Cleggie's frugaltastic journey to financial freedom!!

cleggie

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

:rotfl: sorry but I am in stitches! Love the idea of going & doing people's shopping for them!

Pet sitting is one that's in my mind atm .... looking into dog walker and they are so expensive :eek: and as for doggy daycare :eek::eek:

Hehehe, i know its a funny idea, i had a googd giggle to myself in the car whilst thinking of it :rotfl:


It means that i get to go food shopping more regularly, and dont have to pay for it

PennyGrabber

What about the obvious - become a childminder!!!! If there are people needing the service, and no-one providing the service, then you could do that! I know it's hanging around with children, but not many, and you could then spent the school hols with your children without worrying about childcare...

Piquant_2

PennyGrabber wrote: »

What about the obvious - become a childminder!!!! If there are people needing the service, and no-one providing the service, then you could do that! I know it's hanging around with children, but not many, and you could then spent the school hols with your children without worrying about childcare...

That's a really good idea. Certainly worth looking into. And it might help put you off going to the sm if you've got half a dozen children in tow.....

Piq

cleggie

Thanks for the suggestion. it was my first idea, so i called the council to check my tenancy agreement, and i cant run a business from my house as its a council house. Then i rang the NCMA and found out that because my house is so small, i would only be allowed a max of 2 chidren at a time...and i have 2 of my own.

But thanks for the idea

cleggie

Morning!

I got my CTC into my bank this morning, so i put £32 into my emergency savings, which leaves me £100 for the week.
Thats more than enough, as i will have £60- food, £20-Petrol.
I dont even think i wil spend the whole £60 this week as the kids are off to theor dads at lunch time today, until lunch time Sunday, so i wont have to feed them all weekend!

I might buy myself some fruit and salad, but i shouldnt really need to spend more than £40 this week. Whatever is left will go towards the emergency savings.

Have updated my spreadsheets this morning.

Am meeting the kids dad in Lidl carpark in a town that halfway between us both (as per usual) so may go shopping there at the same time, to save petrol.

Have a great day everyone!

Barbeduk

Hi Cleggie, just caught up with the last couple of days and just wanted to do a bit of :j:j:j:j about the bursary! That's fantastic news. Definitely spend some of it on a holiday, then you can tell us all about it!:D

Oh the subject of childcare. It's what they never tell you before you have kids isn't it, the fact that it's so difficult to be able to go to work, even though you want to. I am self employed, if I was an employee I would have been sacked by now the amount of time I 'work from home' looking after sick kids and during the holidays.

Know it sounds like you're doing a degree for nothing but how about a cleaning business. There was a lady set one up in our bit of Plymouth, £10 an hour, and she was turning people away. She also added on babysitting and pet sitting as once you're part of people's lives they trust you.

Beautiful here at the moment. Have done my turn round the park with the dog. Taking kids and dog down to the river later to do some stone skimming. Don't like the forecast for later, might have to bribe the kids out with sweets!;)

Piq, a canter round the woods. I am sooooo jealous!

Free listing on eBay this weekend:)

cleggie

Thanks barb!
I didnt know you were in Plymouth, i am only across the bridge and 'up a bit' from you. Moved out of Plymouth 8 months ago to be here.

I have never in all my life lived in a town with no childcare, its madness!! I am not even sure where to start with being SE though to be honest, and have no idea where to turn to for advice..any suggestions?

Suffolk_lass

You probably don't really need more ideas but here's mine. The biggest problem for me when DS was little was the margin childcare - so after school until I finished work (or before if I wanted an early start) - and worst of all school holidays.

One chap locally set up a holiday playscheme where children could be booked in for 1-all the weeks of the holidays for Easter, half term in May and the summer holidays. He divided the kids by ages and activity preferences and employed mostly student teachers from the local teacher-training college (they had all been CRB checked for their teaching practice) together with very few section supervisors (play leaders and young teachers trying to pay off their loans) and he "rented" the local schools and their facilities/playing fields.

DS did his cycling proficiency test one summer and learned slow left-arm cricket bowling from a County junior who was earning some pennies. They also ran an extra-cost breakfast club from 06.30 and a late finish option (normally 16.30) up to 18.00 to include a basic tea and after five years he had made enough to set up his own private school locally.

He concentrated on the admin and used trusted people to run the events and it remains really popular.

He started with a breakfast club at the school his kids went to and then it grew as their reputation grew. Next was after school club with quiet homework, TV and structured play options, with or without tea, and a finish as late as 19.00 for parents that commuted (less than two hours from London). None of this was at his home - he used premises already set up for kids - the local schools.

I know you said the idea of being with kids (other people's) was not your thing but maybe the organisation and co-ordination and management in the background is more you. If you can't find the childcare there is certainly demand among others too.

Right, definitely going fishing now. The sun is shining here..
SL

MunniMuncha

Hi Cleggie - I am self employed and when I started there was a lot of free help in setting up a business from the local job centre (also had a small grant of £250, which even though wasn't a lot, it was better than nothing). It is a while now (7 years) so can't really remember how I found out about it but if you google help for starting up a business there should be some government sites that come up there.

If you can I would say go for it, don't regret it for a minute.

EDIT: The tax office runs free courses about setting up a business too and was a source of information.

rising_from_the_ashes

Just a flying visit .... re setting up a business - also ask at your council, I know ours help people wanting to start out and have some great advice on how to get going etc.

I'd love to do it but (this will sound awful) as my health isn't ..... errrr .... fantastic, I'd be absolutely (insert swear word) if I was ill and couldn't work ie no sick pay / income.

Just realised that probably sounds bad and tbh I am very rarely off work but when I am, it's often for a while (8 weeks post op last autumn). Apart from that, it has been over 2 years since I was off but .... really scarey for someone with a chronic medical condition (wouldn't be able to get critical illness or similar cover)