So close, we can smell mortgage freedom!

savingholmes

Glad business is going well

Karmacat

Business *does* sound like its going well, that's great.

And the food over the weekend sounds divine - fish and chips in the open air, and then chocolate bananas, oh my!

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks SH and Karma - for the first time in a long time, it feels like business is going well and may continue to do so for a while. 

Dropped Mr MV at the station this morning and then collected some bread (which I've just realised is in the car still.... now retrieved!) and went to feed my cat charges. I cycled to them yesterday evening as they're just a bit of an inconvenient distance to walk and realised just how small my bike is for me! In fairness it was bought for me when I was 10, so it's not entirely surprising! I didn't notice when we were cycling in lockdown as it had been so long since I'd been on a bike, but after our cycling experiences on holiday it felt tiny! So there's definitely going to be some focus on the e-bike savings - £1700 to find for the one that looks good (Tenways - SL if you have any thoughts, they'd be welcome). 

I need to get to the PO today with the Ebay parcels and a birthday card for a friend (which I have made). Also have evening class homework to do and need to water Dad's plants as he's away. Watered at the allotment last night and tied my borlotti beans to the canes - some had worked out what they needed to do, but others were straying! Things are beginning to look settled and grow there, which is good. Strawberries sadly are still not quite ripe! But I have been picking rapsberries in the garden (had some on my porridge this morning ). In the garden the tomatoes, lettuce and peppers are growing well, as well as edamame seedlings and leeks.

MS things:
* Clicks done - 8p on HW
* Free bread from Olio
* Dinner last night used up some meat mince defrosted at the weekend as well as some passata from freezer.
* No petrol used yesterday or today - but am charging the car during the day (it's probably cheaper!).

Gratitudes:
* Super affectionate cat sitting charges - I feel mean having to leave!
* Growth at the allotment (it felt like not much was happening previously)
* Plenty of work

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Following on from Ed and Karma's comments, I've just signed up to YG Safe - although not for banking - that's a step too far for me.

Haven't been to PO yet as remembered my passport should be delivered today and don't want to miss it! Pretty pleased with that turnaround time - 14 days! We could have gone abroad for our anniversary after all! (I suppose there's slim possibility we could do something that weekend - but Mr MV will have to fund it as I've used our anniversary savings for Glasgow in July!).

savingholmes

Glad your business is doing well. I'm sure the income is very welcome this year in particular

Suffolk_lass

e-bike thoughts

Definitely a frame rather than wheel power system, and look into the best batteries. We do not have spare batteries but ours recharge from cycling a bit, so we have not needed to charge them up once. Ours fit under the rack at the back, so they don't form part of the frame as that felt as though it would weaken it a bit. Don't go for a conversion - they are really heavy and clunky looking.

In terms of style, we both have step through, sit up and beg, Dutch bikes. This is because we want them for the long haul and they are easier to get on and off. In our late sixties or seventies I did not relish the thought of DH swinging his leg over a crossbar.  Ours are Batavus and excellent but a little more than your limit (bought with M-i-L legacy) - I just googled and this is excellent value if it's the right size with the same engine as ours but 40% of the cost

I have a basket on a frame clamp (most baskets are handlebar ones and interfere with the display). We also have rear racks (I think the Dutch bikes included these) with bungee elastic straps that hook onto the frame and DH has a pair of panniers. These comfortably hold shopping, including stand up stuff like milk or wine. And with a box that can be secured to the rack if we want more. I generally keep my handbag in the front basket, so I can see it.

I would say, really consider how you intend using it and what for. I would not get a cargo bike, even if you are going to do your shopping and collect your Olio stuff on it - go for storage in several places on the bike so it remains in-balance

If you are buying from a shop, make sure it is reputable - one of the dutch sites is great for working out what you want but with poor review comments for rectifying any problems. We travelled to Worthing to get ours but they were the only stockists and a really good retailer with expert advice and insights.

Raleigh are really good but really suffered from supply chain issues (most frames come from S Korea). Being a British brand you also pay a premium.

Feel free if you want more or other info/opinion/insight

themadvix

Morning all,

Thanks SL, lots to consider there - I really appreciate you taking the time to write that all down. I do want a sit-up-and-beg type with a step-through frame and definitely not a conversion (my bike is too small and old and heavy without adding a battery). Interesting that your battery charges while cycling too - I'll investigate (or more likely get Mr MV to investigate!) that. I don't want a cargo bike either, although the Olio issue had cropped up in my mind. I'd love to see me packing the panniers, but I think a car will still be required for that - which is an important point as currently Mr MV uses his car on Wednesdays, so I'd need *a* car (although there's always the mini).

I went to work with/for my friend yesterday - we've been doing this for 13 years now! She always calls on me if she knows I'm quiet and she needs a temp, which works well for both of us and we get on really well so it's always good to see her. The rate of pay isn't great (compared to my normal hourly rate - although I guess I'll get some NI paid?) and I'll be employed through an agency, but she's said that if it becomes a long-term thing they'll look at setting me up as a supplier (which can take 3 months, so that's why we've not gone that way now). Yesterday was the office meet and greet and checking the IT all works - I've got the project to do remotely, so it'll fit in well around other work and is right up my street in terms of skill set, so it's quite good. It was quite a shock to the system though as I've not worked out of the house in 6 years (that was for her too) and I've not been 'employed' for 8!

I slept terribly last night, so am super tired (and struggling to focus) this morning. I have watered and fed the plants here and at the allotment, and watered and fed the cats here and at the cat-sitting client's house! (Poop has also been scooped, but that wasn't quite so poetic to include!) I cycled again which was great at waking me up, but I'm even more tired now!

MS things:
* Payment for cat sitting has arrived
* Client (who often needs chasing) emailed to ask if she had forgotten to pay - she had, so hopefully that will arrive shortly.
* Clicks done
* No petrol used to feed cats this morning
* Allotment is growing well - picked my first three strawberries this morning!
* Lots of work
* Cat sitting for another client tomorrow too

Gratitudes:
* Lots of work
* Friend's colleagues were lovely
* I feel super cool/Dutch cycling to the allotment! (I don't know - it just feels good!)

Have a good day all!

themadvix

Forgot to say, I get paid weekly for the temp work and into my own a/c rather than the business one (obviously, as it's PAYE), so I might try and set this money aside for my more fun savings pots - including the e-bike. The novelty of being paid weekly and getting to keep all of what I get sent is huge! (Imagine the tax man is going to take quite a chunk, but hey ho!)

South_coast

themadvix said:

No petrol used to feed cats this morning

Good lord, I hope not! It's far too precious to give to cats 😳

themadvix

🤣🤣 you are quite right of course!