My Journey To My Pot Of Gold

MuffinTops

Thank you DIA. I always find your posts inspiring too.

Today has been SO spendy, and it's not over yet. But it's all budgeted in my "help to sell" category and everything has a fixed purpose, so I'm very happy - well excited.

Tonight I'll be buying the paint, doors and coving etc. I did find some things cheaper online so I've purchased all the door hinges and handles, including a locking one for the bathroom. I've also bought a cable tidy for all the cable mess around my TV (my home was built in the 50's and so has 1 plug point in the living room!!!) and storage for my archived bills that aren't old enough to bin. Plus, a cheap mitre board for the coving, a CD storage carry bag for all of my radio CD's that are currently sprawled all over the place, and a DVD storage box for the few DVD's I want to keep which currently have no set home.

Once I have the doors and the plastering job is done, I'll put a job request online to get the doors and curtains rails installed and then that should be the last of the external help I need (and have to pay for). The rest is up to me, and if I keep it in 14 day challenges then everything remains comfortable.

I do love a mission!

MTxx





A friend of mine knows someone in the property development business so he's given me a lot of tips on new builds and off plans.

MuffinTops

I now have everything I need to push on with some decorating. Yesterday evening I bought the coving, paste, paint, and dust sheets. I tried to order the doors in store, but it was too complicated. The "offer" states various things which aren't actually true, so the poor lad trying to help me got really confused. So I ended up telling him I'd sort it another way and then ordered it online while standing in the store! That saved me £10 as they wanted to charge me for delivery in the store, but online was free!

So, now I have to put my promises into action. I am still hoping to do a boot sale this weekend, but the weather is stating heavy rain on Sunday! Either way, I'll be productive so I'm not too fussed, but it would have been nice to get more things out of the house.

A couple more ebay items have bids on them now. I'm not looking to get much, just to clear out and get a little boost to the pot.

I now need to get out of Spendy Town! It's all been budgeted and correct, but I know that I can get into a "habit" of spending so today all cards and cash will be kept safely in my purse!

My credit card bill has just had a chunk paid off, so I think it's time to update my signature again!

Happy Thursday everyone!!!

MTxx

doingitanyway

Well done for gathering decorating materials. You're getting lined up for success

MuffinTops

I worked really late last night and still didn't manage to finish what I was trying to do! So I've brought my laptop home. On a plus, the security guard was wandering around the building and saw me so popped in to say hello and to let me know that there was food left over from a function that I could help myself to! I'd got so involved in my work that I hadn't had lunch either, so a free meal with an amazing apple and cinnamon pie was very much appreciated. Maybe I'll try baking this pie for the times I have viewings arranged!

This morning I need to get my radio show organised and do a few bits around the house so that I'm good to go as soon as I get up and showered tomorrow. I think I'll decide on a plan today so that I know what to do and when, rather than my usual faffing around and changing from one direction to another.

It's FRID-YAY!!!! Have a great day! MTx

MuffinTops

All good plans etc.......

I've not actually done very much on the decoration side of things, although I have photographed and added to eBay lots of items to sell again. I managed to sell everything I added last week and now have £55 sitting in my paypal account. I'll keep that in there until the end of the week, just in case.

I'm currently waiting on 5 more items to finish within the next 30 minutes.

I've added another 24 items for this week.

The coving in the dining room is up and, if the weather looks like I can open windows I'll paint the living room this afternoon when I get back from the post office.

I had a viewing yesterday which actually lasted for 30 minutes. No feedback yet, but normally people come in and have a glance through each room. I don't really think this couple were genuinely interested as they're both retired and there is work to do here, but they mainly asked structural questions so maybe decorating isn't something they're bothered about. We'll see, but I'm happy either way as by decorating and clutter clearing I'm making the house more presentable and desirable.

1 lot of washing has just finished so I'll get that hung up and then head off to the post office.

Happy new week everyone! MTxx

MuffinTops

A lovely start to the day with the sun shining and blue skies.

Most of my new internal doors arrived yesterday. They seem to have left 1 behind, but I'm not surprised as the whole process of ordering anything with this shop has been a far more complicated and error ridden than it should have been. So I'll be phoning them today to find out when the next one will be delivered or refunded.

I also posted a job online to get them fitted, and am hoping that the person who does it can do other jobs for me too. I'll ask them when they come to quote. Otherwise I'll go through and make a list of all the handyman tasks I have and post my last job for this house.

My 14 day challenge was going well, but trying to get painting etc done with all the "treasures" I own is proving to be very demotivating! So I'm amending it to clearing clutter from rooms! So my 14 day challenge, from today, is:

Clear the dining room of all non-dining room items.
Photograph all unwanted clothes for eBaying.
Pack large items from spare box room in large packing box.
Paint new doors (need to buy a cheap pasting table to rest them on outside, while I paint them - although will wait and see what the carpenter wants doing)
Go through all CD's and organise these based on keep and charity piles.
All "keep" CD's to be put away in new organiser.

I have the plasterer coming on Monday to do the spare bedroom and will hopefully have the carpenter round to quote this weekend too.

Yesterday I had an initial mortgage meeting with the bank as I was hoping to be told how much they'd be prepared to lend me. The initial meeting was just about the face value of what their lending criteria is, which I already know as I'd been on their website! So I have a meeting with the mortgage person tomorrow and another one next Thursday.

I posted 2 eBay items who had paid, and just have 2 left to post for this week. They paid yesterday so I have their packages on me today. I'll do that at lunchtime.

Bin men coming today, so that's lots of recycling and rubbish gone out the house, never to return!

Foods logged online to keep a track of the lbs I put in too!

It's all about having a lighter life for me. I've lived a life of clutter and it's brought me no happiness or reassurance or comfort. Probably the opposite in many ways. Selling those items gives me pennies back on the pounds I've spent, so as lovely as it is seeing those pennies rolling in, it's better if they don't go out in the first place.

I have a meeting this morning with HR about increasing my hours again! They actually word their communication with me as though they'd be doing me a really big favour by letting me go full time! I assume this is their negotation tactic, but I won't be negotiating as I'm very happy with the hours I do. I'm prepared to increase them under the right conditions.

So, all is feeling very positive and good. It's the middle of the week and I have just one more work alarm for this week. Ladies ...

Happy Hump Day! I hope everyone is feeling very positive today and every day!

MTxx

jodles16

You are so busy at the moment!! Amazing work you are doing! Hopefully you will get some good feedback from the couple! Well done on making sure you are eating well, that's always a challenge when super tired. Boo about your neighbours finances but hopefully it draws the line under that and the plastering will also help with selling the house as well.

I think goals are super important as well, I am sure you will whoop yours!

Jodles

doingitanyway

Oooh I love 'a lighter life' as a concept and an overall philosophy for life really! You are doing great. Your attitude is as usual inspirational :T

MuffinTops

Hi Jodles. Sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming with how much I still have to do but I think that's the same for most of us.

Hello DIA. The lighter life concept is one I've never lived before so I'm excited about getting there.

My meeting with HR went very badly! I've never known a company to be so single minded about themselves without giving a care to employees! They've asked me to give them more, which I'm ok doing, but it has to be worthwhile for me to do that. When I mentioned what conditions I need to go full time (not in any way greedy) I was told "I have to stress, the only updates that will be made will have to be perfect for the company" !!! Seriously? You asked me to make changes to my perfect working pattern and you are still acting like taking those hours away is a favour from you to me? The phrase "I must stress" really got to me too!

So I was a bit short with him! Actually I was very short with him. I told him that any changes we make have to work well for both parties, and if that involves compromise on both sides then I'm willing to discuss that, but as for it all working only in the business' favour then that's not going to work out well for either party as I'll have no incentive to change. His eyes were huge!!!!:o I guess lots of people are grateful for their jobs, and I am, but I can do this job in other companies, plus I don't need much money each month to survive so they don't have me over any barrels!

This is one area where being in control of my finances gave me complete empowerment and better personal decision making, and so I send love and deep gratitude for every person who has ever supported me in my journey. I'm truly grateful.



Last night was the AGM meeting for the radio and there's a bit of a shake up to programming and more training required for new joiners, which is my area. That has meant that I could put forward better working hours to my company if I am to go full time. Before, I was trying to fix it around not letting anyone down who I've already made commitments to, but now I'm able to be a bit more flexible, which can potentially work well in everyone's favour. Provided they get back to me within the next 6-8 weeks.

Today I have my first "proper" meeting with the bank about a potential mortgage. I'm only working on my part time hours as I don't need any bigger mortgage than my current salary will offer me. Plus, if I get that and update my hours then that'll be a bonus too!

I haven't updated YNAB in a few days as I've been using my ipod for SB TV. I need to remedy that this morning.

My plasterer contacted me yesterday but it was one of those leap frog days where when I called him he couldn't answer and he'd call me back when I couldn't! Hopefully today we'll figure it out.

Happy Thursday!

MTxx

MuffinTops

Running through quickly to update that 31 items have just been listed on eBay, and a few bits from last week have sold. Those that didn't have been relisted.

Tomorrow the plasterer has confirmed he will arrive early and the door fitter has sent a text to say he'll do what he can to arrive tomorrow.

My plans for tomorrow, while the plasterer is here, is to photograph more clothes and set up the listings for Thursday evening on a 10 day auction.

I've just remembered I need cash for the plasterer so now have to run out in the rain!!!! Oops!!!!

I hope everyone has had a fantastic weekend and any Dads reading this have had a lovely day.

MTxx