Learn to control money but do not allow it to control you

elantan

FW just up outa ma bed ... hope it went well and you have the outcome you were after

savingwannabe

Me too, hugs, sw.

NorthernLas

FW - Hope the call went well, if you get time and someone to ask about the coat that would be great.

I will investigate eBay and watch sales of fur to see what they do.

Cheri - It is a 'local' High Peak charity. We have shops in New Mills, Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith and possibly Buxton (?). New Mills is a lovely spot with its very own hydro electric power station; the two other things that spring to mind are that the Plain English Campaign HQ is there and it is where Love Hearts are made (the latter is much more exciting to me than the former). Should I decide to jolly to CAT this year I shall I bring you some?

Memory_Girl

any news????

MG

MrsMoo2U

NorthernLas wrote: »

FW - Hope the call went well, if you get time and someone to ask about the coat that would be great.

I will investigate eBay and watch sales of fur to see what they do.

Cheri - It is a 'local' High Peak charity. We have shops in New Mills, Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith and possibly Buxton (?). New Mills is a lovely spot with its very own hydro electric power station; the two other things that spring to mind are that the Plain English Campaign HQ is there and it is where Love Hearts are made (the latter is much more exciting to me than the former). Should I decide to jolly to CAT this year I shall I bring you some? Ahh love hearts.My Mum used to work for swizzels, she wouldnt let us eat anything made by swizzels because she knew what went on there Needless to say we ate lovehearts galore when she wasnt looking :rotfl:

Still no news FW?

Firewalker

Thank you for your support my dear friends. The teleconference went well; my colleague and I did our job well. We are good at different things so after I talked about what we have already done and what we want to do she talked about resources – both time and money. He is very interested in the ideas and asked us to write a very brief note (2-3 pages) so he can discuss it with his colleagues. Because I asked him what would be useful to them (and mentioned that we can apply the knowledge we build when they need us to, to their organisation) he said that they are prepared to offer comments after they see the ‘proposal’ and then tell us how much they can contribute. We mentioned the number we came up with and he was not phased out at all – in fact I suspect that what to us sound like serious research funding to this particular funder is ‘pocket money’. Very promising anyway and thanks for your support.

I also had a meeting with my academic mentor today – a very well known guy. He gave me a good idea how to approach the plans for my sabbatical.

In other news, and I am very pleased about that, the viewings of my blog have been going up. Yesterday I had 115 original viewings in 24 hours; today I have had 146 and there are two more hours to go. I feel very pleased (although very few comments make sense) because my most cited academic work has 88 cites, over many years and there is research showing that not even a third of the people who cite you actually read what you have written. Interesting...becoming a blogger may be much more satisfying than being a serious academic contributing to knowledge and all else.

Talk soon.

Firewalker

Craftyscholar

Glad the teleconference went well FW.

Firewalker

Beautiful day here – blue sky, the sun shining, warm but not hot. I wished I were outside to enjoy the weather but it was not to be. Only one short venture out to take LB to have his haircut; apart from that I was stuck inside, behind my desk, eating frogs.

I was thinking though that people, including me, often ask themselves what the day is going to bring. But in my experience, which of course I forget about when it is most needed, there are very few surprises and usually the day is pretty clear from the morning. Today it was clear that it will be a day where achievement and accomplishment are hard work. It all started when I overslept really badly and got up at 9.45 am. Jumped out of bed, had breakfast at my desk, had coffee at my desk...but it was not possible to catch up. Or finish eating the big frogs that I have to be dealing with at the moment. Some work was done but not enough. So I am treating tomorrow and the rest of the weekend as working days – although will do all possible for these to be working day like the ones inferred by Tim (three hours a day working days).

Apart from that I am going to go to bed every day at 10.30 pm latest. Oversleeping is because I go to bed so late; and I have not been watching TV but writing. During the weekend will have to continue sorting out what do I do, when, how and most importantly what I should give up.

My bed time is fast approaching. Sleep well and enjoy tomorrow whatever you may decide to do.

Firewalker

Aesop

Firewalker wrote: »

Yesterday I had 115 original viewings in 24 hours; today I have had 146 and there are two more hours to go. I feel very pleased (although very few comments make sense)

Talk soon.

Firewalker

Maybe the comments that don't make sense - you have to read from the person who is posting, their point of view? I just had a look through and I see what you mean. But if you try and read it as if it was them posting, it kinda makes sense? From their point of view, they are writing back to you, as if you have been talking to them personally?

does that make sense?

Firewalker

Today I managed to rest, true to my promise to myself. Tired minds don’t come up with anything interesting; in fact tired minds are prone to complaining, moaning, and negativity and lack of focus. So we got up, had nice leisurely breakfast, some watched the wedding and some read blogs (on money and life style, of course so guess who did what). I missed not only most of the wedding, although I did sit in the room with the TV on, but also the kiss. All because I cooked a really nice lunch: lentil soup (wonderful old Jewish recipe from the internet) and HM pita bread (thank you, MG; I’ll be in your debt for ever only for this one). After lunch we went to a nearby park where we played mini-golf – such good fun. Young Man was with us as well and my heart was full of joy playing with three of my men (note to self: make sure you take out YM more often, it is worth if only to see his smile again). And this leads me to money management again.

Remember some time ago I said that we are going to apply the proportions of income rule albeit in a slightly modified form? Our rule is that we live on 61% of our income, 22% goes on paying off the negative wealth, 10% goes in a ‘do not attach! except for investment account’ and 7% goes in a ‘I am so worth it’ account. It is working and it is working on three counts.

First, since introducing this rule we have managed to live on 61% of our monthly regular income. We were £10 over in January (but given that this is probably the most expensive month of the year it is not a worry), £222 in the black in February, £3 in the black in March (despite covering LB’s birthday and birthday present) and are ending April £15 in the black. I am so proud I may burst.

Second, the ‘I am so worth it’ account is a treasure. I finally can have fun with my family without feeling guilty about it or tempted to save and scrape. We do not finish this money every month so are not following the rule to the letter. But having a bit of reserve there is not a bad idea – this covered our skiing and will cover the summer trip to Bulgaria; this way the summer holiday will be covered in our stride.

And third, thanks to the ‘do not touch except in case of investment’ account we have managed to build some reserves and are also going to a seminar next week. Learning about ways to make money in today’s flexible, fluid and virtual world from books is OK but there comes a point when one has to make a commitment and go to a seminar, learn from masters and follow their advice. Luke Skywalker didn’t read Yoda’s book; he went to be apprenticed by him.

And my jar treasure is growing as well - £37.04 since the beginning of the year. Abundance is here to stay, I say. Let it be with all of us!

Firewalker