by Carla Louise | Jun 19, 2012 | Uncategorized |
So I started the challenge as a way to try and get some stability back into my finances – and see where my money was escaping most often.
The first few days haven’t been as hard as I thought they might – I’ve bought food within reason, had dinner out with Lou and Julia (2 of 3 allowed for June, oops) and resisted buying all manner of bits and pieces I’d usually have bought without thinking.
Among these were Computer Arts Branding bookazine (£15.00), various fabrics at the Range (£8.50/metre so at least £17 saving), Fiji water because it was in a pretty bottle and umpteen small and ultimately useless things from exhibitions I’ve been to.
Have also resisted buying the $100 Startup book, although this I may give in to before the end of the 100 days.
I have acquired a bike and all the trappings, which I will collect next Sunday, and Mum bought me breakfast out at the weekend – which doesn’t count! The bike is going to help me stay healthy and get to the station faster (therefore possibly to work on time? A girl can dream…)
And instead of buying, I will be borrowing the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy from Em at the weekend. I am highly reluctant to read these, as I hate jumping on literary bandwagons, I’m conscious it started as a Twilight fanfic (and I’ve never been able to get into Twilight) and I keep being told there’s no plot, just sex scenes… but I’m also curious to know what all the hype is about. The most unlikely people tell me they sit up all night reading it – so I’ll have a nose and see. Might even review them if they’re worth it!
by Carla Louise | Jun 19, 2012 | Uncategorized |
I decided, a week or so ago, to start the 100 day challenge, in an attempt to level out and stabilise my finances, which are getting dire. (This is mostly due to my extortionate train fare to work, living on my own and having a sports car. In that order. The last is entirely non-negotiable!)
I came across it via a Twitter post from Sophia at the Tattooed Tealady blog, and having decided it wouldn’t be a bad thing for me to have a go at, settled down to write my list of things I can spend on, absolute “no” items, and exceptions during the period of the challenge.
Here they are:
| Spending allowed (“yes” items) |
|
Spending not allowed (“bad squishy” items) |
| Food essentials (grocery shopping, work lunches, etc) |
|
Books |
| Essential toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste) |
|
Cards & giftwrap |
| Reasonable sweet treats |
|
Magazines |
| Postage (personal or business) |
|
Stationery |
| Non-alcoholic drinks out |
|
DVDs |
| Birthday & anniversary presents |
|
Alcoholic drinks out |
| Bills |
|
Dinner out more than 3 times a month |
| Existing debts to people |
|
Makeup |
| Essential underwear |
|
Technology |
| Petrol & travel |
|
Clothes |
| Listing fees (Etsy, Ebay, etc) |
|
Jewellery |
| Craft fair entry fees |
|
Non-essential toiletries (perfume, random products) |
| Reasonable amounts of Pepsi Max |
|
Craft supplies |
| Medicine/tablets |
|
Mods for Poppy |
| Burlesque classes |
|
|
| Baking ingredients |
|
|
| Experiences (like the photoshoot, Alice bike ride, etc) |
|
|
I know, the “yes” list is longer than the “no” list – but the “no” list is full of the things that chew my money without me really noticing.
Exceptions include eating out while in Jersey for Julia’s wedding, makeup & other things I need for the wedding, and investment in stock if my ventures come to fruition during these 100 days.
I started the challenge on 16 June and will finish on 23rd September. Taking inspiration from other bloggers I’ve seen doing this, I shall take photos of things I want to buy, and perhaps create a wishlist page here to showcase them – and we’ll see how many I feel I can’t live without at the end of the challenge.
I wouldn’t say I spend money madly, but I do have a tendency to fall in love with things and feel my life would be incomplete without them – so wish me luck, I think I’m going to need it!
by Carla Louise | Jun 14, 2011 | Uncategorized |
Today I discovered Clients From Hell. www.clientsfromhell.net. It was both hilarious and comforting… lots of creative people have to deal with difficult people on a daily basis! I can’t even pick a favourite, they all made me giggle… go look, especially if you’re a design freelancer or a creative in a non-creative business. I guarantee it will make you feel better.
After the majority of the day was over, there was a team meeting which I couldn’t make partly due to being not that useful (I’ve not been here long and marketing is separate from the team, so I wouldn’t have much to contribute to the discussion) and partly because someone needed to stay here and answer the phones. I did a lot of work during this chunk of alone time in the office, much of it design (because it’s SO NICE to have peace and quiet and uninterrupted time to really get to grips with an ad – it’s almost impossible to produce decent quality design work in a non-creative environment when you’re asked to buy cake or book flights just at the crucial point when you’re having a breakthrough with whatever it is you’re designing).
However, I needed a break and so I had a quick nose through DamnYouAutoCorrect. I had forgotten how much this cracked me up – and although there were only three of us left on the entire floor, I still had to hold back the snorty giggles… and dear god, I don’t think there’s anyone or anything in the world that has that hysterical effect on me quite so quickly! Secret weapon for next time I have a bad day, definitely!
In other news, I’m waiting for the estate agents to get back to me on my flat – they wanted fees of £204 including VAT to produce a new agreement and re-reference me so I can continue living in the same flat I currently reside in, once Julia moves out. I don’t mind paying a fee for this service, but that is a completely ridiculous amount of money for sending a few letters and altering and printing a mailmerge document (the tenancy agreement). So hopefully they’ll come back to me with a revised, more sensible fee.
Have been drafting Things that make me happy Thursdays, and despite having been in a really odd mood for several days now, there’s actually quite a lot that does make me happy. I must try taking some photos to go with those posts soon, actually…
After work I had dinner with a very old friend who now lives in Germany, and it was gorgeous to catch up! We chatted till daft o’clock, completely put the world to rights (at high speed – there’s always so much to catch up on) and promised not to leave it so long next time. 😀
