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Happy reading!

Deflated-Yard Sale Bust

I really thought that when we held our yard sale over the weekend that I would see the dollars rolling in. We had great stuff for sale.  Good quality furniture, imported ornaments from Bali, designer clothes and all my Avon products were discounted to almost nothing.

People came in and looked through, most didn't even make offers! The items with the most interest were my mums old camera bits and pieces. As far as I was concerned, people only wanted junk, junk and more junk!

One lady even asked me how much a particular dress was and I said $10 because it was custom made as a bridesmaid dress sample and has never been worn. She screwed her face up like she had smelled something bad! I know that people are after a bargain but they are kidding themselves to get a $100+ for less that $10.

Admittedly I sold most of the excess Avon but it was for a pittance. People grouped  individually priced items together and wanted a bulk price. Realistically they got about ten things for the price of one.  A bit ridiculous, but the aim was to clear it out and make some money and every dollar counts towards our goals. Avon is also hard to move when people know that they cannot return it if it doesn't suit them.

I had one lady come and look at the couch only to tell me they were looking at several and she would call me if they wanted it. I figure if they wanted it they would have taken it then and there so I am not going to hold my breath. 

Another person emailed to ask the dimensions of my bedside tables as they were seeking lowline ones. They are definitely low line so i emailed back measurements, but then nothing further. I hate it when people waste my time.

So over the course of the weekend the profits were only $83.00 so while disappointing it wasn't a complete waste of time. I still don't think I'll attempt this again any time soon. I have had more interest just by listing on Gumtree and at least it can sit in my shed until someone wants to see it.

What frustrations you have had, or can you share any tips on creating a successful yard sale?

How I made $978.40 in one month on the side

 In order to reach my minimum goal of $501 a month on top of our current income to pay into our personal loan to have it paid out within three years, I  began looking for ideas and things I could turn in to cold hard cash. I was honestly surprised at how easy it was once I got on a roll of sourcing things I could sell. In the first 11 days I made $729 so it only spurred me to raise the goal to $1000 for the month and hopefully I can continue this over the next few months..

1. I have a mandarin tree out the back FULL of fruit. I don't like mandarins personally, so we got a 60cent packet of freezer bags and bagged them up to sell for $1 a bag outside our house. I had scored an A Frame and crate when i cleared out my parents shed and used the back of a nappy box for a sign. Sixty cents spent $31 made
2. Had a hunt through all our clothes to see what we had that we realistically don't wear/will never wear.  Found a Pantera Leather jacket that my partner has been holding on to and a IItalian Made leather vest. I convinced him that he will never had a need for it. (especially seeing as we don't own a motorcycle) and he will never be an XXL again. ( I think he liked this comment) and so we listed it for sale on www.gumtree.com.au . Nothing spent and made $100
3. I also had a small diamond ring an old (dodgy) boyfriend had given me. I had previously gone to a gold dealer who only offered payment for the gold ( around $20) and nothing for the diamonds (rip off!) and then to cash converters who again offered me pittance for a ring valued at $1200. I listed on gumtree and sold within 24 hours. Nothing spent $150 made
4. Had a whole heap of Avon I had not returned to headquarters from customers. Things like wrong size shoe, wrong make up colour etc. Once I had filled out returns form, the money back from returns covered my last order making it 100% profit. Nothing spent $150 made.
5. Sold some excess Avon product to a friend who came over to pick up their original order. Nothing spent. $8 made
6. I have a budget of $100 a week for food only. For one week I set myself a "No Spend" challenge. The idea being able to use whatever was in my cupboards and fridge/freezer to prepare meals for the week. Nothing spent, $100 made. Not to mention a new appreciation of my food creativity.
7. Dropped off a customer's Avon order for her to offer me a job as a area manager for a local catalogue distribution. I'm looking into it. No spend  and potentially $250 gain ( not counting this yet as haven't said yes but it's a potential! Opportunities are everywhere.
8. Cleaned a house for four hours $60
9. Picked up a 3 piece lounge suite for free, sold it for $180
10.  Helped my mum move house. She paid us $200

So in less than a month I have managed to make $978.40 not including potential job offer which I decided not to apply for as it would mean having even more brochures in my house and having walkers come on to the property to collect them which is impractical with two dogs. But if anything this shows that if you keep your mind open, opportunities to make money are everywhere.

This income is not including the $5000 i won in a facebook like and job listing competition or the $150 worth of Katy Perry eyelashes i also won. Keep entering those competitions!

I WON I WON I WON!

My hands are shaking as I type this. I have a big bubble of emotion rising up inside me. Probably similar to that of J Money from Budgets are Sexy when he found a renter for his place. But my story? Sorry J Money but today I am going to top it.

I had spent most of today brainstorming about what lump sums we had coming up that we could sink into our personal loan. Maybe some of our tax return and if my partner had work straight after being made redundant we  could potentially also use his payout.

Well you wouldn't believe it. I was rocking my bubba to sleep and heard my phone ring. I ignored it, thinking it was just another telemarketer bothering me. I then heard it beep to let me know there was a voicemail.

Honestly i thought nothing of it. I connected to voicemail and started listening. This is what I heard.

"Hi  this is Jeremy . I am the CEO from Service Seeking You entered a competition of ours a while ago and I am ringing you with some wonderful news. Out of the 24,000 people that entered this competition, you are the grand prize winner of $5000. Please call me back on $$$$$$$!"

Honestly if i wasn't sitting down I would have fallen to the floor. Five thousand smackaroons! Of course I called my partner and then my parents, both times sobbing uncontrollably down the phone. If you have not yet read my other post on my partner's redundancy, trust me when I say this that this money has not come at a better time for us.

I am really beginning to believe that all the good karma I have been putting out there in the world daily and my competition entering obsession is really starting to pay off! Not to mention my millionaire manifesting. See? It can happen. Just had to share with everyone.

Dealing with redundancy- potential to be broke again!

"Everyone wants your best, just don't let them take it away from you."

The mission to get this loan paid off has become even more important in the last couple of weeks as we received a letter that the company my partner works at to support us, had made everyone redundant. When we moved here, he was offered a minimum  two year contract only for it too be shutting down just after a year.

I think most people would panic. Especially with the kind of job he does, they are fairly competitive. I think he is starting to feel the pressure,  being only two months out from being unemployed. I am not. 

When we packed up our life a year ago my partner was still applying for jobs in South Australia and living with friends of ours in the Northern Territory and I had already moved down to stay with my mum while I waited for our new house to settle. In effect we had relocated without securing employment for him. 

Sounds ridiculous to some people possibly, but I had it in my head that things would just flow.

 I like to live like a cat. To have no other option than to fall on my feet. 

The week that my partner was down visiting me on his days off, he got a call from a local company to come in for an interview. The day he flew back  they called him to tell him he got the job and the week after our son was born he started his new job. The timing could not have been more perfect.

I think the same thing will happen this time. I only allow myself to manifest positive thoughts.
It's not just all positive thinking of course. That would be a little bit arrogant to just "believe" that a job will present itself. You still have to create a bit of your own luck to succeed. I do believe though that if you do everything within your power to find the answer to your problems it will reveal itself right when you need it.

 I look on the job seek sites every day to make sure that an opportunity is not missed. I send out expressions of interest and always write cover letters tailored to the job to help him stand out from other applicants. I am also entering competitions with cash or with prizes I can resell to make sure we have some savings in our bank account however big or little.

I think the biggest mistake people make is not to make things like this a team effort.
People lose their jobs all the time and there is this excuse of "my husband can't get work." and all the responsibility is left up to the husband to make the money and find new employment because the wife is caring for the children.
 It should be the responsibility of both of you to make it work. I know I would rather do a couple of shifts at a local supermarket while my partner watched our son if it meant putting food on the table or preventing him never being home because he is slogging our 80 hours a week at a backbreaking job. What kind of family life is that?

Do what you can to help.

• Take a casual job
• Get online and learn how to make money
• Learn how to flip items for profit
• Live Frugal
• Enter competitions
• Assist your partner in finding and applying for jobs
• Be prepared to have them work away 
• Find  yourself a side income

Get the wedding you want -without going broke

 Invitations

• Use technology such as facebook/email 
• Make your own
• Look online or in $2 shops 
• Make a video/slideshow and email to friends and family
• A  cheap but pretty pack  of blank cards with your own personal message
• Text message/phone call
  

Venue

• Choose a public place such as a park/beach
•  Friend's property or back garden
• Hall or Church
• Hold your wedding at an off peak time such as winter or a Sunday or weekday as significant discounts apply

Food/Drink

• Book out a small restuarant for the night
•  Pin one booking against the other to see if they can match or beat the quote
• use a catering company
• Cocktail instead of a sitdown dinner
• BYO alcohol ( if at an establishment you will usually need to pay a corkage fee)
• Ask for guests to pay towards their meal instead of giving a gift
• Have a bar where guests can purchase their own alcohol
• Don't have alcohol at the wedding
•  Ask guests to bring a plate of food if low key wedding
• Have a BBQ
• Buy alcohol in bulk online or make a deal with local wineries of bottle shop

Guest List

• Do not include children as they usually cost as much as the adults
• Have a no plus 1 policy unless both parts of the couple are good friends
•  Don't feel obligated to invite people just because they might get offended. Unless they are paying for it.

Cake

• Have a fake cake. Lots of companies are now making styrofoam cakes for 1/3 of the price of a normal wedding cake. The guests are then serves from a plain rectangle cake cut up out the back and are none the wiser.
• Choose to have a cake made at a local bakery rather than a specialist wedding cake maker
• Buy several cheaper cakes and purchase the special rods to sit in the cakes so you can stack them like a wedding cake.
• Make your own cake or have a friend who is a good baker make one for you.
• Make it less fancy. The simpler the design, the cheaper is will be. Don't get too carried away, it's only going to get cut up.

Wedding dress

• Instead of shopping at bridal stores and boutiques, try looking online.
• Second hand designer dresses from small second hand boutiques
• Use a relatives old wedding dress and have a dressmaker makes some adjustments to fit your properly and have your flair on it.
• Have it made overseas.There are lots of online stores you can send your measurements too with a copy of the dress you want to have them made really cheaply. Just do it well ahead of time because if it needs a slight adjustment you will need time to get it done.
• Wedding dresses are rarely worn more than once check graigslist or gumtree for second hand ones for sale.
• Hire a dress rather than buy.
• Go non traditional. Look at formal dresses rather than traditional wedding dresses.
•  

Bridesmaids dresses

• Set a theme of colour and get the girls to buy their own dresses that they can wear again
• Have less bridesmaids
• Source your own material and have a friend/family make the dresses
• Order online or have made overseas. 
• Have them all over and get them to bring all the dresses they own to choose the best ones suitable for your wedding
• Have them wear whatever dress they like but have a continuing theme such as an accessory or prop like a parisol.
• Dress down. Themes like a beach theme can save you money by having them barefoot, cheaper summer dresses or kaftans.

Groomsmen

•  Hire the suits
• Set a dress code and have them choose what to wear. eg white shirt black pant
•  Wear whatever colour suit they own but have a common element such as a particular tie 
•  Buy a cheaper suit from a department store or online rather than a bridal/formalwear store

Entertainment

• Advertise so locals can find you and give you a quote
• Find buskers you like and make them an offer
• Compare prices on DJs, live bands etc
• Have a friend who is a great musician/dancer/singer perform for you
•  Look on Facebook and MySpace for up and coming bands looking for gigs

Hair and Make Up

• Get everyone to do their own make up
• Get a student make up artist to do it for cheaper. ( just make sure you have a trial so you are both clear on what you want)
• Ask for a group discount for any extra family or friends who might want their make up done too.
•  Go and get a free makeover at a local salon/ Myer/pharmacy from a product demonstrator

Decorations

• Look online and in cheap shops for great bargains
• Use flowers from a friends garden
•  Make your own

Car Hire

• Have wedding location close to accommodation so there isn't a need for car hire
• Arrive on horseback instead
• Borrow a car from a friend who may have a classic or a neat tidy car
• Book a taxi to get there
• Hire a bus for entire bridal party but keep bride and groom blindfolded

Until debt do we part- The wedding debt trap.

"Marriage: Betting someone half your stuff, that you will love them forever."

Getting married for a lot of women is one of the biggest, most important events of their life. Everything is planned down to the  tiniest details and  the day MUST be perfect.

Do you know that the average Australian wedding costs around $54,000?????
On top of this proposals are become more and more complicated, expensive and over the top.  Add in the engagement party, hens and bucks night and rehearsal dinner and without some serious budgeting you my friend, will be crying poor in the not too distant future.

Potential future husbands:DO NOT log off here. You need to be prepared for this and how to shut it down  before it becomes World War III.

Maybe you and your fiance should even read this together before picking up the phone to call all your friends and family.

I know that when I got engaged I was so excited. I had this gorgeous rock on my finger, a catch of a man for keeps and now a wedding to plan. 

My excitement lasted all of 2 weeks. It became so overwhelming that three years later, I still have not managed to make it down the isle.

Mistake no 1: I want YOU to be in my wedding. And you  and you and you! 

All us girls want our besties included in the big day. After all they were there for all the high and low points in your life.  The first ones you called and celebrated with when he gave you that bling, so why not? I picked two friends of mine with the possibility of adding another two. Of course all the girls are different shapes and sizes and required  different style dresses to be comfortable. Scouring ebay I finally realised whatever I chose, it would probably have to all be tailor made. In other words very expensive. Not to mention, hair make up.... you get where I am going.

Mistake no 2. Of course you can come AND bring your partner who we barely know. 

I was really caught off guard by this one. All these friends of mine who while i was in regular contact with, I had very little to do with their partners. It was always assumed by them though, that inviting their partners to come as a plus one was their right of passage.I really struggled with this. I understand that people are often more comfortable attending with their partners but when your cutting loved ones off your list to keep under budget so people you don't really know  can attend you can become slightly resentful.

Mistake No 3. Using the word wedding
Mention the word wedding and be prepared to watch their eyes glaze over to be replaced by dollar signs. Every time a caterer, cake maker etc hears "wedding" the price suddenly doubles or triples. I remember getting one quote from a well known 5 star hotel chain and then one from a local restaurant. To book out the restaurant would have cost me three times the price. So much for trying to support the locally owned businesses.

Mistake 4. Hell yeah! One big party with 3 courses  and booze all night!
Oh my goodness. If I had known what these cost per person I would NEVER have told anyone about this. I still think you should feed people at a wedding but providing a 3 course dinner and five hours of alcohol was possibly overreaching. I now wish all my all my friends were not party people and would be satisfied with orange juice.

 These four points can have a massive effect on your finances so take heed. To give you a bit more of an idea of costs involved Lets  break it down of costs just for fun. Although it can vary considerably depending on the sort of wedding you choose but most of this is standard wedding stuff. I will post another article on how to make big savings for your wedding.

Ceremony/Reception

• Invitations $200-$300
• Wedding Planner $1000+
•  Celebrant-$500-600
• Decorations (carpet, arch, floral arrangements, lighting etc) $1000-$4000
• Venue $500+
• Sit down dinner $90 pp
• Alcohol package $40 pp 
• DJ for five hours $600+
• Live entertainment $1000-$10,000 
• Photographer $3000-$7000
• Videographer $3000-$7000
• Rings $1000+ pp (very conservative)\
• Car hire $2000+

Bridal Party

• Wedding Dress anywhere $500-$7,000
• Bridesmaid dresses $500-$700pp
• Hair and make up for bridal party $100 pp
•  Drinks and Nibbles $150+
• Room hire to get ready $300+
• Manicure and pedicure $50 pp
• Gifts for bridesmaids $50 pp

Groomsmen

• Suit buy/hire $100+ pp
• Drinks and nibbles $150+
• Gifts for groomsmen $50 pp
• Room hire to get ready $300+
• Brown paper bag for anxiety ridden groom 0.80 cents

 Honeymoon

• $2000-$20,000 plus spending money 

Scary right? Now you know why it's taken me so long. I could have some serious equity in my house if I put the money in to that instead! keep your eye out for my upcoming post on ways to can cut wedding costs.

What mistakes did you make while planning your wedding?