Missy’s Surviving the storm so we can dance in the rain.

missymoo81

Thank you all so much, I’ve read through all of your comments. I do hear you on the self employed and employed front. I do need to weigh it up. I would love to work and then when I’ve finished for the day not to have to think about it. Have a set pay every month, and get paid holiday and have a pension. 

I love having my own business as I can pick and choose when I work, I can bring the children with me, I can take (unpaid) leave whenever I choose. But obv if the numbers don’t stack up they don’t stack up!

 The taster session was good, applications start in may then it’s probably not until Feb training would start, it’s a big career switch. I have No idea how I would make it work hours wise but like you all say, you all seem to manage pretty well. 

For now business and small business are running, they make money and we pay all staff etc. but there’s not enough to pay anything over, like VAT or tax etc.

OH is doing lots of driving work whilst business runs in the background. I’m doing lots of PTs to make my money up. Had a new person sign up yesterday, who wants 3 sessions a week, so she’s going to pay me in advance which is all good. 

I think I will follow this new career application through, it’s a massive commitment, and they have a massive failure rate of people that don’t get in. But some people have to get through I guess.

missymoo81

So I’ve got a very bitty day today. I’ve got to be in work 9-10 then I’ve got a competition workout to do, wish me luck! Then I’m home, I think I’ll take the small ones to the park and maybe have a picnic, then I’m back in work as someone had to swap shifts, so I’m doing 4-5.30 🙄. Would really like to spend some time with OH this evening as he’s been working so hard I’ve barely seen him.

Went shopping yesterday, was going to go to both Tesco and Lidl but you couldn’t get near lidl because of the fuel debacle. So went to lidl, spent £17 and it took me over drawn as my lidl doesn’t have a self serve and I didn’t want to give the cashier all of my 10ps. But I transferred some money so I don’t get charged, but that extra money was spent on Easter stuff, usually I spend about £12-£15, I managed to get it all for £5, so happy about that! I am going to go to the post office and change up the coins, they’re bagged and send back some gym clothes I stupidly ordered the other week!
MUST do this!

Went to make dinner last night and the chicken was off 🤦🏻‍♀️, which means the other Packet will be too. Will need to think again, about dinners for the week.

Def on the menu:

Chicken Stew x 2 evenings
salmon pasta x 1

i think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and get some mince, and some kidney beans, this should cost around £2.00 and that should do:

chilli X 2
pasta bolognaise x 1 

mind you I forgot we prob have some friends and their children staying one night so that is going to cost some to feed them and give them breakfast etc.

I’m going to see if there are any surveys or if I can sell a chest box thing on FB for a few £s to make up the difference. The £2 for the mince I can take out of the cash box at work today.

Ok going to sign off as for to get ready for work, wish me luck for my competition today. Really want to do well, as this could lead to a huge competition! Which would be amazing for me.

jwil

Good luck with the competition

dawnybabes

Good luck ! 

If the chicken was in date can you take it back ? 

mumtoomany

Hi. If the business is not taking enough to cover tax and vat, even if you are paying wages etc, then you need to either make more to cover these, or think about whether it's viable long term.
Good luck with the competition. Totally agree about the chicken, if it's in date take it back. If you can't do that email or tweet the supermarket. 
Take care, mumtoomany.xx

missymoo81

Me and OH have just had another sit down chat. God it’s heartbreaking, we’ve worked out, we’re about £2.5k down per month from before covid. We’ve advertised and done everything right. It’s the current climate and a competitor opening near by. We’re having real almost out of body conversations they just feel like they are for other people. I don’t know how it has come to this, we’re speaking to our business mentor and to the accountant in the next few days. But it feels very much like a sinking ship. We need to figure out how we’re going to get through this month and then the next 6 then see about 2023. Absolutely emotionally exhausted, I’m so sorry this isn’t really relevant to money saving, I’m just so lost. I just feel sick about it all. 😢

jwil

It is extremely relevant to moneysaving!  Sorry it's all so tough.  Fingers crossed a solution can be found.

missymoo81

Ok so small steps I’ve managed to do today. I’ve responded to two people with regards to more work. We have 2 meetings tomorrow to talk through, what next. 

Yesterday with 375g of mince I made a chilli, I saved the other 375g for bolognese. The chilli did me and OH dinner last night, and again tonight, and the children had some tonight too. There’s just enough for the children to have it as burritos tomorrow too! I’ll mKe a bolognese for one night with the rest and mix it with pasta for the second. Then we’re having chicken stew. I am gutted, I meant to get some parsnips whilst in Morrisons as they are 19p but I completely forgot. I thought I could make more than I need and put it in a pie and freeze it. Need some parsnips and maybe some carrots. I might cycle there, so as not to use petrol but it’s about 6 miles away….. ETA ah actually just seen Tesco have the same offer and that’s next to work. So I don’t need to bike all that way! 

So I shall make a pie! I haven’t made one for years! Hmmm will I need lard is the question. I think i might get a couple of bags and make stew next week too. 400g chicken will turn that into 3 meals for me, OH and the children!

remote_control

Hi Missy,

Long time lurker who often goes to comment but others have already said what I was about to! 

I just wanted to reiterate the PAYE benefits. You said: 'I love having my own business as I can pick and choose when I work, I can bring the children with me, I can take (unpaid) leave whenever I choose', I have these things more or less with my PAYE job, which is from home (mostly) so I can do all school runs, swap days around so I can attend school events. I work in the school holidays but they go to local holiday camps, sometimes just for a couple of hours, or go to a friend's and I return the favour on another day.

As an external person it doesn't look like the business is working if the VAT and tax is not covered. Your days always sound so bitty, so it feels like you are working all day but hours wise (and income wise) it is probably only a half day, which probably means you never switch off from work.

This is all my opinion which I appreciate you have not asked for so please feel free to ignore. I just wanted to say that PAYE can work with children. 

The other thing I've been meaning to post is - do you make homemade popcorn? It's so cheap! And you get so much popcorn that it always feel like a big snack. That and the fact it takes the kids ages to eat!

I wish you all the best and I hate to see you at rock bottom. I really hope you get things sorted ASAP so that you and your home life is happier and less stressful for you all. It's hard to give up on your baby (the business), but this time next year you could be in a very different place. 

Take care x

missymoo81

Thank you for posting @remote_control I really appreciate it. Especially coming out of lurkdom.  I am now looking into PAYE more as an exercise to see what could work and what’s out there.

i can’t tell you all how much I appreciate all of your advice and opinions, especially taking the time to write all of your helpful thoughts out. It’s a real insight, hearing how it looks from the outside. I’m actually looking forward to the meetings tomorrow too. To see what can be done. 

The possible career change where I’ll be paid to train and get good holidays and pension is on my mind. OH is adamant we would be able to cope with childcare. But it’s a long process, I will def be applying when it opens though.

i forgot to say I didn’t do well at my competition. I did ok, I have a workout this week and another next to go and I’ll see how far away I am to qualifying. I doubt it will happen, but I can but try.

Oh I forgot to say. I’ve managed to earn £12 on surveys today!!! So that is all helping. I have Mays birthday next month and I’m already trying to save up extra money so that her and a friend can go skating.