Rebuilding my nest egg

So, regular readers will know that my nest egg is gone. Ah well, it could've been worse. Honestly, I think I would be even more stressed if I didn't have the nest egg in the first place.

So now I'm starting to focus on rebuilding my nest egg. I've already talked about my budget strategy, but obviously I need to do a little more now. There have been some great tips over at Simple Green Frugal Co-op (the other blog I write in). In particular I'm really liking the concept of consciously having "no-spending days". Now I pretty much already have done this now and then but its not been a conscious choice. So I've decided that I really need to set a no-spending challenge.

So this weekend will be my NO SPENDING WEEKEND. I'm not going to plan to spend stuff tomorrow either. My menu planning is holding up so technically I should have enough food for the weekend. I am also not expecting any bills to come up this weekend either (and bills don't arrive on weekends). The only temptations my way are:

1. The deceased estate auction being held this Sunday. I guess this is easy to avoid. I just won't go. I *did* have my eye on some pretty glassware and some bowls but I don't *need* them so I'll just let it go. (For other ONC'ers - that's one less competition for those glasses! If you do go and get those glasses, then please let me know here! I'd love to ooh and aah with you!)

2. Replenishing my craft supplies for my children's bedroom decor project. Okay this one is a toughie. Usually its when I'm in the middle of crafting that I suddenly decide I *need* a particular type of paint/glue/bit. So I normally go out and buy it. I'll be doing the kids bedroom decor tomorrow and over the weekend. So let's hope that I'm sufficiently organised by tomorrow to not need to spend anything by the weekend.

And that's it!

Now the other thing I've been thinking of has been to actually sell some of my crafts. Nothing huge. Maybe just selling some vinyl record bowls and record cover boxes and book wallets and book bags (note links take you to crafts I had made for myself), but I'll have to research which markets I should organise having a stall. It would be a one off thing. (If you have any ideas about which markets I should go to, let me know!) I'm not planning on selling regularly because to be honest I really suck at selling. Its bad enough when I have to "sell myself" when I'm applying for jobs let alone selling an item I actually crafted!

And finally, after much umming and aahming I've decided to sell this board game, "Called to Arms" that I have. I had originally planned to cut it up for crafting until I saw it at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney (but the game is in pieces, while mine is still intact)! Its over 100 years old (printed between 1899 to 1901) and distributed by National Games which were based in Ballarat, Victoria. The game was based on Australia's (then current) engagement in the Boer War.

I also considered donating it to the Australian War Memorial but then as my neighbour told me - I should be thinking of rebuilding my nest egg.

Just so I can remember it (sob), here are some pics:

Front Cover

Actual board - check out the flag! Australia didn't have its own flag until 1903 so prior to that we used the British flag to represent Australian troops.

I asked around and it seems that Ebay is the way to go to sell my board game. What do you think?

Anyway, so those are my plans to rebuild my nest egg. Yep, the plans are not complicated and no doubt there are better ways to do it, but for now those plans suit me so I'll stick with them for now.

Wish me luck for this weekend! Hopefully I'll be consciously having no-spending days more regularly from now on!