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

craftingmad

Morning all,

I'm feeling in a strange mood today. I'm not sad but I'm not happy either - I just feel odd. Not sure if its because I've got my shift in the original chippy today or if the bubble of working in the new chippy has just burst. The boss has promoted the best friend of his girlfriend (who also works in the chippy) and she has no clue what she is doing and seems to think the old chippy's management style is a good model to follow

The rotas for next week have just come through too and it appears I am on washing up duty only which I don't mind at all but every other day seems to have two people in the back room but I'm on my own which seems a little unfair and means I won't get to talk to customers etc which is the main reason I took the jobs on in the first place - for a bit of company. It also means much less hours so I'm glad that I have not quit the other chippy yet. I'm going to give it a few more weeks to see how things settle down and then make a decision I think as to the best way forward. Mind you the original chippy have also taken on two new members of staff so I'm thinking my hours are going to be less there as well and who knows what will happen when the peak season is over as there will not be enough work for all of us. I have to think with my heart I think and do what is best for me as somethings are more important than money don't you think?

Hubby signed the contract to work away in Portsmouth yesterday so I think it has now become very real that I will see him only half the year if I am lucky now and that we have to make the choice between overtime or seeing each other which will of course dramatically slow down our ability to pay off the mortgages in the 7 years we were aiming for.

Not a very exciting day ahead for me as I've got a lunchtime and evening shift today in the original chip shop but son has a day off so I've only got daughter to take and collect from work. That will help the petrol gauge stay a little fuller hopefully. I seem to have drunk diesel this week with all the running around from jobs!!!

Right time to pull myself together and do what I can to help us climb to the top of this mountain. 

Here's my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - DONE 107 points earned today  
2. Complete a Nectar survey - still no surveys  
3. Update spreadsheet with mortgage amounts outstanding (hopefully this will cheer me up a little bit) - DONE our mortgage is now less than £100 and the BTL1 mortgage now starts with a £43k so we are making progress even if it feels like we are not 
4. Cancel overpayment on our own mortgage (to avoid £225 early redemption penalty - the interest will only cost us £96 so much better to just leave it to run its course)
5. Set up DD for £100 a month into OP savings account (the money we were overpaying on our own mortgage)
6. Pay in £6.70 cheque from Royal Mail using banking app - DONE will add into OP savings pot when cleared  
7. Enter competitions - DONE 28 comps entered
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 - DONE commented on two
13. NSD - DONE  
14. Chippy shift 12pm -1.30pm (original chippy) - DONE
15. Chippy shift 4.30pm-8.30pm (original chippy) - DONE  

   

craftingmad

Morning all,

I'm feeling tired but much happier today.
No work for me today so I will be enjoying a well deserved day off and taking a bit of time out just for me because I really feel I need it. I'm hoping to make a few cards as these seem to help me relax and also not feel quite so guilty about the amount of craft stash I spent in the past. I look at it now and think I could have paid off a mortgage if I hadn't bought all this stuff. Hindsight is a wonderful but useless thing!! 

Both kids are at work today so lots more running about will be taking place and I think my petrol gauge is going to make me take a trip to fill up or else I could well run out of petrol I'll combine the trip with a quick supermarket dash I think so I can grab the last few bits needed for dinners this week. I've done well and managed to not go all week (although hubby has been quite bad at picking things up on his way home!) so at least that's something.

I also want to spend this day working on my business to try and build it back up to what it used to be like. It's really not great with the cost of living crisis biting so many people and I know I'm not the only small business really struggling but I'm sure if I work hard on it I can start to bring in more again than I am currently. I feel a bit of a failure if I'm honest so want to try and put that right and prove to myself it is still a viable option. 

The chippy shift was awful last night. Boss was his usual delightful self and I did actually quit after being screamed at by him in front of customers but the daughter of the owner persuaded me to come back. Think I might regret that decision on my next shift on Saturday but we can only wait and see. 

Right time to get my list started so today I WILL:-

1. Play on Mistplay - 67 points so far - aiming for 100
2. Complete a Nectar survey  - still no surveys but I have updated and completed my profiles so fingers crossed I will get some more soon  
3. Make jewellery planner for Etsy order and post off
4. Make plantable hearts for Etsy order received yesterday and post off
5. Cancel overpayment on our own mortgage (to avoid £225 early redemption penalty - the interest will only cost us £96 so much better to just leave it to run its course)
6. Change overpayment on BTL mortgage 1 so we don't overpay more than we are allowed this period and incur penalities and then set up DD for £235 a month into OP savings account (the money we were overpaying on our own mortgage and the additional sum from previous overpayments) so we don't start just spending that money
7. Check to see is £6.70 cheque has cleared
8. Work on business to make it grow again
9. Fill in paperwork for new chippy job
10. Small food shop using Asda rewards app - DONE I honestly so not believe that food prices are coming down - its just cost me £100 for a very small trolley load and not much meat was in that On the plus side I did get £8.36 added to my rewards pot by buying star products (I did not know they were) and blue light discount).
11. Scan food shop for Shop and Scan - DONE  
12. Enter competitions
13. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji - DONE not a winner  
14. Complete a survey on Panelbase
15. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion
16. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds
17. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders
18. Action one of the new money making ways on my brainstorm list
19. Sit down and work out budgets ready for when hubby starts new job next year - DONE and it has depressed me just how little progress (in actual fact almost none) we will be able to make on his basic salary so if we want to keep overpaying and cut into these debts we are going to need overtime   Why are things so expensive at the moment  
20. Schedule social media posts for business for rest of week and next
21. Take some time out for me - DONE two cards made using craft stash  

Baileys_Babe

Your list looks very ambitious. Please priorities item 20. Take some time out for me.

~FlowerPot~

Baileys_Babe said:

Your list looks very ambitious. Please priorities item 20. Take some time out for me.

here here, fully support this one.

Please dont go back to that awful boss at the chippy, you are were worth so more than that!

Take care Flowers x

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

Your list looks very ambitious. Please priorities item 20. Take some time out for me.

~FlowerPot~ said:

Baileys_Babe said:

Your list looks very ambitious. Please priorities item 20. Take some time out for me.

here here, fully support this one.

Please dont go back to that awful boss at the chippy, you are were worth so more than that!

Take care Flowers x

Thank you both. I took your advice and enjoyed a lovely chilled day getting a few bits done but focusing on myself more than anything x  

craftingmad

Good morning. I woke up early this morning with my mind whirring about how tight the budget is going to be when we lose hubby's overtime next year and how little we will be able to put by to the mortgages or save for our future.
I tried playing on Mistplay to quieten my mind but its not really worked as my mind is still in overdrive so not sure how today is going to go. As someone who suffers from anxiety (which has been heightened due to the perimenopause) I know I am just going to worry about the future so I'm going to have to give myself a good talking too and try and snap out of it as quickly as I can!!!

I'm back at the original chippy today too and I think this has contributed to my stress for the day. However given the figures for next year, I really don't want to quit at the moment as I think we may well need the cash from this little job if we want to make any progress at all on the mortgages from next year onwards. 

Oh how I wish we had started our MF journey sooner!!!

Never mind hindsight is a wonderful thing and what is done is done so I will just have to give it lots of attention now and see how much progress we can make whilst we can.

I'm going to try and not be too ambitious with my list today so I can at least feel some sense of achievement so here's my To Do list list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - aiming for 50 points - DONE 52 points earned today
2. Make jewellery planner for Etsy order and post off - DONE
3. Make plantable hearts for Etsy order received yesterday and post off - DONE  
4. Make elephant for Etsy order received yesterday and post off - DONE  
5. Cancel overpayment on our own mortgage (to avoid £225 early redemption penalty - the interest will only cost us £96 so much better to just leave it to run its course) - DONE  
6. Change overpayment on BTL mortgage 1 so we don't overpay more than we are allowed this period and incur penalities and then set up DD for £235 a month into OP savings account (the money we were overpaying on our own mortgage and the additional sum from previous overpayments) so we don't start just spending that money
7. Check to see is £6.70 cheque has cleared - DONE £6.70 added to the OP savings account  
8. Submit bar codes and receipts to Shop and Scan (should then give me enough to claim another £10 voucher) - DONE  
9. Enter competitions
10. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji - DONE not a winner  
11. Complete a survey on Panelbase
12. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion
13. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds
14. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders - DONE commented on 4 so fingers crossed I get at least one order from it  
15. Schedule social media posts for business for rest of this week
16. NSD - DONE off to work again soon so no time to spend any money today  
17. Chippy shift lunchtime - DONE  
18. Chippy shift evening - DONE

That's still quite a long list but lets see how much I can achieve today  

craftingmad

Morning all from a very wet and windy Norfolk Broads. 
Who would think it's August - I slept last night in my fleecy PJ's!!!

I have a day off from the chippies today (I was supposed to be working but the boss has decided he can do Sundays by himself so I've lost hours this week but I'm ok with that as I think the day off will benefit me better anyway)  

I'm still on taking kids to work duty though so lots more running around for me today but at least their hours sort of work together and will save me a bit of petrol  

I really must tidy up my craft room today as well as I had to rip it to pieces yesterday as I lost my external hard drive and phone down the back of my desk yesterday when I disconnected them to transmit the shop and scan barcodes As the weather is too pants to get any washing dry I think this will be my main priority today (unless I get distracted of course!). I'm really proud of myself at how long I have managed to go without buying any new craft supplies. I did get tempted yesterday when a Sizzix sale flashed up on my facebook page (I LOVE their cutting dies) and admit to adding several items into my basket but then I stopped and thought how many supplies I already have and whether I really needed them or if I would prefer that money to be spent on repaying the mortgages and I clicked off the site. I think I might finally be cured of my addiction of buying craft supplies but never using them  

The chippy actually went ok yesterday - the boss maybe has learned his lesson a little after I quit on Thursday but was persuaded to return. It also was not mad busy so I had time to breath and not be frantic every second of the shift. More like that will be most welcome  

Here's my (hopeful) To Do list for today:-

1. Tidy craft room - started - I can see the floor and my desk and one side has been tided. A full black bin bag of rubbish has also left the room  
2. Play on Mistplay  - DONE 52 points earned  
3. Change overpayment on BTL mortgage 1 so we don't overpay more than we are allowed this period and incur penalities and then set up DD for £235 a month into OP savings account (the money we were overpaying on our own mortgage and the additional sum from previous overpayments) so we don't start just spending that money - decided to keep overpaying the £500 until the end of this year so that when hubby starts his new job we can hopefully continue to overpay a smaller amount each month but still pay of the 10% we are allowed for the 12 month period   
4. Pay in wages at local post office - DONE £156.60 transferred into the OP savings pot
5. Make up cross in my pocket for Etsy order received yesterday and post off when I pay in wages - made just need to post off  
6. Reply to enquiries - DONE  
7. Complete starter paperwork for new chippy
8. Work on business to make it better
9. Design and make one new item to list in Etsy shop - one cardmaking download designed and uploaded to craftsuprint. Thinking of opening a second shop for these on Etsy
10. Enter competitions
11. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji - DONE not a winner  
12. Complete a survey on Panelbase
13. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion
14. Complete survey/searches on Inbox Pounds
15. Comment on in search of posts on FB to hopefully get some orders 
16. Schedule social media posts for business for the next two weeks
17. NSD - DONE  
18. Enjoy some me time - DONE went on a lovely walk with the puppy dog - it blew the cobwebs away and it is so nice to just be outdoors - even if it was a bit chilly!   

 

craftingmad

Good afternoon.
I'm late today and have nothing exciting to report at all so I'll go straight onto my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay  - 2 points earned  
2. Post off Cross in my Pocket Etsy order - DONE  
3. Complete starter paperwork for new chippy
4. Work on business to make it better - DONE now have a clear idea what to focus on
5. Enter competitions
6. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji
7. Schedule social media posts for business for this week - DONE
8. Scan small shop for Shop and Scan - DONE  
9. Submit salad onto Food on the Go app for extra points - DONE
10. Transfer Etsy earnings when arrived in bank account
11. Chip Shop Shift - DONE  

craftingmad

Morning everyone,

I feel like I did not achieve much yesterday but money did get transferred into the savings account so I suppose that is all what matters.

Another day working in the new chippy again today - I'm not in the backroom today as somebody has left so I've been promoted back to serving which I definitely enjoy more I must fill out my starters paperwork today though or else I won't get paid this month  

I have also made 3 sales on craftuprint with card designs I have uploaded on there so hopefully this will become another income avenue for me (although at £1.55 for all three sales, it does not pay very well, I'm hoping that if I can keep selling sheets it will give me a few £££ throughout the year). Every little helps right?

I'm intending on trying to find a few more places like this where I can sell digital designs as, in the new year, I'm not sure if I will be able to keep working at the chippies when hubby starts working away due to the dog being alone for too long and getting kids to and from work/college etc. Everything feels so up in the air at the moment and its making feel quite unsettled. I'm sure things will be ok but at the moment the not knowing is driving me a bit insane!

Both kids are also working today so lots of running around for me getting them there and picking them up. the fuel gauge is going down rapidly again  

Hoping I can plough through my little list today and make some real progress on building cash for the future weeks. 

So here's my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay  - DONE 137 points earned 
2. Make and post off a dinosaur in my pocket for an Etsy order received yesterday - made will post off on my way to chippy  
3. Complete starter paperwork for new chippy - DONE  
4. Work on business to make it better - working on a plan to follow step by step as I always seem to get sidetracked
5. Design a new cardmaking sheet to upload on craftuprint
6. Enter competitions - DONE 57 comps entered today  
7. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji - DONE not a winner
8. NSD - DONE  
9. Comment on in search of posts in the hope I get some more orders - DONE commented on two posts  
10. Complete searches and surveys on Inbox Pounds - DONE £1.75 survey and 20p survey completed and 7p earned in searches  
11. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion - DONE one survey completed for 84 points, one for 19 points and one survey for 16 points 
12. Complete a survey on Panelbase - tried 7 surveys and completed nearly all of them only to be timed out near end. Gave up  
13. Complete a survey on Nectar Survey - still none available  
14. Transfer Etsy earnings into OP savings account - DONE £143.30 transferred into OP savings account (the lowest I have ever received I think but at least it will be out to good use)  
15. Action one point on my brainstorming list of ideas
16. Declutter 5 things from around the house
17. Chip Shop Shift - DONE

craftingmad

Morning everyone.

I'm sure you didn't even notice I was gone but my apologises for yesterday's absence. All four of us had a day off from work yesterday so we decided to enjoy it. Hubby and I got up early so he could have a haircut and went to Spoons for breakfast and then we went into City centre, enjoyed a bit of shopping (well the kids did - I was very good and made them buy any clothes they wanted out of their own money for once to hopefully start teaching them the value of hard work!) and then watched the Mission Impossible film which we all enjoyed. We finished off the day with dinner in Brewers Fayre. 

Not very helpful to paying off the mortgage but it was a really lovely day and some much needed family downtime. 

I did have the pie and pud special for dinner though which was only £8.99 for my main and dessert and we bought the film tickets at the counter saving a 95p booking fee on each so a little MSE was carried out wink:

Back to normal again today though and I'm raring to go. These BTL mortgages need clearing asap so we can have more days like yesterday!! 

I'm at work at the original chippy today and got to run daughter into work but son has a day off and he is going to bike to the sports club we have in the village for a gym induction and then play badminton so at least he is using the £280 membership we bought him last week.

Don't think today's actions will add any money into the OP savings pot straightaway but hopefully they will help for some in the near future so here's my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - 2 points earnt so far - hoping for 50  
2. Make and post off a guardian angel bracelet order received on Etsy - DONE -  posted off on way to take daughter to work to save petrol
3. Contact tenants in rental house as they have not paid the new rent we agreed for this month (£65 extra a month) - delegated to husband and decided to up it by £75 a month which still makes it far less than market rates at the moment Over the course of six years this will bring us a further £5k to put towards the mortgage  
4. Submit meals out yesterday on Food on the Go app for 250 points - DONE
5. Scan small Asda shop yesterday for Shop and Scan
6. Work on business to make it better - DONE now have fully actionable list broken down into microactions for me to work my way through
7. Design a new cardmaking sheet to upload on craftuprint
8. Enter competitions - DONE 18 comps entered today  
9. Check free postcode lottery, Win a Dinner and Freemoji - DONE not a winner  
10. NSD - DONE back at work soon for rest of day so no time to spend  
11. Comment on in search of posts in the hope I get some more orders  
12. Complete searches and surveys on Inbox Pounds - DONE £1 from two surveys, 7p for searches and 4p from spin to win  
13. Complete surveys on Prime Opinion - DONE two surveys completed for a total of 37 points
14. Complete a survey on Panelbase - DONE longest survey ever completed for £2.50 - took over an hour!
15. Complete a survey on Nectar Survey - still no surveys available   
16. Action one point on my brainstorming list of ideas
17. Declutter 5 things from around the house
18. Chip Shop Shift lunchtime - DONE  
19. Chip Shop Shift evening - DONE