Debt free by 40 -- 19 Months and counting

fern44

Hi
I wear surgical gloves (blue) and make over 300 wreaths hands are still ok by Christmas If you would like some info about making holly balls I will pm you
busy making wreaths just stopped for a brew !!

Verbatim

Hi Steph
Are you not keeping back the "debt" money to build up a fund in case your oh has no work in the New Year? Have you changed your mind on that and decided to put it to debt after all?

StressedSteph

maddiemay wrote: »

Hi Steph,
I hope that OH's work situation picks up, but you are covering things well, so I am sure that you will get by:D Christmas is always so tricky and it is so tempting to get just one more thing for the children, when what is planned for/bought is plenty. One year I broke my ankle in the middle of October (this was pre-internet shopping) and I really struggled getting around on crutches for prolonged amounts of time, so Christmas shopping had to be restricted to the essentials, guess what? no-one missed all the extra little things that I would normally have been tempted to buy, it just proved that I was buying them to make me feel good, and that everyone was happy with their main presents.

Re: the wreaths, having worked in sales for a good part of my working life, I would say that you need to be the pro-active one on this and call/text/e-mail them, they may have sourced elsewhere, or just be bogged down with other stuff, put on those big girl knickers and then at least you will know, work out your rock bottom price before you contact them and see what happens. For me the worst part of the job was chasing orders, but it had to be done:(

Take care
MM
xxx

Hi MM


Thanks for your reply. I have saved up for the Childrens Christmas Presents and that will be the maximum I will spend. I also want to make sure I get their stocking fillers out of that budget too as I always forget about them and they can cost ALOT of money if your not careful.


I sent a text to the guy from the garden centre but still not reply. Feeling like he is abit of a time waster.


I have a few Christmas fairs booked for selling the wreaths so hopefully I should get a few sold. xx

fern44 wrote: »

Hi
I wear surgical gloves (blue) and make over 300 wreaths hands are still ok by Christmas If you would like some info about making holly balls I will pm you
busy making wreaths just stopped for a brew !!

Hi Fern


I had a twinge of panic when you posted yesterday saying you were already making yours :eek:.
I have purchased some rings and cinnamon sticks but not gotten as far as getting the cones or sorting out the dried fruit yet, let alone making any!.


Are yours all holly? Think maybe they last better if they are all holly. I usually use a lot of Ivy in mine and I worry that if I made them too early they would be abit withered by Christmas.


Some tips would be great, if you don't mind xx

Verbatim wrote: »

Hi Steph
Are you not keeping back the "debt" money to build up a fund in case your oh has no work in the New Year? Have you changed your mind on that and decided to put it to debt after all?

Hi Verbatim.


Its all gone abit pear shaped. I have started trying to build up the "Emergency Fund" which doubles up as January money but its not looking too impressive .


Maybe I should put the Spare £300 at the end of the month into that account, just to see if we can scrape by in December, rather than having it easy. Because that £300 might to better used in January when there may be no work rather than badly paid work.


Thanks for the kick up the bum.

sweetpea26

Keep going Steph. The garden centre guy might come back to you and if he doesn't advertise them elsewhere, local noticeboard etc. Your picture of the wreath is beautiful and very reasonably priced too.

Puzzcat

Hi Steph,


I also think your wreath is beautiful.. much nicer than the fake one I dig out each year and stick on my door...! When I am debt free I will buy one...! Until then its fake all the way..! In fact I've had the same Christmas tree since 1996.. Each year I say I must buy a new one...but no.... guess that can now wait until the dfd..!


I agree stashing away any extra cash would be a good move to cover any lean moments over the christmas period..


Keep going your doing fab..


Puzz. x

fern44

Hi can you let me know how to post a photo ?

Verbatim

Good idea Steph. The 300 quid will be great to fall back on in Jan and if not needed can always be used for debt then.
You're doing really well. I hope the wreath selling goes well. I once tried to make one when my dd was tiny but it was so pathetic I had to take it down. It caused great merriment for neighbours and friends though, so that's something!
Perhaps the spa bookings will improve with people wanting treatments before Xmas parties.

StressedSteph

sweetpea26 wrote: »

Keep going Steph. The garden centre guy might come back to you and if he doesn't advertise them elsewhere, local noticeboard etc. Your picture of the wreath is beautiful and very reasonably priced too.

Hi Sweetpea,

Not contact from him, so unless I hear next week I am going to forget about it. Hate time wasters.
I have booked into two Christmas fairs during November where I will take one wreath with me and take orders, then I have so far got 1 fair booked in December, hoping to find another, where I will take as many as i can make with me and hope to sell them all.

Beginning of December I think I will laminate a sign and put it at the end of my lane pointing to our home, hoping to catch passing traffic. I might risk putting a wreath down there with the sign, but expect it may get stolen. I might risk one though.

Thanks for your kind words xxx

Puzzcat wrote: »

Hi Steph,


I also think your wreath is beautiful.. much nicer than the fake one I dig out each year and stick on my door...! When I am debt free I will buy one...! Until then its fake all the way..! In fact I've had the same Christmas tree since 1996.. Each year I say I must buy a new one...but no.... guess that can now wait until the dfd..!


I agree stashing away any extra cash would be a good move to cover any lean moments over the christmas period..


Keep going your doing fab..


Puzz. x

Hi puzzcat

We are the same with our Christmas tree, and have to admit that if i did'nt make the wreaths I probably would'nt bother buying one .

Every year I yearn for a real tree, and hubby always says its a waste of money because they are so expensive around here.
As we are always stoney broke I don't ever have a leg to stand on, but hope that maybe Christmas 2015/16 I may be able to afford to get a real one.

Until them I will dig out our 10 year old tree that looks soooo fake but the kids love it.

fern44 wrote: »

Hi can you let me know how to post a photo ?

Hi Fern

sorry for the slow reply, had a busy day yesterday and did'nt get chance to log on.

I use a free website called PhotoBucket. You can upload photo's onto there and then it gives the codes to be able to cut and paste them onto here.

super easy. xxx

StressedSteph

Verbatim wrote: »

Good idea Steph. The 300 quid will be great to fall back on in Jan and if not needed can always be used for debt then.
You're doing really well. I hope the wreath selling goes well. I once tried to make one when my dd was tiny but it was so pathetic I had to take it down. It caused great merriment for neighbours and friends though, so that's something!
Perhaps the spa bookings will improve with people wanting treatments before Xmas parties.

Hi Verbatim,

Got a few plans on trying to sell the wreaths, so fingers crossed.
I have worked out that after I have sold 7 and will be in profit and i so far have 9 on order. So hope I can now sell loads more as every sale will now be full profit.

The wreaths really are quite simple, its just knowing the method making them.

Feeling abit fed up about the spa. Its been two weeks since my last booking. Not sure why. I have tried my hardest, gone the extra mile with clients, accepted even the shortest notice bookings with no quibble. Who knows. Hopefully they will pick up soon.

xxxx

StressedSteph

Morning all,

With the wreaths on my mind, I went out on Friday and collected lots of cones from my usual spot. they were soaking wet so have left them in a box in the boot room hoping they will dry out quickly.
I also bought a bulk load of oranges and lemons and have been slowly drying out the slices in a low oven all weekend.

I have a total of 67 wreath rings to make up. Think I will start doing up the base of the wreaths next week so I am prepared.

I also need to make up a sample wreath for the School Christmas fair, where I have a table booked and also the village fair on Saturday. Hoping to take lots of orders at these two fairs, fingers crossed.

I have worked out that the materials have cost me the equivalent of 7 wreaths.

I have orders for 9 so far, so already in a profit thankfully.

If I managed to sell all my wreaths I would make £804 minus expenses £84 = £720 :T.

Think I only sold around 30 odd last year so doubtful that i will shift that many but I can only hope.

I have 1 Christmas fair booked during December where I can take a quantity of wreaths. I could do with one more hopefully.

If I sell 30 then I will make £276 which would be fine.

I bought Dd's birthday presents yesterday, all on Amazon, abit lazy of me but i hate wandering around the shops and amazon was the cheapest on line. I felt quite panicked spending her Birthday money but I had it put aside for that purpose so not sure why I was in panic mode

Not much else to report, think next week will be a busy one, lots of kids clubs and events, wreaths to make and birthday parties to deal with.

Hope you are all having a good weekend xx