Millionaire Challenge

droopsnoot

joolsteare wrote: »

the first on my long book list

Out of interest, what else is on your list?

lessonlearned

Hello Fellow Millionaires To Be

Welcome Jools. Don't worry you are still younger than me. Never say never.....;).

Stepho.........I wrote my memoirs for my kids and grandson, intending To just self publish a few paperback copies. Do you really think anyone would be interested in reading them. I suppose I could do it on a Kindle and keep it cheap and cheerful. :rotfl:

Well I'm not making money at the moment - I'm spending it. This house is a money pit. Well I knew that and of course when doing a renovation there are always nasty little surprises. It always costs more and takes longer. Hey ho. At the moment still shopping around, getting estimates etc.

I have also been shelling out money for massages, Physio and acupuncture. The joys of aging......still it beats the alternative. And it seems to be a good investment. I feel tons better and it looks like I am going to be able to either avoid knee surgery or at least postpone it for quite some time.

I don't know whether I'm being overcautious but I have decided to cash in some of my riskier investments. I am 67 and realistically I can't afford to take a large hit at this stage so I'm consolidating at the moment and will be moving it into cast iron safe vehicles, at least for now.

I shall review my strategy next year after the Brexit dust has settled. Just keeping my powder dry. :rotfl: I know it is not a strategy that financial advisers would recommend, they would say ride it out but, given my age, I feel safer. I think it's right for my circumstances..

Other than that not much news.

Hope you are all well, happy and making lots of money.

joolsteare

droopsnoot wrote: »

Out of interest, what else is on your list?

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Spend Well, Live Rich by Michael Singletary
The Richest Man In Babylon by George S Clason
Your Money Or Your Life by Vicki robin & Joe Dominguez
The Simple Path To Wealth by J C Collins
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T Kiyosaki
Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind, Think Rich To Get Rich by T Harv Ecker

...should keep me quiet for a bit!
Any recommendations gladly added x

Kayalana99

Joolsteare I'm not sure if I found the right eBay store but if I did, my two cents is you need to test the waters a bit and find what sells. It seems what you are selling is all over the place and more second hand items you are clearing and bits and pieces? Better to specialise and find something that sells well that you can grow outwards in...but other then that it looks fine you are doing nothing wrong - only perhaps either the price or people aren't finding your listings because art for example is going to one of those things that is over listed - eBay is a case of go cheap or go home in a lot of cases unf....

I would add Disrupt yourself Jay Samit , I actually bought it by mistake but it's been one really really compelling read!!! It's full of self made business stories such as youtube was originally a video dating website and how a lot of products such as play doh was actually invented for somethign else but then 'disrupted' into a different industry. It pushes you to look at things outside the box.

Sounds like you are making the best moves for yourself right now LL.

I'm in a bit of a weird position that our monthly income is shockingly low, but lump sums are coming our way ATM (in a way)

So the convertible broke the first day I had it (roof stuck half up half down) and they had it for two weeks, and it broke again the day I got it back...so sent that in and refund gotten. Bought a new car today, more sensible choice that will last us a couple years till I can a new toy that is more expensive and won't break - but we've had some money back from that as this was 3/4 the price of the conv. I'm getting two paychecks in soon as for the cross over in jobs but they owe me holiday pay and O/Time so it's going to be a fair whack and in a backwards sort of way they messed up OH tax so we've had 1.2k given to us...but then we have to pay that back monthly through his tax (don't ask....honestly .....!!) Also got a bit extra coming from car sale from my last car too, still have it atm with all effort from convertible going wrong.


My dad is talking about us getting a B2L again through him as he's sat on some cash atm but we'd need to put up 5k....honestly need to sit down and look at figures cause I'm seriously considering getting a loan out. We could put up 5k now but it would leave us on the breadline and as our monthly income is low, and OH wage is messed up etc....but if we had a set loan and monthly repayments we'd still have our savings to back us up if we got short.

+ Proper drive right now to get this website business set up. I've decided I'm going to become a wordpress developer so I can get going with it shortly - but I'm going to keep training myself to do it on my own as well as I go

+ Off this week so pushing forward with degree too. Trying to get 2+ weeks ahead so I can focus on website stuff for Thurs/Friday

+ Job is a bit 50/50. Love love love it. Love people, love the office, love the hours etc....but unf it involves being on the phone a lot and for some reason I get a bit stuttery on the phone and it's showing.... so not sure how this is going to go as they have noticed and I've been put off the phone the last two days of my holiday but end day it's a huge part job but they haven't been funny with me directly so maybe just thinking they gave me too much too soon and putting me back in slower...hopefully

Guess time will tell.

I have a lot more energy now I'm not doing a manual job so it's all going to be a big push now to get my life in order

joolsteare

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Joolsteare I'm not sure if I found the right eBay store but if I did, my two cents is you need to test the waters a bit and find what sells. It seems what you are selling is all over the place and more second hand items you are clearing and bits and pieces? Better to specialise and find something that sells well that you can grow outwards in...but other then that it looks fine you are doing nothing wrong - only perhaps either the price or people aren't finding your listings because art for example is going to one of those things that is over listed - eBay is a case of go cheap or go home in a lot of cases unf....

Thank you for that. I was debating specialising in women's clothing, something I fully understand! I will go back & sort out my shop, maybe rebrand it. Now to get at least 2 other streams of income happening too...

Luckystepho

LL- I'd read your memoirs and I am sure there are loads of others who would too.


Kayalana- hope all goes well with the job- mine entails going out to see people, talking on the telephone and meetings, none of which I feel comfortable with! I will procrastinate when faced with making a 'difficult' call (ie telling people they cannot have something they need due to lack of resources) and this is a big reason why I am here...

Kayalana99

Thanks. It's gone well past two days, I was off week before and gotten more used to being on the phone so hopefully just experience!

Through the Wordpress idea into the water, actually think as I have a broad understanding of HTML/CSS it's easier to create your own website / use a template then deal with W/P....it's handy for sure but I think best option for now is to just use templates and it helps as I know enough about web coding to be able to change things, even if I couldn't build it myself as yet.

Going well got really ahead with my degree being off work for week and my website is now well under way, once mine is built I'm going to build one for my P/T friend (Not that he will bloody use the thing but I'm just going to do it for practice given up on that one with him :rotfl: )

Will update once things are going - but for now hopefully without jinxing it, life is pretty good. Money may not be great but my work collegues are great, home life is nicer being here in the evenings and for now my new car is running nicely...just no breakdowns is all I ask :rotfl: and will be getting a little fam holiday booked soon. Certainly no disney land, but hey...if I do get a website business going on the side anything extra I earn can go in holiday pot

julicorn

I don't know if this is helpful joolsteare, but if I was looking for art/paintings, I wouldn't really be looking on eBay, but rather on etsy.

joolsteare

julicorn wrote: »

I don't know if this is helpful joolsteare, but if I was looking for art/paintings, I wouldn't really be looking on eBay, but rather on etsy.

Thanks!
I did used to sell on Etsy years ago, I have an Instagram account now. I am thinking of putting my art onto other things, such as tshirts, mugs etc & sell it that way. Plus I am considering murals, which I have done way way back. I shall offer some freebies for material cost to get a portfolio going

lessonlearned

Wow. Jools, murals sound exciting.

Well I've been working hard on the money pit. Spending money like it's going out of style - but hopefully all in a good cause. I'm shopping with care, trying to source fixtures and fittings at good prices. Bought some amazing rugs in a sale £60 each. One should have been £337 and the other £375 so quite happy with that.

Also bought a preloved sideboard for £40 which I'm going to turn into a fancy pants kitchen island. I have been painting some old furniture too as well as remodelling some curtains I picked up in a charity shop. Also picked up a lovely carved rocking chair for £20 which will eventually reside in my lounge bay window.

More dash than cash.!!

It all takes time though but the savings are worth it.

Anyway everywhere is now dry and watertight ready for winter but there's no insulation to speak of and a very basic inefficient heating system. However, the plumber has checked it over and given it his blessing so I have decided to just live with it for now. I am resigned to big heating bills this winter.

I am going to be knocking down walls etc next year so I will upgrade the insulation and heating then. It makes sense to just do it all in one fell swoop, cheaper labour costs that way too. And of course, It will be much easier in the summer.

In the meantime I have already knocked out the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room. It looks Better already, much lighter. And then, when I get the row of 30ft conifers removed next week light will flood in.

I have decided to go for a complete bathroom refit, including knocking out the old airing cupboard to open up the space and completely change the layout. It will be a big messy job. As I shall be without water for several days I have booked myself a last minute cruise round the Canaries, Morroco and Madeira.

Well it was so cheap it would have rude not to. :rotfl:

This will be at the end of November, so hopefully will set me up for winter. TBH I'm tired and my batteries need recharging. I have been working pretty much flat out since March. It will do me good to have a break and a bit of a rest. Hopefully I will return all energised and firing on all cylinders and raring to go.

Did you book a holiday yet, Kaya.

I want to get the bulk of the renovations done next year if I can. I don't want this one to drag on as long as the last one. I want to be in a position to sell as and when market conditions are good. I have already made a start on the landscaping so the gardens have time to mature and look good for when I come to resell.

As planned I have cashed in my stocks and shares ISA. Maybe I'm a bit over cautious but i feel happier. It also means I have more money in the contingency fund but with a bit of luck I won't need it. So far I've not uncovered anything too nasty and am near enough on budget. As long as I can keep on budget I should make a decent profit.

Other than that no real news. I'm gradually decluttering as I go. The local charity shops are the main beneficiaries. I can't be bothered with car boots now. Too little return for the effort required. I have enough income to live on, no debts to service other than a small mortgage so I cant see the fun In freezing half to death running a stall in winter for such a small return on my investment of time and energy.

I am keeping aside some items of value and will put them up for auction at some point but there's no hurry.

I'm off out now Into the garden to plant up some bulbs and clear up some cat poo.

I wouldn't mind but I don't have a cat.......:rotfl:

Hope you are all well and making lots of money.