Cleggie's frugaltastic journey to financial freedom!!

MunniMuncha

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

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)

Yes Rising that is a massive issue, especially if you are a one-man-band. I have been going for 7 years now and (touch wood) haven't had one day off sick. I am absolutely petrified about breaking bones etc and never do the daring things I would love to for that very reason. I haven't invested in critical illness cover as I know it's very expensive and do wonder if they would actually pay out if the time arose.

You also have to take into account holidays/days off as unless you have someone else working for you and earning some money whilst you are not in work, then no workee, no money:(

Having said that, the positives still outweigh the negatives and personally don't think I could ever work for someone else again after having the freedom to work the hours I want, when I want; so definitely look into it Cleggie - you have nothing to lose:D

cleggie

Morning everyone!

I just want to say thanks to you all for giving me your ideas and advice re SE. You have all raised some issues that i hadnt even considered, so i will have to give it a lot of thought before seriously making any plans for it.

This morning i have cheked my OLB and have enough to cover my DDs, apart from 40p so will go into the bank on monday and put a few £'s into my account.
I still have enough petrol for what i need, so will just put £10 aside for that this week instead of £20. I will be walking my youngest son to school every morning instead of using the car as from Monday, so i will save some £'s (as well as lose some lbs) doing that.

I seriously need to sit down and write out a list of what needs to be spent with my student loans money. So will do that this evening.

Hardly need any food this week as i wrote a meal plan for Mon-Thurs, and i have everything i need! Will get eggs, bread, and some breakfast cerelas and snacks, but thats it this week. Oh, and i havent updated my signature for week 2....i am looking forward to updating it, as i am really very impressed with myself!!
Will go and do it now.

cleggie

Hi all.
Annoyed with myself now, as i have driven past a L!dl and was so busy singing along to the radio, that i forgot about going shopping!!

So i can either drive 20mins to L!dl, or do a shop in Tesc0...i am not sure which is a better option..i am guessing going to L!dl, even with the price of petrol. I wont have to put any petrol in the car, but dont want to use any uness its really necessary!

cleggie

cleggie wrote: »

Hi all.
Annoyed with myself now, as i have driven past a L!dl and was so busy singing along to the radio, that i forgot about going shopping!!

So i can either drive 20mins to L!dl, or do a shop in Tesc0...i am not sure which is a better option..i am guessing going to L!dl, even with the price of petrol. I wont have to put any petrol in the car, but dont want to use any uness its really necessary!

i decided not to bother doing either of those things. I called the ex and asked if we coud meet in L!dl carpark (where we normally meet) so that i can pick the kids up tomorrow, so i will get there early, do the shopping, pick the kids up, and come home. So, no wasted petrol!!

cleggie

Morning!

Right, i sat down last night and wrote a list of everything i have to pay out once my student loans come in...and it scared me a bit!!

Nursery debt- £1140.26
Kids new beds-£240
Capital 1- £100
*Shower fitted/tiling/mixer tap- £150
*Passport photos- £100
Passports- £176
DS1 school trip- £125
DS2 school trip- £30

The total comes to a staggering £2061.26 :eek:

* I have estimated these 2 payments, as i am not 100% sure how much they will actually cost.
We desperately need a shower to be fitted as it'll save a lot of time and money!
The passport photos are probably cheaper than this, but at least if i over estimate i'll have some money leftover!

It may seem like a LOT of outgoings (which it obviously is!!) but once its all paid, i know that thats it, i only have the DWP debt left, and everything else will have been bought/paid for.

PennyGrabber

Passport photos will be £5 or £6 each, in a booth at somewhere like asda. They let you have three goes, to make sure you're not smiling, etc etc etc, and they tell you what a good passport photo is. If there's three of you doing passports, that's a 'saving' of £85!! Also, it may be worth doing the check and send at the post office for the passports. It will bump the total cost of them up to £200.01, but is well worth it, as they tell you if you've made mistakes etc. I did mine last Monday, and got dd' back on Friday, and mine and ds' yesterday!! I'm guessing they're quite quiet at the moment, as they can take up to eight weeks!

HTH

PG x

cleggie

Thanks PG

I am planning on going to a photographers down the road from me to get the photos done. Mainy because of my younger son who finds it almost impossible to keep still or act sensible in any way, shape or form!
Wow, thats very quick! Were they being renewed or were they new ones? Hopefully mine wont take 8 weeks as i wont to book the holidays asap to give me somethign to look forward to after exams!


I did think about the check & send, and i think you are right, i would rather do it and know that i have filled everything out correctly etc.


I feel shattered today, but i havent really done much! Just having a cup of tea and pondering if its too early to go to bed already ...honestly, i am 32, not 92 :rotfl:

rising_from_the_ashes

cleggie wrote: »

I feel shattered today, but i havent really done much! Just having a cup of tea and pondering if its too early to go to bed already ...honestly, i am 32, not 92 :rotfl:

Ohhhhh snap Cleggie - although I have been busy all day;):

• up early to watch F1
• drove to DMs (her birthday)
• drove back
• cut grass (front & back) & did an hours' weeding:(
• changed bed
• 2 loads of washing
• waded through the biggest pile of ironing you've ever seen _pale_
• bath & washed hair
• made dinner (omelette - loads of eggs & cheese to use:T & quick & easy)

phew ........ now I've entered another decade, I just can't keep up with myself:rotfl:

Def think an early night is on the cards - can see me being tucked up for 9 to watch Home*land!

PennyGrabber

The children's were new ones, and mine was a replacement for a lost one, where i couldn't even fill out my father's full name and date of birth, so quite complicated!!

There's nothing wrong with going to bed early - it's one of those treaty pampering type things you can do for yourself that costs nothing. Well, except for a cuppa, and the electric to watch a bit of telly! That's what I keep telling myself anyway! I'm having a bit of an age crisis at the mo though, as I turn 35 next Monday!

PG x

Florenceem

My two DGC needed passport type/size photos for dancing performance permits. I just took digital photos of them, resized and printed off - hardly any cost.