Millionaire Challenge

lessonlearned

toylaw2 wrote: »

An advice just before I go to pick up DD1 from school is whilst trying to achieve millionaire status is aim to help as many as you can along the way (giving to charity, talking to the elderly) any good deed you can think of as it makes the world a better place and it sure has a way of making a you a happy millionaire.

Welcome Toy & Jack. Welcome aboard the Millionaire Express - the more the merrier.

At the risk of sounding like Little Miss Goody Two Shoes, I really agree with your last paragraph. I think we should try and help others a little. Apart from anything else it's good Karma, what goes around comes around.

Well I'm afraid this week has been a bit hit and miss. My OH has had a nasty chest infection. Luckily we managed to keep him out hospital and he is now recovering.

However, whatever bug or virus caused it has now passed to me and although I don't succumb to chest infections I am feeling a bit grim. Today I'm having a bit of a duvet day. Have cancelled everything and will stop in and keep warm and cosy.

So today will be just rest, read a bit.

Thanks for the link Trog - will have a proper read of that later today.

Did a driveby on a possible property yesterday, not quite what I'm after.

Has anyone had any dealings with Zopa. What are your thoughts. Do you think it is safer than stocks and shares.

On the basis of "not putting all my eggs in one basket" I am considering investing a little sum in this. Any feedback or advice would be very much appreciated.

YB - you sound as if you are really cracking on now.

My money maximising is a bit behind schedule because of all my personal committments and illness, so will need to catch up next week once I can shake off this lurgy and think straight again.

I've done well on the budgets though and have so far managed to keep my food budget well down and cash neutral.

When I say "cash neutral" I mean using "found" money, such as vouchers, coupons, my piggy bank which is where I just chuck odds and ends each day and any rebates or little extras that have come my way. Still have about £300 of "found money" in hand, which should last until the E-baying, car boots, and antique fairs get going. So feeling quite pleased with the results of that little challenge.

Feeling a bit dodgy - time for a cuppa and maybe a nap....

Don't begrudge me my naps today - my cough has kept me awake all night.

Tonight it will be a good dose of "Night Nurse" so I can a decent night's sleep, then hopefully I will soon start to feel human again.

Keep up with the money-making:D

Tink - hope you are ok, hun......

troglodyte

Sorry to hear you're poorly LL, make sure you take time to get well again otherwise you can't do anything else! At the risk of sounding like a real old fogey 'as long as you've got your health...' You only realise how important it is when something goes wrong

And yes I also agree with helping others; in Jeff Pearce's book he says that his mother told him to take care of other people on the way up, because you never know who you are going to meet on the way down again! I also try to follow the old-fashioned idea of tithing by donating 10% of my income to my favourite good causes. (OK, another goody-two-shoes here)

gothrockchic1

YoungBusinessman wrote: »

Karen Brady and Peter Jones books are on the way to me as i type! Hopefully one of them is good! And hopefully i find the time to read at least one as work is starting to get really busy......£££££ rolling in next month, come June £10k saved this year already.

I have Karren Brady and it is good.

YoungBusinessman

gothrockchic1 wrote: »

I have Karren Brady and it is good.

It's not arrived yet but peter jones book has....so not long home from work, showered, away to have tea with gf then bed to read the book and early night ready for hard days work tomorrow again!!

Life as a 21 year old male....love it!

Buffythedebtslayer

Hi,

LL - I have put about 100 quid in Zopa, not much but I think it is a good idea and really wanted to support it. I may put more in there as money eases up.

I like it, good system I think I have only made about 2 quid! but in terms of a good experience with the company, I have been happy with it. I tend to leave it alone so haven't looked for a while

xxx

lessonlearned

Thanks for that Buffy.

I too was thinking about putting about £100 to start with. I quite liked the sound of the ethos behind their business.

Like a lot of us I am getting more and more disenchanted with the stranglehold that the "big boys" have, ie the Big 4 Banks and the Big 4 Supermarkets, and the big chains of shops that have destroyed our town centres and turned our high streets into clones of each other.

I am really frustrated at the way banks refuse to invest in small businesses and start ups. It's so short-sighted. And of course I really object to the behaviour of the big supermarkets, the way they control food prices, and treat farmers so badly.

As well as trying to make my fortune I am determined to do it as ethically as possible. Not only will I be fair and just in all my business dealings, I also want to make sure that I support local small businesses as much as I can.

I will employ local trades and craftspeople. I have begun to shop locally using small independent shops wherever possible and I am aiming to make my building projects as green as possible.

Since "thinking small", avoiding the big boys and deliberately looking for local suppliers and trades I find I am actually saving money, plus the quality of the goods and services I buy is often much better too.

Yes of course I want to increase my own personal wealth - that's why I joined this thread;) - but I do want to achieve my goals in ways that are ethical, sustainable and ecologically sound.

I want to support my local community, I want British business to flourish and I want my money to go to ethical and "worthy" businesses.

I realise that some people think that may be a tad naive but I believe that in the current economic climate it will be the ability to "find the niches" that will give me the best chance of success.

gallygirl

There are other sites (sorry, don't have details to hand but think there is a thread on here) about sites similar to Zopa but who lend to small businesses. That's even better for the mindset on here :T.

naomio

Hi guys - a very inspiring thread and def got me thinking about some sort of structure to my savings! thanks:T

Almo

lessonlearned wrote: »

Thanks for that Buffy.

I too was thinking about putting about £100 to start with. I quite liked the sound of the ethos behind their business.

Like a lot of us I am getting more and more disenchanted with the stranglehold that the "big boys" have, ie the Big 4 Banks and the Big 4 Supermarkets, and the big chains of shops that have destroyed our town centres and turned our high streets into clones of each other.

I am really frustrated at the way banks refuse to invest in small businesses and start ups. It's so short-sighted. And of course I really object to the behaviour of the big supermarkets, the way they control food prices, and treat farmers so badly.

As well as trying to make my fortune I am determined to do it as ethically as possible. Not only will I be fair and just in all my business dealings, I also want to make sure that I support local small businesses as much as I can.

I will employ local trades and craftspeople. I have begun to shop locally using small independent shops wherever possible and I am aiming to make my building projects as green as possible.

Since "thinking small", avoiding the big boys and deliberately looking for local suppliers and trades I find I am actually saving money, plus the quality of the goods and services I buy is often much better too.

Yes of course I want to increase my own personal wealth - that's why I joined this thread;) - but I do want to achieve my goals in ways that are ethical, sustainable and ecologically sound.

I want to support my local community, I want British business to flourish and I want my money to go to ethical and "worthy" businesses.

I realise that some people think that may be a tad naive but I believe that in the current economic climate it will be the ability to "find the niches" that will give me the best chance of success.

Not naive, quite the contrary. What I think (hope) people are waking up to throughout this recession is that spending money within the community is what keeps a community prosperous.

If you spend money outside your community, such as by buying everything online, or in places such as supermarkets where you might physically be purchasing in the local area but the money is received elsewhere, there will be fewer people who have the money to spend on your business. Plus, on a related note, I have an entirely unproven theory that self employed people/people who work in small businesses etc are much more likely to spend in those type of establishments themselves, so you might be building your own customer base!

lessonlearned

Almo wrote: »

Not naive, quite the contrary. What I think (hope) people are waking up to throughout this recession is that spending money within the community is what keeps a community prosperous.

If you spend money outside your community, such as by buying everything online, or in places such as supermarkets where you might physically be purchasing in the local area but the money is received elsewhere, there will be fewer people who have the money to spend on your business. yPlus, on a related note, I have an entirely unproven theory that self employed people/people who work in small businesses etc are much more likely to spend in those type of establishments themselves, so you might be building our own customer base!

Yes, this is my thinking too - a perfect circle of wealth:D.

I often wonder if the rampant aggressive global capitalism of the last couple of decades is partly what has damaged our economy so badly.

I'm no economics expert but I feel sure the way back to prosperity for all of us - as individuals, as communities and town and cities and even for Britain as a whole is to look for the niches. You can always expand and grow.

Look at some of big global brands that started out as niche products. The Body Shop, The White Company, Mulberry, Laura Ashley. They were all highly individual quirky little businesses that were started by individuals who had spotted a gap in the market.

We can't compete with cheap mass produced goods that flood in from the Far East but I think we can offer creativity, and quality. I think we Brits are one of the most creative people on the planet. Science, technology, engineering, art, design, fashion, film, music, medicine, you name it. We are world beaters.

I just wish the banks and the Government would wake up to this too.

I know of several very successful, hard-working people, with good track records and perfect credit scores who cannot get funds to start a business or to grow their existing successful small companies. I bet this pattern is repeated up and down the land, I'm sure they are not the only ones.

I'm not blaming just this government - they have all been equally as guilty of not supporting British endeavour.

The Banks should be forced to lend more to businesses and the Government, of whichever colour, should be out there promoting Britain and forging trade agreemnets.

Prince Andrew as an Ambassador for British Trade & Industry???. :rotfl::rotfl:

The man's a joke and an embarrassment.