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

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

I'm very pleased to hear you are taking steps to leave your bullying boss. 40p/hour is a small price to pay to be out of such a toxic work environment.

Daughter taking you to the Barbie movie made me laugh as I can relate to that 😂

~FlowerPot~ said:

so pleased you will be leaving the chippy with the horrible boss. I very peased for you. it will be worth the slight drop in pay to work in a happier environment.

How are the bruises today?

My daughter keeping asking me to take her to see the Barbie film, but she will only go when the cinema is quiet so we are waiting till the fuss has died down a bit!

Flowers x

Thank you both. I am very excited at the thought of actually enjoying going into work again and it will certainly be nice for me to have people more my age  

Barbie was great. Highly recommended!! Especiallly when your daughter takes you   

The bruises are still quite black and blue but feeling much better today thank you x

craftingmad

Morning from a wet Norfolk Broads today. No washing will go out for me today  

I've nothing exciting to report today except that I really enjoyed the Barbie movie (it even bought a couple of tears to my eye) and that I have got a shift at the new chippy tomorrow evening. I'm working at the original chippy tonight so I've have to try and not get things confused as they both work very differently
I'm terrified about handing my notice in so hope the boss is actually up to his old tricks tonight to make it easier for me!!

Son's got a day off today but daughter is in work so got to take her for 9am and pick her up at 3pm so that fits in with my 4.30pm-8.30pm shift nicely

What are you all up to today? 

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

1. Play on Mistplay - DONE 102 points earned today
2. Complete a Nectar survey - DONE 60 point survey completed and timed out of one so further 2 points added  
3. Reply to enquiry about activity cards - DONE now fingers crossed she likes what she sees   
4. Contact First Active and stop overpayments so as to avoid early redemption penalties - worked out I can make one more overpayment before stopping so will make a note to do this around 10th August This will take my balance on my own mortgage to around £50  
5. Set up DD of £100 (the OP we were making on our own mortgage) to go into savings account - made a note to set up from 10th August
6. Enter competitions - DONE 46 entered today  
7. Check to see if £4.70 refund for under postage on order has been received - not received yet - will chase tomorrow
8. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji - DONE not a winner  
9. Complete a survey/searches on Inbox Pounds - DONE survey for 24p, 2p from spin to win and 7p from searches  
10. Complete a survey on Panelbase still no surveys available but my £10.50 cashed out has hit my bank so I've transferred it into the OP savings pot :)  
11. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion - DONE 119 points from 3 different surveys  
12. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders - commented on two so far - hope to find lots more  
13. Schedule social media posts for the rest of this week (I'm getting really bad at posting and need to keep up my presence to hopefully get more orders) - DONE scheduled posts until the end of this month and have started writing next months  
14. Get rid of 5 things from the conservatory - DONE old paperwork from 2000 and broken carrier bags thrown away today  
15. Design and make one new item to list on Etsy
16. List something for sale on FB Marketplace
17. Explore an idea on my brainstorm list to try and get another income stream start
18. NSD - transferred £5 already as no plans to go out until I go to work and I'm not spending any money today  
19. Chippy shift (original chippy) - DONE

 

craftingmad

Morning all.

I really struggled to get to sleep last night so I'm walking around like a zombie today. Not sure why - I guess I must have just had a lot on my mind that I didn't realise I had until bedtime last night!.
My chip shop shift went ok yesterday - the boss was ok with me (although he made the other girl I was working with cry) and there was a nice number of customers in - not too many but enough to keep me busy and make the time go by quickly.

I've got my first proper shift at the new chippy tonight so I hope I like it as much as my trial shift. If so I have decided that I am going to hand my notice in at the original chippy as I really don't need the bosses negativity in my life right now (or any time come to think of it!). Scary but the right decision I think (and hope!).

I've just got back from taking son into work and will have to collect him again at 3pm before hot footing it back home and getting daughter into work for 4pm. I'm in work from 4.30pm but luckily this new chippy is in the same town as the place where my daughter lives so that makes life a bit easier for me and save me a bit of petrol so a win win as far as I'm concerned.

I'm really pleased with my progress on my list yesterday - I'm feeling a bit flat today so hoping that once I start crossing things off my list, the enthusiasm will return and I'll get lots done today as well  

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

1. Play on Mistplay - 52 points so far - aiming for 100
2. Complete a Nectar survey - gutted no surveys available today I have got £33.16 in my pot ready to use though
3. Find books listed on FB Marketplace ready for buyer to collect today - DONE  It is only for £4 but that still beats my sales from FB Marketplace for last month (£3) and gets more clutter out of my house  
4. Enter competitions - DONE 44 entered  
5. Check to see if £4.70 refund for under postage on order has been received - DONE not received so chased them up  
6. Design nail planner as not heard from customer and give them a seven day deadline to reply or it will be sent as proof in order to use Etsy money to pay for postage - DONE now just to wait  
7. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
8. Complete a survey/searches on Inbox Pounds - DQ from all surveys even when I reached the end so gave up but 7 points from searches and 7 points from spin to win  
9. Complete a survey on Panelbase
10. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion 
11. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders - DONE three posts commented on  
12. Write and schedule social media posts for August (I'm getting really bad at posting and need to keep up my presence to hopefully get more orders) 
13. Get rid of 5 things from the conservatory  
14. Design and make one new item to list on Etsy
15. List something for sale on FB Marketplace
16. Explore an idea on my brainstorm list to try and get another income stream start
17. Make dinner to save kids going hungry and eating all the snacks in the house whilst I'm at work
18. NSD - DONE £5 transferred to OP savings account
19. Chippy shift (new chippy) - DONE  

  
 

craftingmad

Morning all.

My shift at the new chippy yesterday went well again. I was working with lovely people and the boss was great and kept telling me how fab I was doing. So unlike what I'm going to get from "bossman" today. The only problem is that he wants to work near on full time hours and I really don't want to do that as it just does not fit in with anything else. I have to give it some serious thought as to how to make things work as I really love the place and the people I work with.

The bank balance is still looking quite good considering all the expenses we have paid out this month. I'm hoping that I will be able to get at least £1500 transferred into OP pot on Monday all going well and that will mean we will have around £20k waiting to be paid off when it comes to re-mortgage time.  

I don't think much progress will be made today as it is going to be taken up with taking/picking up kids from work and working myself as I have a lunchtime and evening shift at original chippy today (although of course the working part will benefit the balance next week).

So here's my little realistic list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - 52 points so far - aiming for 100 
2. Complete a Nectar survey - no new surveys  
3. Enter competitions - DONE 37 comps entered
4. Submit receipts and barcodes for Shop and Scan - DONE ( £1.60 will be added to my account on Monday)
5. Check to see if £4.70 refund for under postage on order has been received - DONE still no refund. I shall wait until Tuesday and then lodge a paypal claim I think. I know its not lots of money but as a small business owner myself I would be mortified if I had done this to a customer and would go out of my way to fix it as quickly as I could  
6. Pay in cheque received on banking app from Royal Mail for lost letter - DONE will transfer £22.95 when cheque has cleared I never used to claim for loss letters in my business but now I know that the process is quite easy I am really glad I am  
7. Claim for another lost letter (Royal Mail are getting so bad!) - DONE fingers crossed I get money back for this one too £6.90)
8. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
9. Complete a survey on Panelbase - DONE one survey completed for 55p. No other surveys available
10. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion - DONE 200 point survey completed
11. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds - 7p from searches and 2p spin to win  
12. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders 
13. Write and schedule social media posts for August (I'm getting really bad at posting and need to keep up my presence to hopefully get more orders)
14. Explore an idea on my brainstorm list to try and get another income stream start
15. NSD - DONE £5 transferred to the OP savings pot  
16. Chippy lunchtime shift (original chippy) - DONE
17. Chippy evening shift (original chippy) - DONE  

That should keep me out of mischief for the day

Cornish_mum

Congratulations on the new job! That’s great news CM

craftingmad

Cornish_mum said:

Congratulations on the new job! That’s great news CM

Thank you x

craftingmad

Morning all. 

I've got a six hour shift in front of me at the chippy today. Have to be honest, I'm not really looking forward to it as Sundays can be a bit hit and miss customers wise although I am hoping that it is fairly busy as the six hours pay will come in very useful in helping to get these mortgages down I'm also hoping that my uniform is dry by then as I had to give it a quick wash last night as I got filthy washing out some chip buckets - I really do not want to have to tumble it due to a) it uses too much electric and b) my XL t shirt was really more like a size M when it was given to me and I won't fit in it if it shrinks anymore!! 

Hubby and I had a little chat yesterday after my chippy shift about his job situation. He had already said that he really did not want to transfer over to the new company at the end of this year under the redundancy agreement as he has worked for them previously and really did not enjoy it so I knew that offer was already not up for consideration. However he had mentioned that his existing company had made him an offer to stay put for another year here in Norfolk and then they would guarantee him a job in a different branch of the Company after that year had passed (if it was needed if no other contracts had been won). Sadly the company have now gone back on that offer and although they want him to stay for another year, after that there is no guarantee of a job after it so hubby is, understandably, not to keen on that option either. That then leaves us with the offer he has in writing from the company he works for already to transfer to their Portsmouth branch on the search and rescue helicopters. They have given him until Monday to sign the contract and accept the job (which will start at the beginning of next year).

Now although this job should hopefully be a job for life (his words not mine as I have learnt in his industry there really is no such thing), it does mean him working away and us having to pay for his accommodation and more petrol for driving to and from us on his time off. It also means we have to make the choice between overtime or having him home which is going to be a balancing act I think. He is talking that he wants to buy a motorhome but I really don't want to spend around £35k on one until the mortgages are cleared. At the same time we always fancied one and he could live in it to save us rent etc so we will have to look into this some more as it looks to me like this is the job he really wants to take. Decisions decisions. Of course this change in circumstances will also make my job at the chippy a little difficult as currently he is able to take the kids to and from work when I am not able to due to shifts. I love my little job so really don't want to give it up but I know that it looks increasingly likely that I may have too when the time comes to him working away.  

For now, I'm just going to bury my head in the sand for a few more months about what this means for family life and our finances but maybe try and step up our efforts another notch so we can at least hopefully clock up enough in the OP pot to at least pay off our first BTL mortgage. That way then we will have the money for a motorhome if we choose to go down this route. Why is life so flipping complicated and a hard slog? 

 As I have my super long chippy shift, I'm keeping my list to a little one today so I can at least feel like I have achieved something  

1. Play on Mistplay - 2 points so far today - aiming for 100 
2. Complete a Nectar survey  - no surveys available  
3. Enter competitions - DONE 34 comps entered
4. Transfer £4.70 refund received for additional postage I had to pay - DONE  
5. Pay in chip shop wages at local Post Office
6. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
7. Complete a survey on Panelbase
8. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion
9. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds 
10. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders
11. NSD - not got time to spend today so transferred £5 in readiness  
12. Chippy shift (original chippy) -- DONE ended up being a 4 hours shift as we closed early due to no customers

 

craftingmad

Well I didn't achieve much yesterday but I do feel better for managing to get a few hours rest and have time with my family  

An even busier day for me today as I have 7.5 hour shift in the new chip shop (11.30am-4pm and 5pm -8pm). I have to pluck up the courage to tell him I really do not want to do so many hours each days so wish me luck but part of me is thinking grab all the money I can while I can in case I do have to give it up when hubby starts working away again

Our son is not overly happy with me though as he will have to go into work around an hour earlier than he needs to start as I will not be able to get him there if not  

Realistically I know I will not be able to get much else done today but I'm going to start the week in an optimistic mood and add a list for today. How much I actually get crossed off it remains to be seen  

Lets try anyway:-

1. Play on Mistplay - 20 points so far today - aiming for 100 but at least something is better than nothing 
2. Complete a Nectar survey - still no surveys - I have never known this so getting a bit concerned Sainsbury's are going to stop it  
3. Enter competitions - DONE 28 comps entered
4. Check if cheque has cleared from post office - DONE not cleared yet  
5. Check bank account for OH wages and transfer over left over cash from this month - DONE transferred over £1200 which may be a little optimistic as OH wages which he has been paid do not include his overtime. Fingers crossed this is received soon!
   
6. Make friendship seed packs for Etsy order received - DONE
7. Pay in chip shop wages at local Post Office - DONE £151.20 trabsferred to the OP savings account  
8. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
9. Complete a survey on Panelbase - no new surveys  
10. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion - screened out on 8 surveys (16 points added) and one survey finally completed for 26 points Giving up for today as getting frustrated!
11. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds - DONE 7p from searching and 2p from spin to win - surveys just keep freezing today  
12. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders
13. NSD - DONE  
14. Chippy shift 11.30-4pm (new chippy) - DONE  
15. Chippy shift 5pm-8pm (new chippy) - DONE  

 

craftingmad

Good morning. The sun is trying to poke its head through this morning so hopefully I will be able to squeeze in a nice little walk with the puppy doggie (she is three next month so not really a puppy dog anymore but we all refer to her as one) before starting another 7.5 hour shift at the new chip shop again today. 

I'm actually quite pleased with my achievements yesterday although I may have transferred over a little too much from the joint account as it looks like hubby's OT will not be being paid until next month now as his boss lost his timesheet! I'm going to try and have a very frugal month and see if we can limp home to the end of this month to save me having to transfer some back (which I really don't want to do unless I really have too), although with our son redecorating his bedroom I doubt it very much  

 With my long chippy shift and running the kids to and from work that leaves little time for me to get my small MSE tasks fitted in today but again I'll give it my best shot so here's my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - 52 points so far today - really would like 100 but will settle for 50
2. Update savings totals on spreadsheets - DONE savings have increased by £3924 in July  
3. Work out dinners for the rest of the week (hopefully requiring no food shopping as a) trying to be frugal and b) don't have much time to go food shopping - DONE fingers crossed only minimal shopping required  
4. Complete a Nectar survey - still no surveys - something very strange afoot I think  
5. Enter competitions - DONE 16 comps entered
6. Check if cheque has cleared from post office - DONE still not cleared but due to be tomorrow 
7. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
8. Complete a survey on Panelbase
9. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion
10. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds
11. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders - commented on one post so far - hope to find more throughout the day
12. NSD - DONE  
13. Chippy shift 11.30-4pm (new chippy) - DONE  
14. Chippy shift 5pm-8pm (new chippy) - DONE  

craftingmad

Morning all.

It's a very wet and windy day so far here on the Broads with yellow weather warnings in place so I'm hoping I can get parked close to the new chippy today for my shifts or else I think I'm going to get very wet!!!

The new chippy has been so quiet the last two days I have been in. We had people in but nowhere near as many as I see in the original chippy and we had three times the amount of staff in, so the days have dragged and I have to admit I'm worried that the manager has overestimated how many staff he actually needs. I lost count of the number of times I cleaned the tables, counters, fridges etc. It's great that I don't have to slog away as hard as the other the shop but at the same time it's pointless us all being there if there is nothing to do. I'm sure that hours will have to be reduced soon as, as a business owner myself, I know that the takings just will not sustain that level of staff. Luckily I've not handed in my notice at the original chippy yet so think I'm just going to edge my bets and try and do both for as long as I can make it last. That said I'm feeling very tired from these three back to back long shifts and I'm not sure hubby is too pleased about having to cook dinner every night after him working all day either (welcome to my world hey!). 

The old chippy is talking about only being open Thurs - Sat from September and has already stopped opening on Sundays as they were always really quiet so hopefully between the two I can grab hours to make me get around £100 a week until the end of this year at least and after that I'm not sure what I will be able to do with hubby working away anyway if I'm honest and not being around to help ferry kids to and from college, work etc.

On the plus side with less hours it will mean that I can hopefully get time to explore ways to help my business grow and get back to the earnings it was giving me before this economic crisis hit hard. 

So once again with my two chippy shifts and running the kids too and from work I won't have loads of time for anything else but as always I am going to post a list and see how much I can get done between now and 11am.

Here's my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - 92 points today
2. Complete a Nectar survey - still no surveys
3. Make and post off anxiety fairy order from Etsy - DONE
4. Complete business accounts for July 2023 (have a feeling I will be very depressed after completing this ) - DONE As I feared I only made £4.18 profit last month - thank heavens for the chip shop jobs  
5. Transfer paypal balance into savings account - DONE only £30 this month which is very disappointing but at least it is something I suppose  
6. Enter competitions 
7. Check if cheque has cleared from post office - DONE £22.95 transferred to OP savings account  
8. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
9. Complete a survey on Panelbase
10. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion
11. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds
12. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders
13. NSD - no time to spend money today so £5 transferred to OP savings account  
14. Chippy shift 11.30-3.30pm (new chippy) - DONE  
15. Chippy shift 5pm-8pm (new chippy) - DONE well got sent home at 7pm as not busy

   Wish me luck - I'm going in x