The puppy it would seem is fighting against me in my quest for the good life! He is spending money faster than I can make it. The exam marking is still in progress in a stop start fashion, which means most of my time is spent with the laptop attached to my knees, much to the puppy's disappointment as this means he cannot sit on my lap as he prefers. He does spread himself over so that his paws are on the laptop and his nose on the keyboard in an unsubtle way of getting my attention. It is for this reason that I believe the morning his stitiches were due to be removed he ripped them out himself leaving the wound freshly parted and the quick trip to the vets turning into an hours session of cleaning up, injections, another bill and more to come for antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. The new laptop I had planned is slipping away, but surely this was his cunning plan. He may not have realised that his plan involved wearing a cone arouund his head and not being allowed off the lead for the next two weeks. Hubby also plans to gaffa tape a sock to his back paw (the puppy's paw not the hubby's) every night to avoid any vigorous scratching.
My car (Tiglet) also seems to be joining in this war against the Good Life, having only just been returned from the garage after the Pre-Christmas accident she needed new tyres and the tyre garage helpfully informed the hubby that the car is not roadworthy due to some problems with steering components. Surely the repair garage should have picked up on this and not let me drive the 100 mile round trip to Doncaster and back? Don't worry I have made my self very clear to the garage and the insurance company that sent poor Tiglet there, strong words and tone were involved and I await at the very least an apology for the lack of care and attention.
It is for these reasons that, despite managing a few no-spend days, this has been a very expensive month and I have concerns that this months wage (newly reduced) will not spread over the next 29 days.
I have arrived at the point (after a couple of Tia Maria's) where I am considering what is is I wanted from 'The Good Life' I feel this needs assessment as I have after all given up a fulltime teaching career in the pursuit of said life. My wishes at the start were as follows:
1. To travel
2. To visit nice restaurants
3. To beable to cover unexpected bills without stressing
4. To be able to treat myself now and again (posh food, nice flowers, clothes and shoes)
5. Not to work my contracted 37 hours a week and bring home the same amount of work to do or worry about in my own time.
6. To take long walks with the puppy
7. To take time to look around and take a breath (corny I know)
8. Not to be stressed and miserable
So far I think numbers 1,2,3,5,6,7 and 8 are pretty much covered, some days more easily than others, but despite the heavy load of outgoings over the past couple of weeks I am not panicking about money and wondering how I will cover the bills even though I only work two days a week. Yes we are still budgeting and I am certainly not throwing money at luxuries, but I don't feel like I can't treat myself if I happen across the perfect pair of shoes. Hubby is still not in fulltime employment and I have one less lodger so there is certainly room for improvement, but the quest isn't about being greedy, its not about having as much money as possible. The intention was to find a better way of living.
I'm still holding on to the hope that I can buy the new laptop (it will be essential for the exam marking in June, mine won't last) and the puppy seems suitably upset about his situation not to continue sabotaging his treatment.
On a good note my little iwallet app is working well, over the past eight weeks it has shown me that me biggest non essential spends (vet bills count as essential) are:
1. Pertrol
2. Clothes
3. Snacks (mainly chocolate)
The petrol I know I can't do much about, we barely use the car as it is and the biggest journey is the bi-weekly trip to Doncaster. Clothes however I have a wardrobe full of, to the point that if I buy any more I will have to start borrowing some of hubbies wardrobe space. I know I don't need anymore clothes, but I love buying them! So my decision is not to buy anymore until I have to throw an item out because it doesn't fit, can't be altered or is worn out (unless of course there is a special event the calls for something particular)
Next item on the list, Chocolate. I'm a chocoholic, but the pennies spent at the local shop and the work refectory are not helping my waistline or wallet so second decision is to cut back (there is no way I can deny myself completely)
So I would advise the use of the iwallet, its nice to see the non spend days and the guilt works its magic when I see how much I have spent on things I didn't really need.
The newly reduced wage is holding up okay so far, I have money left after the essential bills have gone out, not enough for anything spectacular, but I am happy I can pay for Salsa classes once a week for the rest of the month, buy a special lunch after our spa day next week (£10 for 2 from lastminute.com) hopefully find a table at the auction we're going to on Saturday morning and still have enough for a few bars of chocolate :-)
So situation to date:
Employment: Parttime 0.33 of a fulltime contract (have been much better about only going in on the paid days)
Lodgers: 1 (finding the new lodger is proving difficult)
Eating out: 0 (lack of a car for part of the month and exam marking have scuppered my availablility)
Hubby: 1 (7months of married bliss minus one argument)
Dog: 1 (vets bill approximately £500)
Stepson: 1
No Spend Days: 8/14 (helped by the exam markign which has kept me tied to the house)
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