Craftingmad's NEW diary to Mortgage Free Freedom

craftingmad

Hi everyone - I've finally found the time to post again - sorry for the long gap - again!!!

Just thought I'd let you all know that I'm still around and still trying to be MF asap - plus gain more money for a deposit for our 2nd BTL property and raise cash for a family trip of a lifetime to Disneyland in two yaers time.

I've been doing lots of little things to help with in our quest during my time out from my last post. These include piggypoints, quidco searches, online surveys etc plus trying to save money on food and electric etc by turning things off, using what food we have in cupboards etc. I've also just worked out that I will now save £6 per week as my youngest has just started school (sob sob - its so quiet and I miss him) and so won't be going to toddler groups now. Thats another £24 a month for the pot - I suppose everything has its brightsides.

I've also been doing a few more craft fairs (I've earnt £95 this month from these so far after stall costs, materials etc).

I've also carried out 3 mystery shops today which will earn me £27.

Oh and I've just been watching Create & Craft (I know I should'nt!) and have'nt yet reached to the net to order the Pick of The Day Humphreys Christmas CD & Stamps (althopugh they are sooo cute!) so I'm proud of myself. It has got me thinking though that maybe us crafters should get together and print off some images from CD Roms, stamp some black outline images from our rubber stamps, sort though our stash etc and arrange a regular craft swap. That way we could all get new stash for the cost of a stamp or too? Does that sound like a good idea to fellow crafters? I'd be quite happy to organise it.

Anyway that's you all updated for now - I'm off to do a bit more crafting and then off to bed to sleep - crafting and trying to be MF is hard work!!

yukkibear

craftingmad wrote: »

It has got me thinking though that maybe us crafters should get together and print off some images from CD Roms, stamp some black outline images from our rubber stamps, sort though our stash etc and arrange a regular craft swap. That way we could all get new stash for the cost of a stamp or too? Does that sound like a good idea to fellow crafters? I'd be quite happy to organise it. QUOTE]


It sounds like a great idea, but I think it goes against the majority of the companies "Angel Policies" to do this which is a shame.

craftingmad

I suppose thats true yukkibear , even though loads of people seem to sell stamped images on Ebay. Maybe we could just start a stamp images swap / craft items swap to save us all a bit of cash plus get the buzz of new goodies for our stash?

Well here are my progress reports for the last couple of days:-

14th Sept 2011

1. Entered two pigsback competitions.
2. Found 30p in a purse (added to piggybank ready to bank)
3. Made mums birthday card using physical stash (rather than
printing out something from a CD Rom) so saving ink costs.
4. Walked my daughter to youth club rather than drive the 5
minutes down the road (thus saving a bit of petrol).
5. Turned off microwave and oven clocks overnight.
6. Managed not to buy Create & Crafts Pick of The Day Humphrey's
Christmas CD Rom thus saving £35 - result!!
15th Sept 2011

1. Got 3 10 point piggy clickthroughs (only 200 points from £20
amazon voucher now).
2. Signed up for a mystery shop on Sunday through Amber Arch
which will earn me £6.
3. Entered 3 online competitions.
4. Carried out 4p search on High Street Web via Quidco.
5. Paid money into bank accounts from craft fairs done at
weekend (£125 banked plus cheque for £500 from BTL mortgage
cashback).
6. Booked a 2 day craft fair for start of Oct in a prominant location
in a city near me. Expensive compared to what I normally pay
for a stall (£30 a day - but I did do a deal as she wanted £120
per day on the organisers site!) but hopefully will be full of lots
of people who have money to spend on the type of things I
make.
7. Resisted buying two craft magazines in town today which saved
me a massive £10! Plus also resisted a bag of chips (another £1
saved!) :T

Now I've written them down it does'nt seem that much but at least I've done a little bit each day.

I'm off now to start making more stuff ready for my next craft fair (as mentioned above!).

Happy crafting xxxx

Peonie

craftingmad wrote: »

Now I've written them down it does'nt seem that much but at least I've done a little bit each day.

You have done loads! Especially not buying the magazines at £10. I read sewing blogs and get my inspiration and tutorials for free.

mooomin

Peonie wrote: »

You have done loads! Especially not buying the magazines at £10. I read sewing blogs and get my inspiration and tutorials for free.

I've been lurking on your diary for a little while, as I'm a wee bit craft-addicted too I think that resisting the magazines is really difficult so wanted to add my well done to you as well :T

I failed to resist the Simly Homemade magazine due to it having lovely stamps. I have got it home and although the "free" stamps were fab, I didn't rate the magazine. Lesson learned

craftingmad

Thanks Peonie and Flying Freesian,

The internet is where I intend to get most of my inspiration from now too - there is just so much of it there and all for free!!!! I think I might subscribe to 1 or 2 of my favourite titles though when they have a good offer on (i.e. free gift I would love or lots of money off).

Well I actually lost the internet for most of today and have just got it back but have done the following small things in my MF quest:-

16th Sept 2011

1. Entered 2 competitions on Pigsback.
2. Sent away for a free sample of shampoo (found on MSE of course).
3. Sent away for a 5 a day log and free tape measure (again courtesy of MSE).
4. No spend day for me.
5. Made 2 sets of notelets ready for upcoming craft fairs (intending to make at least another 3 sets tonight).
6. Turned off microwave and cooker again to save power.
7. Made an enquiry with Usborne Books at Home regarding starting up as a seller (thought it might be good seeing as both m,y little ones now at school and I have connections with local
toddler groups and nurseries). Anyone else do this - would you recommend?

Of too make more notelets. Happy crafting again!

craftingmad

Well what a Saturday so far - I just don't know where the time goes anymore!!

I'm feeling well proud of myself as we went into the big city near us yesterday and we stopped off at a supermarket which has the biggest Hobbycraft shop next door you have ever seen. I even had a good look round (I was like a kiddy in a sweetie shop!!) but I only bought a pack of 50 cards which I am using to make my notelets - result! This no craft spending thing is getting easier by the day - plus no more craft magazines bought again - I'm a recovering craft spendaholic xxx

OK as I did'nt get round to posting yesterday here our my efforts:-

17th Sept '11

1. Entered 2 pigsback competitions.
2. Sent an email to Pigsback asking where 800 points were from an offer I took up with them from 10th July'11.
3. Returned a Deep Fat Fryer hubby wanted as cooking times were exceptionally long (I can't see my kids waiting 40 minutes for some chips even if they are healthier for you - use the
oven thats what I say!) which gave us a refund of £97 - fantastic - I'll manage with the fryer I've got for a bit longer - its fine as long as you put a plate on top of it toi hold down the
lid!
4. Collected some material for my crafts which I found for FREE on Freecycle. I've already drooled over some of the bits in there!
5. Did'nt put the heating on to have a shower - well its normally cold at 6.30am but I just got dressed quicker instead!
6. Used £3.20 worth of coupons on shopping.
7. Completed online survey worth £1
8. Turned off microwave and cooker clocks when not being used.

So thats another £100.20 for the saved pot today - I call that a big result!!

Back later with today's efforts xx

craftingmad

Ok here I am again muttering away to myself about what I've acheieved today so here goes:-

18th Sept ' 11

1. 30 piggypoints from clickthroughs
2. 58 online competitions entered (I re-found teh competitions board today and killed a few hours when I really should have been doing housework!)
3. Made 2 sets of notelets ready for upcoming craft fairs
4. Found a code for 50 free disnet reward points which has now bought my total up to 700 (looks like I will be able to get the kids a DVD as a little extra pressie for xmas this year!)
5. Listed 12 things on Ebay taking advantage of their free listing weekend.
6. Walked daughter round to friends house and walked to pick her up again saving petrol and probablly my car as their drive is very tight to turn around in!
7. NSD for me and hubby
8. Found some xmas stockings in my shed which I had forgotten about which I am planning to decorate and then sell (hopefully) at upcoming craft fairs. Also found three craft sewing kits
in there which will make great presents for childrens parties/xmas so added to the pressie cupboard.
9. 10p found on bathroom floor (must have fallen out of hubbies pocket but its mine now!)

Well not quite as good as yesterday but in the worlds of Mr T every little helps!
Not as good as yesterday

craftingmad

hello again,

Well I may not have posted for a while (consider myself chastised!) but I've still plodding away at little things to try and achieve our target. I won't bore you with loads of little bits from the last 7 days but will about a few of the highlights of the last week:-

1. Yesterday and today I done car boot sales (even though today is my birthday - hows that for dedication - up at 6.00am to earn some cash for the pot!) and over the two days I made
£166.10 after stall costs. I'm well made up - after all I was just selling things which we no longer needed. Think the car boot bug has bitten. I'm now just trying to find the last few
boot sales before the season finishes.

2. Disney rewards gave me 50 bonus points for my birthday so that takes the total up to 750 points which is enough to get a decent DVD so well happy.

3. Just waiting for a few listings to end on Ebay - sadly only one has a bid of £1.99 at the mo but if the other things don't sell I'll take them to my next boot sale!!

4. Spoke to the lady who sells my things in her shop and I've got another £40 to collect so will get this tomorrow.

5. Used lots of coupons for shopping, and quidco etc so hopefully will pay out soon.

Well off now to finish my batch cooking of mince for shephards pie and spag bol ready for dinners.

Ooooh nearly forgot I was going to buy a birthday cake on my home from the boot sale and put it in my trolley (costing £4.95) then I remembered I dod'nt have my card on me so put it back for an equally delicious jumbo swiss roll costing 89p - thats £4.06 saved and ready for the pot!! As long as its chocolate cake I don't care!!!

Happy MFW being xxx

Peonie

Good news about the shop payment and well done for doing a car boot sale on your birthday.

Happy birthday craftingmad :bdaycake: