Livewire's challenge...

135

Comments

  • WEEK 11 RESULTS

    Well, the stock I'd bought for ebay failed to sell at all which was a disappointment but you just don't know the outcome until you try it. It's a game of trial and error and although this time it hasn't gone the way I would've wanted, I can at least cross off this idea and move on to the next. I'll probably either sell the whole box as a job lot at break even prices or try and shift them at an xmas bazaar or boot sale.
    I have been spending a bit of time in the past week checking out the local charity shops for some bargains so I'll see if I can pick up anything desirable that could potentially fetch a profit on ebay.
    Meanwhile, I've sorted through the junk in my cupboards and managed to dig out 9 old mobile phones which I've sent off to the well publicised Mazuma Mobile.
    I also received a knock at the door midweek from an E-on representative who convinced me to switch from British Gas saving me £20 per month on my bill and as a tasty bonus, for every £2 I spend on electricity I receive 1 point on my Tesco Clubcard.

    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Switched electricity providers
    • Sent off old mobile phones to Mazuma Mobile

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Freebies: £0.79
    (itunes single of the week)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    Bills savings: £240.00
    (Electricity provider switch - £240.00 (annual))

    Mobile phone sales: £78.50

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £653.90
    Points: 0
  • WEEK 12 RESULTS

    3 months out of work now.... feels like an eternity. Did get an interview out of the blue the other day though. The position sounded appealing and although i feel the commute is just a little too much for me (4 hour round trip each day), it did at least give me a big lift and some much needed interview experience.
    After failing to make a success of the first product I tried to sell on ebay, i've moved on to another. Rather that cheaply, massed produced stock like before, i've gone down the route of collectors items. But unlike before the issue is not with finding the buyers, it's with finding the sellers. So to begin with at least, it may not bring me a steady income but it should bring me a profit on what ever I sell.
    Meanwhile, as I have all this spare time on my hands, I've decided to start entering competitions and applying for freebies via the MSE forums. As they say, you've got to be in it to win it!
    The job search continues - hopefully this interview I had is a sign of things to come.

    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Changed product to sell on ebay
    • Had interview at Lidl for creative artworker position
    • Began entering online competitions via MSE

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Freebies: £0.79
    (itunes single of the week)

    Grocery savings: £9.88
    (tesco promotions)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £343.28
    Points: 0
  • WEEK 13 RESULTS

    Things are starting to look up now - had another interview last week. This one felt a lot more suitable in terms of location but of course with so much competition from other candidates it will come down to how suitable they think I am for the role. Will just have to wait and see.
    Managed to find a few more surplus items lying around which I put on Ebay and all of them sold. It's a bit of extra pocket money that I can use to buy christmas gifts. There's a fair bit of junk in the garage and loft at my mum's place but I think most of that would be suited for a bootsale so I'll just have to wait until bootsale season starts up again!
    A relatively quiet week besides that. What I would do just to have a job right now....

    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Done some selling on Ebay
    • Had interview at ThinkBDW for senior artworker position

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Cashback pounds: £1.00

    Cashback points: 108

    Freebies: £0.79
    (itunes single of the week)

    Ebay sales: £82.91

    Grocery savings: £4.00
    (tesco promotions)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £423.31
    Points: 108
  • WEEK 14 RESULTS

    Not heard anything back from either interview yet, but I have been occupying my time with some money making odd jobs for friends and family members that have been kind enough to appreciate my situation. This including painting a fence and hanging up some christmas lights - £200 is not a bad return when you think about it. Aside from this, it's just been the usual job searching really. Naturally starting to wind down for christmas (not sure how you wind down when you're at home, jobless though!) One good advantage of having no weekday commitments at the moment is the fact I can avoid the dreadful saturday christmas carnage!

    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Kindly rewarded for painting a fence
    • Kindly rewarded for hanging up some christmas lights

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Freebies: £1.04
    (itunes single of the week)
    (free Yorkshire tea sample)

    Odd job earnings [family/friends): £200.00

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £535.65
    Points: 0
  • WEEK 15 RESULTS

    Another one of my frustrating weeks. Not only have I still not heard anything from the first two interviews (I know I'm out of the running for one of them) but I also had an interview for a third position this week and got turned down for having too much experience. It was a bit of a spare of the moment thing as I'd initially gone to the recruitment agency to register but this turned into an interview for a position the had been recently vacated right before a project was due to be started. Initially only a temp position but it had potential to develop into something full-time in the new year. Don't get me wrong, it isn't the first time I've been turned down for a job for having too much experience but in this instance it wasn't a case of going for a job 'below me' but more that I took control of the interview a little too well. Still, I'm learning now that dwelling on what could have been isn't going to get me anywhere. I suppose I should be flattered about someone acknowledging my level of experience. I guess I'm gradually perfecting my interview technique with the amount of practice I'm getting!
    Also had my 13 week review at the job centre. Standard procedure of little benefit to me apart from maintaining my claim although there was a local college representative there who was able to give me some information on short courses that I may be interested in taking for free. That's one course up to the value of £750 - for free! That's definitely something I'll be looking into. There's an open day at the college next week so I may check that out.


    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Had interview at YourEducationalSupplies
    • Had 13 week review for JSA at the job centre

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Freebies: £1.29
    (itunes single of the week)
    (free Taylors ground coffee sample)


    Grocery savings: £3.76
    (Nisa promotions)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £339.66
    Points: 0
  • well done livewire. At least you;re doing something to get some money in - and at least you're getting to interview stage - that's a good sign!

    Really hope something comes up for you in the new year, just try and enjoy xmas in the meantime x
  • thanks plzhelpmesave!. Your support is very much appreciated.
    I'm going to ensure that my situation isn't going to cast a cloud over the christmas festivities and I urge others in similar situations to me to do the same. A merry christmas to you all!! :beer:
  • WEEK 16 RESULTS

    A little late this week but I guess that's generally because I've been busier than usual in the final build up to christmas and because I have just 'switched off' from my money saving with all the festivities, and don't expect there to be much activity until christmas is out of the way. That said, although I haven't any extra money saving to speak of this week, I have been preparing for 2010 by developing my self employment ideas for my personal design business. I have a website and business cards and now I have my dad on board too (he used to run his own print business from our garage). Between us, we've come up with a concept which we intend to work on in the new year which will include setting up an ebay shop, creating some good looking designs and developing the website further. Besides the earning potential it will keep me busy and hopefully I'll learn a few things from it.

    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Agreed on a partnership with my dad to take my personal business forward.

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Freebies: £4.29
    (itunes single of the week)
    (free Felix kitten pack)
    (free coffee Baileys sample)

    Grocery savings: £6.32
    (Tesco promotions)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £345.22
    Points: 0
  • cengkar
    cengkar Posts: 11 Forumite
    WEEK 9 RESULTS

    Despite 9 weeks being a relatively short period of time to be out of work it's amazing how difficult you can find it to keep busy. I'm happy to say though that this week I took matters into my own hands and broadened my horizons a little. As much as I know where my experience lies, I can do no more than I'm doing to get myself back into that industry so I felt a bit of experimentation was in order.
    Firstly, I'm going to start selling stock on ebay that I bought from a wholesaler (the first batch will be a trial to see if a second order is worthwhile otherwise I will rethink the product I am selling and the market I am selling to). Secondly, I've began researching new business ideas, inkeeping with my field of work so I'll be building a website, creating promo material, etc for the chosen idea.
    When I think about it, I've never had this much free time on my hands before so I my as well do something useful with it. In the coming weeks I'll be updating you with any progress I make on the above. Wish me luck!

    The highlights this week are as follows:
    • Received confirmation of council tax benefit
    • Placed as order from a wholesaler for some stock to sell on ebay
    • Started work on ideas for personal business ventures

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Freebies: £1.79
    (itunes single of the week)
    (free dvd)

    Grocery savings: £6.23
    (tesco promotions)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £342.63
    Points: 0
    greattt jobbb
  • WEEK 17 RESULTS

    Happy new year everyone.
    Been a bit late again with this week's post but the festivities and celebrations over the christmas period are to blame for that!
    Relieved to see the back of 2009 and I'm determined to ensure 2010 is going to bring vast improvements.
    Not a lot to report this week as I haven't been very active with the money saving so I'll keep it short and sweet and push on with preparations for next week.

    THIS WEEK'S SAVINGS BREAKDOWN

    Job seekers allowance: £64.30

    Grocery savings: £3.50
    (Nisa promotions)

    Council tax benefit: £12.24

    Mortgage payment protection: £212.67

    Personal loan payment protection: £45.40

    TOTAL
    Pounds: £338.11
    Points: 0
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