Learning to Live on Less!

White_Iris

saterkey wrote: »

Just wanted to say hi and just working around 2 little ones is a feat in itself. Have you tried competitions, I do between 500-1000 a month and this year so far have won about 600 pounds worth. You could try to win stuff to sell or food, clothes that you could use.

This works out to be about 30ish a day for about an hour and if you just do internet ones it wont cost you anything. Try the MSE competitions board.

Hmmm, competitions is something I've never really considered. I think I'll have a look at the competitions board. Thank you Julie:T

I've just checked my ebay sales and I've currently got 3 bids and more watchers than I expected. One of the items is ending today (and I've re-listed it about a dozen times so I'm glad to see the back of it!) but the others still have 6 days to go - always nice to know that someone else really wants your old [STRIKE]cr*p[/STRIKE] stuff:rotfl: I've also managed to get a photobook done for MILs birthday from Boots using a voucher, so instead of paying £30, it's only cost me P&P:j

White_Iris

Ugh, so tired this morning. DS would not sleep and eventually woke up DD who is very grumpy if her sleep is disturbed, although she did go back off after a while. DS, however, did not - cue very little sleep with a grouchy, fidgety baby :-(

On a more positive note, I'm already up to £15 through eBay sales, I've finished my vision board and it's now in front of the laptop giving me something inspirational to look at and I've got a few surveys lined up for completion this morning. I'm trying to get up to £40 on OnePoll - currently at £28.65 - but it's so frustrating as I keep getting screened out of the surveys. I'm determined to get up to £30 this week and hit the £40 payout mark by the end of the month.

LianneH

hope DS isn't too grumpy!

Well done on finishing your vision board and on your ebay sales!

I am at £38.25 on onepoll and feel like ive been there forever - i keep getting screened out too and its taking ages in between questions - so annoying. We need to stick with it though - "free" money!!

White_Iris

Well I've hit the £30 mark on OnePoll but I've has enough for today - the connection kept getting lost, no problems with other sites I had open so I think it's a OnePoll problem but it was driving me mad!

Must, must, must remember to get DHs birthday card done tomorrow and one for MIL so I can post it asap...June is a real headache for me, lots of birthdays, no money!

Off now to procrastinate on the Great Declutter thread then try to go and parcel up some eBay stuff before DS and DD wake up.

White_Iris

Quite a productive evening - got the breadmaker going so I now have a loaf of raisin bread waiting to toast for breakfast, got rid of some more stuff on freecycle, did a load of washing, got the dishwasher on and, best of all, the children slept through the night :-)

Carried on the momentum this morning - hoovered front room, sorted out clothes to go to clothes bank down the road later (charity shop bags are like buses - never one when you want one, then 10 come along at once) but now I'm on here so may have to drag myself away to go and clear up the presents the dogs have left in the back garden (bleugh) so I can spend some time on here later, guilt free (lol).

Itsadogslife_2

I am very impressed by the amount of stuff you have managed to do as of 7.30am :eek: I was just about rolling out of bed at that point.

I would love a bread maker but bread is a big downfall for me with weight watchers. I lurve crusty bread and could eat it with butter till it came out of my ears

I leave the dogs presents for the husband to clear up Ignorance is bliss! :rotfl:

White_Iris

Itsadogslife wrote: »

I am very impressed by the amount of stuff you have managed to do as of 7.30am :eek: I was just about rolling out of bed at that point.

The children were awake at 6.20 and when they're awake everyone else has to be

Itsadogslife wrote: »

I would love a bread maker but bread is a big downfall for me with weight watchers. I lurve crusty bread and could eat it with butter till it came out of my ears

I don't use it as much as I should - a favorite in our house is bread made with fresh rosemary from the garden...mmmmmm

Itsadogslife wrote: »

I leave the dogs presents for the husband to clear up Ignorance is bliss! :rotfl:

Usually this is DHs job but he's had loads of work to over the last few days so the piles have been mounting up - it's been like walking through a minefield every time I go to hang the washing out:eek:

White_Iris

Just added up everything I've made selling things on eBay. I joined last April and since then I've sold £633 of stuff that was cluttering up our house! I'm amazed but also a bit embarrassed because I really don't know where that money has gone! Some has been spent on clothes for DS & DD but I guess the rest has been spent on more stuff! Well not any more - I'm keeping a check on what I earn and the only thing it's getting spent on are things that the children need, anything left over each month goes in the conveyancing pot.

clearmydebts

Hi Iris,

I am in a very similar situation. I have one DS (15 months) and another baby on the way in September. We also don't qaulify for any tax credits this year

I work 3 days a week but I can't afford to go back to work after this baby so will be a SAHM as well. We are trying to move back home to Ireland as we will have a better quality of life there so we are also looking to make a move. In our case, we have a flat rented out here and live in a different one (more suitable) so OH is looking for a job in Ireland and it is a slow process!

I look forward to seeing how you get on. You seem to be approaching this in a really sensible, realistic way.

White_Iris

clearmydebts wrote: »

I am in a very similar situation. I have one DS (15 months) and another baby on the way in September. We also don't qaulify for any tax credits this year

I work 3 days a week but I can't afford to go back to work after this baby so will be a SAHM as well. We are trying to move back home to Ireland as we will have a better quality of life there so we are also looking to make a move. In our case, we have a flat rented out here and live in a different one (more suitable) so OH is looking for a job in Ireland and it is a slow process!

Hi clearmydebts, good luck for September - a new baby, how exciting! Being a SAHM is a whole different world to working. It's great but in a way it's so much harder than when I had a 'proper' job - it's a 24hr a day job but you don't get paid for it! I hope you get to move soon - we're moving for a better quality of live too but like you, it's a slow process:(