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

badmemory

craftingmad said:

Am I right or am I just being argumentative for the sake of it?


   

Surely that should read AITA.  You not.  TA would hang onto your money just as long as he could.  If you let him you would be lucky to get it in January.

Happy pay off the mortgage/birthday.

Jessy103

Happy birthday crafting x

You're not being argumentative at all! He's lucky you've not thrown mushy peas at him by now (I think I would have done 😂) 

craftingmad

LadyWithAPlan said:

craftingmad said:

Morning all.

Next week is my father in laws funeral so its going to be a very hard day but I have decided to try and have a week of normality this week as I'm sure that is what he would like so I'm going back to my little lists to try and help me to stay focused and actually achieve something.


Today is also my birthday (although I don't really feel like celebrating) and I have just opened a card from my mum and dad which has £40 inside so I'll pay this in to the OP savings account to help me feel like I've made some small progress this month. It's the best way I can think of using the money for something I want as 

1. Pay off our mortgage as a birthday present to me

   

How great to be able to write ‘pay off mortgage on my birthday’ congrats with all your hard work 
is there then 3 BTLs to countdown? 

I guess you will be using your excess from your mortgage payment to op the first by - the snowball has started

It certainly felt good and was the best birthday present I could have ever got

That is the plan - we will now have £100 spare each month to throw at the 1st BTL mortgage each month (although as we are on a low fixed rate of 1.9% for another two years - we will probably add the money to the OP savings account for these two years so as to gain more interest as we are already overpaying the maximum amount allowed on this 1st BTL mortgage and don't want to get hit with charge. 

Once that one is cleared only two more BTL mortgages to go  

craftingmad

badmemory said:

craftingmad said:

Am I right or am I just being argumentative for the sake of it?


   

Surely that should read AITA.  You not.  TA would hang onto your money just as long as he could.  If you let him you would be lucky to get it in January.

Happy pay off the mortgage/birthday.

Thank you x

craftingmad

Jessy103 said:

Happy birthday crafting x

You're not being argumentative at all! He's lucky you've not thrown mushy peas at him by now (I think I would have done 😂) 

Oh your comment made me laugh - why did I not think of that 

craftingmad

Morning everyone.

Thank you for my birthday wishes and words of encouragement. 

Well it turns out that after I sent the text to my boss, he no longer needs me this week so I have officially finished at the original chippy and I can collect the £40.50 he owes me on Friday of this week. I'm not sure how I feel about it to be honest. I know he was a pain in the b** but I did like most of the customers who came in and the money was really helping me add some cash to the pot but it is what it is and hopefully I can pick up more hours in the new chippy (although yesterday was really quiet so I am a little worried).

I didn't manage to get much crossed off my list yesterday (although the brownies were delicious) so I really must try harder today!!! I feel like I have achieved next to nothing this month and really want to change this so need to get my brain into gear and get progress made.

I've got the opportunity to buy another business which would fit in with what I do and the equipment would help me step my business up a gear. It also means that I can tap into their audience as it includes their website and socials which is far greater than mine plus as an added bonus I also get their supplier names so it means I should be able to buy my supplies much cheaper than I am already as it is the business I used to buy my seeded paper from so would then be able to get at wholesale cost and have the benefit of selling just the paper sheets at a profit to other small businesses too. It also will give me lots of stock which I can add for sale instantly (I'm guilty of neglecting my own store since I started at the chip shops so this would give mine a much needed refresh). I have managed to negotiate the price down to £3500 and have sat down and worked out that the stock alone can be sold for over that price and then I have all the tools and equipment on top as well as the website (and the visitor figures are very impressive) and social audience as well. It is a big risk but I feel like if I don't go for it, it will be something I might regret for a long time. I have not broached the subject with my hubby yet though as I feel with my father in law passing it is the wrong time but I have to act quick before she offers it to anyone else. 

What so you think? Do I take the money from the OP savings account and take the risk or do I walk away and say it is not the right time?

Here is my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - aiming for 50 points - 27 points earned so far   
2. Pay in chip shop wages from last week and birthday money and transfer into OP savings account - DONE £196.60 transferred into OP savings pot  
3. Pay off our mortgage as a birthday present to me - DONE we now own our own home and next stop owning first BTL we bought  
4. Look more into business buyout opportunity - DONE sat down and worked out figures. There is a profit in it (not huge BUT I do also get all the contacts and audience). Will sleep on it and then make a decision tomorrow  
5. Complete some of an online course included in a membership which runs out in two weeks - DONE one lesson listened too and notes made  
6. Check freepostcode lottery, win a dinner and freeemoji draws - DONE not a winner  
7. Complete surveys on Prime Opinions - DONE 109 points earnt from 6 surveys
8. Complete surveys on Inbox Pounds - DONE 7p from searches but no surveys working  
9. Complete surveys on Panelbase - DONE one survey completed for 80p  
10. Complete a task on OhMyGosh - DONE £2 pending after signing up to new survey site  
11. Get some swagbucks as offered a 50 point birthday bonus if I redeem a gift card within 30 days - DONE 1 point gained but timed out of every survey  
12. Check to see if cheques from Royal Mail claims have cleared - DONE £27.45 transferred into OP savings account   
13. Renew FB Marketplace listings - DONE 20 listings renewed -- fingers crossed somebody buys something soon  
14. Declutter 10 items from the house
15. Chippy shift at new chippy - DONE 5.25 hours completed (£54.65) 
16. NSD - DONE

Baileys_Babe

In your position of knowing the business and how it alines with your own business I would go for it. This opportunity has arrived at a perfect time for you as you are leaving chippy 1 and are unsure how secure your job is at chippy 2.

If you do decide to go for it make a plan of how and when you are going to recoup your costs. The important social media presence will take time to maintain so you will need to schedule it.

To make the most of your investment would you be able to treat this business expansion as a job with dedicated hours even if these altered daily/weekly? 

You come across as very positive in your last post.

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

In your position of knowing the business and how it alines with your own business I would go for it. This opportunity has arrived at a perfect time for you as you are leaving chippy 1 and are unsure how secure your job is at chippy 2.

If you do decide to go for it make a plan of how and when you are going to recoup your costs. The important social media presence will take time to maintain so you will need to schedule it.

To make the most of your investment would you be able to treat this business expansion as a job with dedicated hours even if these altered daily/weekly? 

You come across as very positive in your last post.

Thank you so much. 
I think I know it is the right thing to do but at the same time I am thinking how useful that money could be towards the mortgages and my head is telling me to be cautious.

I am going to sit down again today and go through things again and then make a decision on it from there. Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith right?

Now I only have one chippy and the winter hours are kicking in I will absolutely ensure that I set aside time to treat this expansion as a job and schedule in set hours to work only on this. It's a great idea. Thank you x 

I am feeling a little more positive this week. 
Next week I think that will all change again but this week I am focusing on the today and just trying to get things done which will make our lives so much better in the future.

craftingmad

Good morning.

It's the first day of waking up owning ALL of our own house and it is an amazing feeling. No more mortgage company on the deeds for us. It's all ours and it feels so good. 

It's certainly given me the fire in my belly to clear the other BTL mortgages now so we can then officially call ourselves mortgage free so I'm planning on crossing lots of my little list today to help us build an amazing future.

The chip shop was quiet again yesterday but I have picked up another shift on Friday (which replaces the shift I should have had at the old chippy) so that will give me a little bit extra in the pay packet next month to add to the OP pot. I've also got extra hours in a couple of weeks time as the boss is going on holiday so I've volunteered my services for all the time he is away (not sure if I'm crazy or smart) but we shall soon see. At least it will help next months money be a better sum and make up for some of the hours I have lost from the other one. I'm going to make sure he gives me the pay rise he promised as well (only 59p an hour and I'm sure the tax man will take most of it but its better than what I am getting so always a bonus).

Our son also has a trial shift at a farm shop and cafe today. I really hope he does well as the last place treated him terribly and literally just ghosted him after 3 years of him being there. What is wrong with these companies? It does mean that I have to drive to his college today and pick him up but I've got the day off so it is not a problem. 

Other than that not much exciting planned for me today so I'll crack on with my little list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay - aiming for 50 points - DONE 52 points earnt  
2. Look more into business buyout opportunity and make a decision
3. Print 10 sticker sheets for customer order collecting today - DONE
4. Complete some of an online course included in a membership which runs out in two weeks - DONE one more module completed  
5. Check freepostcode lottery, win a dinner and freeemoji draws - DONE not a winner
6. Complete surveys on Prime Opinions - DONE survey completed for 179 points  
7. Complete surveys on Inbox Pounds - DONE surveys still not working but 7p earned from searches  
8. Complete surveys on Panelbase - DONE survey completed for 65p
9. Complete a task on OhMyGosh  - DONE signed up to new survey site for £2.50  
10. Get some swagbucks as offered a 50 point birthday bonus if I redeem a gift card within 30 days 
11. Get quotes for house insurance due on 8th October
12. Read MSE newsletter - DONE signed up to Greggs app to get a free pizza slice and cuppa
13. Declutter 10 items from the house - huge pile of junk mail recycled  
14. Turn off lights left on by family and unplug something to save electric - DONE sons bedroom light and air purifier turned off
15. Action one idea on my MF list
16. NSD - DONE  

craftingmad

Good morning everyone.

The novelty of owning our own home completely is still going strong. Every time I go outside and see it my face breaks out in a big grin. I think it's the boost we needed after everything which has happened this year. 

I've got any plans for today as I have another day off from the chippy so I'm hoping I can knuckle down and achieve quite a lot today including, hopefully, giving my business a bit of a kick start to get it back and making money again.

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

1. Play on Mistplay - 39 points so far earnt
2. Look more into business buyout opportunity and make a decision
3. Start initial designs for a banner for an Etsy order - DONE fingers crossed the customer likes them  
4. Complete some of an online course included in a membership which runs out in two weeks
5. Comment om In Search of Posts on Facebook to hopefully get some more orders - DONE commented on 5 posts and hope to find more throughout the day
6. Advertise my business in 3 FB groups to improve my visibility and hopefully get some orders - DONE just waiting for the posts to be approved  
7. Go through costings and increase prices if needed
8. Work out how much I need to increase my postage charges too from Sunday when Royal Mail increase their prices - DONE I can either keep them the same and use 2nd class post or up them by 35p and keep using 1st class. I'm going to ask my followers which they would prefer  
9. Create a new item to sell - DONE personalised sticky Christmas Gift tags have been added to my Etsy shop
10. Upload a new cardmaking sheet on Craftsuprint
11. Check freepostcode lottery, win a dinner and freeemoji draws - DONE not a winner  
12. Complete surveys on Prime Opinions - DONE 6 surveys completed for 128 points  
13. Complete surveys on Inbox Pounds
14. Complete surveys on Panelbase
15. Complete a task on OhMyGosh
16. Get some swagbucks as offered a 50 point birthday bonus if I redeem a gift card within 30 days 
17. Get quotes for house insurance due on 8th October
18. Declutter 10 items from the house 
19. Turn off lights left on by family and unplug something to save electric - DONE sons bedroom light turned off again!! 
20. Action one idea on my MF list
21. NSD - DONE