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

craftingmad

Morning everyone. 

I've had a nice little surprise today. Over Christmas and New Year my son and I volunteered to look after a cat for somebody who lives in our village. We went in twice a day to feed her and give her cuddles for about 20 minutes in total each day for 10 days. As well as buying us a huge bar of chocolate they have just given us £100 so I'm going to split it £40 for me and £60 for my son (as I done all the early mornings so think that is more than fair ). It's got me thinking about setting up a pet sitting service as I really enjoyed doing it and start up costs should not be too high (unlike the cafe was going to be). I shall investigate further I think

I'm planning on trying to have another business blitz today as I feel I didn't achieve much yesterday (although realistically I got through two moinths of accounts and wrote all social media posts for Jan so both of those things are huge achievements as they have been kicking about on my to do list for what feels like forever)

Oooh and I've just remembered that yesterday was interest day in one of the savings accounts so that will give my mood a nice little boost as who doesn't like a bit of "free" money to add to the mountain? 

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 2 points so far 
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE one video watched for 8p
3. Check savings account has had interest added and add amount to spreadsheet - DONE a lovely £290.29 added for "free"
4. Get business accounts up to date - DONE and it does not make pretty reading - I really need to cut back on subscriptions
5. Chase Etsy customer to see if she wants a logo on her order book - DONE fingers crossed I hear back soon
6. Comment on in search of posts to hopefully get some orders - two commented on so far
7. Transmit shop and scan barcodes and receipt for points - DONE will be credited 1600 points on Monday hopefully
8. List something on facebook marketplace - DONE listed some sticker sheets from my craft room destash. I've had them for ages and never used them so fingers crossed they sell quickly before I decide I want to keep them again 
9. Create another cardmaking download - DONE designed 7 downloads
10. Prepare cardmaking downloads for advent calendar (better late than never) - DONE made one large file for the downloads but now need to figure a way to send it as too large file size as is every one of the 25 PDFs included Sorted it as I managed to add the file to my website
11. Delete 2000 emails from my inbox - DONE 
12. Pay in £40 from cat sitting and transfer to savings account - DONE
13. Complete surveys on Shop and Scan - DONE an extra 1500 points should be added to my account very soon
14. Take a course from a membership - DONE thought I would take a quick course on cutting spending Also completed a My Why course in one of my business memberships  
15. Go through DD's and SO's and see if I can negotiate better prices - made a list of all DD's and SO's and subscriptions in my business and I will negotiate new prices or cancel some asap
16. Design something new to sell
17. List something new on Etsy
18. Check freepostcode lottery - DONE not a winner
19. Complete Prime Opinion survey
20. Take a survey on Inbox Pounds
21. Upload completed designs onto craftsuprint
22. Tidy more of craft room/office
23. Look into requirements for pet sitting / dog walking
24. No heating on until 5pm - DONE
25. Change over pet insurance
26. Complete tax return
27. NSD - DONE

Baileys_Babe

Yes we are keeping warm, we have a multifuel stove in the living room and we have been running that 24 hours a day so that is giving us a warm space and keeping the chill of the rest of the house.

Good to hear that resting your injury is allowing your body to heal.

daisy_1571

Not quite sure i agree with you maths there cm 😆   it should either be 50/50 or surely you get more for doing early mornings 😆 

Your neighbour is clearly lovely but I think that was a very generous payment for ten minutes twice a day.  If its a proper business I would have thought you might have more work for that  kind of fee?  Maybe thats the going rate but I know you will research it all thoroughly. 

Dxx

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

Yes we are keeping warm, we have a multifuel stove in the living room and we have been running that 24 hours a day so that is giving us a warm space and keeping the chill of the rest of the house.

Good to hear that resting your injury is allowing your body to heal.

That multifuel stove sounds like something I want
Glad you are staying warm x

craftingmad

daisy_1571 said:

Not quite sure i agree with you maths there cm 😆   it should either be 50/50 or surely you get more for doing early mornings 😆 

Your neighbour is clearly lovely but I think that was a very generous payment for ten minutes twice a day.  If its a proper business I would have thought you might have more work for that  kind of fee?  Maybe thats the going rate but I know you will research it all thoroughly. 

Dxx

I call it mummy maths  You are absolutely right but what can I say - I love my kids far too much and am a soft touch

I think you are right - we were only expecting £20 so it was a lovely bonus and very generous of them. If I can get that rate every time I'm quitting the cafe now 

craftingmad

Morning everyone.

Well today is a strange day for me. Our daughter starts her European travelling adventure so will be heading off at 11.30am and I won't see her again until 10th February. I know she will have an amazing time but my perimenopause anxiety is currently through the roof. It's not been made any better by the fact that our son skidded off the road yesterday and has planted his little car firmly in a farmers field with a bush underneath it. Luckily he managed to walk away unhurt apart from just a bit bruised and achey so that is the main thing but hubby thinks the car is a write off sadly so on our list of thigs to do today we now have to add look at cars for sale. Our neighbour owns a garage so thankfully he is going to tow the car for this this morning so we are very grateful to him and that our son is ok even if his pride is a little battered.

I was really good as well yesterday as I really fancied a takeaway but got daughter to pick up some pizzas instead on her way back home with her friend from lidl so we had those instead and even better 4 of them were reduced to half price so happy days. In fairness I'm glad we didn't have a takeaway as I wasn't really that hungry after finding out what had happened to our son.

It's still freezing so I am planning on venturing out as little as possible today and working on some more decluttering around the house and my little business. Hopefully I can have another day like yesterday as I feel I achieved quite a bit

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 77 points so far
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE one video watched for 8p 
3. Design and send proof for order book for Etsy order - DONE
4. Submit hours for cafe for week - DONE
5. Comment on in search of posts to hopefully get some orders
6. List something on facebook marketplace
7. Delete 2000 emails from my inbox - DONE actually deleted 2100 
8. Take a course from a membership
9. Go through DD's and SO's and see if I can negotiate better prices or cancel some
10. Design something new to sell
11. List something new on Etsy
12. Check freepostcode lottery - DONE not a winner
13. Complete Prime Opinion survey - DONE two surveys completed for 111 points  
14. Take a survey on Inbox Pounds
15. Upload completed designs onto craftsuprint
16. Tidy more of craft room/office
17. Look into requirements for pet sitting / dog walking
18. No heating on until 5pm - DONE
19. Change over pet insurance
20. Complete tax return
21. NSD - FAILED as bought meal deals from Tesco on way to look at a car

Jessy103

Glad DS is OK, crafting x

craftingmad

Jessy103 said:

Glad DS is OK, crafting x

Thanks Jessy103. I am very grateful that he is x

craftingmad

Morning everyone, 

As we thought, our sons car is a write off. It could not be towed out of the field so had to be lifted which caused even more damage to it buckling the roof. I am just so grateful that he is ok though so I really don't care about anything other than that. We have found a new car for him for £2k soo hubby and him are going to pick that up this afternoon whilst I am at work. I'll be a nervous wreck just thinking about him driving again so I'm hoping the cafe is busy today to take my mind off it. 

Our daughter got away ok and I managed to only cry a little bit. As I type she is currently on the Eurostar heading to Holland. I know she will have a wail of a time and cannot wait to hear all about her adventures but my gosh 10th February seems so far away today  

I have a 9 hour shift in the cafe ahead of me today so realistically I won't be able to get much else done but in true me fashion I will pf course add a long list of things that really need doing this week and then beat myself up when I achieve nothing at all  

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 2 points so far
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - no videos available at the moment
3. Cafe shift (9am - 6pm) - DONE
4. Print and bind order book for Etsy order 
5. Reply to enquiry regarding three personalised prints - DONE
6. Transfer cafe wages to OP savings account - DONE £309.67 added  
7. Comment on in search of posts to hopefully get some orders
8. List something on facebook marketplace
9. Delete 500 emails from my inbox
10. Take a course from a membership
11. Go through DD's and SO's and see if I can negotiate better prices or cancel some
12. Design something new to sell
13. List something new on Etsy
14. Check freepostcode lottery - DONE not a winner
15. Complete Prime Opinion survey
16. Take a survey on Inbox Pounds
17. Upload completed designs onto craftsuprint
18. Tidy more of craft room/office
19. Look into requirements for pet sitting / dog walking
20. No heating on until 5pm - DONE its 6.30pm and still not on as nobody has said they are cold
21. Change over pet insurance
22. Complete tax return
23. NSD - DONE

Baileys_Babe

Sorry to hear about your son's car accident, very glad to hear that he is unharmed.

As you say I'm sure your dd will have a wail of a time, but hugs to you as you will worry until she is home again 🤗

craftingmad said:

Morning everyone, 



I have a 9 hour shift in the cafe ahead of me today so realistically I won't be able to get much else done but in true me fashion I will pf course add a long list of things that really need doing this week and then beat myself up when I achieve nothing at all  

Instead of beating yourself up could you set your list up differently? 
Possibly write a list for what is a high priority for that day, plus a week's list that you chip away at throughout the week.