The Ultimate Incentive muddles along

Dinah93

1. Post DVLA letter, presents to Northumberland and York friends
2. Apply for council grant
3. Apply for any other boroughs grants 
4. Find the last totals so I can finish updating my signature 
5. Set up printful integration to Ebay 
6. Set up printful integration to Amazon
7. Make full spreadsheet of designs so far and check they are all uploaded to all my sites 
8. Sort dog insurance 
9. Set up Mindset Youtube Channel 

clearmydebts

Dinah93 said:

Had a great zoom call yesterday with the lady who will be running the franchise training programme, it sounds like it's perfect for what I want to get out of it, so really excited about that.

Other than that though my computer decided to spend 4 hours installing updates, so the house got really tidy, I played with the pup, made a batch of stew and then wasted time on social media waiting for it to stop teasing me that the updates only had 7 minutes remaining. 

Took the kids swimming to the private pool last night. On the one hand it is £8 more to swim there than the council pool, and it takes 45 minutes rather than 20 to drive to, but at the moment having it to ourselves with biggest mini moneysaver having such significant heart-lung issues means we can actually use it, where we wouldn't risk common use changing rooms for example. Plus it's a lot warmer and has a sauna, both of which make me happy. 

Rather hilariously biggest mini moneysaver has become obsessed with watching personal finance and entrepreneurship videos on youtube with me, she gets really shirty if I watch a Graham Stephan one without her! She never has the ipad alone for anyone worrying, but I watch them and she first saw a few a few weeks ago when she was having bad dreams so came and curled up beside me for a bit while she calmed down, and now she's hooked. I should point out this child is not remotely materialistic, has asked Santa to give all her presents to children who need them more, but she does have a definite drive for business. 

So absolutely none of my list got done yesterdat, here's hoping today's is better. 

1. Apply for council grant
2. Apply for any other boroughs grants 
3. Find the last totals so I can finish updating my signature 
4. Finish geek designs folder
5. Finish A designs folder
6. Upload all new designs to POD sites
7. Record 8 podcasts, edit and post 
8. Edit and post Sundays class
   
9. Edit and post Fridays class
10. Edit and post Mondays class 
11. Set up printful integration to Ebay 
12. Set up printful integration to Amazon
13. Make full spreadsheet of designs so far and check they are all uploaded to all my sites 
14. Email and social media out the gift guide
15. Post DVLA letter, presents to Northumberland and York friends

So I've been thinking today about the new year. I don't like the idea of new year's resolutions, for so many people putting that black and white line between the 31st and the 1st sets them up for failure, say you want to start running, goal is the half marathon, by about the 7th you have a streaming head cold, take a week off, and in your head you've failed already a week in, and never go back to it. However, what I do like is an annual goal, this is where I want to be by December 2021, and then I can work backwards to how I'm going to get there. And that goal might change over the year, but that's okay. 

Back in March I was on a business course, and we were asked to write down 3 goals for 3 months time, and 3 goals for 6 months time, and 1 goal for a years time. Now doubtless many of those goals will have been impossible in the current climate, but for all of us it really helped us focus on where we wanted to be, rather than where we were drifting towards. 

So I'm going to do it with my personal finances this time, I know I want to be less reliant on my business as my only source of income. It does very well, but if this pandemic has taught me anything it's that I don't want to be reliant on one source of major income anymore. So my goals for 2021 are less focussed on where I want the business to be, as I feel those are really hard to control in the current climate (it's impossible for me to say I want to have 3 more sites open for example, or be running X classes a week, if we maybe can't open at all for another 6 months) and more where I personally want to be financially. 

I will, of course share my goals or rather my targets for how I'm going to get there, but I'd love to hear what anyone else wants as their goals for 2021, what are you going to grow, start, change?  

I think this year is particularly one for reflection. 
Personal goals: I've a few ideas swirling around in my head but definitely losing weight is one of them, and also getting braces!
Financial goals: I want to get rid of my credit cards and put a serious dent in the loan!

wendz86

Mine would also be weightloss. I have kept up doing gym class one a week but my eating/drinking has been bad especially as it has felt like one problem after another this year.
Other would be to continue to save to go to Florida with kids, it will prob be 2022/23 but something i have always wanted to do with them as loved it when i went as a child.

clearmydebts

wendz86 said:

Mine would also be weightloss. I have kept up doing gym class one a week but my eating/drinking has been bad especially as it has felt like one problem after another this year.
Other would be to continue to save to go to Florida with kids, it will prob be 2022/23 but something i have always wanted to do with them as loved it when i went as a child.

My eating and drinking has been atrocious during the pandemic!

Dinah93

1. Post DVLA letter, presents to Northumberland and York friends
2. Apply for council grant
3. Apply for any other boroughs grants - 2/5 done
4. Find the last totals so I can finish updating my signature 
5. Set up printful integration to Ebay 
6. Set up printful integration to Amazon
7. Make full spreadsheet of designs so far and check they are all uploaded to all my sites - started, four sites done completely, four to go
8. Sort dog insurance 
9. Set up Mindset Youtube Channel 

Had a bit of a hiccup in that the accountants cannot understand my submitted accounts, so spent a few hours trying to sort that out, but still the most successful day in a while. Glad I've finally started the grant applications, I'll be amazed if any are successful as they are all very focused on rent, and it's only £400, but would still be a big help. I had to provide evidence of trading loss for one of the grants, so I took a screenshot of my card handler. Depressingly and terrifyingly we are currently 96.7% down on income compared to the same period (1st April to today) last year. But still, we can absorb that kind of loss as a small business right? #excludeduk. 

Need to add 'pay invoices' onto the list, as well as pay CW, but I'm actually a little scared to look as I'm not certain we actually have enough money to pay them. I swing between fearful, anxious and angry. I've spent 3 years of blood, sweat, tears, restless nights, weeks at a time where I couldn't be with my children because I needed to put in 18 hour days, never having a whole day off even at Christmas, and a bloody virus that isn't even a few hundred manometers big is going to bring the whole thing down. We were doing well, growing, we were creating something substantial that people loved, that provided job and made people happier and healthier, I was proud of what it had become, and now it could all vanish if one large invoice arrives. 

clearmydebts

Dinah93 said:

1. Post DVLA letter, presents to Northumberland and York friends
2. Apply for council grant
3. Apply for any other boroughs grants - 2/5 done
4. Find the last totals so I can finish updating my signature 
5. Set up printful integration to Ebay 
6. Set up printful integration to Amazon
7. Make full spreadsheet of designs so far and check they are all uploaded to all my sites - started, four sites done completely, four to go
8. Sort dog insurance 
9. Set up Mindset Youtube Channel 

Had a bit of a hiccup in that the accountants cannot understand my submitted accounts, so spent a few hours trying to sort that out, but still the most successful day in a while. Glad I've finally started the grant applications, I'll be amazed if any are successful as they are all very focused on rent, and it's only £400, but would still be a big help. I had to provide evidence of trading loss for one of the grants, so I took a screenshot of my card handler. Depressingly and terrifyingly we are currently 96.7% down on income compared to the same period (1st April to today) last year. But still, we can absorb that kind of loss as a small business right? #excludeduk. 

Need to add 'pay invoices' onto the list, as well as pay CW, but I'm actually a little scared to look as I'm not certain we actually have enough money to pay them. I swing between fearful, anxious and angry. I've spent 3 years of blood, sweat, tears, restless nights, weeks at a time where I couldn't be with my children because I needed to put in 18 hour days, never having a whole day off even at Christmas, and a bloody virus that isn't even a few hundred manometers big is going to bring the whole thing down. We were doing well, growing, we were creating something substantial that people loved, that provided job and made people happier and healthier, I was proud of what it had become, and now it could all vanish if one large invoice arrives. 

Hope you're feeling better today. I think you need to look at the invoices and see where you stand. At least you can make a plan of action then.

Dinah93

1. Post DVLA letter, presents to Northumberland and York friends
2. Apply for last 3 boroughs grants
3. Find the last totals so I can finish updating my signature 
4. Set up printful integration to Ebay 
5. Set up printful integration to Amazon
6. Make full spreadsheet of designs so far and check they are all uploaded to all my sites
7. Pay invoices 
8. Pay/reply to CW

I've not really been working today, spent lots of time with the kids, then met my parents for a walk looking at Christmas lights after dark. While we are not in or near the tier 4 area, I do feel for everyone whose plans got changed at such short notice tonight, but also I'm worrying that a few weeks down the road this is going to be a much more widespread issue, and the strong downward trend my area has had will stop or reverse, and I won't be able to reopen as hoped in the new year. 

NIM had his first private physio appointment today, which he said was excellent but has left him really sore. Can't believe he had access to this through work all along and we didn't realise it. We're really hopeful that the outcome of this will be him walking without pain in the longer term, at the moment he can't even walk to the kids school and back, which is around 600m each way without an ankle brace and needing strong painkillers afterwards. It does have a big impact on us as a family, there are a lot of days out that we just can't do because it's too much walking, and due to covid the kind of days out we can do (meals out, cinema, swimming, kids activity places where we don't take part and just watch) aren't really on the cards at the moment! 

Another busy day tomorrow, dance exam for biggest mini moneysaver, and then I'm taking the kids to a drive in carol concert, hoping to have a family games night, then I'm promised biggest mini that she can have a sleepover with me in my bed (since NIM is still on the sofa with the pup as we haven't mastered leaving him alone at night) so I don't expect to get any work at all done tomorrow, but I've copied the list as I hope Monday might get n hour to get the urgent bits done. NIM meanwhile is doing a dog training course tomorrow, who specalises in our breed, and it's outside and one to one, so because we only have the one car at the moment I've had to borrow mums car for the day (which I'm not complaining about as it's a pocket rocket compared to my great lumbering beast). 

NIMs dad has asked if we want his car, as he's getting a new one, I'm not sure if it's going to come off since it would mean importing it from Ireland and that's a lot of travel in the current situation, and also after January 1st I have no idea if we'd need to pay import duty or similar on it. 

kavics177

Dinah93 said:

So I've been thinking today about the new year. I don't like the idea of new year's resolutions, for so many people putting that black and white line between the 31st and the 1st sets them up for failure, say you want to start running, goal is the half marathon, by about the 7th you have a streaming head cold, take a week off, and in your head you've failed already a week in, and never go back to it. However, what I do like is an annual goal, this is where I want to be by December 2021, and then I can work backwards to how I'm going to get there. And that goal might change over the year, but that's okay. 

Back in March I was on a business course, and we were asked to write down 3 goals for 3 months time, and 3 goals for 6 months time, and 1 goal for a years time. Now doubtless many of those goals will have been impossible in the current climate, but for all of us it really helped us focus on where we wanted to be, rather than where we were drifting towards. 

So I'm going to do it with my personal finances this time, I know I want to be less reliant on my business as my only source of income. It does very well, but if this pandemic has taught me anything it's that I don't want to be reliant on one source of major income anymore. So my goals for 2021 are less focussed on where I want the business to be, as I feel those are really hard to control in the current climate (it's impossible for me to say I want to have 3 more sites open for example, or be running X classes a week, if we maybe can't open at all for another 6 months) and more where I personally want to be financially. 

I will, of course share my goals or rather my targets for how I'm going to get there, but I'd love to hear what anyone else wants as their goals for 2021, what are you going to grow, start, change?  

Lots actually. Weight as others said. I used to go for spin classes but as they shut the gyms here back in November, I haven't done any exercises at all. I want to take up on running again, just feeling so deflated right now. Toddler Kavics starts nursery in January and I will be working from home till March so planning to go for a run 3 times a week again.

Another goal is to take the plunge and sell my investment flat. The value of the flat have gone up by 2.5 times since I bought it in 2005 so planning to sell it and buy a project house. Do it up, take a mortgage and move there. It's scary as we have no debts  and will need to take on a mortgage for up to 15 years. My current flat will be rented out as I want to keep it as an investment property for retirement.

As for other things, planning to read 52 books (challenging mini Kavics to do the same next year), change the car if the house project by any chance won't be going ahead, and find a course I would like to do. Want to apply for new jobs by the end of the year and just generally enjoy family time.

The end of this year have been so busy here, closed my UK bank account, cancelled my life insurance, cancelled my amex card. Took out new life insurance, new phone contract, submitted my UK tax return (no idea how long I will need to do that), opened new saving account, also tenants are leaving at the end of this month so advertised the flat and showed them around. Kids have been around as well. Xmas is different this year, we are seeing my parents on boxing day for lunch and OH's parents tomorrow. That's about it. Covid can !!!!!!. 

Merry Xmas everyone, enjoy the festive time with your family!

Dinah93

You sound so on the ball Kavics, it's really wonderful. I love your goals too, I hope you find your dream house. I'm planning to start running again in the new year, I hate to be a cliche by joining the January joggers, but my knee has been shot the last few months, it's only in the last 10 days or so I've felt ready to start running again. My GNR place got rolled to next September so I have that as my goal in mind. 

Happy Christmas (and soon to be happy new year!) everyone. Hope you all had a good day. We had a great one, really really enjoyed having everyone in the one room, just chilled out, saw my parents, my brother and his fiance. We also met my parents last night for a walk in the woods at a nearby hotel where they've put up some enchanted wood illuminations which was really nice. 

I've done something I've not done in 3 years since starting the business, and that's taken 3 days completely off work in a row. If that sounds insane to anyone in a normal, salaried job, that's because it is. Until the pandemic hit I hadn't taken a full day off since I started in 2017, and that includes Christmas day 2017-2019. I've really appreciated having the time off, but I also feel hugely guilty for 'wasting' time. 

My to do list is becoming a bit more manageable too, hoping to get at least 1 and 2, and 7-10 done so I can go into the new year a bit more clear. 

1. Apply for last 3 boroughs grants
2. Send extra info to M borough
3. Find the last totals so I can finish updating my signature 
4. Set up printful integration to Ebay 
5. Set up printful integration to Amazon
6. Make full spreadsheet of designs so far and check they are all uploaded to all my sites
7. Email workshop participants from pre-Christmas
8. Mailchimp all 
9. Tidy the games bookcase
10. Create my new year new organised me spreadsheets 

I'm struggling at the moment, this is usually my busiest time of the year, last year we were turning over more than £5k a day, this year, nothing. I'm waiting for the tier review on the 30th, because if there is going to be another lockdown I cannot risk advertising now, loosing a few £100 having to cancel it all. We can still only operate 2 of the 11 venues in full, and one further venue is kids classes only, which are much slower and harder to fill. So while I'm getting on with what I need to be getting on with that isn't affected by lockdown, tiers or whatever coronavirus restriction bingo nonsense is thrown at us next. 

wendz86

Glad you had a good Christmas. We are tier 4 so not as good as i would have liked. I am in a support bubble with my parents but they were tier 2 at the time so we decided safer to keep apart although they did come see me for a bit Christmas eve when kids were at their dads. I found Christmas eve really tough as never been all alone before and spent every Christmas with my parents but once kids were back Christmas morning was much better and had a lovely day with them.
Well done for taking some time off too, you may feel guilty but I am sure you benefited.