Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

BlueFleur

andromache wrote: »

I've made *checks spreadsheet* (yep Lollopy I also have a geeky Excel thing going on! ) £242.01 in winnings and £50 in cashback, and I only spent an afternoon or so on it. And people who've tried harder have made even more... go on...

I think you may have convinced me at least

bails

Calling all animal lovers - our stray just brought in a baby mouse! It's still alive but is breathing ridiculously fast. I know it's older than 10 days as its eyes are open and it has fur but it's still really small, probably an inch and a half. Does anyone know how to help him please? I've got him in a box with lots of paper bedding, does he need heat as I read that tiny mice do? What can I feed him? You know me, I'd hate it if he didn't make it!

Frugaldom

Bails - Keep him warm (body temp should be ok) by filling a couple of old milk cartons with warm water and sitting the box between them - we use this method for baby birds. If you are sure it's a baby mouse, then leave some crumbs in the box along with a little tub of wet pebbles so he can get a drink without drowning. If he doesn't look old enough to eat for himself, a little pipette with a few drops of mushy cat food should have enough in it to see him through. My guess would be that mouselette will be old enough to be out and about and should be safe enough to release once he's out of shock. Good luck The cat food method has worked fine in the past for hedgehogs, swallows and a swift. If it's a fruit/berry/nut eating bird/animal then soya milk mixed with baby food works wonders, as does hardboiled, mashed eggyolk

taka

Marru, if you are looking at selling homemade craft type things you could try Etsy. I'm pondering whether to starting trying to sell some of the jewellery I make (my hobby) and may give it a try. Its an american site but there are quite a few uk based people on it. Its 20cents to list something and there is a small fee (3.5% I think) if it sells otherwise the listing is there for 4 months. If you have animal care contacts is there anyone you could sell through or advertise for animal loving buyers? (Maybe giving a % of each item for a charity?)

PS Nyk... If I do do this I will contact HMRC don't worry... lol

PPS For folks wondering whats taxable or not the HMRC website is full of info and a whole section (with examples) for online selling/auctioning and when its a business or not.

bails

Thanks Nyk, I've put a few things in he might eat but no joy yet. No pipette, any improvisations? He's got little blood spots where the tabby's teeth were but I don't think they're proper puncture marks. Oh, he was just cleaning himself, good sign hopefully. Off to find some pebbles...
EDIT: managed to get him to drink some water froma soggy piece of hot cross bun (bread is still rising!) and then he drank from the pebbles :T Don't think he can eat by himself.

Marru

Bails, do you have a clean syringe? You could use that for feeding, or just offer some from the end of your finger. Good luck!

bails

Thanks Marru, I do have syringes was just concerned about how sharp they are! Will try using my finger.

Frugaldom

Having racked my brains and searched online for ideas and finding nothing except distractions (I almost booked a holiday in a gypsy caravan in Suffolk!! Don't ask how I found that! ) I decided to focus my attention back on MSE and am currently lost IN HERE. But I am completely hooked already! :eek: Being a bit of a card tart, it's easier to see some fun in this, so I'm going to give it a more serious go for the year 2008/9. Whatever interest I earn is from cash I don't own and if money saved is money earned, then this looks ok to me. The trip to the bank and ensuing 'discussion' was meant - it was a sign that this was the way for me to go; wasn't it?

I have also decided to find out more about the free bingo and matched betting. I can't get my head around how it can be possible to win bingo or bets without it costing money, but I'm willing to attempt to learn in the name of cash generating and my house fund

How's Pip Squeak doing, Bails?

bails

Pip Squeak is currently chowing down on some soggy cat biscuits and apparently loving it! I'm not going to feed him any more in case he explodes! Seems to only repsond when fed but doing remarkably well so far considering he was destined to be nasty tabby's plaything! Thanks for your help guys, hopefully this one'll make it. Is he our first frugal rescue pet?
I just about got my head round matched betting a while ago, only placed one bet though! Would like to have another go, got too many irons in the fire at the mo though and need to prioritise first...

taka

I know things like MB scare me no end!! I'm still at the reading the guide over (and over lol) to try and get my head round it. Did quite well with the free bingo tho... ~£180 I think but a lot of the sites are not offering this anymore.

Just spotted the pip squeak update... :j I think they are weaned around 3 weeks old so he/she may just need a wee bit of tlc to get over catshock and then be ok to be released Definitely soggy food is good and easy for the wee one to eat.