Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

Savvy_sewing

So, when I sit down and play with the budget, I usually put 10% of my income into my savings account, where it tends to get "borrowed" by family or swallowed up on holidays or car maintenance. However in the last 18 months since I had a regular wage, it's all gone a bit to pot, and the credit cards have been relied on, and no longer cleared every month. In fact some how the post office card always takes out half of what I owe, so the payments are never the same, and the Santander seems to take £100, but if I make an extra payment it actually takes out less on the DD. So I need to have a different strategy.
Now that I have £652.99 in the emergency fund, and £600 in the ISA, I have decided to channel 20% of my income to the credit cards rather then the savings as the interest is reducing to 0.025 or something equally rediculous.
I'm also going to take my credit cards out of my purse and stash them in the safe at work or somewhere where it takes an effort to get at them anyway, until I have cleared them.
I have approx £3,300 in debts!!! Omg! How did that happen?
My mission is to blitz them starting with getting the exact total for the post office and firing 20% at it every week until it's gone then moving it on to the Santander card.
If I stick to my grocery challenge of £25 a week, and eat from the bulging cupboards then I expect I can clear the post office card in 6 weeks.

Dinner tonight, which will probably stretch to tomorrow now that I had a big lunch, is a beef casserole in the thermal bag, using tinned potatoes, red lentils, diced spring onions, and tomato pur!e. I should have added a stock cube but I forgot, so maybe a quick stir in of gravy granules to help it.
I have plenty muesli for breakfast and homemade celery soup with ryevita for lunch. So no spends expected tomorrow either.

I need to look at my sky package, and see what else is out there, but I don't have a tv aerial that reaches downstairs so have been relying on the sky box.
Bit of research needed as virgin don't serve here.

Savvy_sewing

Morning. A lazy start with my usual cup of tea in bed.
A look at the bank balances as usual, I see the Post Office debit went out at £88.something, and as I already paid £25.87 yesterday, that means theat I only owe £63 from previous and the £259 I added this month. Plus whatever the interest is at. So should definitely be able to clear that one in 6 weeks.
I have a payment in the business account of £126 and odd pence that I don't have a clue where it has come from as the reference numbers are not ones I reckonise, so not the usual card machine and there are no names on the transaction. I shall have to see if I can find out from the bank where it has come from. Meanwhile I have managed to pay the rent and insurance due tomorrow, and will still have some money for the wages on Tuesday, which is a huge sigh of relief.
I was expecting Jan and Feb to be quiet, so not going to be an easy ride, but God willing enough work will arrive as I need it and perhaps I will learn the technology required to build my sales ability on line.
As I have all the sewing patterns, for a certain company, and sewing machines etc then to get sales via the website would be great.

On the home front, I don't expect to spend much today. Maybe a bottle of bubbles to see in the new year, but DGD and I are going to blitz the hell hole that is her bedroom to make room for the stupid amount of things she got spoilt with st Christmas.
Not a day I look forward too, as trying to keep her attention is not easy, and I guess we will have tears and tantrums along the way.

Time I got breakfast and got moving.

Have a good day,
A very prosperous New Year everyone!

ivyleaf

Good luck with the blitzing Mooloo Not an easy task but it will be worth it.

My DS's room is still a hellhole, and he's 30. He says he's going to take some time off this month to get it all sorted out. Let's just say I'm not holding my breath!

greenbee

Good luck Mooloo!

Remember, when you're looking at growing the business you have to think of the things that are scalable (i.e. do once, sell multiple times) such as reselling sewing machines/patterns/threads/fabric etc, and things which aren't (sewing - whether alterations or creations) and those that fall in between (e.g. sewing lessons - it costs you the same to teach one person for an hour as to teach multiple people).

So you need to charge accordingly.

For sewing - you need to work out what it costs you per hour (or minute!) to do that (including overheads such as rent, admin etc) as you can't do anything else at the same time.

For lessons - 1-2-1 lessons need to cost more than group lessons. And maybe the price of group lessons can start at a certain level (e.g. what you need if only two people sign up) with a 'discount' applied if the class is filled (or an extra lesson free, or a voucher to spend in the shop).

Could you host a sewing circle/knitting group? Maybe they pay a nominal fee to use e.g. your teaching space at times you wouldn't be using it and get tea and biscuits, plus a discount on anything they buy from you? It all gets people through the door and your name known. Plus brings in money for space that otherwise wouldn't be earning it's keep.

However, don't try to change everything at once! But do think about the scalability side of things.

Savvy_sewing

greenbee wrote: »

Good luck Mooloo!

Remember, when you're looking at growing the business you have to think of the things that are scalable (i.e. do once, sell multiple times) such as reselling sewing machines/patterns/threads/fabric etc, and things which aren't (sewing - whether alterations or creations) and those that fall in between (e.g. sewing lessons - it costs you the same to teach one person for an hour as to teach multiple people).

So you need to charge accordingly.

For sewing - you need to work out what it costs you per hour (or minute!) to do that (including overheads such as rent, admin etc) as you can't do anything else at the same time.

For lessons - 1-2-1 lessons need to cost more than group lessons. And maybe the price of group lessons can start at a certain level (e.g. what you need if only two people sign up) with a 'discount' applied if the class is filled (or an extra lesson free, or a voucher to spend in the shop).

Could you host a sewing circle/knitting group? Maybe they pay a nominal fee to use e.g. your teaching space at times you wouldn't be using it and get tea and biscuits, plus a discount on anything they buy from you? It all gets people through the door and your name known. Plus brings in money for space that otherwise wouldn't be earning it's keep.

However, don't try to change everything at once! But do think about the scalability side of things.

Your very right.
This is one of the reasons why I need to be more techie! As the ability to take good pictures, and to manage them on the website, is important.
I understand the teaching on a 1-1 basis is probably not cost effective at the moment, and I need to rethink my fees.
We continue to time jobs, and try and work them into the charges for jobs on the sheet.
I've been trying to explain to the women that I need to include the overheads into the costings, but it's not always possible as some jobs have a ceiling price.
I have decided not to make blinds anymore, as the time involved etc is not cost effective in the long run.
Shortening jeans at £10 a pair is good money and makes up for those jobs that take longer then expected etc.
I shall look into the discount options, for a club.
I suppose a fee for my time, divided by a room full of people, would be much more attainable to some.
The trick will be the times available for such a club. Ideally evenings would be better, but that means leaving DGD with a babysitter, and she's already in childcare 6 days a week if you count with the Saturday babysitters! But at the moment id rather try for a day time one again.
Perhaps a club with an annual fee, with a discount card would be possible. I shall look into it.
Not sure what I could charge but maybe if I charged £20 a year with a 10% discount on all sewing accessories etc
Maybe a pattern of the month at a reduced price?
I shall have a think at how to implement it, and how much setting it up would cost me. My work space is only able to take 8 people around the table at once when doing lessons, but there isn't enough space for 8 to cut out at the same time, so I usually limit the class to 4.
Perhaps adding an extra week into the equation where on the cutting out stage we stagger the session over two weeks instead so half come one week and half the next, then all back for the rest of the course.
Also perhaps a discount on the Saturday workshops if they attend three?
I will definitely get the thinking cap on. Meanwhile it's back to the mess I made emptying everything out except the furniture may not have been such a good idea as my room is currently the dumping ground, along with the landing.

grey_lady

Patchwork quilting, crochet, lace-making, knitting, using beads for necklaces - all popular crafts for classes and clubs, it might sound old-fashioned but all these crafts have a colourful modern side - look at how the stitch-n-bit** groups made knitting popular again.

Here's to a fab 2016 for Mooloo!

Savvy_sewing

Happy New Year.
Going to be our best ever!!! I don't hope, I just believe it's "our" time.

jackyann

Random thought Mooloo, based on experience in another field entirely!

Are you in touch with your local college or similar, where sewing / textiles / whatever it is called now, might be taught?

Could any of the students help, in exchange for practical experience? Or are there any other connections that can be made?

Good luck for 2016

Feral_Moon

Mooloo, I mean this in the kindest way possible, but you are too soft! You seriously need to toughen up because people ride roughshod over you. Family and now customers, it seems. Nothing to be shameful of, I'm exactly the same, my family expect the world but if I dare ask for something in return!!

But a comment you made earlier about not charging for work you've done. You will set a precedence of people popping in and expecting you to do small jobs for free. You're not a charity, you're trying to run a business here. And one which you employ people yet don't pay yourself a living wage.

Today is a new year, take stock and re-evaluate your goals and toughen up girl. You've got us all behind you

Happy New Year to you and yours :beer:

Savvy_sewing

I know! I'm my own worst enemy at times. I will get there. It's just so hard to put a value on two or three minutes of your time, when something can be done instantly. I usually say put something in the charity box- one man did slight of hand and had made a show of putting £5 in, but when the guy came to empty it there weren't any notes in it at all. Needless to say he would be charged top whack if he ever came in again!!

I am supposed to have a minimum charge of £6.50 but that is difficult for me to ask when repairing a small hole in teddy, or machining a 2"'badge on a flat piece of fabric when it takes about 30 seconds!
When staff is in she will charge them, as I do the work upstairs they don't see how little it takes then!

But I will remember even 30 seconds is my time and skill.