Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

earthgirl2

Thanks for the encouragement, yes I said I couldn't afford a bread maker but I really meant I'm putting my spare money in the "travel" pot. I hope I won't look back and wish I still had the money... but I don't think I will. 

This weekend I've made a little progress - completing some work on the weekend that I'm negotiating somehow being paid for.

1. take on 4 more tutoring clients or preferably 2/3 higher paying tutoring clients - £400/month
 I have a new client I think next week 

2. chase pay rises on my current role £50/month
chased 1/3
3. Surveys, comps and Ms £50/month
I've set up a morning and evening money saving /money making list, and signed up for the survey sites etc. 

4. set up new business 1  / £500 month  
5. set up new business 2 £50/month
6. Sell /£50 per month 
7. £100 from making saving each month 

Money saving 

I'm continuing to combine my love of wild swimming with showering in nature most days. I know this is mad to most but it's my hobby and it saves me money on showers and I totally love the energising effect of the cold water and nature. I use coffee grounds or another natural soap made of lanolin so that shampoo etc doesn't go into the rivers. 

I'm managing to wash my hair every 3 days, same clothes and I don't think I smell but I'll keep asking if I do! 

We were at a party last night, gift and card from store. 

I need to watch that I don't miss out on things because I am not using petrol. I'm a bit guilty of this. 

savingholmes

Your planned trip sounds utterly amazing. Sure the kids and the rest of the family will remember it long term.

earthgirl2

Thanks saving Holmes. I'm hoping they value it as much as I will. So todays update:

Money making 
*I negotiated a 12 percent pay rise with one company! This will only mean about £30-45 per month extra (it's variable) but I'm chuffed as it work I was doing anyway! 

Today was worked my normal job plus 2.5 hours tutoring. 

savingholmes

Congratulations. That's great negotiation skills there.

earthgirl2

Argh I've just had a really difficult conversation with a senior manager. My boss was very supportive of asking for funding for my additional role to be paid directly to me, but the senior manager wasn't. Apparently it's a "professional development opportunity" that I won't get paid for - it's not "acting up" which would get me extra payment. 

Feel really deflated now. 

earthgirl2

No longer feeling deflated. I have learnt my lesson and I'm nobody's mug. My manager is disappointed with the senior managers decision as she wanted to give me more work but can't. I will see the rest of this project out for professional development purposes but only work in my allotted hours. Then if they would like more work from me, I'll negotiate my terms. my manager or my union rep can support if necessary. If not someone else can have a professional development opportunity 😆 

earthgirl2

So money making yesterday: 
1. failed on getting paid for project work, but think one of the other companies I work for is going to give me higher paid work -waiting on an email today - 2 out of 3 raises I asked for ain't bad 😆 
2. continued to set up stoozing

Money savings
1. batch cooked soup and curry in slow cooker - really tasty and cheap. 
2. Didn't go to cafe when waiting at football, brought ds2 a hot choc from home instead. 
 3. Found some easy diy cards I can make at home. 

4. Stuck a list on fridge door of easy healthy snacks to stop them demolishing all the packed lunch biscuits crisps etc 

Spending :
£25 ds1 football sock tape and cat wormer
£20 ds2 Halloween costume 
£12 ds1 lunches until Friday. 

savingholmes

Pretty good success rate on asking for more money

earthgirl2

Thanks saving Holmes. And my 3rd raise request did not result in a raise, but more work at a higher rate of pay. Which I'll take as a win!

this means that I will smash my October and November income target doing the higher paid work, but then go back to not making as much in December onwards. I'm not sure how to budget or record my income as it's so variable. I used to just have a target for the year and update that every end of month. Maybe I should just do this, so if I get a lower income month it isn't demotivating.

Karmacat

Well done you!  And a definite endorsement of only working in the allotted hours - I've realised over the years that unpaid overtime is pernicious, especially when a job's not full time, because then there are so many employers that want a piece of you!  And yes, when you've got several jobs with varying hours, its really not the same as a regular salary - it's why I never had a budget for anything other than absolute essentials, to be honest.