To celebrate a month of not spending done well

Let me kill your connection:



Ace. Utterly ace.

I love YouTube.

Last night

I watched the Spiderman 3 trailer on my mac.

It was almost *too* good. Shiny.

Once again...

I'm glad I got out of pharma marketing. I'm sorry to say nothing in this article surprises me in the slightest; it's stuff I've actually helped people do. I feel dirty. Thing is, most people involved are good people under pressure to perform because that's what they get paid for, and they want to pay the bills. No one person ever goes out there to say "let's make everyone afraid of some natural feeling which is rarely a problem - then we can make money". They say "how can we make more money for our company so we can research new drugs?". No-one gets around to researching the right new drugs, though. They're all thinking about making more money in order to do something altruistic. And the altruism never surfaces.

That's business, and it sucks. At least it sucks when you're talking about people's health. To be honest, Coke can do what they want, because it's my decision whether I buy their product. They're not telling me there's something wrong with me which can only be cured by their product. And if they try, I know they're a consumer product and I shouldn't trust them. We all think that we should trust pharma because they wear white coats.

Here endeth the rant.

I'm having a confidence crisis at the moment. A recruitment agency told me I don't have enough commercial experience to run my own business. Now, the plan is to do it part time for a while while I get that experience, but it's one of those things you don't want to hear. Especially when it's a fear I have anyway. Still, if commercial stuff means getting back into pharma and things, that's probably for the best.

I think I need to focus on the positives for a bit. Last night I did some work on Cambridge.IsHome and fell in love with WordPress, and my Mac, all over again. I could just kiss them both. If one wasn't some zeroes and ones and one wasn't a box made to hold zeroes and ones.

A proper update for a change

I thought I should take five minutes out to do a proper update for a change. I'm in the middle of doing some site-build work for my day job, trying hard to get caught up with everything and the site launched on schedule. It's been hard work and there's a bit still to do, but things are coming along nicely and the end is in sight. I've started to become quite good at the RedDot content management system now.

I've also found working from home suits me brilliantly. I get more done at home in the evenings than I do in the office during the day - simply because it's impossible for colleagues to ask me to help them with anything. My problem is I can't say no - whatever people want help with, I'll help them with it, whether it's my job or not. Sitting in the kitchen of an evening with the stereo on, plugging away at a website, I'm getting tonnes done. I can have a straight four hours on the site build and get more done than in a normal working day. I can also get caught up with my emails.

Cambridge.IsHome is ticking over at the moment, and not much more. I've got a load of photos to convert to banner images, and would have more had my camera not decided to commit bizarre battery-saving suicide the other day (I think it's salvagable - if not, it's just the memory card which needs replacing). There's a lot planned - regular features, a weekly update (although I need to sort out the timing on that), a contact form, and soon a .kmz file I'll keep updated with links to venues and things I visit. I keep thinking there's a lot of potential with the site. Once I reach a critical mass with content, I'll start promoting it around town a little. Then there are some seasonal themes I need to get prepared - Halloween (which I already have an article planned for), Bonfire Night, Christmas... I know, I know. Planning too far ahead already...

As for Live Like A Monk Month, I had a shaky middle to the month but things have sorted themselves out well. I think I'll make it now, and I've not even had a really bad time or anything. In fact, the only monk-like elements to the month are the head-shaving and the chastity. And the filthy habit, ha ha ha.

So... eleven days to go until the end of the month, when it'll be all change for me again. The back of the day-job site build should be broken by then, I can spend again (although I think I'll choose to keep the budgeting thing going), and I should have my own sites slightly further along by then too.

Oh, one last thing - I'm advertising the Midget. Contact me if you want it - adam@maltpress.co.uk

Whoops

I've only just noticed I deleted the top banner from this site a little while ago. Damnit.

I'm not going to fix it now: I'm off to bed, it being an ungodly hour. Sorry everyone. I have deadlines which I really want to exceed - the sooner I meet them the sooner I can leave my job. :D

In the mean time, ha ha ha ha...

Utterly painfully busy

In the next month and a half...
- five sites to build for day job
- normal day-job stuff as well
- two personal sites to redesign, write, and build
- two blogs to run, one of which needs me to review stuff
- business plan to re-visit

Cripes, eh? That's why I'm not around much at the moment, and when I am around I'm in a bad mood. Sorry. Normal service to resume soon.

Look at the beautiful sun!

My god, it's wonderful. I have to get out there.

Today I am planning to bike into Cambridge to do some photography for Cambridge.IsHome. I need to spend as little as possible, though. Live like a monk month isn't going brilliantly. Don't get me wrong, I'm saving loads, but if I want to keep to my budget I have to spend even less. There's a leaving do for someone at work next week and it's going to be pricey. Especially because it's her birthday too and I want to get her a present.

It's not as if I've even been frivolous. Strawberry Fair cost me little as I was drinking coke all day. Went to a barbeque and took food, but not that much. Been cycling in to work. Did spend on cold drinks the other day but I think that's OK.

If it wasn't for this leaving do I'd be well on track. Oh well - I'll have to see how best I can budget for now...

Cambridge.IsHome

Time to reveal the new project. Cambridge.IsHome is a new site celebrating everything great about where I live - Cambridge. As you could probably guess from the title.

You can find Cambridge.IsHome here: http://cambridge.ishome.co.uk

Last night I did some photography in Cambridge, came home, put together a mock-up title bar and had a quick go at the style sheets.

I'm using WordPress to build the site - it's blogging software but I'm using it as a content management system. The main benefits of this system - which work well with what I'm planning to do - are the categorisation of posts, nice control over comments, and a really nice clean look. I'm not messing with the standard look and feel that much. Writing's the main point of the site.

Having said that, I have some nice images from Cambridge today. I'm sure I'll share at some point, probably on Flickr.

Photos look lovely on the mac screen, by the way :D

For sale...

My lovely car. Sob! Get in touch if you want to buy it.

Shiny shiny shiny shiny shiny...

...shiny shiny shiny shiny.

Yes, I've got a MacBook. Yes, it's the most excellent thing ever.

Now I'm doing a lot of testing of open source software - MacGIMP, OpenOffice, that sort of thing, in order to make the most cost effective use of it. There's a lot of learning to do - I've (obviously) got the hang of the basic browsing stuff and some of the basic apps, so now it's time to start making best use of the thing.

I've never seen a screen like it though. So amazingly sharp and clear. I really, really want to start using this for image manipulation, hence MacGIMP being the first download...

Live like a monk month - an update

Well, it's funny how my social life explodes into action the minute I tell myself not to spend any money.

Still, I seem to be doing OK, even if I am driving in to work at the moment in a real display of laziness. I'll start biking again next week. Honest. I have 28 days left (as the new countdown timer - from Free Flash Toys shows) and most of the money left at the moment.

Please don't break in to my house to steal it.

Work is very, very busy and very, very stressful. I'm wound up tighter than a very tight thing at the moment. But its's nearly the weekend. I have fun things planned, including partying, Strawberry Fairing, computer shopping, and sleeping.

Just ignore that bit about computer shopping, OK? If we pretend it's not really happening, then it won't count against live like a monk month.

Names and sole tradership

So... I'm not going to be JuicyFly limited. At least not at the start.

It's a shame because I love the name and the designs Oli did for me. But for financial and administrative reasons I've decided to go down the route of being a sole trader, which means I have far less paperwork and far fewer costs like accountants. I could be a sole trader "trading as..." but that looks a bit fly-by-night.

So say hello to Maltpress Web Consultancy.

JuicyFly will remain, however, as will the JuicyFly Empire. It's going to be a far less formal "thing", where I'll be playing with new toys, trying some PHP stuff out and having a creative outlet. Maltpress.co.uk will become the official company website and the redesign work will commence tonight.

It's very exciting. Timelines are set, goals are set, stuff is moving along nicely... it's all I can do to stop myself jumping up and down with glee.

Plus I've decided that - if I'm having to sell my car - I need something with which to impress girls. So I'm getting a MacBook. Much drooling will occur. I'm watching the phone, waiting for them to tell me they have some in...

As of tomorrow...

HM Revenues and Customs recognise me as self employed. Well, back-dated, they will.

I am now a sole trader, trading as "Maltpress Web Consultancy".

And what's happening to JuicyFly? More news tomorrow.

Filling forms

Following a restful weekend during which I watched an inordinate number of films (X-Men III is quite good - not brilliant, but quite good) I am now doing set-up with a vengeance. I've had some good advice and the point at which I say I am self employed seems very, very close.

So today it's contacting the Inland Revenue and DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) to register for VAT and to register as self employed. That way I get to pay tax, but also get to claim back the VAT on my capital outlay, like a laptop and business cards.

On the subject of laptops, the Mac option is looking really good at the moment. Especially when VAT is taken off. I'm going to get some advice, but I really do think I'll get one - after all, I'm going to be working damn hard for it, I may as well enjoy it.

Anyone got any experience of working between PC and Mac and care to talk me out of it/advise me further?

My poor brain

I am incredibly hurty at the moment. Beer festival. Ow.

Today I will be mostly laying in bed watching Alien on DVD and feeling sorry for myself. This will be an enjoyable hangover. Hurrah.

Gosh, what a rotten occurence

I'm trying very, very hard not to say rude words.

Bad car things:

• Metro has failed MOT and is costing me a bomb to have fixed. Bottoms!


• Midget needs new points and the only way they could be harder to get to would be to put them in another country. Flip!


• Tax is due on Metro as well, which is even more money. Crivens!

Please replace the above non-expletives with real swears. Real bad, bad, swears, which would make women blush.

Wow

Sparkly things, eh? They're so ace. This is what the future should be like - floaty displays and thinks you can control by waving your hands about, like the Nintendo Wii (ha ha ha).

Just thought I'd post that in a short break from writing a business plan and doing cash flow forecasts...

Live like a monk month - the strategy

So, my brother and dad are signed up for this. Dad's going to take my cards from me (with strict instructions not to buy things off the internet with it) and my brother's joining in. I've been trying to work out strategies. Here are some of the ideas, in no particular order...

• Only "done a poo" at work - hence removing the need for loo paper.


• Stop going out for lunch. It's not something I do much - in fact this is only going to save me about £10 over the month - but that's enough.


• Bike in to work. I've been doing that out of necessity the past few weeks, because I didn't have the Metro, but I have to remain strong and not be tempted to drive any more than I have to.


• Do a proper planned shop - maybe even sharing lifts with my brother and getting stuff together.


• Eat all the stuff I have in the freezer. Not all together, of course, because that would be nasty. I'm going to start tonight with the quiche I have. Mmm, cold egg pie. Love it.


• Eat more biscuits at work. I put a pound a week into the biscuit kitty; I don't think I'm getting my money's worth at the moment. Although I doubt they'd appreciate my idea of bringing a doggy-bag.

Any other ideas? Use the comment thingy. No-one has for ages. I'm starting to think no-one reads this.

June - live like a monk month.

In my quest to not owe money any more and - of course - to fight the evil of capitalism and other higher aims (actually, just to get out of debt - it's purely selfish) I am declaring June to be "live like a monk month".

At the start of the month I'm taking a wodge of cash out of my bank account and then handing my debit card and credit card over to my dad. If I need something which is outside my budget, I need to make a case for it with dad. If he's not convinced, I don't get the money. Obviously, some things I'll have to pay for - the MOT's due on the Midget and I need to get that done before I sell it, and I'll have to pay to advertise it, too.

I hope I don't alienate my friends. If they ask if I want to go out and the week's budget is nearly gone, I'll have to say no. Certainly at the start of the month I'll be saying no to everything, and I'll be more likely to treat myself at the end.

It's been inspired by lots of things, really. The Motley Fool is the main one, with lots of stories from people who've saved loads and are now financially far safer (not necessarily rich, but sorted). Alvin Hall's book Money for Life, which I got from the library, is another one. But mostly it's because I have to sell my baby and that sucks, and it's my own damn fault for spending money on things.

It's also going to mean I'll be out less, which means more time on business set-up. Which is good.

It'll be an interesting experiment and one I'll blog relentlessly.

EDIT - I've just had a look at Moneysavingexpert.com and - as well as the advice being good, the copy writing is brilliant. Design isn't great, but the use of headlines, call-out boxes and so on makes it easy to read. Plus the language used is nicely colloquial, simple and structured.

Pity it's so FireFox unfriendly though.

I'm such a sucker

For shiny things. I keep trying to justify getting one. There's utterly no way - while the business is going to need a laptop of some description, being realistic a Windows box would be more convenient all round and a lot more affordable. If someone at the bank said "why a mac?" I doubt "because it's shiny and looks nice" would be a good enough reason to spend twice as much on a computer.

Bah.

Leasing, finance and so on would be an option, but I want to pay for as much as possible at the outset and have a minimum of ongoing revenue costs. While I know I can get at least some work at the outset to pay for things, whether I can sustain enough work long term to keep me in shiny things is another matter. If it all goes wrong and I have to get a "proper" job again, at least if I buy outright I'll still own - or be able to sell - my assets, and I won't be saddled with longer term debts. As it is, the cost of setting up looks like it's spiralling anyway - business cards, registrations, insurance, accountants... frightening.

Oh, and discussions this weekend led me to believe making and selling t-shirts for my imaginary band (which I can't help but refer to as "we", as in "we have no members or songs") might actually be a little bit more mad than I thought. I like to think of it as a whimsical eccentricity.