My name is Vicki and I am often called The Property Mermaid because of my dual passions of scuba diving and buying the stinky houses that provide the cash flow to give me the lifestyle I love. I don’t have to work – I do because I love it – I enjoy everyday. Over the last two years I have have written two book; one about Using Other People’s Money and my new book called Make More Money from Property, from investor thinking to a business mindset.

The Make More Money From Property Book Launch buy your ticket NOW
£29.00 includes welcome glass, dinner and a signed copy of the book (RRP£15.99)What you do today will change what you can do forever!!

You can buy a copy of Make More Money from Property here or come to the book launch on March 15th in Paddington, when I will having a party. To hear more about the launch please click here or just buy your ticket now !!!   What do you want in life? we only have one life – just a dash between birth and the grave! Are you living your dream? Are you achieving your potential? 

Are you Lady Gaga or One Direction? I had the music video channel on yesterday as I rearranged the front room to make way for an accidentally over large Christmas tree, when I noticed that, all bar one of the members of the group, One Direction had comb-overs!
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I wrote a blog for Virgin about active responsibility but the underlying message was the concept of values. We all value something; each of us gives different values and weights to different things. That was really clear to me in the Money programme on BBC 2 Tuesday 29^th (one of 3 parts).

The successful people and gurus/ experts were asked what do you spend your money on and each one said nothing really – there was not anything that they really bought – other than the freedom to choose how they spent their time.

I thought that was really fascinating … we can always get more money (within reason) we can earn it, leverage it, borrow it or steal it … but we can’t get more time. There are only 60 seconds in a minute and 1440 minutes in a day. The one unknown is the length of the dash … the dash on our grave stone.

So what do you value, what are you prepared to work hard for …. Work hard (or smart) and earn the money to give you the freedom to do?
Personally I am not a materialistic person – I want to scuba dive and learn about the sea and taking better photographs, spending that “free” time with Bob and other friends and family. That’s where my value lies and to support that I have learnt how to leverage my money to give me that time.

What would you – or do you – choose to spend your time doing …. Is that enough to keep you motivated and focused when the times get tough – because that’s what we all need right now. So what drives you?

To our mutual success, wealth and happiness
Vicki – The Property Mermaid

1. Ways to Wealth – Make Money from Property – http://www.waystowealth.co.uk/wtw-events/

2. Reading and resources – http://bit.ly/uUrpUT

3. Where you can find me next    http://thepropertymermaid.com/blog/events

I find it relaxes me after a head of busy thoughts all day – but not when the programme presents a view I disagree with!

Who watched “Money” on BBC2 Tuesday 29.11.11? The outcome of that episode … Read the rest of this entry

Recent announced changes to Local Housing Allowance may have a dramatic effect on population growth and has been underestimated by the government.

From January 2012 new claimants under the age of 35years old will no longer be entitled to the one bed self-contained rate (ie one bed flat rate which on my patch is £90 per week) they will only be entitled to a shared rated of £56pw. So what does this mean? Read the rest of this entry

I recently read a great little book “Create your Desires and fulfil your dreams” by Donald Upton – a remarkable man, one of the original founders of the (now) College of Osteopaths in 1966, well-educated and read naturopath and my friend’s grandfather. Read the rest of this entry

2011 has been my foray into the 21st century, some may point out its 11 years later but I say there are still 89 years to go so I am ahead of schedule. 18 months ago Thomas Power said get a Blackberry as I-phones and other androids (get me with the language) were not user friendly – sadly I ignored him. I have clung ferociously to my Nokia 6310 as a dear and droppable friend. Read the rest of this entry

I had such a funny conversation with one of my Polish building team recently…. I did a very British thing – I offered tea or coffee. I had made them coffee as they arrived – that’s just polite – I let them know where everything was and that they could help themselves and went back to work. Read the rest of this entry

If you hold a job that you love then the thought of a dull retirement to day time TV or tinkering in the shed might fill you with dread. If you don’t care for your job or worse hate it then the thought of retirement is like the light at the end of the tunnel (albeit a long one). Read the rest of this entry

I posted a blog  a few weeks ago and had the most comments, shares and views I had had from any other blog.

The story for me was about the kindness of the post office worker that replied to a little girl’s letter to God asking to look out for and take care of her newly deceased dog.  I rarely post things like that – it caught my eye and I felt the urge to share it. Read the rest of this entry