Sparkerly's SOA

Sparkerly

mum2one wrote: »

Sparkerly, you've made some brilliant changes, - cna't believe how much you have saved not going to the gym and on insurances.

Hope you don't me being cheeky, but your doing wonders, some people will do an SOA and not want to listen to help and advice, I know your literally opening your life up to us, but boy you have gone ahead - my nickname for you should be taz - as in the tazmanian devil, you have gone through your SOA like a whirlwind.
Your an inspiration to people, as you had a big chunk to "find", but you've tackled everything with grace and poise, and hubby should be very pround of you. x

Thank you so much, that means a lot and I must admit has made me a bit teary. It was hard for me to post the SOA as I know that we have a good income coming in and people may wonder why on earth we have got into the state that we have, so I was concerned what sort of comments I may get. But everyone has been so helpful and supportive and the advice has been A*.

When I posted my first SOA it didn't look that bad, so I could have quite easily just accepted the state we are in and think everything will be fine. But being pointed in the direction of the full SOA it really bought home the dire situation we were in and if we didn't tackle it now it would just keep getting worse and may have had to sell our home which I really didn't want to do.

My first day on here was hard as I had to face up to it and knew I had to get my hubby to as well and get the kids on board. But the advice that was given was obvious and more than that acheiveable. It gave me the positivity to tackle this head on and seeing the savings that could be made with a few changes and how this would mean we could start to reduce our debt instead of increasing each month was really encouraging.

I know I am still very early into my journey and deciding what cutbacks to make may be easier than actually carrying them out, but I am determined to do this and I know that by coming here regularly and asking for help when I need it I can do it.

I would encourage anyone that is lurking on here needing help to take the plunge and post your SOA as there are lots of lovely people here who will help and give you all the encouragement you need to get you on the right path to being debt free.

:T:T:T:T:T

slowlyfading

I also want to say well done, and good on you for joining up to the NSD challenge - I'm running the thread this month

Sparkerly

slowlyfading wrote: »

I also want to say well done, and good on you for joining up to the NSD challenge - I'm running the thread this month

I'm joining as many challenges as I can as I can be very competitve so hoping that competivie streak will keep me on the straight and narrow

pleasedelete

Ok. This probably sounds awful but listen .

My friend had a job as a mortgage broker/ insurance sales- was own company . Got stressed and left.

She now runs a cleaner/ home help business. She started with just her- she found a few older people who needed cleaning/shopping etc. She charged initially £10 a hour but it is more now. These people woukdnt get a home help and if they did it would cost more.

She works when she wants- a friend helps with holidays but you can negotiate weeks off.

She also does a peace of mind service. For a fixed fee she key holds for elderly people- pops round once a week- helps them find odd job men, sorts out bills. Relatives can also add taking to doctors/ hospital etc etc. She is local contact if they need help as their children live miles away. She gets about £60 a month per client for the basic key holding and once a week drop in.she then calls/emails their family with any problems

You sound quite domesticated and upstanding and reliable?

What about something like that? Working for yourself I imagine even in channel islands you pay less tax- can offset some house costs as premises etc

pleasedelete

Should add the local doctor helped her find clients.

pleasedelete

Another friend has an odd part time business. We live in a village of 2nd homes and holiday let's.

She does a food package business. It's all in the presentation. Then on Friday the weekenders arrive to food in fridge- lovely wicker baskets with ribbons- little gifts for children etc

Friday am sainsburys home delivery arrive and she makes up baskets and adds locally sourced meat etc. Veg removed from packets and put into nice wooden boxes etc etc

She buys all the homemade jam etc at the wi and church sales etc

Clients chose from a list (I think on line now)
She adds flyers for local events- community newsletters etc to make them feel part of the village (hmm)

pleasedelete

Or do you like dogs?

Another friend offers a home for dogs. They live with her in her house while the owners stay in a rather nice local hotel. If people want to bring a dog the hotel directs them to her. Many owners don't like idea of dog being in a kennel.

Only has one family at a time. Charges up to £15 a dog a day. More with long walks.

pleasedelete

And finally (honestly)

One of my friends does an online dress agency. She collects good quality clothes from her friends who are too posh to eBay and sells on a commission basis (50 per cent of sales price is what friends get). Again needed just a good mannequin. Pictures are fab-she has staged a very nice area in her house to take them. Makes money and offsets some of house costs to business.

Sale or return so no upfront fees. Has quite high starting prices and somethings take a few goes to sell. Uses an e bay shop as well as some listings to get good traffic.

She buys a few bits herself- local school has amazing jumble sale and some decent charity shops here etc.

Sparkerly

Wow - plenty of great ideas there. The thought of working as cleaner/homehelp does appeal as does the walking/looking after dogs - I need to lose weight so lots of long dog walks could help both the bank balance and waisteline.

Thanks PleaseDelete :T

pleasedelete

The one who does the home help type service originally intended it to be straight cleaning. She put an advert in the local church newsletter (as she thought the people would be nicer!!!!)

The 1st two to contact her were women who lived away but whose mothers were local and who were looking for a bit of help with them. She then saw a gap in the market. She doesn't have anyone with nursing needs- just elderly. It appeals to her as the cleaning is only part of it (and she actually employs someone now to do a lot of that).

My ex colleague (in the north so not southern madness) pays £50 a day for her 2 dogs to go to doggie daycare. They go from 8-6 each working day. The person has 6 at her house with a large secure garden. They get a long walk etc bit basically it is just so the dogs are not home alone. Might be good if you have teenagers as they can help with walks etc.