad. I'd also be curious as to why you didn't transfer to a course better suited to your strengths and interests.
I've been in work continuously for decades without a degree. I ended up being hired by, paid shedloads, worked with and respected by people with starred firsts from Oxbridge, let alone 'mere' degrees, lovely people who gave me loads of opportunities and support. At first I was 'only' hardworking, reliable, honest and keen etc etc then as time went on I also gained experience and achieved successes in my various jobs. No rocket science involved at all, result £50K/pa and all the stress I could handle.
By all means investigate setting up a business if that's what you want to try, but please don't think you have to work for yourself because no employer will hire you without a 'good' degree. That's not how it works.
Good luck with all your plans.

boopydoo

Tustastic wrote: »

Well done on all your DFW achievements so far.:) Hermia has made a good point - do think about it. You've either got a degree or you haven't, as far as most jobs are concerned. Evidence that you are honest, reliable, hardworking, achieving and keen is much more important. If I was interviewing you I'd be impressed that you persevered to complete a degree course even though you found it tough going, instead of dropping out and living off the bank of mum and dad. I'd also be curious as to why you didn't transfer to a course better suited to your strengths and interests.
I've been in work continuously for decades without a degree. I ended up being hired by, paid shedloads, worked with and respected by people with starred firsts from Oxbridge, let alone 'mere' degrees, lovely people who gave me loads of opportunities and support. At first I was 'only' hardworking, reliable, honest and keen etc etc then as time went on I also gained experience and achieved successes in my various jobs. No rocket science involved at all, result £50K/pa and all the stress I could handle.
By all means investigate setting up a business if that's what you want to try, but please don't think you have to work for yourself because no employer will hire you without a 'good' degree. That's not how it works.
Good luck with all your plans.

Thanks for that- I did enjoy my degree in my first year but then I missed a large part of my 1st semester in 2nd year as I was in hospital and just never got back intothe course. I really lost interest and more work experience showed me it def wasn't for me. I do law by the way in case you are wondering

I really wouldn't mind working for someone else but it was just the challenge of my own business I was interested in. If I'm honest I probably will have to get a job but I would still like to try and see if I can get the £1500 saved