Millionaire Challenge

thegentleway

Oh great, glad you’ve got the same one lessonlearned, that’s reassuring! I’ve never bought a kitchen before! I wanted cream as well but ours is gloss white as Sophie thought it would go better with the flooring and the wood effect worktops.

Sounds like you got a great deal on the worktops. Agreed about real wood not being suitable for rental! I like real wood, so much more character. Hopefully my own kitchen will be real wood!

Appliances Online looks good, thanks for the recommendation.

We need a holiday, we haven’t had a day off since Easter (we work full time in the week and work on the property at weekends). Can’t wait to take some time off!

Good call about using the right section of the forum brokenbiscuits, I posted there and everyone seems to think it’s a good price!

Plumber should be in tomorrow. Bit annoyed with him as we paid him 3rd instalment (agreed on 4 payments: before and after 1st and 2nd fix) on 14 May. He fitted the unvented cylinder and we haven’t seen him since! Need him to put the shower trays in so we can fit the shower panels and the sanitary so we can put marine ply down in the bathrooms. Need at least one bathroom for mortgage and to be able to show the property to prospective tenants (they want accommodation from September onwards).

lessonlearned

Ours is gloss cream, the gloss finish works well and helps bounce light around in what could be a dark and gloomy north facing kitchen.

Design tip - to make a dark room seem lighter go for shiny reflective surfaces, they work like mirrors reflecting and bouncing light around.

DS2 has started the proper.decorating (previously just basic paint on new plaster). We've started adding some colour, we used Dulux luscious lime just around the cooker area. It looks fab, really funky and bright.

Still busy but still no money making yet. However I'd did win £50 on the premium bonds yesterday, so not all bad news......the other good news is I'm making good headway with my parents cottage, just another couple of gos and then I should have it all cleared. It's been a mammoth task and I shall be glad when it's all done.

Dealing with estates and Having to sort through and dispose of a loved ones possessions is quite difficult, emotionally charged and very draining. I feel so tired.

Two bereavements in one year is a bit much to take. Still all nearly done now and i can soon put it all behind me. Then hopefully I can move on.

I'm off to Scotland on Thursday, it's not a holiday as such, but it should be a nice break. I shall be going by train, my favourite, and i have upgraded to first class (not as extravagant as it sounds thanks to my rail card and choosing off peak times and advance booking).

Hopefully I shall come back feeling refreshed and energised.....

I have to confess I am feeling a bit fed up and rather tired at the moment. It's been 10 months since My husband died and 3 months tomorrow since mum passed. It's been a tough time but the worst is over now.

Kayalana99

Shouldn't really be making time to pop on as I am so busy but I have so much swirling round my head it's un real!

Holidays are needed!! I have to say that it's been so nice being away from everything and so much time to think clearly, I just feel like I've got this buzzing energy and a new sense of direction. I think paired with the wedding stress now gone, and a new business plan forming in my head...all I can see is up!

We got quite a decent amount in wedding gifts, including my Dad's totalling £2,000. I wanted to enjoy some of it but same time our wedding has milked us dry so I've been trying to talk to OH to not spending to much whilst also allowing ourselves to spurge a bit. We purchased a new dining table and wardrobe yesterday alongside new bedding etc (you see HE wanted a new king size bed, I knew unless we got a cheap crap one we would be spending £700+ on this haha so this was the compromise their, the dining table and wardrobe were sorely needed(wanted depending how you look at things) but our bed is fine it's just the kids like to come in with us so space is lacking but our eldest goes to sleep in his own bed quite well now and youngest has never been much of a problem just us being lazy so another part of not getting a new bed was to get eldest room sorted out and him in it ASAP! (Wanted to do it tonight but OH has just purchased some new PS4 game..I'd do it myself but with fathers day I will spend most this evening working)

I have to say the holiday wasn't amazing but same time it was, just so nice to be away but Cornwall, newquay where we went is just all hills! and everywhere you go parking for 4 hours is £6!! Literally even the zoo we went to charged you £6 for parking...and the only other thing is not one thing we did took all day, the zoo was tiny...the little attractions we went round were tiny. We went round an aquarium cost us £20 to get in and we were in their for about 30min but all the same we did have a good time I just felt like a lot of these places have so many tourists they have no need to try and bring customers in so they charge top dollar but don't have anywhere near the attraction as local zoos and places if that makes sense.

My business plan is over my photography and is put over years but same time I can see it all fitting into place, I am actually going to start a business plan and get it down and start researching lens and then start advertising for free couple and family shoots to start, build myself up and experience before I start charging and my business will keep running as it is until I am making enough money from my photography.

I can't begin to imagine what you are going through LL but perhaps a break away will do you the world of good, I imagine in these situations only time will help and just keep peddling on through as you are. Given I wouldn't of coped in your situation and not a lot of people would, and I do admire you for that.

lessonlearned

Good to see you back and bouncing with energy and ideas.

Yes a holiday in the UK can really mount up, it's all the little incidentals like car parking ice creams etc. - still as long as you had a good time.

I'm off to Scotland tomorrow. I'm looking forward to a break, like you say a change of scene will do me good. I will start having a few more little breaks from now on. And maybe a winter sun holiday after Christmas. At any rate I am scheduled to go to Barcelona next May, as part of my son's wedding celebrations. I adore Barcelona, it's my spiritual home. All those art museums, and the fabulous architecture, the amazing restaurants and fabulous nightlife. It's like party central.

Well today I packed up the last of the cottage, just a few more bits and pieces left now, mainly garden stuff and the last shed. I'm pleased I managed to get it all done before I went away. So apart from signing a few papers when the solicitor is ready and then organising the charity shop to,pick everything up I can put that one to bed now.

Kay yes it has been tough, but you know I'm nothing special. I firmly believe anyone would have done the same as me. I think when the chips are down we all have hidden reserves we can tap into. We humans are a great species.:D

I was the last person who you would ever imagine to,have hidden depths. :rotfl: if anything ive always classed myself as a bit of a lightweight. For most of my life I really was an air head.....

No one would have ever have guessed that I was capable of such staying power, least of all me. If anyone would have suggested it, I would have laughed in their face.

I didn't just surprise everyone who knew me, I astonished myself.

It just goes to show that when push comes to shove we are all much stronger than we think we are. We all have hidden depths. It's just that most of us are never really tested.

When you fall down you have two choices, stay down or get up. When you are backed into,a corner you have two choices, curl up into a ball and cower or come out fighting.

Here endeth the lesson.....:rotfl::rotfl:

Karmacat

Kaya, I'm glad you felt the benefit of a break - you sound like you've really come back energised, thats great love the sound of the long term business plan.

LL, a trip away sounds good for you too - you've worked so hard on your parents' place, and you've been through so much, this trip and a series of others sounds just right.

I wish I could say I'm stronger than I think I am. I've always been the strong one, the go-getter, and I've just ... run out of puff. I thought I'd got my health back, just maybe, this summer - its six months since my last viral attack started, I really thought I was over it. I started to feel ill yesterday, and today (the day thats booked for my molar extraction ) I'm sure its another cold. And colds have set off a viral attack for the last umpteen years. All I can do is Vick's First Defence, vit c tablets, salt gargles, echinacea - the works. I'm really not looking forward to this afternoon - appointment is at 2.20.

Trying to look on the bright side, I've caught up on quite a lot of stuff I thought I'd never be able to do again, but its hard, there's no doubt. Tried to get help with it all, and was turned down by the NHS in a very bad way, so I put a complaint in yesterday. We'll see if they acknowledge it.

Its a bit hard right now.

lessonlearned

Karmacat - Sorry to hear that you are feeling so low and have succumbed to another lurgy. Sounds like your immune system is struggling. Still it's only June - hopefully by the autumn you might pick up a bit. Some rest,, some TLC, some sunshine, healthy food, gentle exercise.

We all know what to do don't we, it's just putting it into practice.

Had a nice journey, and a quick whistle stop tour to look round Edinburgh yesterday. Today I'm very tired so having a slothful day. I keep threatening to go for a walk but it's blowing a gale out there.

Well it is Scotland so what did I expect.:rotfl: I will just need to wrap up and stride out. It will blow the cobwebs away.:cool:

My next trip I will definitely head south.......I feel the siren call of a last minute.cruise round the Med beckoning me to warmer climes...... Can I justify the expense....purely for medicinal purposes only you understand.;)

Despite the weather I am enjoying the break - it's good to have some thinking time and clear my head. I feel as if my brain has been jam packed full of "stuff" and to do lists for what seems like years.

Sooooo exhausting dahhhhlings.:rotfl:

Karma - can you get away for a few days, it might help. Even just one night in a nice Spa hotel for a bit of pampering. Perhaps use groupon vouchers or something.

Karmacat

Hi LL

Feeling a little bit better - I'm pretty sure now that what I thought was a cold was actually the infection in the tooth rearing its head again, as I haven't had any symptoms of that since the extraction.

One night in a spa hotel - 'fraid not! Thats travel two days on the trot, for one thing. For the other, as I'm living on savings, which are too small to see me through to pension age without downsizing, the money isn't there. And happily, I'm going on holiday to Norfolk next month, with my mum and my sister, to see rellies and generally loll about in a cottage, should be lovely. All funded ...

Thinking about the spa suggestion ... I wouldn't do that, but I *would* have a "proper" staycation - buy some really nice veggie chilled food from Waitrose or M&S or something, some really nice fresh fruit I don't normally have, have a bath after I have my shower (I love baths, but I don't take the time, and I like to be clean already, iykwim).

Some ideas there, thanks!

You have a great time in Scotland

Kayalana99

I went in with side pains a few weeks back I was in agony every few min I was hit my this pain then it left, the woman turned round and said the walk in was for emergencies and if it was still hurting next week to come back...I suppose the NHS is dependant on who you are dealing with though!

Glad you are feeling a bit better, got to treat yourself once in a while. Instead of paying out for a spa day perhaps allow yourself a few pamper treats? Face masks etc.. (tbh it's not my sort of thing I would be last person to find in spa but I am sure you can fill in blanks :-) )

Got to start pulling reins in on spending...I have to admit we've not had a frugal week. Spent £450ish on kitting ourselves on bikes (now that sounds a lot but £160 for his bike, £120 for mine, £100 for the kids tralier and £60 for the bike rack)...tbh we wern't going to get much cheaper for that without scrimping to £100 bikes but for saying you can spend a few grand on some bikes which I don't understand but hey ho it's not bad. (Then ofc as above the dining table etc..)

Also purchased two new lens and a camera bag which was about £400...I just need one more that's £500 and one of the ones I brought will need upgrading but the upgrade is £1,600...for one lens...soooo....maybe next year? Maybe... lol

Then £500 on the car insurance which couldn't be avoided. We are on a health kick ATM so I can justify the bikes as it means we can have more family time, and the lens I honestly see as a long term investment.

I've asked a family of 5 to do a photo shoot in two weeks so really looking forward to that and will start planning soon (free one to add) I also asked my 'couple' friends but tbh the family one is more official where as the friends one we are doing before a picnic for her birthday and we won't really have the time to do a lot or walk around to different locations of the park + they are very photogenic so it won't be very challenging, I've got some amazing photos of them from a simple 5 min photo shoot in their house at their house party I went to...but it was more me taking pictures and them just well...posing without direction although I know more of what I am doing now and have a few lens choices to get creative :-).

I have to say things overall are going so well...my eldest had a cheese burger today (well 1/4 of one) don't know if I mentioned before he is super picky with food so I was over the moon. My partner has just sorted his room out so tonight will be the first night in his own room :-) (He did stay on his own in the caravan to be fair but you know...this is his room!)

Tomorrow hopefully we are going out to Matlock bath to let my eldest have a whirl on the 2p machines again, he loved them on holiday and it's my OH's last day of freedom before he is back to work.

We've got married, had our little spending spree and after the weekend it will be back to reality. Got to start the saving pots back up again but to be honest we *should* have about £750 left and first call of action is I want to raise that back to £2,000 for an emergency fund.

tinktay84

Hi all,
Not fully caught up but iv been trying to research lease options. My years working in hotels weren't wasted as managed to get a lot of info from said property seminars by being he conference porter and loitering.
Completely agree that ts a fair bit of millionaires selling to wannabes and I found 90% f the time was spent listing reasons you would want to do it i.e. financial freedom, work less etc, telling you what you need to take into account i.e. how much do you need to live on, what income you need per month etc. Then as someone said you need to buy into more seminars etc
I have a goal of 1st October to clear 1 of my loans and April next year to get straight.
Had to get 3 new tyres for my car today but the expense was outweighed with the feel good factor that between us me and my fella came up with the money for them...that wouldn't have been possible a year ago.
sorry LL I hadn't seen your questions about treadmill. I personally hate he cross trainers designed for domestic market so would go with treadmill. Also I would go on ebay rather than buy new..how many people just want rid after a few months.. as I said..my fellas boss was going to tip the one I now have....


Anyway Monday is back to being as tight as a tight thing and clearing as much as possible. Did a bit of coppering up on Thursday, bagged £6 so went straight to bank, paid in then paid it off 1 of my loans. This particular loan is over a year in front!


I cant remember the exact quote but I am currently doing things most people WOULDNT dream of to achieve the kind of life most people can ONLY dream of.....
Keep going everyone!

lessonlearned

Good morning all.

Tink - Thanks for the tip about the treadmill. I have a birthday coming up, so I think I will put my birthday money to good use. And yes I will be joining you in the being as tight as a tight thing. This trip to Edinburgh has cost me a lot of money.

visitor attractions, a city bus tour, eating out (nothing fancy just "fuel") - my goodness but the UK is expensive these days.......I could have had a week somewhere abroad for what I will have spent.

Still the purpose of this visit was really to see FIL. My next holiday will be for me........

Karma - loving the idea of a "staycation" - yes you could give yourself a luxury hotel experience for a fraction of the price......glad you are feeling a bit better.

Kay - I think we all go through "spendy phases" sometimes and they can be a bit scary because we think that the spending is getting out of control. Hopefully you've finished soending for a while and can get back on track.

I certainly have to, starting as soon as I get home.

As from next month there will have to be a two pronged attack on my finances - frugal living and start earning some extra income.:o