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

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

These days I would struggle a lot with the late finishes at BK, my lights usual go off at 11 pm at the latest.

Your doing better than me - I struggle staying awake until 9pm

craftingmad

Morning

Well I plumped for finishing my shift, plopping myself on the sofa and watching Gladiators last night rather than actually doing anything to help us become mortgage free My body said enough is enough and for once I listened to it  

I've got a National Trust cafe shift today - it was meant to be 11am - 3.30pm but its been cut down to 12.30-3.30pm so I'm a bit gutted as I'll lose an hour and half but at least I will still be adding a little bit into the savings when pay day finally hits my bank.  I really need to make a decision on which job(s) I am going to keep and which I have to quit and the hours keep being cut at the cafe are counting against it (but the actual hours with no late nights is a huge draw as well). Oh gosh I have no clue. What would you do if you were me?

I'm still feeling tired and don't have a day off now until Wednesday so I'm going to try and take it easy but will add a list here just in case I manage to get a little bit done.

So today I HOPE too:-

1. Play on Mistplay (126 points target) - 112 points so far
2. Transfer £14.60 (cheque which has cleared) into savings account - DONE  
3. Answer enquiry from FB Marketplace - DONE they actually wanted it for free so it was a no thank you from me
4. Comment on In search of posts to hopefully get a few more orders - commented on two posts  
5. Advertise in three FB groups to hopefully drum up more orders
6. Check free postcode lottery, winadinner and freeemoji
7. Complete Prime Opinion survey
8. No heating on - DONE   
9. Find two more ways to add money into savings  
10. Try and find proof of posting for lost order
11. Take a course from a paid membership
12. Send an email to my subscribers about my £10 offer
13. Research Etsy gift mode and tweak listings to see if this will give me extra exposure 
14. Look at SEO report from website and make small improvement
15. Finish creating new product to sell
16. Finish tidying craft room
17. Action one thing on my business growth list
18. Create a cardmaking download to sell on Craftsuprint
19. National Trust shift - DONE 3.5 hours shift completed and came home with 6 scones
20. Draft letter in reply to Council who are claiming pothole damage is not their liability
21. NSD - DONE  

Baileys_Babe

If I was choosing the job purely on hours I would drop the BK job as the late nights would be a no no, but you would need to factor in lots things that affect you like the rate of pay, the personalities of the people you work with, what the jobs involve, which one would you like to go back to in the future, do you like how they communicate with you about your time table and shift changes, plus anything that affects your household positively or negatively.

Good luck finding your proof of postage. For the future would it be worth having one place where you put all proofs of postage so you don't have to spend time searching? This would need to be cleared out regularly so it doesn't be become unworkable. I'm thinking a bulldog clip, a small tray or under a paperweight.

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

If I was choosing the job purely on hours I would drop the BK job as the late nights would be a no no, but you would need to factor in lots things that affect you like the rate of pay, the personalities of the people you work with, what the jobs involve, which one would you like to go back to in the future, do you like how they communicate with you about your time table and shift changes, plus anything that affects your household positively or negatively.

Good luck finding your proof of postage. For the future would it be worth having one place where you put all proofs of postage so you don't have to spend time searching? This would need to be cleared out regularly so it doesn't be become unworkable. I'm thinking a bulldog clip, a small tray or under a paperweight.

Thanks Baileys - excellent advice. I will sit down and make a pros and cons list I think which will hopefully let me see more clearly which one needs to go

Sadly I do usually have a system for my proof of postings but hubby got involved around the time of the missing ones on one of his tidying sprees and I think he may have thrown some away - gosh knows why as they were in a bulldog clip in my office but there you go  

craftingmad

Morning everyone.

I'm not even going to make a list for today as our doggo is having her neutering operation and I'm not actually able to concentrate on anything it seems. I just want her home with us and back to her normal self asap. I'm sure she will be fine but I do worry (again I'm blaming the perimenopause!!!). 

I do have a shift at Burger King this afternoon from 12 -5pm so hopefully that will help take my mind of things a bit but it does mean I won't be able to pick her up which I'm really upset about Hopefully she wont hold it against me  

Hope everyone has a better start to the week than me x

craftingmad

Morning all.

The doggo is home safely and feeling very sorry for herself (as are we after the £832.34 bill!!!!).

Our daughter also gets home from University for a few days tonight so I'm feeling much happier today (although I won't be when I look at the bank balance I'm sure - its going to be really tight until the end of the month and hubbies pay day hits)   

I also got paid from National Trust last night but it's much less than I was expecting so I will have to check the wage slip when I am next in work to see why. I have however transferred the £275.93 I did get paid into the OP savings account so that has crept up the balance by a bit at least. It's also nearly time for that account to pay out it's monthly interest which always makes me happy as it's really money for nothing and I calculate it should be around £400 this month so that will really help to boost the amounts for this month as they really have not grown in March much at all due to us having so many expenses which we were not expecting and some that we were.

I am going to the original chippy for a shift tonight (4.30pm-8.30pm) (sorry Flowers). I thought I would try it and see if the boss has changed. I think I'm also blinded by the fact that it pays £2.30 an hour more than the other two jobs I have but I promise if he is ar** then I will say I'm not coming back for any more shifts. 

Other than that I'm planning on a lazyish day just chilling with the doggie and enjoying some time away from working. 

 So here's my maybe I'll do it list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay (126 points target) - 2 points so far
2. Get three loads of washing dried outside - all three loads on line  
3. Print invitations for returning customer - DONE  
4. Design digital leaflet for customer - First draft send to customer
5. Contact returning customer regarding enquiry for more business cards - DONE fingers crossed he places an order as it would be £86
6. Comment on In search of posts to hopefully get a few more orders
7. Advertise in three FB groups to hopefully drum up more orders
8. Give doggy lots of cuddles to help her recover quicker and make me feel happy - lots of cuddles given but always time for more  
9. Write some social media posts ready for next month to promote my business
10. Finish colour cube type idea and list on Etsy
11. Check free postcode lottery, winadinner and freeemoji
12. Complete Prime Opinion survey
13. No heating on - DONE
14. Find two more ways to add money into savings  
15. Try and find proof of posting for lost order
16. Take a course from a paid membership
17. Send an email to my subscribers about my £10 offer
18. Research Etsy gift mode and tweak listings to see if this will give me extra exposure 
19. Look at SEO report from website and make small improvement
20. Finish creating new product to sell
21. Finish tidying craft room
22. Action one thing on my business growth list
23. Create a cardmaking download to sell on Craftsuprint
24. Draft letter in reply to Council who are claiming pothole damage is not their liability
25. Chip shop shift (4 hours) - DONE
26. Write a pros and cons list for each job to help me decide which one(s) have to go - DONE there is no hard and clear winner but Burger King has the most cons so it looks like it will be that one that goes
27. NSD - DONE

    

Baileys_Babe

craftingmad said:

Baileys_Babe said:

If I was choosing the job purely on hours I would drop the BK job as the late nights would be a no no, but you would need to factor in lots things that affect you like the rate of pay, the personalities of the people you work with, what the jobs involve, which one would you like to go back to in the future, do you like how they communicate with you about your time table and shift changes, plus anything that affects your household positively or negatively.

Good luck finding your proof of postage. For the future would it be worth having one place where you put all proofs of postage so you don't have to spend time searching? This would need to be cleared out regularly so it doesn't be become unworkable. I'm thinking a bulldog clip, a small tray or under a paperweight.

Thanks Baileys - excellent advice. I will sit down and make a pros and cons list I think which will hopefully let me see more clearly which one needs to go

Sadly I do usually have a system for my proof of postings but hubby got involved around the time of the missing ones on one of his tidying sprees and I think he may have thrown some away - gosh knows why as they were in a bulldog clip in my office but there you go  

Doh, to hubby being helpful.

Enjoy your day hugging the dog.

I hope the chippy boss has grown greatly changed his ways.

craftingmad

Baileys_Babe said:

craftingmad said:

Baileys_Babe said:

If I was choosing the job purely on hours I would drop the BK job as the late nights would be a no no, but you would need to factor in lots things that affect you like the rate of pay, the personalities of the people you work with, what the jobs involve, which one would you like to go back to in the future, do you like how they communicate with you about your time table and shift changes, plus anything that affects your household positively or negatively.

Good luck finding your proof of postage. For the future would it be worth having one place where you put all proofs of postage so you don't have to spend time searching? This would need to be cleared out regularly so it doesn't be become unworkable. I'm thinking a bulldog clip, a small tray or under a paperweight.

Thanks Baileys - excellent advice. I will sit down and make a pros and cons list I think which will hopefully let me see more clearly which one needs to go

Sadly I do usually have a system for my proof of postings but hubby got involved around the time of the missing ones on one of his tidying sprees and I think he may have thrown some away - gosh knows why as they were in a bulldog clip in my office but there you go  

Doh, to hubby being helpful.

Enjoy your day hugging the dog.

I hope the chippy boss has grown greatly changed his ways.

He is great isn't he!!!! Yesterday he was meant to do dinner as I was out at work and he had the day off but guess who had to cook!!!! 

I have had lots of hugs already and plan lots more - I'm not sure who is enjoying it most - me or her  

With regards to the boss so do I - we shall see this evening  

craftingmad

Morning all.

I think somebody must have taken over the old chip shop bosses body as he was lovely on my shift last night  
Maybe he has finally seen that I am actually quite good at my job and work much harder than most of the people he has had in there or maybe he just knows he needs me more than I need him as he doesn't want to hire any more staff for the summer.  I suppose only time will tell. As an added bonus I also came home with two large portions of chips, two jumbo sausages and a batttered burger which feed the kids and hubby which was good as he hadn't given them any dinner whilst I was at work. Sadly not enough for me but I finished the scones I bought home from the cafe the other day   

Our daughter is home but I've hardly seen her as she is not feeling well. I really hope she doesn't pass the lurgy to me as I've got so much work on for the next few weeks which will really help with our MF journey. It is really lovely to have her home though

I've got a day off from going to work today so I'm really hoping I can sit down and work on my business to try and grow it again as its been so quiet these last few months. Son is working though so I've got to pick him up from college at 11am and then take him and collect him from work so that eats into a lot of my day and I also need to go food shopping as we have been eating out of freezers this past week and a bit but I'm hoping I can combine the drop off to work trip with a shopping trip which will hopefully give me a bit more time to get some bits done. 

A couple of good bits of news on hubby's work front too - he has overtime available for next month so that will really help with our MF journey and he has been asked to stay at the local base for the rest of the year so fingers crossed his new base will allow him to do that so we will get to see him more than him having to work away. Not sure when we will find out on this so I'm not going to get my hopes up but I am holding onto the fact that the going away could well be delayed again as it will save us the travel expenses, he can pick up more overtime and he will be with us each night - fingers crossed  

The doggo is much more like herself again today as well so all good on that front.

I don't think I'm going to have time for loads today but ever optimistic I shall pop up my list and see how much (or how little) I can achieve

So here's my hopeful list for today:-

1. Play on Mistplay (126 points target) - 2 points so far 
2. Drop round invites to customer (just need to find envelopes for hem)
3. Email digital leaflet design through to customer
4. Look for calligraphy set for hopeful sale (hubby has struck again and moved it)
5. Comment on In search of posts to hopefully get a few more orders
6. Advertise in three FB groups to hopefully drum up more orders
7. Give doggy lots of cuddles to help her recover quicker - DONE  
8. Write some social media posts ready for next month to promote my business
9. Finish colour cube type idea and list on Etsy
10. Check free postcode lottery, winadinner and freeemoji - DONE  
11. Complete Prime Opinion survey
12. No heating on
13. Find two more ways to add money into savings  
14. Try and find proof of posting for lost order
15. Raise claim for lost order which I do have proof of posting for
16. Take a course from a paid membership
17. Send an email to my subscribers about my £10 offer
18. Research Etsy gift mode and tweak listings to see if this will give me extra exposure 
19. Look at SEO report from website and make small improvement
20. Finish creating new product to sell
21. Finish tidying craft room
22. Action one thing on my business growth list
23. Create a cardmaking download to sell on Craftsuprint
24. Draft letter in reply to Council who are claiming pothole damage is not their liability
25. Meal plan for week - DONE
26. Food shop sticking to list and using loyalty cards to gain points  

LadyWithAPlan

Just catching up and glad to hear old boss has realised your worth and reliability. Hope it continues - 

on the your friend on benefits  - Its easy when we are all working towards big goals to compare our lives  to others but ultimately we can only really compare ourselves to our selves ..how we are vs yesterday, last year etc as everyone has v different circumstances.  I have friends who have been given by family  flats in central London with iconic views and balconies, friends who have small but brilliant such cheap rent council flats in central London, friends who earn a load but also only work and given up some dreams.., people who have been given millions in their 30s...  everyone has their own path, choices and share of good and bad luck  - you know that the choices you and all us MSE'ers make today and tomorrow will influence your future and your childrens..

You have such a great big fabulous  goal - getting two BTL paid off - maybe you can reframe this as an adventure  and  enjoy the journey  and each day