"Simply not solvent!

Shineyhappy

Wow! You guys are really an inspiration!

Congratulations for getting your totals down I really think you are amazing for always managing to come up with new ideas and ways to do things for your kids and get your debts down so much. :T

Seaxwyn

I'm in shock.

I just received an email from my very businesslike and sensible sister, saying that she wants to give up her £36k job as Marketing Manager for a large charity and do an apprenticeship with me!

Blimey!!! I am astonished that anyone should think that my working life is something to aspire to (particularly Sis as she knows how insolvent I am).

But it's got me thinking. I could definitely get enough work for two - I'm always turning stuff down - and having someone to share decisions etc would be a huge improvement on struggling alone.

I have had proposals from fellow freelancers in the past, wanting to join forces in some form or other, but I have never before had the headspace to think about it. I just wanted to muddle on on my own as I have done for 10 years.

But now I really do want to change the way I work, both to earn more and to feel more businesslike, and separate home from work a bit more.

I don't know whether working with my sister would be the way to do it. But
I'm going to think through all the things I'd like to change about the way I work, and then meet my sister and her partner (an accountant) to discuss ideas.

hypno06

just caught up with this for the last couple of days.

Good news, and very flattering I should think, about your sister wanting to work with you. If it is something that could be workable, then why not give it a go. My only thought is where would you work, would you need to find some new space?

As for the trip for DD to Italy. You know what I am going to say - why should it remain a dream. You just have to go for it, and start thinking outside the box a bit. Why not agree that she could earn money towards it and you will match it? That way she has to get her thinking cap on too?

Seaxwyn

I am flattered - but I wonder if there is possibly an element of big-sister-adulation going on here. I am four years older and now I come to think about it she has followed in my footsteps in a few ways in the past. Also she is probably fed up with her job and just fancies not having one for a while.

I think her vision is that she should do bits of editing that I get in, whereas I would like someone to help me write pitches, plan schedules, research suppliers, and just to have someone to bounce ideas off.

If I were writing a job description for the ideal business partner I don't know if she would fit the bill. But she is very organised and business-like with lots of project management experience.

I need to think about it. We have agreed to meet to discuss it after 18 Oct, which gives me some time for the idea to percolate.

Re Italy - I don't think DD would be that motivated to raise money herself. Both DDs are doing French and Spanish and DD2 was chosen to do GCSE Italian as well. She's the only one in her year doing it, the rest are Yr 10&11s. I should perhaps prioritise getting them both to France or Spain rather than just DD2 to Italy. I will have to ask around about families they could go and stay with.

Meanwhile I have got a Spanish film out on lovefilm and a French one on the way so that's a start! I'm worried though - can I cancel when two of their DVDs are caught up in the postal strike?

hypno06

Perhaps you *should* write a job description - just as though you were advertising for a business partner/employee/rookie etc. That way, you won't fall into the trap of bringing her into the arrangement when you know you are not getting what you *need* and she will know from the start that it is not just the nice easy peasy stuff that she would be doing.

taxi73

WOW seaxwyn.just catching up with your thread..maybe having your sister on board with her business like ways will help you be more productive as well and sometimes 2 heads are better than one ...so worth serious thought I would guess...You are so close to sub £35k..do you know what your next challenge will be...good luck....
I said you'd win...well done

Seaxwyn

Thanks you two. I'm going to think hard about my sister's proposal. A business partner would do me the world of good I reckon.

I've just been to see 'And when did you last see your father?' It is TERRIBLE. Don't go. Luckily my mum paid for the tickets.

Sea78

Hi Seaxwyn



How are you doing now? You are sooo close to your target - you could clear £10000 off your debt in just one year - amazing!

Sea xxx

Seaxwyn

HI Sea

I'm fine thanks and yes, nail-bitingly close to my target. I should meet it this month as OH should get paid by the art college and I can make him pay a few things but I won't be sure until I see the money. He has such a knack of not filling in the right form or speaking to the right person in time.

Otherwise things are OK here. OH is in his third week of teaching and it seems to be going really well. I admire him so much! He is teaching students from all three years and several different degree courses, and seems to be going down a storm. So he is much happier, long may it last. However he's very tired, up all night preparing his lectures etc.

My work is not so good. I've really over-committed myself, with the result that work for one client is sliding hopelessly and missing deadline after renegotiated deadline, and I'm so embarrassed. I should never have agreed to work two days a week in an office as I've more than enough to do already and it's a silly distraction. It's not even much fun as I'm sharing an office with someone really aggrieved and negative and have to listen to her whinging all day.

But I have started reading the 'Get Organised' book Hypno recommended, and relate to so much of it. I really it helps me get more sensible and not take on too much work and then muddle through it badly.

Otherwise, I'm doing really well on Amazon - I've just had my 300th sale today - and recent sales have been all high price ones, I've made over £100 already this month. So must look out for sources of more books.

chevalier

Hi Seax and other friends
Well I finally finished my flipping project. Talk about a conspiracy though. My printer just wouldn't let the paper through without going all wonky, so I just had to submit it like that. How cr*p is that! Sigh. Still it could have been worse as the very next thing I went to print, the printer packed up all together (with lots of electrical burning smell lovely!).

Glad that OH is getting on so well in his job. I hadn't realised that it was only this term. Is it likely that he will get any more work next term? And it now too early to ask? Royal Mail is a good place to work over Christmas, especially if he can get taken on as a Royal Mail temp not an agency temp (RM ones get more pay, and also can do overtime). Best of luck with this.

Ref your sis, hmm what did you decide with this in the end? If you took her on then you could catch up with the work that is sliding, so maybe the thing to do, is say to her that we will have a 6 month trial. That way you catch up with all the work, so you get paid, and she gets a taste of working for herself (ie the setting up of being SE, having to save for tax etca), and then you can review it at the end of the financial year, as to whether you want to do it long term.

Best of luck with whatever you decide
chev