Learn to control money but do not allow it to control you

hypno06

What an excellent post xxx

Firewalker

Last night was the evening for doing the weekly accounts of our household – and of course they were done. Last week we have spent £100.79 and of this £39.74 was food and £61.05 was other household expenditure (including cleaning and petrol). It looks like that this month we will manage to be within our monthly budget (and pay the car insurance for a year from it). I am writing this and I feel so proud – a year ago I was panicking how are we going to manage; now the fear has given way to careful household planning and organisation and we are managing. Thing is though that the work on the bathrooms came to a bit more that I said it would but it is OK – there were unforeseen problems and the guys did a really good job.

And having mentioned cleaning I would like to discuss couple of matter here – and any input is appreciated. Shortly after I started this thread I remember discussing making hummous – then Ninky asked me whether I am time rich or time poor. This made me think and I remember saying that although my time is expensive (valuable) it is not productive all the time – so I can cook, and clean, and budget and do more jobs (and continue to read novels; and write more than before). But lately, during the last couple of weeks, OH and I have been discussing the situation and have taken some important decisions.

First, we did intend to decorate the bathrooms and the kitchen ourselves – there is hardly any preparation to be done and I thought we will save some money. But when we considered it more carefully we could never achieve the quality of good decorator, will have to do it during the evenings and the weekend and are likely to get even more tired. So we have decided to pay for decorating – having a bit of time to rest means that we can get on better with our very busy schedules – we already work till 10.30 – 11.00 pm without decorating.

This made us think that we would like to get some regular help with the cleaning again – not as long as before and we have a very good, capable and fast lady who is doing our ironing anyway. So we have asked her to do a bit of time for us every week.

My newly found MSE soul is in turmoil – is this right; are we doing the right thing; should we be saving this. But when I think about it the money comes from us cutting out all compulsive spending. Also, as instructed by Mr. Big I did calculate my target pay per hour – if I am to achieve this I have to focus on what I do and keep some time for rest and play. I also calculated my current hourly rate – whichever way spending long cleaning and decorating is not justified.

And my MSE core soars when I remember that we decided not to renew our family gym membership – we will be swimming in an Olympic pool for which I have discount.

And the thought for today is:

“Look around. And don't get close to people who make you suffer.” – Paolo Coelho

Firewalker

macgirl

Nice quote.
I would say you've answered the questions yourself - but I do understand the MSE guilt. The good thing as you say, is that you have fundamentally changed in your approach to spending. You have done without and only spent on necessities. Then you have your protected wants, again these are considered purchases which you really do "need".

Quality of life is sometimes more important than toeing the MSE line and making a chicken stretch 150 ways (can you tell I'm a reformed extravagant spender?). So IMHO, I would say pay for the decorators if you feel they would do a better job. This is one area where I don't mind doing it myself, as I find it therapeutic - but it would take all my precious free time too...so I understand your dilemma.

As for cleaner and ironing lady, these are definitely on my list of wants in the New Year, but I've been conditioned for so long by MSE, I doubt I'll be able to allow myself to have them
For you I would say, if they fit into the budget - and I'm sure you have allocated budget for them - then for life balance and peace of mind, it's worth it.

hypno06

I've had a cleaner for the last few weeks - only 2 hours a week, but that 2 hours makes such a difference to me. Well worth it.

se999

On the dfw threads and some other parts, mse is a lot about reducing spending to help reduce debt. But in other parts it's very much about getting the best deal you can when you do spend. So it's not so much how much you spend, as how you spend it to get the best value for money for you and your family.

Marru

I used to do some dog walking and then used this money to pay cleaner. My justification was that I rather spend that time walking in the fields than at home cleaning. So I agree, spend your time where it is best used for your and your family's well being and the overall picture.

Firewalker

‘I feel good…I feel nice…sugar and spice…’ as James Brown sang. Why? I don’t know – nothing much has changed except that I feel so alive. It has been some time now since I went to sleep and my last thought was ‘I will sleep sound, and I will sleep deep because tomorrow will be a wonderful day of achievement and fun.’ Well, I did last night.

And amazingly today has been a wonderful day of achievement and fun. I got up and went running with a friend. We ran and chatted – for me it was a short run of about 5 miles but it felt great. And my Achilles does not hurt – I feel it is there but no limping. After the run we came to our house and had coffee, than shower – and the weeks of disruption were worth it. Standing under the drench shower was delicious – even though the bathroom is not finished yet (needs floor and decorating).

After my shower I got on my bike and went to the rugby club to watch Little Boy play. They won – and he scored a beautiful try. It is hard to watch your little baby being pulled, pushed and kicked but if it takes playing a tugs’ game to become a gentleman – so be it. And it is easier to understand than cricket – for cricket one has to be British (or from the former colonies, of course).

I also managed to do loads of work – most of it the kind of work that makes me warm inside and makes my heart sing; work where you are trying to understand things; to solve riddles; to build things.

And tomorrow is OH’s birthday. Last year for his birthday I gave him an idea – we shall see whether and how well it works. This year it is a book and stability.

And today I also saw this and thought ‘how wise’. So decided to share it:

“I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.” - Warren Buffett

Firewalker

savingwannabe

Happy birthday Mr Firewalker for tomorrow. Firewalker a good day and many more to come. Well done on running and hope you enjoyed little boys game too.

Firewalker

It seems that this lark is working – the one where I tell myself to sleep well because the next day will be wonderful. Today has been a truly interesting day because:

1) I got up and started writing. By this afternoon had finished a piece of writing I have been postponing for ages. It is true – I had mind-mapped it three days ago and the writing was actually a piece of cake. Good, logical cake, this is.
2) Then I commented on a piece that a colleague had written on the privatization of the universities. I am starting a website with three colleagues to provide a platform to comment on such and similar developments – I am sure this can be called development, not so certain about progress.
3) Then I looked at the clock – it was 8.10 and neither Little Boy nor OH was up. I ran upstairs and shook Little Boy telling him that he will be late for school. ‘What school, mum, it is half-term’ – he said. Bummer! So it is – but then I am not a worse mother, I am just a different one.
4) Little boy and I went to wake OH up and say Happy Birthday. He liked his cards, and cuddles and book. I have also promised to take him to a spa for a night so this should be OK.
5) Then I had a conversation with my Finish colleague – the one with whom I am organizing this Workshop I mentioned last night. Since the funders are being so generous I said ‘Remember, we are magnets for good will and prosperity.’ ‘This is obvious’ – she said. Good work, Firewalker, moving a stout positivist from skepticism to unconditional acceptance of metaphysics is quite something.
6) And we had this lovely dinner – all cooked by me – for OH’s birthday and some great wine.

But the main thing is that today I revere the generosity and kindness of strangers. A week ago I mentioned that for my 50th I would like to do the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage. And someone on this site sent me Shirley MacLaine’s book about doing it. Thank you – I just hope that I’ll have many opportunities to pass it forward; all of it.

And on somewhat more practical note (if it only were that easy):

“Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1.” - Warren Buffett

Firewalker

Firewalker

I am very tired today – Tuesdays shape up to be very difficult days at work. Apart from that there has been quite a lot of finance related stuff happening today – pretty mixed bag, really.

The good news is that OH finally telephoned our provider and our gas and electricity bill is going down by £154 – last winter we under-paid (partly because of underestimate and partly because of the very cold winter) so now we are going to a lower payment again. On top of this we will be saving £32 by not paying for Little Boys gym membership (this included swimming lessons but he is a really good swimmer now). In total from next month we will be £186 better off.

The bad news is that although I have become really good at claiming expenses promptly at this very moment I am owed about £650 (claimed but organisations have not paid yet). The annoying thing is that some of this had to go on my credit card (the one I use for work expenses) and I am paying interest on it. Naughty organisations – both universities. I am also owed about £300 – mainly honoraria for examining and things. I am a magnet for prosperity and I want this money in my bank account before the end of the week.

We also had a quote from the decorator – it will cost us £900 to have the two bathrooms and the kitchen decorated. And although this sends me into a money anxiety (my squirreled savings account is being decreased) this means that we will be done with all this by November 13th – otherwise we probably would have been decorating till and over Christmas). And the date, most would agree, is significant – can’t be a co-incidence that Memorygirl will have her first seminar in Leeds and we will have a nice house so we can work effectively on the same date.

But I can still feel the level of anxiety going up – and I did promise myself that I will never worry about money again.
I am a magnet for good will and prosperity.

Firewalker