Back filling the big hole I dug with my credit card

PiggyBankShaker

You know something that isn't going well - the bloomin' surveys. STILL waiting for surveydead to pay put despite reaching the payout threashold AGES ago. Also I haven't qualified for new surveys for ages either. Typical example - today there was a survey listed that was '100% qualify', great. Filled in the usual age question - Sorry you do not qualify for this survey! How is that even possible?! Flippin' heck.

Aesop

what survey companies are you with piggybankshaker?

PiggyBankShaker

Surveyhead: Have about £17 with them but it's not all been checked and so won't pay out yet.
cint/grapevine: Have had one payment of £4 and up to about £3.50, but no qualifications for ages
vivatic: Hardly ever qualify, only up to £3.70
onepoll: Totally rubbish

Also with PineCone and done 2 surveys, but paid in luncheon vouchers (can't put those on my CC)

Also just started doing ShopandScan (1st week)

AllThatStuffIsJustStuff

So, ebay is very slow atm as the current supply of stuff to sell isn't of any great value. Obviously I know logically that selling 50 items for 99p is better than selling one for £20 or whatever, but it is difficult to maintain that enthusiasm for the listings.

As PGS said, she has a new job and I have left (one of) mine. The upshot is that I had a long commute and was working three days that PGS's two days from home will earn us net almost as much. The long commute was worth it when there was nothing else but it really isn't for it's own sake. As PGS said before, I'm trying to start an independent agency to formalise and expand the freelance work I've been doing occassionally. She's kindly given me 6 weeks to pull my finger out and get at least one client before sending me back out on the streets (or more accurately to a nearby temping agency) to get us a bit more income.

Tax Credits continue to be a complete farce. I'd love to think they aren't overpaying us but I'm sure they are. Worst still is I really think they might think they are. The prospect of putting the money on the credit cards only to have it demanded back is quite terrifying. Currently it's sat in a dormant savings account so I can give it back as soon as they let us. It's getting to the point where I almost wish we'd never bothered applying. Maybe that's their strategy...

Our back yard project has been blasted over budget thanks the staggering incompetence of previous residents. I've dug up and shifted two skips worth of concrete but we clearly need a third. It's like when you decorate and decide to be sensible and strip the wallpaper only to find a wad of wallpaper from people who couldn't be bothered. Only in this case each layer wasn't just a sheet of wallpaper, but three inches of concrete. One area actually had decking on concrete on bricks on concrete on patio slabs on concrete - over a foot of poorly executed building projects to get back to ground level. Utter idiots.

Anyway, I have work to do, but I feel a lot better for getting that out of my system

PiggyBankShaker

Hello (hot)Stuff he he

I hadn't reported about the whole job quitting shenanigans, glad you have though. There'll be folks who think we're mad, but hey ho - no point in making you miserable, I can do that perfectly well in the house I know the freelance stuff will take off, you're ace at what you do and we just need a few people to realise it...

I agree that Tax Credits are a nightmare, but you forget that horrible period last year when we really really needed the extra cash. It won't be long before we can go back to not claiming them and then we'll forget how much of a hassle it all was.

The back yard is coming on, and it'll be fab when it's finished, if only there was a resale market in used concrete eh? We'd be laughing.

AllThatStuffIsJustStuff

Good start to today. I've got 9 items up on ebay (though three are relists). There are 48 items up now that will make around £200 if all sell at their listed minimum. It really is unbelievable the stuff you can dig out that people will actually part with their money for. We've listed things that I haven't used in years and we are selling stuff that PBS hasn't ever unpacked since we moved in three and a half years ago - clearly never going to be used. Project EMG is on the brink of passing £1,000 and may do today. It's utterly mental. It's like we've been living for years with cash just hidden away around the house that we've never been arsed to get out and spend. And what's more, even though we've flogged and sent a grand's worth of stuff, there really doesn't seem to be any less clutter in the house. Ridiculous.

The back yard is grinding along slowly. It really is unbelievable how much *$%!ing concrete there was out there. We're on the third skip now. somewhat ridiculous. Also meaning we're going slightly over budget so the Project EMG money might not get as far at this rate. May need to come up with a new way to get the stove by the winter.

Business development progress slow annoyingly as well. Hope to be able to spend most of tomorrow on it. That will require me to do the night shift tonight so that PBS has some consciousness to take care of the littlens. DS is teething badly and sleep is very much a precious commidity for us atm.

Anyway, I want to get the washing in the tumbler and a cake in the oven before PBS emerges from bed so best crack on. And I have to do some serious maths to work out who is paying what bills next month pretty soon. Though may need to wake up a bit before i tackle that one...

Aesop

can't believe how much concrete is in your back garden! shocking, the laziness of some people.

I suppose the day it is completely finished, you will be able to stand tall and proud admiring your efforts and be able to say, "we did that " - here's to that day coming quickly.

AllThatStuffIsJustStuff

Thanks for the encouragement, Aesop. I'm just going out there to do a couple of hours shovelling now

Aesop

AllThatStuffIsJustStuff wrote: »

Thanks for the encouragement, Aesop. I'm just going out there to do a couple of hours shovelling now

good luck, I am busy trying to declutter our mess of a living room, I have lost a father's day card in it! So will think of you hard at work too.

PiggyBankShaker

Hi Aesop, as Stuff says, thanks for the encouragement And thanks too for your email

I CANNOT believe that the back yard is not yet empty! It's just madness how much bloomin concrete there was out there. I hope the weather stays dry between now and Thursday when they come to collect the skip.

I'm itching to get on with the prettifying bit now, so have to find some patience from somewhere...

eBay been ok this weekend, few decent sales, and more [STRIKE]junk[/STRIKE] treasure listed. God its tedious, I'm almost at the stage where I want to write 'Please buy this crap' and copy and paste it 100 times.

The kitchen is still covered in stuff to list and Stuff is still bring more stuff in from the garage.

I need to go to the Post Office and make claim for an item that someone said didn't arrive. I feel like I'm liviong in the Post Office parttime at the moment.

Oh well, a bit too tired to write any more.