Memorygirls - Make Do and Mend

RubySewSew

Thank you, you inspired me to join and motivated me to get off my bum and make the bedrooms look gorgeous halfway through a bedroom swap with the boys and then inspired a no spend holiday with the boys. Managed the whole week on £33. Relented on the last day and spent £20 on treats and lunch for the boys but only after my sister's dog was run over in front of our very eyes. Treats deserved and spend justified even if not budgeted.

Memory_Girl

boredofbeingathome wrote: »

I think those books sound great- but why not at a seminar have a bit of fun?

Bear with me here- i saw a similar idea on a show somewhere but i love it.

Buy a decent bottle of champagne- attach to the top of the cork lots of raffle tabs on a string- each one to buy at a decent price- say somewhere between £5- £10- The one around the cork wins the Champagne and a book- the others all get a book. You can attach up to about 100 if you are careful and everyone is a winner I think you have to put some sort of cup over the top so no one can see where the winning string is- but i thought it a great idea for a charity raffle and often wonder how i can turn it into something else.

You could use it as a starter to warm up the folks as they will be getting the books at a bargain price.

That sounds like a great way of raising money for the school (and roundabout for DS1 fees) if I can get myself lined up for a few of "free" after dinner talks IYSWIM.

Agree to do a Sportsman's dinnner, get fed for free and in exchange teach them how to memorise a pack of cards. In exchange i ask them to "Donate" to the school by buying a ticket on the bottle (proabably whisky here). Everyone wins a book - and the "winner" gets the bottle too - and the proceeds go to the school in DS1's name.

50 guys at a dinner (50 x £5 = £250) for instance. Not bad for one evening. I have 600 books so could potentially create £3000 which would pay for DS1 schooling.

Of course with 600 of my "free to me" books in circulation I am bound to hit some people who want to book some training for themselves, their kids, their businesses or their schools (especially if I design a cool wrapper for the back page that gives all of my details.

So now looking to book 12 "Memorise a pack of cards" keynotes between now and end of 100 days. Anyone know any sportman's organisations??? Actually it could be anywhere where people gather together, rugby club dinners, cricket functions, business clubs, networking groups, Rotary dinners??????????? Gotta get my thinking cap on.

BoB - you are a certified genius.:T:T:T

Memorygirl

moo2moo

Rather wackily the Womens Institutes are always looking out for speakers to give talks on a variety of topics. It would be another way of getting your name mentioned.

Schools are always looking for fundraising ideas. You could target high schools offering a seminar to those revising for exams with the option to purchase books and a proportion of those sales going to the schools, perhaps even a stall at parents evening which are usually held in October. Only the parents with any interest in their childrens education actually turn up so you have an interested audience before you start.

Adult education open evenings are held here at the end of august and are full of people who want to return to education but are feeling rusty. They might be an option too or you could offer a short course via your adult education centre for returning to learning and set your book as suggested reading matter for the course (not that my uni lecturerers did that or anything)

Memory_Girl

LaraHoust wrote: »

I wondered if you could do some tutoring work next year MG, seeing the success you've had with your friends' kids? Might be a nice way to earn some extra cash on the side for the mortgage and you could sell some books to their parents

Well I am fully disclosed ( have to be for the work I do with the kids at school)

I wonder whether I could "dedicate" a weekend day to tutoring at home?? That way I am here for all the running around for the kids through the week and for building a proper business (the stuff I have on my dream-wall is Mon-Frid stuff you see.

I could ask their Gran if she would have them as a regular thing ( say a sat night to sunday tea time) and then culd have kids come in for ????????????


What do you think is best????????? a whole day or 2 hour sesssion??

In a whole day I could teach the whole programme - the kids could bring a packed lunch. The it is over and done with in one day.

Or break it into 4 x 2 hour sessions and have them come back over 4 weeks???

What would you guys be willing to pay for your kids to learn these skills???? The SAME skills last years student paid to earn their great grades??

I would like to keep it fairly reasonable .................. what about £60 for the whole day option and £20 per session (£80) for the broken up option?????????

What do you think???????????

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

Not relating to the books but thought you ladies might be interested in this

http://dayzeroproject.com/

will work on the book idea

xxx

Compiling my list as we speak - erm!!! type :cool:

What a great idea

MG

Memory_Girl

lucielle wrote: »

Well the universe is truly wonderful, I lost 1.5lbs despite having italian twice last week.
L

Well done lucielle:j:j

DS1 chose the menu's for next week - so we will be having loads of Italian dishes.

Pepperonata with coddled eggs (and chips cos loves dipping)
Stuffed Italian peppers
Mixed bean and pasta salad
Oozing Leek risotto
Pasta in fresh tomato and basil sauce.

The other 2 nights are:

Spicy beanburgers and salsa
Halloumi kebabs and tabouleh with tatziki

MY mouth is watering just thinking about it - and the fabulous leap towards my target weight that I will have next Sunday morning:j

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

RubySewSew wrote: »

Thank you, you inspired me to join and motivated me to get off my bum and make the bedrooms look gorgeous halfway through a bedroom swap with the boys and then inspired a no spend holiday with the boys. Managed the whole week on £33. Relented on the last day and spent £20 on treats and lunch for the boys but only after my sister's dog was run over in front of our very eyes. Treats deserved and spend justified even if not budgeted.

Welcome aboard RubySewSew. Sounds like you have been really busy - and well done on the low-spend holiday with your boys ( and well done at keeping the unbudgeted part to £20)

Sorry to hear about the pooch though!!

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

moo2moo wrote: »

Rather wackily the Womens Institutes are always looking out for speakers to give talks on a variety of topics. It would be another way of getting your name mentioned.

Will add them to my list. I assume they don't pay for speakers but might they be willing to make a small contribution to the school do you think?

Schools are always looking for fundraising ideas. You could target high schools offering a seminar to those revising for exams with the option to purchase books and a proportion of those sales going to the schools, perhaps even a stall at parents evening which are usually held in October. Only the parents with any interest in their childrens education actually turn up so you have an interested audience before you start.

Only one high school in our town - but I can certainly ask. A couple of independant schools in St Andrews though - they might be worth tapping into though -espescailly to offer out the wekend stuff for kids on the back of it.

Adult education open evenings are held here at the end of august and are full of people who want to return to education but are feeling rusty. They might be an option too or you could offer a short course via your adult education centre for returning to learning and set your book as suggested reading matter for the course (not that my uni lecturerers did that or anything)

Got a local college - they are pleading poverty at the moment. BUt it is local, I wouldn't really have any costs so definitely worth agood look.

Thanks for all you suggetions, keep em coming because there are avenues that make so much sense that I just haven't considered before. I promise to report back on how they all pan out.

MG

cha97michelle

Your menus for the week sound mouthwatering. I keep meaning to go through some of the recipe books in the kitchen and trying out some new stuff.

Costwise - i think maybe you are about right. I would happily pay that to get my children that kind of help. Private tutoring is somewhere between £15-20 per hour isn't it?

Nitha

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

Not relating to the books but thought you ladies might be interested in this

http://dayzeroproject.com/

will work on the book idea

xxx

Fab website - my list is in progress!!!