So here's to you, Mrs R....

mrs_robinson_3

Thanks for posts, DFW friends! and good luck with the kitchen tootallulah (great name....)

So yes, the Mistress is in the House.....and this week, she took.....£216.

Which is not bad for my second real week of Mistressing, do you think?

It is fun...better than being in an office, trying to be creative, but drowning in the politics of office life.....and satisfying (yes, I do know about OCD). There are some uckky bits to be sure (some people's showers, eeeuuuww.....) but I think as a venture, this has legs......

Am already pretty much at capacity myself, so on Tuesday, am interviewing someone who might want to work for me. I only really want to do 20-ish hours of hands-on time myself, as need to work on, rather than in, the business as well - so am going to keep Wednesdays free (save for a tiny 1 hour job I have) to do that. Need a My Space page (as I can't commit to a website of my own yet, at this stage)....and a business plan (so says my business mentor)....and register with HMRC.....and work out my cash flow (there is a system going on where Mr R is subsidising my first months, but we will review in October, when we review our mortgage and other outgoings)....and maybe a HM blog.....etc

So it's busy

We sold a pine dresser on eBay, and a little console table - Mr R and I are thrilled with our success....and used the proceeds to pay for a kitchen spotlight (John Lewis, £85) and a few modest bits and pieces from Ikea...the kitchen is almost complete....it's a delight to be in.....just some painting and perhaps a shelf or two to go. The TV is amazing...have never had anything so blingy, TBH.....not that I'll watch it, but I like to know it's there.....

And seem to be doing well this month, not really getting out much to spend any money anyway, and when I do, am finding it easy to resist stuff, in search of my higher purpose.....

Well, that's me.....y'all take care now

Mrs R

macgirl

Hi Mrs R, glad to hear all is well in kitchen, work and life in general

beanielou

Sounding so [positive ~go you

rtandon27

Hello Mrs R!

mrs_robinson wrote: »

So yes, the Mistress is in the House.....and this week, she took.....£216.

Which is not bad for my second real week of Mistressing, do you think?

Thank you for the much needed chuckle!!!!!:D

So glad to hear your business venture is taking off - don't forget you can also claim a small portion of your house and even the paper you use to print on as expenses when it comes to HMRC & taxes!

XO
RT

mrs_robinson_3

Thank you RT!

So no new clients this week, which means my ad has probably done its work until the next edition. I need to look up when the magazine it's published in goes to press again, but it's prob September. It's not a worry that there has been no-one new this week, as I have as much to do as I can on my own, whilst still having a work/life balance thing.

But I am due to give 3 clients "back" in Sept to a friend who also cleans, but not in the school hols, so I should really try to replace them. Because if I'm taking about £200 a week, with my CHB and also the temporary self employment credit of £50 a week that I'm also getting for 16 weeks, that takes me to about £1200 a month. Which is still £600 less than I used to earn, but at least I'm FREE now, answerable only to myself! Which is just the way I like it. And obviously I need another couple of clients to replace the self employment credit money.

So I challenge myself here to find 5 more people, by the second week in September.......

Debt-wise, just tootling on. Mr R suggests he pays off RBS for me now, and I just pay him back in Sept, Oct and Nov. It will save me the interest I'm paying, as whilst it's allegedly 3.9%, am sure it's more like 7%, as last month my balance was £1200 ish and I paid £7ish in interest, which doesn't seem right. I need to call RBS to check, but it seems like a good idea of Mr R's......it's small stuff but I'd rather we had that £18 ish, not RBS.....

I really am a reformed MSE'r though. I was cleaning in a fabulous house this afternoon, full of stuff I'd have coveted like mad a few years ago, but now, whilst I admire the beautiful things, I don't lust over them like I used to - or aspire to have them, even. I really do now know there is more to life than lovely stuff. And of course, that attitude means I'm free in more ways than one.

So thanks to all those here who continue to inspire my MSE journey and hope all is well in your worlds

Mrs R

hypno06

Am v. glad that all is well in the world of mistressing, and am sure that you will get those 5 clients without too much trouble. good cleaners are like gold dust, and once again I say that if only you lived in my area.........

mrs_robinson_3

Yes, if only Hypno. Am sure you'd be my favourite client!

Mrs R

macgirl

mrs_robinson wrote: »

Thank you RT!

I really am a reformed MSE'r though. I was cleaning in a fabulous house this afternoon, full of stuff I'd have coveted like mad a few years ago, but now, whilst I admire the beautiful things, I don't lust over them like I used to - or aspire to have them, even. I really do now know there is more to life than lovely stuff. And of course, that attitude means I'm free in more ways than one.

So true

Could you perhaps put up a notice in your local private day nurseries or After School Clubs?
I'm thinking there will be plenty of working mothers who could use your services - perhaps the school parents will have more disposable income - or indeed your children's school - if that's not too close to home.

I'm sure you'll be a roaring success and things will gather momentum once the kids go back to school and you'll get more business through recommendations.

A cleaner is something I covet when I move, so I wish you lived near to me too! Good luck with it all x

mrs_robinson_3

So, time for a bijou update, on matters at least partly, but not exclusively, financial.

Have 18 hours of HM'ing booked in this week, so that's just about £200. I'm fine with that - it maintains some degree of financial independence for me, in so far as I can continue my debt repayments, live for the month, and contribute something towards the household expenses - and am still loving beyond measure not having to pitch up to An Office. And I am finding that some of my creativity (my real work is something creative) is returning - so I might be able to do more freelance stuff. And I have an idea that might enable me to take THM in that direction too, but all in good time.....

Mr R spent what seemed to me an inordinate amount of time studying my ISA yesterday - it is not performing so he has diversified me and we hope for better returns (this pays our school fees).......

We need to start looking at the mortgage - we could pay off a really good chunk, and reduce our monthly payments, but keep the term the same (we have 5.5 years to go) so reducing what we need, in our brave new world, to bring in each month....or we could pay off a chunk, keep the payments the same, and it all be gone in 1.5 years. To me the latter is v attractive....but then so is the former. Ah, what to do, what to do? It's tough being a grown up......but at least we have a choice, so all good.

Have been good on the food front, as in extending small portions of stuff with veg and pulses to feed us all ....find this sort of stuff really satisfying to do actually, as despite what some might see as my party girl image, am at heart a domestic sort......and we do need to economise here, as by stealth Waitrose has been reappearing in my life - thought I'd chucked the habit, but no.....but I do still love LIDL too, so need to get the balance right.....

The kitchen, the kitchen - well, it's waiting a second coat of paint, and a set of shelves, but it's as near as dammit....it is all I hoped, no question. Last night, the rain was lashing down on my Velux window (love the sound),we were all watching CDWM and pottering...had made two shepherds pies with 250g of mince and some artfully deployed lentils....my cupbaords were organised, all tins neatly arrayed - yes, it was kitchen heaven for me. We have a fab new sideboardy/island type thing from Ikea too, which has finished it all off nicely....and joy of joys, got some prefectly fitting baskets for it from TX Max - one holds lightbulbs, another batteries and odd electrical items, another tealights and candles....am turning into Martha Stewart (or maybe Anthea).....

So now, to tan, or not? Was nicely golden on my return from France but now fading... it is so nice to be brown, but self tan is such a drag for a perfectionista, not to mention how it wears off on towels, undies, bedding - so am thinking not. But we have a party to go to, and I have the PoundLand Fake Bake to use, so what to do? Anyway, tonight it's pedi time for me...have worked hard all weekend and need to do some girl stuff, can't let things slide there. Been pretty good clothes wise, though succumed to a £5 Tshirt in Republic's sale, which is so me, am pleased with that - mind you, the sizing in there is so weird, I got a 10, but would be better in a 12, so need to swap it tomorrow - and I also have a 14 shirt and an pair of 8 shorts, so how's a girl to know what fits and what doesn't (was too busy to try on, natch)?

And cricket season is almost done - boo! So how am I to get my fun now......

That's it for now - usual rambling stuff from me, never one to disappoint

Mrs R

beanielou

Im undeceided on the tan front too.
Did buy a Clarins fake tan thingy on the plane & havent used it.mmmmm.
So wish I was back in France~so cheesed off with all the rain.Gaaah.