Turn one pound into one million

Wow - money!!

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 06:58:00 +0000

May and June seems to be a time when a lot of money is passing through the bank. Some bonds that me and my husband took out 10 years ago have matured and although they only ended up paying out 1% interest, it is nice to have that chunk of money to top up my premium bonds. My husband has also sold his Logica shares, as he had employee share options and since they were taken over the share price has gone up and so we will do pretty well out of that. That money will also go in the premium bonds.I just hope there will be a nice premium bond win this month to top it up even more, but I will have to wait until next week to find out, I expect! I now have to keep a tight reign on the money and make sure that my husband doesn't decide to buy something like a Olympia Switchback Jacket to treat himself. If I move the money out of the current account quickly enough, he will not have a chance to spend it!

May Earnings

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 06:54:00 +0000

Pay to Blog - £21.35

Blog post - £12.20
Blogsvertise - £9.15

Writing - £251.33

Article Writing - £251.33

Other - £34.60

Quidco - £1.81
Amazon UK ebook sales - £32.79

Making a Grand Total of £307.28

Getting Value for Money

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 29 May 2012 06:50:00 +0000

I am always banging on about getting good value for money, I know! This km microphones Musicians friend is an example of what I am talking about. It might seem expensive but actually does a really great job and is therefore worth the money that you pay for it. Buying cheaper alternatives will save money, but they will not be so good. You may find that you will be upgrading to this one soon after buying a cheaper alternative or the cheaper one does not last as long. You do need to think about the functionality and the brand and decide whether it is worth paying more money Sometimes a more expensive branded item is no different to a cheaper alternative and you just pay more for the brand name, but this is not always the case, so you need to do your research carefully.

Quiet Times

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:48:00 +0000

Things are so quiet at the moment. I am actually getting quite worried about the lack of work and wondering whether I need to start thinking about new ways to earn money.

It has been nice to have a bit of a break, but having only a few hours of work a week is not enough to keep me going. I like to be able to contribute towards the household income and I was hoping to be able to start putting some money back in, to replace what was taken out to pay for the house renovations. I guess I will have to get my thinking cap on.

Real Estate Prices in Finland

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Buying property abroad can be seen as a great way to invest. Often you can get more for your money and it looks like a great thing to do. However, it is important to not rush in to this sort of thing.

For example, if you decide that you want to buy one of the asunnot available, then you might look at the price and think that it is a great bargain and want to rush in to a purchase. However, you need to be sure that you know about the area first. You want to know if the location is desirable, if the properties are well built, if they are near to good amenities and things like this. Once you have this knowledge, you will be able to decide whether it is a worthwhile investment, in the same way that you would in the UK.

You also need to be aware of the laws with regards to property purchase. You may find that things are not how your would expect. You also have to be aware of the costs as you may find that they are also quite different to the UK and you need to make sure that you can afford them.

So it can be a fantastic way to invest money, but it is worth finding out a lot about the property market in Finland and whether it is likely to go up or down in value in the future. make sure that it is a good quality property in a good location as well because this will optimise your chances of the value going up rather than down.

Business Purchases

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:05:00 +0000

I always seem to be banging on about making sure that you do not waste money, both in business and in your household budget. I think that there are still many people out there who do not realise how much things cost and how much they could save if they change what you buy. I think that businesses are worse, especially companies where the accounts are only done once a year. I like to keep a constant eye on my income and expenditure and then I know exactly where my money is going and whether I can afford for it to do this. I see companies who are struggling and still spending far too much money on equipment like lab furnaces and marketing etc. It is great to get good quality equipment and use good services, but you do need to make sure that you can afford it because if you do overspend you could go out of business or end up ploughing a lot of your household money in to the business. It can feel like you need to invest in order to grow, but you need to draw the line somewhere and make sure that you are not investing too much and causing financial problems.

Last Months Earnings

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:22:00 +0000

I am a little disappointed at my earnings last month. I lost a customer, who I hope to get back soon, as it was through no fault of my own. This made some difference to my earnings. I also managed to sell a lot of blog posts and links to advertisers in March and it would be good to do some more of that. I have been searching around for opportunities like this but have not found any. I also had less money fro ebook sales and book sales on Amazon. This was due to a lack of stock to sell for the printed books, but on the ebook side of things, I just did not make enough to get paid from my UK sales. Amazon have strict rules on how much money you have to accumulate before they pay you, but with sales going well, I am sure it will not be long before I get paid again.

Saving On Business Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:19:00 +0000

One fantastic thin about the Internet is that we can easily buy things. This can be a problem if we are tempted to spend lots of money but it does mean that we can more easily compare prices and find the best deals. For example, if you are looking at monitor mounts and want the cheapest, you will not have to drive all over the place looking at different retailers and flick through paper catalogues. You can easily take a look at a wide selection of retailers on line and note down the prices and buy form the cheapest. It is such a convenient way of shopping, it is not surprising that many high street stores are closing down.

Kindle Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:14:00 +0000

I published a new book in April and although the sales of that have not yet shown to be particularly good, my overall sales are still pleasing. I sold 53 books in total, which is my second best ever month, beating last month by a fraction. January was still my best, but I feel that was very much to do with people buying new Kindles and I hope that next January will be as good. In fact I need to publish more books before then so there is a higher chance of sales! My sales are still much higher in the USA than in the UK and I have now cashed my third cheque. It has made me think that I really should consider sorting out all of the relevant paperwork to tell the IRS that I pay tax in the UK as they remove 30% before they pay me. If my sales increase, then this is something that I will definitely need to do.

Cheap Housing

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:10:00 +0000

With my parents in retirement, they have been considering the fact that they may eventually not be able to do the stairs in tehir home. They have a few relatives who have moved in to park homes and have looked in to the idea. They felt that it could be a good alternative.

The great thing about them is the fact that they are on the flat, this means that there are no stairs to worry about, although there are usually steps to go up to the front door. They are often on a site with other older people and so it is a great place to make friends. One big disadvantage used to be that the resale market was very poor, as they were cheap and did not make much when being sold. Most people bought new homes and did not sell them when they had finished with them. However, these days the homes are much better made and much more expensive which means that not only are they more luxurious, but they keep tehir value better as they last longer. It could be that they are a far better investment than they used to be.

April Earnings

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:50:00 +0000

Pay to Blog - £43.79

Paid Blogging - £15.25
Blog post - £23.05
Blogsvertise - £5.49

Writing - £505.78

Article Writing - £505.78

Other - £63.26

Amazon Book sales - £2.08
Amazon US ebook sales - £61.18

Making a Grand Total of £612.83

Pest Control Savings

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:29:00 +0000

Spending money on things like pest control can be really annoying. You may feel that you are not getting much for your money and that it is all very expensive. However, it is important to remember that this money is buying you a service and a better quality of life. The best thing to do when you need tempe pest control is to have a look and compare the different companies. You want someone who can sort out the problem quickly and efficiently, which is a competitive price and provides a friendly service. Sometimes it is not always worth paying the lowest price, as you want to make sure you are getting good value for money. You will be having strangers in your home and want to make sure that you feel happy with them being there. You want them to look after your home, treat things with care and not cause any unnecessary damage. You want them to do the job well so that the pests are gone and hopefully will not return. There are many factors to consider as well as the price, but obviously you want to get the best possible service for the lowest possible price and therefore the best value for money.

Working From Home

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:16:00 +0000

I absolutely love being self employed and one of the big bonuses for me is that I get to work from home. Of course, even if you are not self-employed you could still work from home. However, many companies are reluctant to let their employees do this. There is a solution though in the employee monitoring software. Most employers seem to be worried that if they allow their employees to work from home, they will not do their work properly. This is obviously a genuine concern as there will not only be no one there to keep an eye on them, but they will also find it much more distracting being in the home. There are always lots of other things to do in the home, jobs as well as fun things and with no one else there, it is easy to do those instead of your work. However, not everyone is that easily distracted and it can be worth thinking about trying to prove to your employer that this is the case for you and that it could be advantageous for them to allow you to work from home. The employee monitoring software will help with this. How the software works is that it allows an employer to monitor the system of an employee to keep an eye on what they are doing. The great thing is that it is in beta stage and free which means that you can tell your employer all about it and see whether they will have a go at trying it out. It could be the opportunity that you need to be able to prove that you can work form home. Imagine all the fuel and time that you could save, so why not suggest it today? Just download a free copy of the employee monitoring software and see how simple it is to use. Then take it to your employee and show them how simple it is.

Part-Time Work for Your Retirement Years

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:38:00 +0000

When you're retiring, there are financial and personal ramifications you need to consider. Many people still view retirement as a full-time pursuit, but that has changed over the last decade. Retirees may work part-time to keep themselves busy or for financial or healthcare insurance reasons. Before you settle into full retirement or take a part-time job after you retire, evaluate your personal circumstances to avoid a costly mistake.

Finances

You may need part-time work to cover gaps in your retirement plan. Look at your business account or personal accounts to determine if you have enough money to retire fully. How much you'll need depends on your living expenses, medical expenses, potential emergency costs and your life expectancy.

Since it's not possible to determine how long you'll live, assume you'll live to a very old age and budget based on that estimation to avoid shortfalls. Don't forget potential future living expenses that may come with age, such as nursing home care. If part of your money is related to a business account, look at the future of the business when determining its value.

Benefits you receive, such as Social Security and Medicare, may affected by income you receive. Check the rules for any programs you're receiving retirement money from before taking part-time work to determine how much you can earn before you lose money. Income limits for Social Security, for example, may change due to inflation adjustment, so keep up on the latest rules.

Personal Situation

Some retirees work to avoid boredom and lack of activity. If you have a solid routine planned, you may not need a job to keep you active. If you don't, you may need to consider a part-time job to avoid becoming unfocused and listless. If earning extra money will negatively affect your benefits, you can take some unpaid volunteer work instead.

If you decide to get a job, you may face some obstacles because of your age. While age discrimination is against federal law, you might not have a recent enough education to compete with younger applicants, especially in the technological field.

Consider taking some classes if you're concerned about changes in the field you want to work in after you retire. Even if you were an expert at your job, employers do consider recent and continuing education when weighing applicants.

Try Experimenting

You don't need to stick to the same field if you want to try something different. Don't get frustrated or discouraged when looking for work. You may to have to apply to several employers before you find a job. If the job you get doesn't work out or isn't what you expected, don't be afraid to look for something else.

If you've ever wanted to run your own business, retirement may be the time to do so if you can afford it. While you shouldn't risk your retirement egg on a business venture, you may be able to start a small business if the start-up costs are small and the financial risk to you low. Before pouring your money into a business account, make sure your plan is realistic.

Yay!!

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:21:00 +0000

I sold the first copy of my new book today. It was on German Amazon, which was interesting. hopefully it will soon start to sell well everywhere.....

Wheel of Mortgage

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:50:00 +0000

Guest Post

About two years ago, I decided it was finally time to own my first home. My family owned quite a bit of land, so after much deliberation I decided that it was going to be easiest financially to just build a house on the land that was already there. I thought that once I had made this decision it would be a quick and easy process, but boy was I wrong. Every step of the way things kept getting pushed back and delayed. There were problems obtaining almost every permit needed to begin construction, which was very unfortunate considering I needed about 80 different permits. Two years later I am in the final stages of construction and am hoping to be able to move in within the next month or two. Right now I have what is called a construction loan, but once the house is done and I am able to close on it, my construction loan will become a 30 year fixed mortgage.

Obviously the entire process has been pretty intense and stressful, but a good deal of my stress comes from watching the interest rates fluctuate. It's like watching the wheel spin on The Wheel of Fortune. You decide when to set it into motion (look into buying a house) but you have very little idea where it will finally stop. I never anticipated that going on 2 or 3 years later I would still not be done with this whole process and a lot can change in that short amount of time. I have been using mortgage calculators to try to figure out what I am going to end up paying when this is all said and done, but I know they aren't exact and there is no real way of knowing where that wheel is going to land when the day finally comes. Being the control freak that I am, it is very anxiety-inducing to have so little control over something that is going to effect the next 30 or so years of my life. I just hope the fates are in my favor and it happens to be a day or week when the rates have dipped and I get a better rate that I am anticipating (Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?).

Saving Money Everywhere!

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:27:00 +0000

I am always looking for ways to save money and here is a great thing for people who have swimming pools. The solar sun rings can be placed on the surface of the pool. They prevent water and chemicals being evaporated by the sun when the pool is not in use, but they also trap the heat in the water so if it has been sunny in the day, it prevents that heat being lost overnight. If I had an outdoor pool, I would certainly get some, but with the British weather as it is, it is very unlikely!

Looking For Work!

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:20:00 +0000

I find myself looking for work today. My regular Monday and Thursday work has stopped, hopefully temporarily, but it means that I am unusually quiet on a Monday morning. I am therefore looking at a few forums and seeing what sort of thing is available, hopefully I will be emailed something or find something soon as I would really like the money! Otherwise I will be adding more content to my husbands website and brain storming new ideas for my next book.

Saving Money at Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:18:00 +0000

It is not just at Christmas that we spend a lot of money, I spent a fair bit at Easter this year as well. With Christmas shopping, most of tend to spread the cost in some way or another and this usually involves, starting early. Some people even start in the January sales. With Easter you can do the same thing. Often place have sales after Easter and you can get some great things like these kids Easter baskets. Getting the chocolate in advance is not always so easy as the use by date might be up and you will have to resist eating it for a whole year! Another way to save money is to buy the Easter eggs after Easter and you will get them at a reduced price!

New Book!

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:14:00 +0000

I have just completed a new book. it was quite difficult to write, but I am hoping that my slow carb meal planner, will appeal to those who are trying to lose weight by cutting carbohydrates out of their diet. It will be interesting to see how well it sells. My recipe books do seem to be some of my best sellers, so I am hoping that this one will do well as well.

Flooring Value for Money

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 08:53:00 +0000

I am so pleased with our new flooring. It was expensive but it is really good quality, you can just tell when you walk on it. I would recommend spending a bit mor emoney to get a quality product. For example if you are looking at basement flooring options, you want to make sure that you look at everything available. Read customer reviews and speak to sales people as well as manufacturers about their product. If you want something that is going to last a long time, then you want to make sure that you get good quality and that normally means paying a bit more money. It could be worthw aiting to save up money, so that you get something that is perfect, rather than paying less for something that is not such good quality.

Utility savings

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 08:50:00 +0000

I have been keeping a chart of how much money I have been saving on my utility bills. I find it really inspires me when I feel cold because the heating is not on very high, as I can see what a financial difference it is making. I need to start saving up to pay off the interest free credit card, as I would rather not have to take the money out of the premium bonds. I also need to start saving up chunks of money to pay off the mortgage. We do still have a significant chunk,. but I aware that if interest rates go up, we will not be able to afford to save so much. I am also aiming to get more income from my business this year and hopefully we will be able to pay off a big chunk of the money that we owe or at least invest it so it is there when we need it.

Losing Weight and Saving Money

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 08:47:00 +0000

I am sure many people wnat to lose eight for the summer, which is exactly what I am doing. I have been working hard and it has been paying off so far. I will be going to two weddings in September which is also a big incentive.

I have found that because I am eating more fruit and vegetables and less prcessed food as well as a smaller quantity of food, I have been saving money on my shopping bill. It is a great thing to lose pounds in weight but not pounds from my purse!

I think weight loss can be expensive if you use a fad diet like meal replacements or diet pills. They may work quicker but I get worried when I see things like apidextra side effects and because they do not teach you healthy habits for life. It is better to start off eating as you plan to go on and it should help you be more successful.

Ebook Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:31:00 +0000

I was pleased with my ebook sales in March. January was a fantastic month and I did not do as well as then. I sold 73 books that month which was amazing. In March I sold 49 books. That was my second best ever month, so that was very pleasing. My best sales have been with my book on hypoglycemia, which has sold very well in America. My recipe books are also doing well, the Vegan on and the Panini one too. My best seller in the UK is my stress management book and my money management book has been doing well in both countries too.

I am really pleased with this added income stream. Now the books are written I do nothing and the sales just come in. It has proved to be very good. I do have a few more book ideas up my sleeve as well and am looking forward to having a go with them soon.

Last Months Earnings

noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:15:00 +0000

I am thrilled with the amount of money I managed to earn last month and it didn't even feel like hard work! I think the fact that much of the money was gained through passive income, i.e. book sales as well as blog posts and link sales which are very east, it meant that I was not actually doing that much work to earn it. Of course, some months I work really hard and seem to get very little in return. It is fantastic though, to be approaching the end of the tax year, knowing that I will be earning more than I ever have before! Lets hops this continues in to next tax year as well!