I think that Feng Shui is helping our finances...am I nuts?

apprentice_tycoon

Yes, really...you make think that I (and Donald Trump and Richard Branson) are nuts but I would like some opinions on this.

Note to Squeaky - you may want to move this to The Arms as it's a discussion rather than outright MSE tips but I would value the kind hearted, sensible OldStylers views on this before you move it (plus I will get slaughtered down there) so can you give this 24 hours here please?

Right - the story is - 2 years ago I got a Feng Shui book out of the library, it was far too complicated to really understand all the advanced calculations involved with some of the theory but I cherry-picked the very easy stuff and did a few very basic recommendations for what was described as Wealth and Abundance (the other areas of family life were fine but money has always been hard fought in our house) namely taping Chinese coins to my day to day finance books and putting a plant called a Money tree or Jade plant in the south east (wealth) corner of the house. There was no way that I would turn the house upside down and move beds and furniture round etc, I didn't want to take it that seriously but a few coins and a plant seemed harmless to me.



From then there was a good few lottery tenners ( we always have 2 tickets per draw, I feel that you can have lovely daydreams if you have the possibility of unexpected riches, no tickets means no possibility) this included 2 £10 wins in one draw and 3 £10 in succession There was an up-turn in financial luck overall and since OH and I are both self employed we don't have the comfort of regular salaries coming in each month so luck can play a part in him getting work contracts and me winning lots at auction that I know I can make a profit from (hopefully the other dealers can't see the potential in a box of 'junk' that I can). So in summary life was ticking by in an OK fashion, nothing extraordinary.

At Christmas OH wanted me to move the Jade plant, it looked out of place where it was on a narrow wall shelf so I put it on the kitchen windowsill.

Within days the slide started, there were unexpected expenses (as well as the usual Christmas costs) at every turn, from small amounts of £70 up to ones in the hundreds plus loss of work for both of us through completely extraordinary unforeseen circumstances that over 6 months amounted to thousands of pounds lost - this is no exaggeration. Money just seemed to either not come into the house or have to be spent as soon as we got it. This is the reason I joined MSE in April, I had to find a way to stop the rot.

The plant had started to lose leaves (these are thick succulent leaves that look a little like coins, hence 'money tree'), it was losing about 4 or 5 a week but new ones started to grow so I wasn't too worried but the stems which were once upright were bending and it looked a sorry mess. We had hit a real slump money-wise so I decided 2 weeks ago that I would put the plant back where it had been before in the Feng Shui recommend place, that was on the Friday, within 2 days I posted this and this on the 'Find a penny, pick it up' thread. The stuff that just presented itself to me out of the blue lifted both our spirits and since then OH has been almost swamped with new work, ebay is suffering the summer slump but I have shifted lots of stuff at other sales and I'm paying my way so all in all life seems easier and there is a tangible sense of a corner being turned and the rot has stopped.

So what do you think - is this all coincidence? - I'll tell you what I think - that plant is staying put.

Lillibet_2

Hell, if it works for you who cares if it's concidence or not, I'm off to find a jade tree & a compass;)

PS : I wonder if I could fung-shui my brith plan???? I'm sure the hospital wouldn't mind that much if I re-arrange the delivery room so that negative energy flows out through the door & positive energy hovers around the gas & air syphon:rotfl:

squeaky

apprentice_tycoon wrote:

Note to Squeaky - you may want to move this to The Arms as it's a discussion rather than outright MSE tips but I would value the kind hearted, sensible OldStylers views on this before you move it (plus I will get slaughtered down there) so can you give this 24 hours here please?

I haven't seen this yet. Probably won't notice it until tomorrow...

apprentice_tycoon

Good point Lillibet - I bet that these things are taken onto consideration in Chinese hospitals. You must be getting so excited by now (either that or hot and fed up)

Nelski

i dont think your mad at all - my jade plant gets better care than my family!!! I am also a strong believer in the effect our beliefs and attitudes have with our financial fortune (or not!) in fact I suspect the two are strongly linked.

If your mad apprentice then Im madder!!!

nicki_2

Your not nuts!!!!

Our landlady is chinese and when she went on holiday last year she brought us a little jade coloured buddah. After looking up on the internet which one he was and what I should do with him I've put him in the south-east corner of our "dining-room" (we have a through lounge but there is an arch way almost seperating the two areas). He sits on top of the speaker from the stereo which in turn is on the top shelf of our computer desk. Every morning when I get back from school I give his belly a little rub and say "Good morning" Since I put him there we've :

• Had a £300 pay out from the Tax Credit of stuff they should have paid OH but they over estimated his wages (change of job so it couldn't really be helped)
• OH had a bump in the car and although we had to pay out for travel expenses (he works in another town) and for a hirecar and the excess on the repairs he has received a cheque for all his expenses (about £60), plus £130 for the inconvienience of not having a hirecar (:j) and on Saturday he got a cheque for a reimbursment of the excess he had to pay for the repairs. The other party accepted all resposibility for the accident so OH also gets his no-claims bonus of a year in November when he's due to renew as the other party paid for EVERYTHING!
• OH was given his inheritance from his grandad early so that it can sit in our savings account and gather interest for us instead of his grandad!
• Our tax credit are still at £30+ a week even though OH is in a much better paid job. This has allowed us to buy things we couldn't normally (like flooring for the kitchen and alcohol) and once the summer holidays are over it will be going towards paying off our credit card
• I got accepted for a capital one credit card with 0% until November 2005

All in all I say it's time I got a money tree/jade and put it in the right corner in the livingroom area and I'm going to keep right on rubbing my buddah's belly every morning :eek:;):rotfl:

calleyw

I would not say you are nuts.

It works for you and that is great.

Think I need to move my money plant then.

They are so easy to grow and so hard to kill.

just pick off a leaf stick in soil and it will grow. I have grown so many extras that I have given away.

I know it is not moneysaving but if you ever go to a chinese takeaway with a huge one in the window. I am sure if you ask nicely they will let you have leaf. As other wise you will have to pay about £3 for a small plant in garden centre.

Yours

Calley

nicki_2

Thanks Calley, guess I'll have to check out my Nannas one next time I go up and see if there are any "loose leaves" :rotfl:

apprentice_tycoon

calleyw wrote:

I know it is not moneysaving but if you ever go to a chinese takeaway with a huge one in the window

I think that all Chinese takeaways have them and you never see one of them going out of business do you?

out of interest, my OH was organising an extension to the house of a Chinese takeaway owner and he was told that the building had to start by a certain date in order to have good luck on the project (I think that it was to start before the end of the current Chinese year). There was a serious rush to find a builder who could start the job in time.

Murtle

I have a red buddah - I think he's made from carved wood....any ideas where I should put him???!!!

ps I don't think you're mad. the Business district in Singapore is based on Feng Shui principales. Looks like a lovely place to work, with lots of fountains and running water - in the right direction of course!!

apprentice_tycoon

ooooooh, I'll go and check him out in my new Lilian Too library book. Someone told me that you have to rub his tum for luck but never pat his head.


edit....it would seem that he can go anywhere so long as he is off the floor in an elevated place