Millionaire Challenge

lessonlearned

Trog - mentors come in all shapes and sizes, ages and genders. They can be RL or they can be virtual.

They don't always have to be money mentors either, they can be someone who just inspires you or motivates you.

They often find you. I just seem to gather mine as I go along. I just find that in general people love to help you.

I now have three, one via the internet, one an ex colleague of my husbands and a third who is a long standing friend. I used to have another but sadly she died several years ago. Of all of my mentors she is the one who influenced and shaped me the most.

Oddly enough her advice was not business or money orientated as such, it was more about life skills and personal development, although she did teach me the virtues of being thrifty.

She was an old family friend. I mean old - she was well into her 80's when she died. She was a fountain of wisdom, great fun and with a very young and enquiring mind.

She gave me the greatest gift of all, the power of self belief. She taught me optimism, positivity and how to persevere and keep going no matter how tough it gets.

I am also a mentor to two other people. I get great satisfaction sharing my experience and knowledge with them.

It doesn't have to be a formal arrangement and mentoring doesn't require you to pay any fees.

Don't worry. I'm sure that as you continue your money quest you will start to gather mentors along the way.

Edited to say - I agree with YB - this site is a wonderful resource and there are many lovely helpful people who are only too happy to share their knowledge and experience with you.

wianxivioo

Wow, so cool, fighting!

troglodyte

Thanks YB and especially LL, that's very helpful and I'll keep my eyes open a bit more!

LL I guess I also did have a mentor in the past although I never thought of him that way. I used to do odd jobs for a rather eccentric elderly couple, gardening, DIY, making preserves, sewing curtains etc and as part of the arrangement she used to give us (they used to have several students to work for them when I first met them) coffee and cake and he used to try and teach us philosphy! Well the philosophy never really did it for me but from him I also learned to have a go at pretty much anything, if it's something you don't yet know about you can go out and learn about it. They had a very interesting life. He used to make some quite weird but certainly inventive contraptions. His motto was 'invest in the means of production'. They had a stream of students through their doors over the years but I stayed around (I settled in the area) and we were friends for 13 years until they died in their late 80s, more than 10 years ago. I still miss them.

Yesterday after posting here I had a look around and found that there is a local mentoring network, so may look into that when I've got my ideas firmed up a bit more. I didn't know about such resources - if anyone else is looking I'm sure there must be others around the country.

lessonlearned

troglodyte wrote: »

Yesterday after posting here I had a look around and found that there is a local mentoring network, so may look into that when I've got my ideas firmed up a bit more. I didn't know about such resources - if anyone else is looking I'm sure there must be others around the country.

Sounds promising. Hope you find what you are looking for. I have attended some of these mentoring/networking sessions in the past. I found some more useful than others, the same as courses, lectures and seminars. These things are always worth trying .

I find that the internet really is a fantastic tool. Whenever I feel a bit sluggish and ready to flag I google "Motivational Speeches". There are some fantastic people out there.

It might be worth googling "Coaching" too. Again there are some really good speakers out there, and of course it's all for free.

You can pay a lot of money to hear a good motivational speaker and yet you can watch and listen to them on "t'interweb" for nowt.

Your "philosopher" friend sounds great. You can't beat a good philosophical debate to put things in perspective.

I have a couple of philosophers on tap. My two favourites are both real "working class" boys who came up the hard way, although my favourite "Glasgow Hard Case" sadly died just a year ago. I often ask myself - now what would J have done or thought of this.

The beauty of mentors and philosopher types is that their wisdom and wit outlives them. You just shut your eyes and they are there guiding you. At least mine are.

YoungBusinessman

Sometimes you can be your own motivator and mentor by simply having a blog/posting on the forum and reading up on your own thoughts and progress to achieve your goals. My main goal (almost my most realistic) is simply have a years expenses in account at all times as emergency fund...that's about £7200. With outstanding business debts of £17k and needing £10k for investing in myself I need £34200 before I'm there so half way through 2014 I think I will hit that goal

citizenkitten

I have been trying to sort out my money issues again. been a bit depressed and trying to prevent the black cloud mind set. i have always battled with depression and i am now aware of how easily i can slip back there.

i go on holiday for the first time in 2 years not this friday but next, only 4 day break in madrid but excited to just get away from it all. Also i bought a coat for around 200 pounds, yikes, but it is the practicality i need, i have gone without a coat for two years but still i am still handwringing spending that much money on myself.

also today, i got 2% inflationary pay rise and 0.5% discretionary increase. not much, but hell of a lot better than some folks and really means the world to me at the moment.

MKeynesMoneySaver

Personally I think £200 is a lot to spend on a coat and would struggle to justify it myself even though I could easily afford it.

The most I ever spent on a coat was £160, and I hardly ever wore a coat at that time. It is a good coat and I bought it just before a winter trip to Milan and it kept me warm so did the job. I hardly ever wear it but it does give me the opportunity to do things when I would need a good coat to keep me warm (walking instead of driving, watching the fireworks with friends, etc).

I often feel the need to justify spending any amount of money. It is difficult not to over worry about spending when it feels like you need every penny whatever your situation.

Hopefully, you will own the coat for many years. I've had mine for about eight years now and should last me for many more. If it lasts you ten years it has only cost you £20 per year. :-)

lessonlearned

And loving it.

Using my time productively to catch up with my paperwork, and re-organise my banking and bill paying systems.

I'm determined to overcome my technophobia and make technology work for me. So I have been setting up systems and registering all my stuff so that I can do more on-line.

This is the year when I grasp the technology nettle and get with the programme.:D

CK - £200 for your coat - well if you love it and you can afford it then why not. If it's good quality and a "classic" design then you could easily get 10 years out of it.

I actually think that a good coat is an investment. If you look after it, it will always look good.

When my grandfather died he had overcoats that were 30 years old which were as good as new. Bang on trend too.:rotfl:

I will not buy a cheap coat, but I will try to get a good one at rock bottom price.

Last year I struck gold. I picked up a gorgeous champagne coloured full length cashmere number for - wait for it - £3 - from a local charity shop. £10 to have it dry-cleaned, so for just £13 a fantastic coat.

It has a detachable fur collar - sooooo glamourous:rotfl::rotfl:. Perfect for this cold weather.

I do love a bargain.

Good news about the pay rise.

YoungBusinessman

Well done on the payrise CK. Great news. Least its up and not down!
I can justify £200 on a coat(have 4 or 5 Stone Island jackets) as a quality coat will last for years. Iv had one of mine since 16(now 21) and it still fits and is only just starting to wear and tear(can still be worth £30-£40 even in a worn condition!)

Anyway gf has many Barbour jackets - £250 a pop but they are really nice. I guess this shows the younger you are the more willing you are to spend £££'s on image, as thats all it is.

Advertising starting again this week, bring on the long hours, hard work and many big paydays!! Got a great feeling about this year!

lessonlearned

Cyber 375 - :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: What larks....

YB - great to see you so positive about 2013.

There is a lot of negativity on some of the threads on MSE - thankfully this thread is not one of them. There was a lady on another thread who posted up her business idea - the poor lass was shot down in flames. Why do people do this.

I avoid negative people who only want to put you down like the plague.

I too think 2013 will be good - because to borrow from Capt Luke Picard - yes I'm a bit of a Trekkie - I will make it so:rotfl:

Onwards and upwards I say.

I'm enjoying my "snow days", playing catch up with all those niggly little outstanding admin jobs that pile up if you turn your back for more than a few days.

Tink - you're quiet - hope all is well.

Have gone through all my figures and done a predictive budget. Not looking too bad at all.