My Mortgage Free Mountain - A 7 year expedition to climb to the top

craftingmad

~FlowerPot~ said:

good luck with the chippy interview x

 I dont think your diary is boring at all, (mine is !!) i find it inspiring, I love your daily list i even find myself doing some things on your list!!!

Aww thanks FlowerPot. I'm glad you are enjoying it and I'm inspiring someone  
I bet your diary is great - do you have a link?

Baileys_Babe

I too enjoy reading your diary @craftingmad they often prompt me to actually do the things I intend to do as well as making me think of other small bits I can do to make a difference.

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

I too enjoy reading your diary @craftingmad they often prompt me to actually do the things I intend to do as well as making me think of other small bits I can do to make a difference.

Aww thank you Baileys Babe. I'm so glad you enjoy it. Keeping the diary really helps me stay on track and focused - I think

craftingmad

Good morning. 

Today is another day and I'm hoping it will be a productive one.
I woke up early dreaming about fish and chips (this job must be meant to be!)  and was pretty disappointed when I realised I didn't have any to tuck into!!! I  used the time productively though as I played Mistplay whilst lying in bed

Hopefully very soon I will be enjoying them on a weekly basis at a discounted rate which will make them taste even better

I was planning for another NSD today but hubby has decided he wants hot chicken bagettes for dinner tonight so going to have to pop to the shop to pick some french sticks up. We have lots of chickens as I bought two and so did hubby. The puppy dog loves chicken (she has some in each meal thanks to OH starting it when she was very young!) but even all 50kg of her cannot eat that many so we get to have one today! Any receipes to use some up would be gratefully received

Here's the (not so) little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - DONE 417 points today
2. Complete a Nectar survey or two - DONE timed out of 6 (12 points) and completed one 40 point survey No more surveys currently available
3. Post in 3 FB groups promoting my business with a hope I will get some more orders as I really need some 
4. Comment on In search of posts on FB in the hope I get some orders - commented on one - hope I find more during the day
5. Check free postcode lottery - DONE not a winner  
6. No heating - None on until 4pm but then had to put it on to dry the washing  
7. Dry two loads of washing outside on the line - One load washed and been on line, then taken off as it started raining and now back on again as the wind is blowing and the sun is trying to come out again even though rain is apparently forecast later now! Please stay dry until my washing is dry - pretty please I have chickened and bought sons school uniform in just in case it suddenly comes down again! Rain came down made it all wet so heating is on to dry it  
8. Find a small way to save electric - DONE unplugged OH phone charger again (I will be having words )
9. Persuade OH to take daughters car to work today because a) it needs a run and b) its cheaper on fuel being a petrol and more economical - DONE
10. Earn some points on swagbucks (hoping to reach daily target) 
11. Enter 3 competitions - DONE 5 take a break competitions entered
12. Open High interest savings account or ISA 
13. Renew FB Marketplace listings - DONE 22 listings renewed  
14. List two item on FB Marketplace - DONE listed (superhero lampshade for £8) so fingers crossed as you can still buy it for £21.99 and sticker sheets for £2.50 for a set of 10 - already sold £5 of stickers once they are collected   
15. Look into selling on TikTok
16. Complete a task on OhMyDosh
17. Small supermarket shop just for bagettes - DONE but did buy slightly more as on offer at Tesco Club prices and cheaper than Lidl - still under £9 so very happy as £2.20 of that was just for bagettes  
18. Scan shopping for Shop and Scan - DONE
19. Complete a survey on Shopper Thoughts
20. Brainstorm ways to make an extra £25 a week seeing as I did not get the job
21. Continue tidying craft room and see if I can find some more bits to sell - DONE a few more bits added to the pile to sell and I can now see my floor and get to most of my drawers  
22. Keep looking for driving license to save having to order another one
23. Meal plan for next week and write shopping list (have earnt a 10% off coupon at Lidl using their app so plan to take full advantage and do quite a big shop) 

craftingmad

Morning everyone.

It's cold, damp and grey here on the Broads - not very inspiring at all but hey ho - I'm going to plough through my little list to help tick down the mortgages - even if it is a penny at a time Progress is still progress right?

Royal Mail are not backing down with my International claims though so I'm gutted but will make sure that in the future I claim for every parcel which goes missing as in the past I have given them the benefit of the doubt - no more - I shall treat them how they treat their customers!!!

So here is my (not so) little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay -  DONE - 302 points now earned today  
2. Complete Etsy order received yesterday and post off when next passing the post office  - DONE
3. Complete a Nectar survey or two - DONE timed out of 2 (4 points) and completed one for 40 points  
4. Answer enquiry received for flyers - DONE could be a £33 order so fingers crossed  
5. Post in 3 FB groups promoting my business with a hope I will get some more orders as I really need some - DONE two need approving which is good as hopefully my posts will be seen at different times of the day and inspire someone to hit that buy now button  
6. Comment on In search of posts on FB in the hope I get some orders - DONE commented on five but need to find more  
7. Check free postcode lottery - DONE not a winner  
8. Minimal heating - had to turn it on for half an hour this morning and still have wet washing which needs to dry so might to be on later but I'm aiming for it to be off most of the day - DONE I haven't had the heating on all day but it might need to go on for an hour or two tonight to keep us warm and dry the washing off a bit  
9. Wait in for lady to collect stickers sold on FB Marketplace yesterday - lady's son is poorly so she cannot collect today
10. Find a small way to save electric - DONE turned off TV hubby had left on when he went to work  
11. Persuade OH to take daughters car to work again today - DONE (he's learning because there was no argument this morning) 
12. Earn some points on swagbucks (hoping to reach daily target) 
13. Enter 3 competitions - DONE 10 comps entered
14. Open High interest savings account or ISA - really must do this as it is costing us money - DONE Opened an account for my savings so will go from 0% to 3.55% paid monthly so hopefully this will give us a bit extra to throw at the savings. Think I might transfer the Halifax savings into the Santander one for a bit so we get a higher rate as nowhere seems great at the moment and then look at looking it away in an ISA or fixed rate account later but I do like getting monthly interest as I feel we get more that way  
15. List an item on FB Marketplace - DONE losted some handmade scrunchies I had left (don't sell them anymore and sold them straightaway to the lady buying the stickers) - another £10 coming my way
16. Look into selling on TikTok
17. Complete a task on OhMyDosh
18. NSD - DONE  no spending today so will transfer £5 to the OP savings pot  
19. Complete a survey on Shopper Thoughts
20. Brainstorm ways to make an extra £25 a week seeing as I did not get the job - I've come up with another 14 possible ways of earning some more cash so will look further into each of them tomorrow  
21. Continue tidying craft room and see if I can find some more bits to sell - DONE  a a few more things have been added to sale pile so will list those as soon as I can  
22. Keep looking for driving license to save having to order another one - DONE it has doggie teeth marks in it but it is still readable so assuming it is still valid  
23. Meal plan for week and write shopping list (have earnt a 10% off coupon at Lidl using their app so plan to take full advantage and do quite a big shop) - DONE plan to go shopping tomorrow
24. Get quotes for breakdown insurance (renewal came in for £180!! - £80 more than  last year!)
25. Get quotes for car insurance 
26. Look for son's school tie he has lost to save buying another one (£5) for his last 4 weeks of school! - looked everywhere but no sign  Might have to get him to buy one out of his earnings so he stops losing things - I think 16 is a fair age to be taught a harsh lesson about looking after things don't you! Alternatively lets hope he can borrow one from school for the last 4 weeks - they have not really given us anything for the past 5 years so it's about time they stepped up to the plate! 
27. Find something black to wear for trial shift on Wednesday - DONE black smart jeans and tshirt which is pretty much like what they wear so should be ok and I don't need to buy anything special for it  

craftingmad

Morning everyone. I need a caution sign around me today I think - I didn't sleep very well for some reason and I can already feel my tetchiness rising!!! I blame the peri menopause!!!! 

Anyway I better try and stay out of peoples way as much as I can I think today so hopefully I might for once tick everything off my (not so) little list

Here's today's actions:-

1. Play on Mistplay -  DONE - 247 points now earned today  
2. Complete FB order received yesterday from enquiry
3. Complete a Nectar survey or two - DONE one completed for 40 points and timed out of 2 so a further 4 points to be added. Also had an email for 150 extra points if I complete 5 surveys in the next 5 days so a third of a way to these
4. Post in 3 FB groups promoting my business with a hope I will get some more orders as I really need some
5. Comment on In search of posts on FB in the hope I get some orders - DONE 4 posts commented on so fingers crossed I get at least one more order soon - I have never known it so quiet  
6. Check free postcode lottery - DONE not a winner
7. Minimal heating on but I already feel cold so will have to fish out my wearable blanket jumper and slippers again I think! - slippers and blanket jumper on and I'm feeling toastie again - that heating will not be turned on until after 6pm today of at all
8. Wait in for lady to collect stickers and scrunchies sold on FB Marketplace (£15 coming my way) - DONE £15 added to OP  savings pot
9. Hang bedding outside (weather permitting) to try and dry it without using tumble dryer - DONE was raining a while ago but the sun is currently out so full bedding set and two towels on the washing line and blowing nicely  
10. Find a small way to save electric - DONE unplugged OH battery charger for our van (won't start but it is now fully charged so he can try jumping tonight)
11. Raise claim for another missing order thanks to Royal Mail - DONE fingers crossed they pay me £13 as I have had to already refund my customer
12. Earn some points on swagbucks (hoping to reach daily target) 
13. Enter 3 competitions - DONE 12 competitions entered today
14. Finish paperwork now sent for High interest savings account and transfer money - Urrggh I have completed next step but now have to wait for them to send me paperwork so they can verify my bank account. Until this is done I won't transfer the money  
15. Transfer Halifax savings into Santander to gain higher interest - DONE £10k transferred into higher rate savings account so more interest can be earned. Will have to be transferred back in around 3 months as if not will exceed security threashold just in case bank gets into trouble.
16. List an item on FB Marketplace - DONE more sticker sheets listed
17. Look into selling on TikTok
18. Complete a task on OhMyDosh - DONE followed them on Instgram for 10p in my pot Up to £4.10 now
19. Food shop to take full advantage of 10% off earned on Lidl app - I plan to stock up on several staples and meat for the freezer - DONE spent £163.50  but did get lots of meat for the freezer and loads of staple items too so the 10% voucher on the app saved me £16.35 - I will transfer this to the OP savings pot  Hopefully I will need a few fresh bits for the next couple of weeks now   
20. Scan food shop for Shop and Scan - DONE it took forever but everything is scanned and receipt photographed ready to upload
21. Complete a survey on Shopper Thoughts - DONE 25 points earnt - I've doubled my balance
22. Investigate the ways to make an extra £25 I came up with yesterday and sign up for them
23. Get quotes for breakdown insurance (renewal came in for £180!! - £80 more than  last year!)
24. Get quotes for car insurance
25. Read Martin's newsletter to see if I can save/earn a little bit extra
26. Transfer £2 coins into savings pot to save them being spent - DONE £4 added to the £2 piggy bank

 

~FlowerPot~

 Good morning crafting, nice and sunny here, but ive not got up and going yet! Managed 2 small Profilic studies, but they only total 50p. Have you tried PA, might be worth go, im averaging £100 a month at the moment.

Heres the link to my savings diary. I am trying really hard to save up differnt pots, but because im self employed my income varies greatly week by week and ive realiesed my outgoing seem to exceed my incoming on most weeks ~ oops! that makes the challenge even greater!!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429570/saving-lots-in-pots#latest

have a great day, youve reminded me to check the free postcode lottery, i always forget!

Flowers x

Baileys_Babe

Well done on finding your driving license. I hope DS somehow finds his tie or arranges a replacement.

craftingmad

~FlowerPot~ said:

 Good morning crafting, nice and sunny here, but ive not got up and going yet! Managed 2 small Profilic studies, but they only total 50p. Have you tried PA, might be worth go, im averaging £100 a month at the moment.

Heres the link to my savings diary. I am trying really hard to save up differnt pots, but because im self employed my income varies greatly week by week and ive realiesed my outgoing seem to exceed my incoming on most weeks ~ oops! that makes the challenge even greater!!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429570/saving-lots-in-pots#latest

have a great day, youve reminded me to check the free postcode lottery, i always forget!

Flowers x

Glad the sun is shining for you FlowerPot and well done on the surveys. I am finding that even small amounts soon add up to something larger  

I shall read your diary with interest and am excited to see your progress  

I done a quick search for PA surveys but nothing comes up - do you happen to have a referral code or a link so I can take a look please?

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

Well done on finding your driving license. I hope DS somehow finds his tie or arranges a replacement.

Thanks Bailey's Babe. 
Unfortunately no sign of sons tie - gosh only knows where that has gone! He is borrrowing one from the school at the moment - not ideal but it seems like such a waste to buy another one for the short time he has left at the school especially as his other one must be around somewhere!