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

craftingmad

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the radio silence. I seem to have been working every hour given to me recently which left me feeling both physically and emotionally shattered. The atmosphere towards me from the owners at the cafe I was going to buy has escalated up a notch so it has been really getting me down but I'm so conflicted because I love the job and the customers that I really don't want to leave but it may soon be at the point where I might have too so I have a trial shift at a local ice cream shop today so fingers crossed it will go well

The original cafe shifts have also resumed (although a couple of hours each week a at the moment until the season kicks in) so that is nice as I love working there and it is in a beautiful setting so it also helps calm my mind I also have a late shift at BK this week which I am not looking forward too. At my age I should be tucked up in bed and fast asleep by 11pm   
  
I'm taking advantage of the lovely weather today and going to try and catch up on some washing and other than the trial shift and my shift at the original cafe I am hoping to just have a nice lazy day  

And the good news is that I have been adding all my wages into the OP pot so that is building up nicely and we only have around £40k to find now which I know is still a lot but considering we started with £202K, we are certainly getting closer to our target and much quicker than we though we would so I'm very happy with our progress

 So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - DONE 57 points earned today
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE one video watched for 6p
3. Get two loads of washing dry outside - ONE load dry but didn't have a chance to hang out the other lot before I went for the trial shift. Hung outside as soon as I got home and will get in around 6pm so it does not get damp so will have had a couple of hours
4. Trial shift at ice cream shop (11.15am - 1pm) - DONE really liked it and the boss seems lovely. Fingers crossed I get offered the job
5. Cafe shift (1.15pm - 3.15pm) - DONE
6. Print planner for existing customer
7. Produce sticker proofs for Etsy order 
8. Make Cross in my pocket for Etsy order
9. Reply to friendship seeds enquiry on Etsy
10. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
11. Check free postcode lottery
12. Complete three prime opinion survey
13. Renew listings on FB Marketplace - DONE 30 listings renewed  
14. Transfer Etsy earnings into OP savings account - DONE £69.11 added
15. Either cancel or negotiate a better rate for Photoshop as £30 a month is too much
16. NSD - FAILED it was just me and hubby for dinner so we treated ourselves to a chippy tea

daisy_1571

omg that will be 4 pt jobs !  Lol, ud be working less if ud just gone ft originally 😆   well done

Dxx

Baileys_Babe

Good to hear from you @craftingmad

4 jobs soon, you won't know if you are coming or going.

£202k down to £40k that is a huge reduction, it won't be long till the mortgages are only a memory.

craftingmad

daisy_1571 said:

omg that will be 4 pt jobs !  Lol, ud be working less if ud just gone ft originally 😆   well done

Dxx

Ha ha that is very true - I think in total I will be clocking up 51 hours this week

Baileys_Babe said:

Good to hear from you @craftingmad

4 jobs soon, you won't know if you are coming or going.

£202k down to £40k that is a huge reduction, it won't be long till the mortgages are only a memory.

I'm struggling at the moment to be honest to keep track of where I should be 

Thank you - actually seeing it written down has made me very proud of how much we have achieved

craftingmad

Good morning,

A whole day off for me today so I plan to use it wisely with a mixture of housework, working on my business and relaxing I've already hung out the washing from yesterday again and the next load is the machine currently on the spin cycle so that will be out on the line soon too  

I've enjoyed a lovely free breakfast of all butter crossiants thanks to my cafe shift yesterday as they were having to be wasted. 5 mins in the air fryer made them as good as when they were first baked

I must go into the City today and get a new pair of work shoes as my current ones now have the sole flapping and in actual fact some parts of the sole are no longer there anymore! I also need to pop back to the ice cream shop as they have asked me to drop in my details so not sure whether that is to keep them on file or if they are going to employ me - guess I'll hopefully find out later today  

I also need to open a new savings account as the other two now each contain the maximum covered by the FSC should anything happen to the bank. 

I feel really positive at the moment - me writing down the figures has really shown me just how much progress we have made in a relatively short period of time so I really hope I can keep the momentum going and clear these mortgages asap so we can start really enjoying life and living our dreams  

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - 32 points earned today so far 
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE five videos watched for total of 30p 
3. Get three loads of washing dry outside - one on line already, one in the washing machine and third load sorted ready to be washed
4. Open new savings account - DONE went with the post office as monthly interest at a rate of 4.1% which seems pretty good at the moment  
5. Drop details into ice cream shop - DONE :) I have still not heard if I have got the job so fingers crossed I will hear from them either tonight or tomorrow
6. Print planner for existing customer
7. Produce sticker proofs for Etsy order - tried but for some reason my software program is not working
8. Make Cross in my pocket for Etsy order - DONE
9. Reply to friendship seeds enquiry on Etsy - DONE fingers crossed I get the order
10. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders
11. Check free postcode lottery - DONE not a winner
12. Complete three prime opinion survey
13. Tidy some of conservatory
14. Take a course from one  of my memberships
15. List something new on FB marketplace
16. Arrange collection of nerf gun listed on FB Marketplace and sold to neighbour - DONE will add £10 into the OP savings account  
17. Either cancel or negotiate a better rate for Photoshop as £30 a month is too much
18. Find a comfy pair of work shoes for as cheap as possible - DONE found a really comfy pair in Sports Direct for just £21  
19. Sort through fridges and freeze items going out of date - DONE some sausages and turkey mince frozen as will not get round to using them before they go out of date  
20. Relax and unwind - DONE enjoyed a lovely day in the City including lunch with my son. I looked around  all the little lanes with independent shops I never usually have time to do without being hurried by OH 

Baileys_Babe

The day you have planned looks very full on, I hope you find sometime to rest and relax 🤗

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

The day you have planned looks very full on, I hope you find sometime to rest and relax 🤗

You were right Baileys (as always) I planned in far too much but the good news is I spent most of the day relaxing by bumbling around the City looking at all the shops I never usually get a chance to look in. I managed not to spend that much either just getting work shoes, some more work trousers (both desperately needed and in total only £26) and I treated myself to a reduced tshirt, sweatshirt and super soft long sleeved PJs from Primani costing in total £28 I had a lovely day and feel very rested and relaxed now. It might all change after a day at work but we shall see    

craftingmad

Good morning.

It looks like it another beautiful day is on the cards so I have my final two loads of washing for the week hung outside already so fingers crossed I can get both lines dry to save having to have it hanging around the house  

I have a double shift today - 1.15pm - 3.15pm at the original cafe and then a 6pm - 11pm at BK. I'm not looking forward to the latter - it will be well past my bedtime so I hope I manage to stay awake 
I still haven't heard anything about the ice cream job but in all honesty I am not really that bothered as it will save me making a decision about which job I would need to get rid off. I hate making decisions like that  

Other than work I plan to do a little housework, work on the business a little, take doggo for a lovely walk and then just have a little relax in between jobs today  

So today I HOPE I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay (50 points target) - DONE 57 points earned today
2. Watch videos on WeR8 - DONE four videos watched for total of 24p
3. Get two loads of washing dry outside - on line already so hoping it will dry quickly
4. Check to see if I can make deposits into new savings account yet - DONE still cannot deposit - will have to phone them Tuesday I think and see what the problem is  
5. Submit hours to cafe for wages due - DONE
6. Print planner for existing customer
7. Produce sticker proofs
8. Comment on in search of posts to try and get new orders - commented on one so far
9. Check free postcode lottery
10. Complete three prime opinion survey
11. Take doggo for long walk - DONE and it was beautiful in the sunshine  
12. Take a course from one  of my memberships
13. List something new on FB marketplace - DONE listed a cutlery set for a kid for £3
14. Either cancel or negotiate a better rate for Photoshop as £30 a month is too much
15. Cafe shift (1.15pm - 3.15pm) - DONE actually finished at 3.45pm so an extra 30 mins pay
16. BK shift (6pm - 11pm) - DONE
17. Transfer cafe wages into OP savings account
18. NSD - DONE

Baileys_Babe

craftingmad said:

Baileys_Babe said:

The day you have planned looks very full on, I hope you find sometime to rest and relax 🤗

You were right Baileys (as always) I planned in far too much but the good news is I spent most of the day relaxing by bumbling around the City looking at all the shops I never usually get a chance to look in. I managed not to spend that much either just getting work shoes, some more work trousers (both desperately needed and in total only £26) and I treated myself to a reduced tshirt, sweatshirt and super soft long sleeved PJs from Primani costing in total £28 I had a lovely day and feel very rested and relaxed now. It might all change after a day at work but we shall see    

I'm pleased to hear you spent much of yesterday relaxing and looking at your list you achieved lots.

I don't envy you finishing at 11 pm tonight, as you say pass bedtime.

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on the OPs
It sounds like you least like the BK job - is it paid better than the others ? As if not that seems to be the obvious one to get rid of