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Is it Possible?
- Thread starter jackieblack
- Start date
I am very excited...... I'm going to be a grandma!!!! Never actually thought it would happen if I'm honest so haven't really factored it into any plans. Now it looks like I need to save for a trip to Oz, £3000 should do it
In other news, Airbnb continues to provide us with a very good income so I'll be continuing with that. husband has now submitted his thesis and is doing some teaching and he has freelance work coming up. I've worked out that our basic living costs are £1000 pcm so anything over that is going into savings. My current sources of income are;
Airbnb ~ At least £800 pcm from Aug - Mar so under the £7500 tax free amount
Blogging ~ Nothing yet but working on it.
Freelance ~ Nothing yet but working on it.
Matched Betting ~ Building up again. Last month was £280 also tax free
Surveys/Prolific ~ £138 from June to date
Ebay Sales ~ just selling my old stuff since May £480 after postage and fees
So I think that if husband continues to bring in the £1000 a month for living costs anything I make can go into savings. We already have an emergency fund so that won't be touched. New challenge ~ £3000 in 6 months ~ bring it on!!
A lady who works for me is going to Oz next May and has paid for business class with Emirates. Yes it might cost a fair bit but I think if I was going to be on a plane for 20+ hours I would just pony up the cash and go first class!
Good morning 
I've been absent for a bit as I've had my first cataract done. Blimey, I actually feel like I can see in HD (but only out of one eye!) I didn't realise how bad my sight had got till it was fixed. Can't wait for the second one to be done ~ should be sometime in Feb 2018. Happy days!
Thanks for the tip @Jon. I looked up the prices now for if we went in May. Economy is about £700 ret, the next level is over £2000 and the top cost is nearly £5000 (EACH) Our budget for the entire trip is £3000 so we're slumming it in economy. I figure with a stop over we can stretch our legs enough. I may live to regret it but hey ho
Anyway, airbnb has been interesting. I guess we're lucky that we seem to have consistent bookings, if we want days clear we have to block them. So far there've been no major issues. Out of over a hundred sets of guests, we've had;
At least 5 who've left really low ratings cos we don't have a shower (it says that in the listing!)
One couple who left with all the tea/coffee/sugar sachets (at 6am) so didn't really check out either
One couple who kept the washing up bowl they took from the kitchen in the night
One couple who left with half a dozen toilet rolls and the ones that left with the whole packet of spare toothbrushes
One young asian girl travelling on her own for the first time who turned up a month early when we already had guests
One couple who left a very long list of how we could improve as hosts
One young lady who left the sheets with bodily fluids
One young lady who complained to airbnb she didn't have her own lounge
One couple who complained to airbnb we have bed bugs
I can honestly say people can be strange but it makes life interesting!
We've got 5 days over Christmas we blocked so no guests, then we have bookings again from 29/12.
As for freelancing, I'm not sure yet what will be lucrative. I can't go 'out' to work so maybe I should try for Lionbridge? Not sure, more reading required I think.
I'm going to have a good read of the forum today as I've missed a lot and want to catch up. I find everyone's ideas and stories really motivating.
I've been absent for a bit as I've had my first cataract done. Blimey, I actually feel like I can see in HD (but only out of one eye!) I didn't realise how bad my sight had got till it was fixed. Can't wait for the second one to be done ~ should be sometime in Feb 2018. Happy days!Thanks for the tip @Jon. I looked up the prices now for if we went in May. Economy is about £700 ret, the next level is over £2000 and the top cost is nearly £5000 (EACH)
Our budget for the entire trip is £3000 so we're slumming it in economy. I figure with a stop over we can stretch our legs enough. I may live to regret it but hey hoAnyway, airbnb has been interesting. I guess we're lucky that we seem to have consistent bookings, if we want days clear we have to block them. So far there've been no major issues. Out of over a hundred sets of guests, we've had;
At least 5 who've left really low ratings cos we don't have a shower (it says that in the listing!)
One couple who left with all the tea/coffee/sugar sachets (at 6am) so didn't really check out either
One couple who kept the washing up bowl they took from the kitchen in the night
One couple who left with half a dozen toilet rolls and the ones that left with the whole packet of spare toothbrushes
One young asian girl travelling on her own for the first time who turned up a month early when we already had guests
One couple who left a very long list of how we could improve as hosts
One young lady who left the sheets with bodily fluids
One young lady who complained to airbnb she didn't have her own lounge
One couple who complained to airbnb we have bed bugs
I can honestly say people can be strange but it makes life interesting!
We've got 5 days over Christmas we blocked so no guests, then we have bookings again from 29/12.
As for freelancing, I'm not sure yet what will be lucrative. I can't go 'out' to work so maybe I should try for Lionbridge? Not sure, more reading required I think.
I'm going to have a good read of the forum today as I've missed a lot and want to catch up. I find everyone's ideas and stories really motivating.
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So I'm sort of organised for trying new ways to make money in the New Year. I have a bullet journal I'm getting to grips with it, I'm sure it'll work better for me than all my ad hoc lists (that I can never find), my diary and my online planner. These all work only if I look at them every day (I don't). I'm done with muddling through everything and need to find a way to organise my many 'work streams' that doesn't leave me with a feeling of panic - sure that I've missed something but not knowing what!
These are the work (and hopefully income) streams I'm going to work on this year;
Airbnb - doesn't need much maintaining now so will keep this up as long as the good times last. Should bring in approx 7.5k tax free pa
MB - still struggling to get back into this although I know it works! Will commit to at least 7 hours a week to start. All tax free income
Blog - Still struggling to find a 'voice' for my blog but will persevere as I enjoy it. More for eventual long term income stream (hopefully)
Surveys - only do prolific and govuk regularly but have done very well out of them so will continue
Other - collect points, cash back and change banks and providers regularly - money for nothing so will continue as long as possible
These are new to me but worth trying to see whether they suit me/work for me (or not)
Crafting - not a big money maker and probably a saturated market but I enjoy making things and usually do it while watching telly
Leapforce/Lionbridge - I'm going to apply. I'm not sure it'll suit as I don't do well under pressure but I won't know till I try!
Self Publishing/ebooks - maybe as part of my blog, maybe standalone, not sure yet
Think that's enough to be going on with. I'll keep you updated
I'm getting to grips with it, I'm sure it'll work better for me than all my ad hoc lists (that I can never find), my diary and my online planner. These all work only if I look at them every day (I don't). I'm done with muddling through everything and need to find a way to organise my many 'work streams' that doesn't leave me with a feeling of panic - sure that I've missed something but not knowing what!These are the work (and hopefully income) streams I'm going to work on this year;
Airbnb - doesn't need much maintaining now so will keep this up as long as the good times last. Should bring in approx 7.5k tax free pa
MB - still struggling to get back into this although I know it works! Will commit to at least 7 hours a week to start. All tax free income
Blog - Still struggling to find a 'voice' for my blog but will persevere as I enjoy it. More for eventual long term income stream (hopefully)
Surveys - only do prolific and govuk regularly but have done very well out of them so will continue
Other - collect points, cash back and change banks and providers regularly - money for nothing so will continue as long as possible
These are new to me but worth trying to see whether they suit me/work for me (or not)
Crafting - not a big money maker and probably a saturated market but I enjoy making things and usually do it while watching telly
Leapforce/Lionbridge - I'm going to apply. I'm not sure it'll suit as I don't do well under pressure but I won't know till I try!
Self Publishing/ebooks - maybe as part of my blog, maybe standalone, not sure yet
Think that's enough to be going on with. I'll keep you updated
Had to smile at the guests and there issues... you can’t pkease some people x
Adam trades
Money Making Megastar!
It's never too late - if I'm honest I don't do half of what I could on my Mac! I love it as it's intuitive but I avoid doing anything 'complicated' on it. I'm the living embodiment of KISS
Also, I have a second laptop for MB which is windows ........ need I say more?? It's so frikkin needy Anyway, thanks for dropping by, all hints, tips and encouragement are always welcomeYou've had this diary running for nearly 2 years now @jackieblack
How much money do you think you've earned so far? What's worked really well and what has been an absolute nightmare to earn money from?
How much money do you think you've earned so far? What's worked really well and what has been an absolute nightmare to earn money from?
Back again ~ I just can't keep away! Things have slid AGAIN but only because I had my second cataract done. Amazing! The only issue I have is that my varifocal glasses are completely redundant but my old reading glasses seem to be too strong as well. I can't quite read everything without them but I need something while my eyes are adjusting - they don't even seem to be working together at the moment! I'm sure they'll sort themselves out and in the meantime I can get some cheap reading glasses.
In other news, we're not going to Australia now My daughter's so homesick she's not going to renew her visa, she's coming home instead!!!! I've blocked airbnb for July so they can stay here while they find somewhere to live. New challenges......
We're just having the bathroom and kitchen updated so no airbnb for a month but then it's full on again. MB is sporadic but I'm still hanging on. And I have 2 books almost ready for self publishing. I'd love it if they sold but even if they don't I've enjoyed writing them.
I shall now spend a couple of hours catching up with what everyone else has been doing.
In other news, we're not going to Australia now
My daughter's so homesick she's not going to renew her visa, she's coming home instead!!!! I've blocked airbnb for July so they can stay here while they find somewhere to live. New challenges......We're just having the bathroom and kitchen updated so no airbnb for a month but then it's full on again. MB is sporadic but I'm still hanging on. And I have 2 books almost ready for self publishing. I'd love it if they sold but even if they don't I've enjoyed writing them.
I shall now spend a couple of hours catching up with what everyone else has been doing.
Blimey, that's gone quickly, 2 years????
Without a doubt MB has been the biggest earner for me. I made 8k the first year. It was the first thing I read about when I found TMS. I was recovering from illness and treatment for the second time and couldn't work. I never realised there were so many ways to have an income without actually 'working' so this site saved my sanity! The second year I made 3k, a lot less but still 'free' money for very little effort.
Surveys have been good but only yougov and prolific, I don't particularly bother with others. Between us we've made about £500 from these two.
In 2 years I've made about 3k from swapping bank accounts, changing credit cards regularly for incentives, cash back, points etc (I swap all my husbands too)
Currently my best money maker is airbnb - we easily make £600 a month on average.
The only things I want to do to make money and that I really struggle with are blogs. I love the writing but the technological aspects are something I struggle with. Everyone says its really simple which makes me feel dumb! I've earmarked money to do some basic courses this year hoping it'll all suddenly make sense (or that I'll at least be able to find a way through that works for me)
I also would like to at least try leap force/lionbridge just to see if they suit me.
I wonder what the next 2 years will bring?
I feel a bit bad that I keep letting this diary slip........ not the money making though! Still ticking along. My health has been a problem but I expected it would be now and again, I just have to go with it.
Airbnb is still going well - August is a full on month here in Edinburgh. We did spend the whole of July with our new grandson and a long weekend this month so far. I think that'll be it till next month though.
I'll have a bit of a catch up (again) and then get down to some serious money making
Airbnb is still going well - August is a full on month here in Edinburgh. We did spend the whole of July with our new grandson and a long weekend this month so far. I think that'll be it till next month though.
I'll have a bit of a catch up (again) and then get down to some serious money making
Sorry to hear that. What did you find difficult about Leapforce? I always found the fact you could dip in and out of the work as you wanted was a huge benefit to me as I didn't feel I had to do 'x amount of work' each month, I could just work whenever I wanted.
marriedmeeples
Money Making Megastar!
What techy blog stuff are you struggling with? Usually there's no need to pay for a course for these things unless you want to write your website from scratch. @Jon has got a blogging website with helpful articles. Totallyblogging.com
Yeah I would be slightly wary about spending money on 'how to set up a blog and earn money' type courses....
That could be because I am totally against the principal of charging people to learn how to do things online or it could be since I've given all that sort of information away on TotallBlogging
That could be because I am totally against the principal of charging people to learn how to do things online or it could be since I've given all that sort of information away on TotallBlogging
Well, here I am again like the proverbial bad penny I did consider never updating again but I think it's useful to let other wannabe money makers know that there'll be times things don't go to plan and that's ok, life doesn't always go the way you want! You can have a long period of not getting where you want to be and then pick up again and it's not the end of the world. It took a long time for me to get that so it might be helpful for others.
To keep it brief, we moved house and then I had another op followed by what I thought was a chest infection and never really physically recovered. Anyway, with covid and everything it's taken over a year for me to be diagnosed with heart failure and PH (apparently previous chemo damaged my heart) and it'll take another year at least to stabilise things. At least I know now and we're planning accordingly.
My daughter and her DH have bought some land in the Highlands (we're in Edinburgh) so we're going to move to Inverness when DH retires in 4 years. That's 4 years to get as much money together as possible so that a) we won't have to struggle on just DH's wage and b) when I go DH has a good lump sum as well as his pensions.
Possible income currently;
I make socks for my daughter's business
Casino offers
Airbnb is on hold for obvious reasons
Etsy/Folksy shops currently being done but need to make more stock
Sporadic matched betting
I've had some success with self publishing but that's on hold for the foreseeable. I do have a couple of ideas though so watch this space
I did consider never updating again but I think it's useful to let other wannabe money makers know that there'll be times things don't go to plan and that's ok, life doesn't always go the way you want! You can have a long period of not getting where you want to be and then pick up again and it's not the end of the world. It took a long time for me to get that so it might be helpful for others.To keep it brief, we moved house and then I had another op followed by what I thought was a chest infection and never really physically recovered. Anyway, with covid and everything it's taken over a year for me to be diagnosed with heart failure and PH (apparently previous chemo damaged my heart) and it'll take another year at least to stabilise things. At least I know now and we're planning accordingly.
My daughter and her DH have bought some land in the Highlands (we're in Edinburgh) so we're going to move to Inverness when DH retires in 4 years. That's 4 years to get as much money together as possible so that a) we won't have to struggle on just DH's wage and b) when I go DH has a good lump sum as well as his pensions.
Possible income currently;
I make socks for my daughter's business
Casino offers
Airbnb is on hold for obvious reasons
Etsy/Folksy shops currently being done but need to make more stock
Sporadic matched betting
I've had some success with self publishing but that's on hold for the foreseeable. I do have a couple of ideas though so watch this space
So just sorting my end of month bills and savings. There won't be any savings this month unfortunately - I really need to have a proper plan going forward!
Back later with a realistic plan
Back later with a realistic plan
Plans are hard to do at the moment since we don't know what the next restriction is that's put on us!So just sorting my end of month bills and savings. There won't be any savings this month unfortunately - I really need to have a proper plan going forward!
Back later with a realistic plan