I really really want to be........mortgage free!

AlexLK

I'd say the reviews are of a generally good standard (though it is a very rare occasion I read reviews). Agree re. titles. However, whilst your reviews are factual and to the point they don't really seem to have any 'personality'. The disclaimer at the end makes it obvious that you're not really buying the product which may stop cynical people from giving ratings of helpfulness. Personally, if I read a review by someone who'd been given the product for free I wouldn't find it as 'helpful' as someone reviewing the product who'd bought at full price.

ourcornercottage

AlexLK wrote: »

I'd say the reviews are of a generally good standard (though it is a very rare occasion I read reviews). Agree re. titles. However, whilst your reviews are factual and to the point they don't really seem to have any 'personality'. The disclaimer at the end makes it obvious that you're not really buying the product which may stop cynical people from giving ratings of helpfulness. Personally, if I read a review by someone who'd been given the product for free I wouldn't find it as 'helpful' as someone reviewing the product who'd bought at full price.

I will try and rephrase my disclaimer but I think it's only fair to fully make people aware.

I've actually taken the personality out a bit from my original styles as they got more unhelpful votes. I think people didn't find it sincere that's why I started to do more factual ones.

Maybe I need to do something in between.

azana_2

Hi, I review on Amazon and am top 200. Firstly you need to write "disclosure" not disclaimer. Something like "disclosure - item received free to review". Amazon have had a crack down and removed people recently, particularly if reviewing free things and if lots of 5 star ratings. Your reviews look genuine but like I say you need to put a disclosure.

Also be aware that on Monday Amazon.com banned reviews of free items (apart from Vine) totally. This has yet to come to uk, but there's a lot of discussion about it on the Amazon forums and it has been widely reported/ the feeling is will happen. Just in case you hadn't heard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37551069

ourcornercottage

Hi all, been absent as money has been very tight and not much in the way of OPs going on.

I do need to update me end of months for September though at some point, will prob do with October now.

Not 100% sure why things are so tight just trying to rein in the spending and get back in track. Perhaps need to refocus on ops not saving so much as most rates have gone right down and worst of the worst e.f. Is over 10k now.

ourcornercottage

I have finally got the momentum up to update my spreadsheet and get my affairs in order. The last couple of months my OP's have been about £200 each month so not awful but not great.

Saving have been going up at the usual rate though.

Scottish Power managed to bog up my direct debit and suddenly started charging me £89 per month (I have solar panels so even in winter £30 is more than enough) I am reducing it using their online system so it now stands at £46 PM and will reduce again next month. Could ring them and sort it in one go but really cannot be bothered! I am currently over £170 in credit so I have asked for this to be refunded.

I have been into my OD in my bills account a couple of times over the last few months. Am working on getting this account back on track this month but the scottish power refund will help out with that too when it arrives.

My tradesmen cancelled on me for doing the guttering Monday I wanted to get them done before the year is out but it looks like that will be unlikely now. Will keep this money on one side and carry on saving for the next job although I am not sure what that will be yet!

Onwards and upwards....

hiddenshadow

Nice to see you post again. Hope SP and the guttering get sorted soon.

ourcornercottage

Still getting sorted financially, don't quite know what went wrong still and why its taken so long to sort out. This month should see the end of it although I need to rethink my savings/overpayments targets next year as I cannot really do both.

With interest rates decreasing as they are, I think I will be back on OP's as i now have an okay EF buffer.

The bulk of the christmas presents have been brought so I dont have that worry and no big spends until I get the guttering done next spring.

Mortgage currently £114,782.58
FIRE fund achieved 8.06%

JimLad

Congratz on almost completing the christmas shopping. Today I bought the last gift....now the dreaded wrapping to look forward to

ourcornercottage

Another average month for OPs at £212.97 but savings went up by nearly £5000 over the last 3 months so overall I am very happy with how things are going. Am going to still try to hit the total for the year if the FIT payment ever comes through!

hiddenshadow

Ooh, nice addition to the savings.

Our last FIT payment came through super quick, I was quite surprised. Have to wait until February for another one though.