Spare what?

 Month 3 - Bite 22

Now this is going to sound rather grand - following yesterday's encounter with some spare technology I've now found some spare jewellery.... Not wildly expensive crown jewels sort of stuff that will fetch a king's ransom and I'm not the kind of person you'll find dripping with diamonds either. I do, however, have one or two pieces I never wear.

For example, I've got a bracelet, quite pretty, but not one I've worn for a long time. It wasn't chosen for me and I'm not really very attached to it so there's really no reason to be hanging on to it. So, today's task is to cull my jewellery box of anything I don't wear, or is broken, and then find out what to do with any pieces I never wear and that aren't the kind of thing that my family might want. 

I know there's also a broken chain from a good maker and a ring that was bought many moons ago. I wonder what else I might discover....

I have also got some little bracelets that I made a while ago - time to track these down while I'm on the glittery trail and list them online too.

Wonder what I'll discover next!

Funny what you can find lying around...

 First a bit of a quick result...

Having found and downloaded an app for selling photographs I managed to upload one or two to see if they were interested and lo and behold they've accepted a few.

These for example...

A random collection I know - or is it an eclectic mix, well anyway let's see what happens!

Month 3 - Bite 21

While carrying on with the sorting and throwing I have come across some old technology. There's a digital assistant, a very old personal notepad thingy (so old that I don't know what it's called) and amazingly a phone...

Today then I need to find out if any of these have any value and then pop them off to wherever will take them!

Let's Get Appy

 Having started all the research into online and physical sales, not to mention the web social media and online surveys it's time to address my use of apps.

I know there's probably an app for most things, but now it's time to find out about apps that can help me with my Eating the Elephant project

Month 3 - Bite 18

I run - not very fast and some might say that others walk more quickly than my running speed, but neverthless I say that I run. One of the highlights of my week is the Park Run on Saturday morning. I like to go to Killerton most weeks....

but of late part of the course - Muddy Lane - has truly lived up to its name and my hips and knees don't thank me for the part that lies under water! So then I join our seafront Park Run ...

I know, tough life eh?!

Anyway, I do remember reading somewhere about an app or two that rewards you in points for exercise taken so next on the list is tracking (sorry) down an app or two to try. If there's a way for adding extra delight to my walks and runs around here then why not?

Month 3 - Bite 19

Looking through some of my photos I also thought I might look up some of the apps that will accept photographs and sell them online, recompensing you as they are used. My photography skills aren't incredible, but faint heart and all that so the task of the moment is to find and download the app and upload one or two photos to see if they are acceptable. You never know.

Month 3 - Bite 20

Finally on the apps front it's time to research vouchers and coupons. I know some websites and newsletters have suggestions for where you can find these (thank you Mr Lewis) and that there are apps that can direct you quickly to what's available so that's a step to be taken.

Not my strong point!

 

I'm going to put it out there I'm rubbish at selling!

There are others in my family who could sell umbrellas in a desert, but not me. I love making, I enjoy chatting about how I create things, I feel the urge constantly to be sewing or knitting or writing, but then I'm left with stuff. I've done craft fairs and written when asked and all that sort of thing, however, when it comes to selling it on, urgh... It's just not my strong point. That's why I was so pleased with myself for doing the work for the website I mentioned earlier. I managed to suppress my imposter syndrome fears and make contact.

This next little suite of mouthfuls are all about getting to grips with it again in order to pass on some of my makes and to add to that extras account....

Month 3 - Bite 13

I've written for pleasure for a long time. As I've mentioned before I have written as part of jobs I've had and then been paid as a writer for a variety of publications and so on. I have a number of notebooks full of ideas, half-written stories, article research, etc. just sitting there waiting for me to do something constructive. So today's the day. I've got a story in full in my head and I need to get it down. That happens a lot. The difference is that today, instead of saving it into a folder on the laptop, I will research a magazine and send it off to see what happens! If you get to read a story called 'No Treats at Pete's' (all about a neighbour's cat) at some point then you'll know its fate too.

Month 3 - Bite 14

A number of years ago the readers of this blog encouraged me to get up the courage to approach a local shop with some of my brooches and to my surprise they took them, sold them and then asked for more!!

I need to face this fear again and see if a brilliant local cafe gallery we've got nearby is interested in some of my new designs and perhaps some cards. Deep breath and...

I also need to investigate a co-operative stall in our indoor market who sell items from a variety of local crafters and artists and then see if there's any mileage in that avenue too.

Month 3 - Bite 15

While I'm being brave (!) some research into craft fairs and table sales needs to be done. I have participated in these before with different degrees of success. The difficulty is in finding the right fit for what I've got without having to produce loads more stock which then leads to more clutter and.. well you get the idea. Also, there's the issue of the size of charge for the stall so that it doesn't end up costing more that I make! There are one or two possibilities around here that occur regularly, particularly when the holidaymakers are in  town so today's project is to find the details and dates and then put them in the diary to visit and decide if it's worth taking a table. Then moving on one step when I know and booking it.

Month 3 - Bite 16

Do I have enough stuff for a Boot Fair I wonder? Well the next task is to venture into the loft and find out. Once that's done I need to repeat the same process as for the craft fairs and decide if, when and where I should move forward with this one. Perhaps I'll ask my neighbours who like to clear their stuff with a day at a Boot Fair once the weather improves.

Month 3 - Bite 17

Finally a big one. From time to time I've popped the odd photo on Instagram (and received some nice comments as well as a few likes and the odd follower. This research project is to find out about using social media and how I might use it, then to start posting more frequently (if I say regularly I'll persuade myself that it means once every other month and that's not what I mean). I'll need to read up on my Sara Tasker and investigate how to present everything, but nothing ventured, nothing gained they say. (I just say 'Help!).

Play your Cards Right and Give an Opinion

 Now I know I've got some catching up to do, but some of the backlog is by design.. yes, honestly. 

With some of these tasks I wanted to have something to show for them so I've delayed detailing them to enable me to put the task and any immediate results in the same place, rather than trying to flick backwards and forwards to see how it all went... SO

Month 3 - Bite 8

When I pruned the plastic lurking in my purse, wallet and other locations I was a bit shocked to find a number of credit cards. One or two were well past their expiry dates so they've been carefully disposed of, but there were a number of others that I seemed to be using in a very random way. Today's research needs to look at what exactly each card gives me (as I usually pay them off in full so don't need necessarily to worry about APRs and all of that).

Once I'd looked into it I only needed to keep three. One I only use on holidays abroad (fingers crossed that can happen again now). It's because it doesn't add a surcharge for using it in Euros (or whatever) and the exchange rate back to sterling isn't bad at all. That left me with two. It didn't seem to matter too much when I shopped equally in both the supermarkets that issued them, as the rate at which I could earn vouchers was the same as was the value of the 'points' or 'rewards' they gave. Now, though, I use one far more than the other so it's time to use that one solely to gain the maximum value in vouchers.

Month 3 - Bite 9

In amongst the bits of plastic was an old Oyster Card for travelling in London. Not something I do anymore! I thought it still might have some cash stored on it so dug up the account details, logged on and voila! there was nearly £15 just sitting there. One phone call later and it was winging it's way into my 'extras' account. That led me to double check on the other bits of plastic that I'd weeded out only to find odd bits and pieces on other cards and subscriptions - no prizes for guessing what I've done there...

Month 3 - Bite 10

That led me onto survey sites. At one time I used to idly complete surveys while I was working away from home and browsing while in hotel restaurants at breakfast time. The next task was to track down all the survey sites along with any account details I'd squirrelled away. That led to listing what they gave as rewards, which were worth pursuing and which not to waste time on. While in the midst of this I discovered enough points to claim a cash reward of £5 and a voucher for £25 - yes £25.. how did I miss that?

Month 3 - Bite 11

Obviously that means that the next step is to reboot the survey taking to add to the hoard. I now know which sites to visit (from re-establishing contact the previous day some email invitations are already appearing. I don't use my regular email address for these. I've always had a separate one for competitions, surveys and giving out an email address in shops that can't lead anyone to my work or personal emails. I'm now going to allocate the period of time between my coffee and breakfast as survey time. A finite period that won't use too much time and yet should provide more for the extras stash.

Month 3 - Bite 12

Finally (for now), I need to award myself time to gather all the information on savings that I possess. There are a number of little sums in odd accounts scattered about - I'm talking £2-3 at a time. These would do better in one savings account with as decent an interest rate as I can find. That's that job for today's list!

None of this has proved very interesting in a photogenic way, so perhaps it's time to confess to another reason or two for not driving the keyboard so regularly of late...

There's this...

                                 

and this..

                                

and then again...

                             

Well, you wouldn't expect anything less from my distracted thought processes would you? Mind you, the last photo is of a purse for a birthday gift card so it's not quite as random as it appears at first.. really..

A bit of good luck to set the month off well..

 Month 3 - Bite 4

As it happens I used to write a bit... Not great literary works or anything (don't say you're not surprised having read this blog...), but advice articles, activity suggestions and handbooks for youth organisations, lesson materials for schools, a range of 'stuff' really. It just so happened that I was reading a newsletter from a website that I follow when I saw a request for writers. Well, I thought, why not so I made contact, did a sample piece and lo and behold I've been accepted. So with very little effort I've got another little pot of gold (well dollars actually) to add to the extras account!

Month 3 - Bite 5

Having reactivated the online auction some of the listings are already on the move. There are a number of items that are gathered together from my makes. I've always wondered if I could sell on an online craft site so today's task is to set up an account and start listing some of the cards and brooches I've created. Fingers crossed!

                            

Month 3 - Bite 6

In addition to the easily posted craft items I've made some larger, more expensive to post, things which need to be moved on. There are one or two local social media sites for local sales around here so the next on the joblist is to investigate these and start listing some of the bulkier items so see if they will sell.

Month 3 - Bite 7

And finally, the last of this little run of jobs is to look through some of the online sites for clothes. When I was freeing up my wardrobe I created a small pile of dresses that might sell, but I've never found out much about the apps to do this. That's another line of enquiry to follow!

Mind you - I think some practice with photography wouldn't come amiss!

Oliver - the elephant who wants some more!

 Meet Oliver...

This little elephant ushers in a month that will see him, just like his namesake, asking for more!

This month I'm going to research and (hopefully) take some action to increase my income. Not anything as big as a new job - after all I've been looking forward to more freedom with retirement. But I know there are avenues to explore, especially after all the discoveries around the bungalow of 'stuff' I don't need even though it's in good condition - just not needed by me!

Month 3 - Bite 1

The first move is some preparation. I need to find a home for any 'extras' I raise so that I can see just how much the exercise raises. An account is required to stash any new money in easily and quickly before it just gets spent elsewhere.

My banking app has a savings account which is empty since I raided it for a holiday. That's where I'll start. In this account will go anything that comes in from the steps I take this month and hopefully keep on taking! Some of the amounts will be quite small so it might pay me (sorry) to pay in once a month unless a large amount turns up. (Mind you if I win big on the Premium Bonds I might just splurge - but I'm not holding my breath.) I can use the app I record my spending on as it's got a money in option so I'll just pop off and set that all up....

Month 3 - Bite 2

One of the final tasks from last month was based on the DVDs and CDs that are no longer used along with the emptying of the bookcases. First off these must go as they're taking up rather a lot of room. There's a number of companies that take them and resell them. The amounts they pay are very small, but with so many to dispose of that's my first port of call. All those I've been recommended send labels for postage so that part doesn't cost anything and there are drop off points at local venues (including the garage at the end of our road and the local Post Office), so that's where I'll start..... Operation scan it, box it and post it starts here!

Month 3 - Bite 3

Some of the items sorted and ready for going out are saleable - stamps, coins, brooches, programmes... So today is all about dusting off my old account with an online auction. It could be a long day of photographing, writing descriptions and posting items, but I'm hoping that by downloading their app it will be speedier than it was the last time I tried. Mind you, that was when we had both just left the classroom and had lots of our tools of the trade and reference books to shift. That time we raised enough to pay for new winter jackets and walking boots for our 'new life'! I'm not sure there's enough to raise that much now, but as they say it all adds up.

Before I start listing anything there's the small maths task of checking the cost of fees and postage to make sure the process makes sense financially.....