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The Ultimate Incentive part 10. The only thing holding you back is you.

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  • ruby_eskimo
    ruby_eskimo Posts: 4,802 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    A few months ago there was a discussion about being paid for writing a blog. Does anyone have the link please.

    Hi ROTE, I think it might be bubblews (I think it was Cinny who posted about it, might be worth PM'g her)

    I'm sure Zach will have a great time at nursery, it's always worse for the parents so I've heard!
    Emergency Fund - £8572.39 / £10,000 :: Mortgage OP 2025 - £
    LISA 24/25 - £3200 / £4000 :: NSD 2025 - 2 / 150 :: Books Read: 1 / 52 :: Decluttering - 4 / 1000
    Engaged 9th December 2010 :: Married 29th October 2015 :: Bought a House 13th January 2017
  • Flower08
    Flower08 Posts: 4,771 Forumite
    I'm sure Zach will have a great time at nursery, it's always worse for the parents so I've heard!


    Yep it is!! Noah loves nursery, hes goes twice a week and runs in everytime. Still breaks my heart every time I drop him off :o
    Biggest Loser Weight Loss: 13 / 20 lb
  • Birdie85
    Birdie85 Posts: 9,330 Forumite
    I needn't have worried about my little dude yesterday, he had a great day at nursery and as soon as I walked in he crawled over with a big smile and a cuddle just for me! :) I'm glad I've got tomorrow off, although sadly we're at a funeral in the morning (our friend's mum.) :(

    Got so much to do for the craft fair on Saturday but I just don't seem to ever get much done! Written myself a list to do tonight so I hope I can mark at least half the things off it! :o

    Feel a bit pulled in every direction ATM, I guess it'll settle down once I get into the pattern of being back at work and fitting everything else in around it but it's just doing my head in right now!
    Overcome the notion that you must be ordinary. It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary!
    Goal Weight 140lb Starting Weight: 160lb Current Weight 145lb
  • Exciting news about your craft fair Birdie - what are you taking to sell? Will you be taking order for frames, since a lot of them seem to be personalised? I'm determined to make some time for crafting - in particular I'm wanting to finally sew the zip into the skirt I've made with the fabric Cinny haggled for me at the vintage fair meet! It's been hanging up, 95% finished, for about a year!
    Weightloss: 14.5/65lb
  • Birdie85
    Birdie85 Posts: 9,330 Forumite
    I've made some cards, decorated notebooks and countdown to Christmas frames (very limited stock!) and I've got several 'just stick your photo in' frames to sell and will be taking orders. :)

    Get that zip sorted missy! :p Are you on half term now? :)
    Overcome the notion that you must be ordinary. It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary!
    Goal Weight 140lb Starting Weight: 160lb Current Weight 145lb
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    tinkerbel wrote: »
    Dinah did you ever get the maternity money come through or the money from bens birth? Hope you did!! And it's helping to knock down the debt :) how is NIM doing? I've got a bit lost with where he is workwise but I hope he's okay and enjoying his job without too many horrible shifts etc!

    Yep I got most of it, but they sent me a letter on the 20-something of September saying I'd get £1800 backpayment and £500-something once a month from the 11th September... which was in the past so I haven't got that bit. I need to call and ask whats happening with it.

    NIM is really enjoying his job, his last day of probationary was yesterday so hopefully we'll get a letter through to confirm the contract has been made permanent. He was planning to take an extra day at another home, but they've overhired and are really struggling to find the shift to offer him now. Don't mind too much as while it would be another £200 or so a month after tax, travel, drop in tax credits etc it's really closer to £100 and we're going to use the time for me to work on the mugs etc instead if the day doesn't come off.
    Birdie85 wrote: »
    The frames can be stood up or hung. :) I have discovered the problem with my 'business' though... everyone expects one for their birthday! Last 2 I gave as gifts the recipient said 'Ooooh I'm so glad, was hoping I'd get one!' Nice that they want one, but adds to the workload, especially as I'm still expected to make a card too! :p

    But hopefully they might then order them for a friend's birthday who admired it last time they were over etc.
    Birdie85 wrote: »
    I need some ideas ladies- doing my first craft fair in a couple of weeks :eek: and got frames to sell but wanted to make some other little things to sell too. Any ideas?!

    Make sure you take some cheaper impulse buy type items. When I did a couple a few years ago I found an awful lot of people wanted something for nothing (haggling on a £3.50 personalised handmade embroidered christmas decoration, offering me £1 as 'thats what individual decorations are worth) so you need some bits sub £5 as that's what made up the bulk of my sales.

    Been away in the lakes with mum this week, was lovely to be able to just enjoy time with both my kids rather than feeling like I'm just covering the basics of keeping them clean and fed and basically alive. Came back to a house of chaos though as all the bedroom furniture is in the lounge and Grace's room, NIM was decorating while we were away and it isn't close to finished. We're also getting a floor laid in the next week same as in the lounge and Grace's room as Ben has puked on our carpet in there so many times it's going to get smelly.

    NIM has finally been paid from his consultancy work for the NHS last year, we were obviously planning on paying it off the debt but right now we've held it back as we need to redo the electrics in the garage (currently the outside has power through a cable out of the conservatory window - neither secure nor overly safe or winter proof), and we need to get a builder to skim the base of the house as it's letting in water where quite a few bricks have flaked and causing mould problems around the bottom of the two rooms at the front. Just to round off the list of maintenance issues we've been putting off we need to look at replacing some of the windows, our room and Grace's straight away, but if the money stretches the study, guest room and bathroom too as the bathroom one doesn't have trickle vents for ventilation and the two others have failed double glazing. I highly doubt that lot will come to much under £4k. We still have mould issues here and we need to improve it to save bigger issues in the long run.

    Come back from our little holiday feeling really invigorated to get things in order, to clear our debt, get our budget balanced, to loose weight and to dejunk. A lot of things to be excited to achieve! Grace has gone down early tonight and Ben is having a good evening so I'm off to work on some mug designs before sleeping on the sofa as we can't get Ben's cot upstairs to the guest room.
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    Oh I nearly forgot, Tete, I was chatting to a friend of mine this week, like you she found teaching sucked any possibility of a social life from her life and she hated the balance. What she did was her year's NQT teaching to become fully qualified, and now she only does supply, she gets £135 guaranteed 5 days a week (if they don't have a school to send her to they still pay her!) but with none of the planning etc associated with having a full time teaching job, and she loves trying different schools and groups of 'children'. The down side is that they don't pay her holidays so it's only term time 5 days a week, but it still works out at over £25000 a year before tax. Just something to consider if things have gotten any better and you think you can stick it out.
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
  • Ah wow that sounds too good to be true - getting paid more than an NQT, getting the same holidays and none of the hassle?? Well I handed my notice in verbally and was called to the Head's office where I had a bit of a meltdown. Not sure why I was crying - I think it was because she wouldn't accept my notice tbh!! She asked why I wouldn't give it til Christmas to make a decision and I replied that it would mean I wouldn't be able to leave til Easter (school notice periods) and she said that if I'd give it til Xmas, and it still isn't for me, she'd let me leave at Feb half term. Realistically though I'm pretty sure I'll see through the year at this stage and get fully qualified - you never know when it might come in handy in the future. I'm trying desperately to maintain some kind of work life balance in the meantime but it's so exhausting trying to do anything but veg out in any spare time you get.

    Great to hear you sounding motivated and positive about money stuff Dinah and glad to hear NIM's enjoying the new job - fingers crossed for that letter coming through!

    How did the fair go yesterday Birdie? Your stall looked fab on FB, did you make many sales? xx
    Weightloss: 14.5/65lb
  • Birdie85
    Birdie85 Posts: 9,330 Forumite
    Craft fair was a bit of a bust TBH. I had a bad feeling about it as the lady organising it came across as a bit of a thicko without a clue in the run up and I was proved correct! :p It wasn't well advertised at all so very few people actually came which was disappointing. No-one I'd told about it bothered to turn up either! :( I did sell a fancy card, decorated journal and a countdown to Christmas frame and most people liked the frames and took a card so hopefully it was at least a good networking opportunity! Was a good practice so not a total waste of a day, at least I made some sales, some others didn't even make one. :o She didn't appreciate my feedback about advertising and timing afterwards though even though she admitted that she'd got it all wrong- think she just wanted us all to tell her that it was just one of those things and not to worry her pretty little head! :p

    Nice to hear that you've had a good time away with your Mum and babies Dinah. :)

    The house stuff sounds a bit overwhelming and expensive! :eek: Good that you've come back from your break all excited about getting things in order though, good luck with it all! Even if you just manage to do one of those things, it's a great achievement! :)

    Wish I knew what the magic answer for you would be Tete. I suppose if you stick it out it's only until next summer. But, if you're miserable that really isn't much comfort! If you can stick it out then substitute work sounds ideal. :) Anyway, big hugs for the meltdown and suckiness of the situation.

    My colleague handed in her notice around the time I started doing my KIT days and was asked to stick it out until Christmas but she hates it so much she's leaving on Friday! :( I'm really sad but understand what it's like to be at that point! Then last Friday my manager told me that she's planning on leaving in January. :(:(:( It seems like I went on my ML at a really terrible time at work, lucky for me, not so lucky for everyone else! Don't know what's going to happen here now. Trying not to freak out! :o
    Overcome the notion that you must be ordinary. It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary!
    Goal Weight 140lb Starting Weight: 160lb Current Weight 145lb
  • Dinah93
    Dinah93 Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Bake Off Boss!
    That's a shame Birdie, did you at least cover the cost of the table?

    I can find out her agency if you like Tete, she's only in Darlington. She didn't get much work the first month, then she had both agencies she was signed up with fighting for her to work once teachers started to go off sick, they both offered her guaranteed pay but one was only 3 days and the other was 5 so she took that as she's saving up to move abroad. I'm sure she'd be happy to have a facebook chat or something with you about it, not sure if you met her at Grace's first birthday, Abbie?

    Logged on the bank account this morning to see it at £3400.80 - lower than I expected but then the mortgage did come out today (at the new lower rate of £715) -but then I clicked through and realised I've been a total billy and forgot to cancel the standing order to the old mortgage, so I've paid £900 off a shut account as well as the £715 to the new account! I've called up and they've said they'll do a refund thankfully.

    Going to aim to draw up a new budget this week, want to see how far off balancing we are.

    Decorating day yesterday, we managed to almost get all the walls prepped and first coat on, but the damp corner the paint bubbled out so has had to be scraped off again. The ceiling is done, and the new coving is up though. NIM also returned from B&Q with one of these which I was sceptical about, but having read the Amazon reviews people seem really chuffed with it so it's worth it for £7 (or £10 as it was in B&Q). Grace is at nursery this morning so I'm hoping Ben has a long morning nap so I can get a second coat up.

    Managed to list 7 things on ebay last night, not brilliant but still the first things I've listed all year! Going to try to get a minimum of 5 done a day, the clutter in this house has reached levels where I'm scared channel 4 might knock on my door any minute, and as usual I've bought far too many toys for Christmas (especially as Grace won't even go in her playroom at the moment as it's too cold).
    Debt January 1st 2018 £96,999.81
    Debt September 20th 2022 £2991.68- 96.92% paid off
    Met NIM 23/06/2008
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