Smolly's Stumblings to Sanity - the next Chapter...

EssexHebridean

Pah CLL is such a pain in the tubes Smolly!

You DEFINITELY have to carry on with the clothes selling - you just light up talking about it - and your vintage mannequin sounds amazing too - I can imagine people jumping when they see someone standing in the corner too - brilliant! :rotfl:

I imagine with the mystery shopping for the new company all you can do is to see how it goes over the next few assignments you do for them and then work out the hourly rate from there to decide whether on balance it's worth it or not? A lot depends on whether the assignments are in locations where you'd be going anyway, so you can double up with other errands, as that reduces the effective travel time for them, doesn't it.

You've done brilliantly with not using the CC too - I'd not realised it was that long, well done! :T:T:T

MistyMountainTop

looking forward to CCL stories!

The clothes sales business does sound good. I can see the attraction of just putting something in a bag and posting it off. I have put some clothes on fb and gumshrub but not had any interest at all. I fear 3bay may be my only hope of shifting them for a decent price. I hadn't thought about using a mannequin, that's a great idea. I don't know if I will ever sell enough clothes to justify buying one, but it's certainly something to consider.

We have most of Xmas sorted, but it will be a very staid affair. We have been buying little gifts at boot sales etc., things that can make up a basket or a book in excellent condition that can pass as 'new'. We've made the effort to only buy things that the receiver will appreciate. We still need to get some sweets for the offspring's stocking, but aside from that, everyone knows things are tight so no one is going overboard.

The no use of CCs is fantastic! Well done :T

The mystery shop I did was great, much better than my usual ones. I think it may have taken far longer than 20 mins had it been a larger store. The one I went to only had a small selection for me to count, but I will still get my money. I had seen the job advertised over and over again so they were probably just happy to get someone who would do it.

Your weekend trip is getting closer, you must be getting excited now! It will be so nice for you to have some time away xx

MistyMountainTop

I hope you have a lovely time with your friend xx

Smolly

Thanks Misty - I had a fantastic time. I had to laugh at the CLL on Friday though. I told the girls how much I was looking forward to my weekend away. I was ridiculously excited and she asked me if the hotel I was staying in was all-inclusive! She was fairly shocked when I told her I was only staying with a friend and we had nothing but catching up planned!

It was a lovely weekend - a few tears (on my part as I off-loaded) and lots of laughter (on both our parts). We ate and we drank and I caught up with other friends and we did a bit of shopping. It was so nice to just be able to relax and be looked after (wonderfully). I even managed two lie-ins which never happens at home.

I have come back feeling refreshed and ready to face a few personal challenges.

Hope everyone else has had a good weekend xx

Huskyrunner

Sounds like a brill weekend

Positive outlook for the week ahead Smolly

Smolly

Hi Huskyrunner it was just what the doctor ordered!

I have a busy day ahead but am hoping to get back on here later.

Happy Monday everyone!!

Smolly

Just a quick catch up - I need to update my signature as my figures have changed (only very slightly but significantly to me!) I have incurred an extra debt :mad:- courtesy of a speeding camera. I am not pleased but it is done and as I hadn't broken the law very much I have been offered the chance of going to naughty school.:rotfl: Costs almost as much and takes up half a day but no points on my licence.

The OH originally told me he would 'help me out with it', to which I assumed he may pay half? Then he told me he wasn't helping me out at all. Now he says he will pay it when he gets paid but he wants it all paying back. Great - another family debt to add to the list. That said however, Mum has very kindly reduced the car debt I owe her by £300 so instead of owing £450 I only owe £150.:T

Today I started one of my little challenges to reduce the carp in my house. I have been mulling things over and don't want to waste my life trying to selling fiddly little bits which may or may not bring in 99p here and £1.99 there. Ok so added up they may make a tenner here or £20 there but at what cost, and time? I had already got rid of some stuff last week but I was a little bit more determined today. I have filled up another black bag of rubbish and then as an afterthought decided I would have one last try selling one of the bigger items on FB....and it sold! For £20! And I have the money in my grubby little mitts! :T After that people started coming forward about other things and if they collect as they promise I should get a further £15 to £25!! I will just hold off taking the bag to the charity shop for now...

And then, more good karma. I received a number of invites from a mystery shopping company. I had applied for a few jobs and am never offered more than about 3 or 4 in one go. Tonight they gave me 17 jobs at £3.50 each. I plan to spend a couple of evenings doing them this week in case they can give me some more but that's £59.50 to come within a couple of months providing I don't hit any hiccups.

So all good. Oh and I managed a tactical 'mystery shop' this evening in T3sco which took me an hour and 20 mins. Better than last time when it was 2 hours, but it is nice to get out and do something a little bit different.

I really mean to start back on surveys this week as soon as I can. I'm inspired by Huskyrunner and his frequent payouts!

That's all for now. Bed is calling but I've just realised I have to do some ironing first! xx

Huskyrunner

I have one thing too my advantage re survey sites and frequent payouts, i work night shift and from about 230am at work till 5am we are dead quiet ie survey time. Its great getting paid by the bank i work for as well as survey sites lol

Anyone that thinks survey sites dont pay is mad.

35pounds received from uktoluna this week
2.50 from opinion outpost
40 pound on its way from onepoll
and 5 pound amazon voucher received from isay.com

ada-or-ardor

Such a shame about the ticket!!! Exactly what you don't need right now! I don't suppose youve checked if they can waive or even just reduce the fee for naughty school considering you're in financial hardship? I wonder since I assume it's council-led they probably have processes in place to allow that but just don't advertise. If you don't ask and all that? Otherwise tell them not to expect their council tax this month :rotfl:

Congrats on all the sales and mystery shops! I do hope they go without a hitch! Hopefully once that all comes in you can re-edit the signature and take OFF the recent debt!

Ada

MistyMountainTop

I'm so glad you had a nice weekend with your friend. It's so lovely to have time away from responsibilities. I find getting away helps me to put things in perspective and I often come back with insights about my life that I didn't have before. It's too easy to lose yourself in the daily grind.

All those mystery shops!!! I've never had anything like that, I'm lucky to get one a month. I hope they are quick ones. Do you have to go to 17 different places or are some for the same place?

That's a shame about the ticket but naughty school sounds like a much better option than having points. My hub went about 7 years ago and thoroughly recommends it. He used to speed quite often but whatever he learned that day has stayed with him, he now tells other people off for going too fast!

Your husband seems quite fickle with his help, that must be so frustrating for you, but your mum has made up for it. That was lovely of her to reduce the debt. How's it going with paying your brother back, is that still your #1 priority?

I wish I was having the same kind of luck as you selling things. After the sideboard, no one has shown any interest in anything. I am feeling like you were, I don't want to waste my life trying to eke out £1.99 sales on evilbay or similar that will mainly be eaten up in fees anyway. I've been letting things that are worth a bit more money (under £10 now) go to the charity shop if they haven't sold. I can't stand having the mess around me anymore. I want to be "finished", but I don't know if anyone ever gets there or if it's always just around the next corner.

I've come so far in the last few months and want to keep on top of things now. It can be heartbreaking to let things that you paid good money for go for nothing, but at least the charity will be getting something out of it. It has made me think so much more carefully about what I am spending now, if I had all the money back from buying the things I have given to the CS, I would have more than enough for a house deposit. Hindsight is always clearer, I think it's time I learned my lessons!