So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

themadvix

It is tricky EH, especially when you've literally just met these people and are asking them to sign the care of their beloved pet over to you - they definitely don't want to think about a stranger making these decisions!

Have cycled to do key collection/return, have paid in expenses and have got niece's birthday present, ready to post (this is northern niece not Sis's daughter). Avoided any precipitation! Have to pop over the road with my old phone now and will walk round the block at the same time. When I get back I need to do some money sorting - my VM account has now finished its bonus period (although I won't get the bonus interest paid until June apparently - not impressed about that), so I can cancel the DDs that were going out of there and shift them back to another account (simplifying stuff). And the £1000 that is in there will be my bike money (payment is ongoing at 0%).

Lunch was free - bread and tinned spaghetti from Olio (not nutritious, I grant you, but warming and yummy). Dinner tonight is going to be roasted BNS risotto.

28 miles cycled so far (the bike tells me) - I think it will be useful to keep a record of this - I could work out how much has been saved in fuel (to indicate when the bike is cost neutral perhaps?).

Karmacat

I'm so glad the time away was so good - I definitely need more time in Eastern Europe, that sounds a wonderful starter.  Your electric bike is also a winner, obviously.  And slurping at warming and yummy lunches, even if they're not nutritious, ha!

facethemusic

I think as long as you are thinking about the issues with cat care/veterinary issues then you are on the right track. Using the "stranger having to make decision" thing may be useful in getting owners to phone their vet. We definitely have clients who totally trust one particular vet and will essentially say that whatever that vet says will be the advise they will follow. 
Having something signed even if the owners don't want to think about it too much also gives you a bit of protection. I suspect the CIAF form will have been lawyer written/approved so worth stealing the wording if you can. I'll stop wittering on about this now but if you have any questions feel free to ask and I'll help if I can. 
I've not been to Gdansk but have been to Rzeszow and the surrounding area, as well as Krakow and I would definitely go back to Poland. 
I'm always really impressed with your Olio collections- I struggle with any Olio or TGTG bags as I live rurally and am never in the towns at the right time of day- would have to be an impressive cost saving on food to justify the fuel. 

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks @facethemusic - great idea to put it that way to clients! As it stands at the moment, I probably won't continue outside of CIAF after this year anyway - I got the insurance just for the long-term job although will do a couple of other jobs using it too. I'm aware I'm probably in breach of contract with CIAF though, so don't really want to go there (although the earnings difference is preferable). I also forgot to mention that the vast majority of cats I look after are house cats - even if only while their owners are away - which obviously reduces the risk of accidents happening.

Being in a town with four Tesco stores (one standard, one Extra and two Expresses) and a big Iceland makes all the difference with Olio - there's always something being listed! Definitely not worth it if you have a long way to travel though. I think having those stores makes the difference - plenty of people round here also list personal listings (food and non-food) because they know plenty of people will see them.

I picked up several bits from my Olio friend last night, including a wrap for Mr MV's lunch, some panini for the freezer and some tenderstem broccoli which we'll have with our dinner tonight (fish pie - I need to venture out to the freezer to get the fish out shortly). I've also requested a couple of bits from someone else nearby (personal listing), so will get a short walk in if I'm allocated them. It's my collection tonight, which I can't say I'm looking forward to with the weather, especially as it may mean people won't turn out to collect stuff. Hey ho.

So I have a little bit of work to do this morning, but so far nothing else. I did discover yesterday, purely by chance, that in all the shenanigans with my laptop purchase disaster last year that I'd completely missed invoicing for a project for my main client. It's very unusual, as the lady who deals with the invoices would normally spot something like that too. In any case, I can invoice for it at the end of this month, which is great.

I need to pack and send Northern Niece's birthday present today. I would love to get to the library too, but as it's snowing, I'm not sure I fancy it - mainly due to risk of ice/snow on the cycle paths. We'll see. Mum should be popping round at some point this afternoon as she is hospital visiting nearby. If things remain quiet workwise, I'll try to get ahead with other stuff - housework, writing cards (there are a lot this month!) and other bits. House battery has taken a beating this morning (especially as Mr MV has adjusted the settings, without considering the impact of snow!), so we're already down to 23% and it's unlikely to charge from sunshine today - we're not even making enough to covering background use at the moment (we're only making 12W!).

MS things:
* Clicks and HW done - 55p won
* YG survey
* 1P surveys - have been keeping on top of these, aiming to reach payout by end of month - just over £10 to go
* Milk bought from Coop yesterday (rather than milkman) - 20p off voucher used

Gratitudes:
* The snow is currently pretty but not inconvenient - most roads and paths are still clear
* Evening class passed relatively quickly last night - I was tired and my brain really wasn't in the right place for it!
* Lovely free food from my Olio friend
* Opportunities today for fresh air and exercise, even if not on my bike

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

I hadn't quite sussed that Olio do personal listings too, what a good idea!  

themadvix

Yes KC, that's how it started originally, but I don't think it really gained momentum/critical mass until they got the deal with Tesco. It's great for those things lurking at the back of the cupboard that you know you're unlikely to use/that are past their best before date!

themadvix

Hmm... I have meal planned until the end of next week using contents of fridge/freezer/storecupboard and two of the things on my list for Lidl. However, I have not been to post Niece's birthday present (it is packed) nor have I hoovered, done the filing or anything much of anything else! Very procrastinatey today. I will not be back until these bits are done!

themadvix

I have redeemed my very directionless day - all the jobs above done (eventually) and then managed to claim quite a few very simple platform jobs that have boosted my earnings massively for the day (especially given the effort required for them!).

themadvix

Morning all,

Large Olio collection last night, was pretty crazy, especially given I thought it would be quiet because of the weather. Shifted most of it, but have good lunches for today, a couple of bits for the freezer and two bags of shallots. Then I had quite a few salads left over, so this morning have removed the chicken, eggs and ham from them for the cats (not sure about the eggs - they both seemed to make a mess with them but not really eat them), and the cherry tomatoes for us (did consider putting them on Ebay, but think we'll just enjoy a JO mac and cheese! 😂). Leftover salad bags are going to the man who brings me freshly laid free range eggs for his hens - given I needed to buy eggs for dinner tonight and didn't go to Lidl because the snow was settling by the time Mr MV got in last night, I am really very pleased with this!

Savings have started to move across to savings account for the month: home insurance had been charged to card, so small surplus there (£9) has been transferred. I also checked one of our bills accounts and it was building up quite a bit given the small amount that currently goes out from there. I've left a good buffer in there but £139 transferred to savings from there. Also £3 Santa reward transferred.

*Baby* HW this morning was excellent - I won £16.87 from one bookie (my favourite)! And 50p from another one that I've only just started doing (had 50p there yesterday too) and a few pence from other ones. It's a good start to the day! £15 has been transferred from big win, so that will head to savings when it arrives.

No work currently, but am keeping an eye on the platform for jobs there. Always possible I'll hear from main client or UK-based client, but not expecting anything in particular. Mum is coming for lunch today (she didn't end up coming yesterday), so will be nice to see her and show her some photos from the weekend (and maybe my bike, if it stops precipitating!)

MS things:
* PA survey
* 1P surveys
* PC survey (about to do)
* Clicks and HW
* Lots of free food

Gratitudes:
* Very lovely Olioers (especially those who bring eggs!)
* Free food (especially eggs and tomatoes)
* The work that unexpectedly showed up last night - made me feel much better about my day!

Have a good day all!

EssexHebridean

Loving the way the salad/egg thing worked out - that's ideal isn't it, and a great ay of really ensuring that waste is avoided!

Also like the idea of you keeping a track of bike use to work out break-even point - that's a brilliant idea! 

I'm in London today and have cold wet preciptiation here too although thankfully not the frozen wet type...I'm heading out to grab the car and bring it to nearer the office in a moment so very much hoping it might stop to avoid me having a wet walk back to where I'm parked, too!