Laceshawl's Personal Finance Blog

Iwent out to dinner with some friends last nite - all you can eat for nz$17. After we'd stuffed ourselves with mains, one guy wanted to go out for a smoke. So I said if he quit tobacco I'd quit sugar - so no dessert for me!!! He didn't think that was a big enough sacrifice and asked if I'd give up coffee. Hmm, the difficult I am willing to try, but the impossible... we will see. After I've been a month without sugar and he keeps up the nonsmoking, I will find another smoking friend and trade giving up coffee.

I made my annual trip to the movies last night. I saw Wall Street; money never sleeps. A good movie, but my gosh I am getting old. All I could think was that Michael Douglas looks incredibly like Kirk, and most of the younger actors I'd never heard of.

I am invited to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party next month, so am making this hat from my stash

There are notices in the supermarkets saying because of the earthquake affecting the distribution center in christchurch, there may be shortages of some items. The only thing I noticed a bit low was some brands of canned fish. No sign of people stockpiling or panic buying so far. I have my little store of crackers and beans.

Ugh, spring. With erratic earthquakes, howling high winds and dismal downpours - who needs it? It can go back where it came from. I stayed at home and read something absolutely fascinating - my bank statement. Last month I earned nz$1.02 on my FI account. Goody goody, now I can afford a new toothbrush every month without depleting my net worth.

Also I have $9.50 in change to put in the House a/c. And the mailbox just yeilded up an invitation to attend a seminar on Forex speculation - oops, investing. Free drinks and nibbles. Ah, the joys of being a capitalist and a landowner.

The interest rate on the account my FFEF is in is increasing .25% to 3.75% pa. This gives me another dollae a month income on my current balance. I'm not going to spend it, but leave it to keep up with inflation.

Today I cancelled Caller ID. I don't use it much anyway, as several of my friends have private numbers, so I often don't answer and just let people leave a message. Anyway, I worked out that at nz$2.50 a month, at current after tax interest on my new FI a/c, I will have to save $1,000 to be able to afford it in retirement. Am now looking round and calculating how much I need to save for various other unneccessary expenses. About nz$6,000 to afford coffee and tea... another way of looking at the latte factor.

I am giving myself a little pat on the back for reaching all my 2010 goals before the end of the year. Now I get to set new ones before New Year.

As this blog is supposed to be about my journey to Financial Independence, I opened a new account today and am going to place nz$200 a month into it, just for the purpose of investing. It pays 4% pa which is not brilliant after tax on the interest, but there are not that many safe income type investments around in this country. With all the finance company failures, it's no wonder people prefer to buy real estate. I don't want to be a landlord, so while the cash is building up, I shall research investments.

My other goal is to do some renovations on my home, especially the kitchen. I estimate it will cost me about nz$10,000, and can put about nz$150 a month toward that.

The street light just down from my house has gone out. I could have run the city council but didn't bother. Last night someone took advantage of the darkness to steal my letterbox. Too many drunken students round here who think that sort of thing is a prank. I'm thinking of nailing up an old beer crate in its place. And I'll start being the sort of citizen who rings up the council and complains.

I knew I could I knew I could...

save up nz$5,000 in my travel fund

chuff chuff chuff...

I'm spending next July in Britain

wheeeeeeeeee!!!!

Not because I was sick but he likes to see me when my prescriptions need renewing. nz$30 for the signature and $9 to the pharmacist. Happily all three medecines are subsidized. Then in the afternoon I was called in to work at the shop becuase someone else had gone home sick. So I earned the money back.

kiwifruit. I bought 8 zespri or golden kiwi for nz$1.60, and sliced up a couple with some chopped pear (also cheap this time of year) and soaked raisins. I feel I am doing my part to ward off the winter blues.

Another pay day and I still had nz$25.20 left in my wallet. Go me! On my way to the bank I found another .20 cents so put $10.40 in my House a/c. The other $15 is sitting in a separate compartment of my wallet in case I need to take a taxi or suddenly decide to do something spontaneous or someone suggests lunch or or or ... any one of a thousand things.

I read somwhere it's a good idea to carry a $100 with you at all times to help you feel prosperous and so you can learn to trust yourself with money. I would be worries I'd blow all that cash so I usually stick any extra in the bank, but I know I can always get it with my card. I hate taking money out of the bank, so it's usually safe. Mind tricks, but they keep me solvent.

So my $5,000 Ef is sitting in an online account and - tada! it earns $10 interest every month. I feel I am finally becoming financially independent. all I have to do is repeat the saving 100 times and I will have $1,000 a month coming in. Rich, I tell ya, rich.

They say never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. i was looking for dinner ingredients today and I had nz$4 to spend. I wound up with sardines, rice crackers, five bananas and .30 cents change. I justify it by saying I saved on electricity by not cooking.

Did a good turn today. I was walking down the street when the guy ahead of me dropped a $20 note, so I returned it to him. The Universe must be offering me a chance to create good karma. I will take my return in cold hard cash thanks. The next money I find dropped is for me.

There was a car parked down at the bottom of the street this morning. As I went past a young chap had a primus stove on the front passenger seat and was cooking himself some instant noodles. He seemed quite cheerful and asked me if I had any change. Who'da thunk living in ya car could be so comfortable?

Owing to the fact I paid secondary income tax last year, I'm getting a refund of nz$498.50 this year. Eagerly waiting...and pondering the best thing to do with it.

I got to work earlier than usual today because I caught the early bus, and had to kill 15 minutes round town. The Art Gallery wasn't open yet, I hadn't brought my knitting, it was too cold to hang around outside, so there was nothing to do but inspect clothes for sale and drool at the smell of bacon and coffee coming from the cafes. I didn't spend anything, in fact I even found 10 cents, but it is quite clear town is a place designed to separate you from your money. So now I've got to figure out a way to make trips into town profitable. I could start by only going there on work days, so I don't have to pay extra busfare. Then... hmm, how about learning the flute, so I can busk? Could take a few years before I make any money at it. What's a good way to make money in town instead of spending it? Any ideas anyone?

So I'm standing in the Post Office waiting to buy stamps and idly perusing the headlines of the magazines, as you do, and this Cosmopolitan catches my eye:

The right way to squeeze a pimple

I'm blown away by the amount of knowledge it takes to be a Cosmopolitan girl. Also wondering what marketing genius thought putting that on the cover of a magazine would make people part with their hard earned dosh.

I've never liked seagulls since seeing that scary Hitchcock movie. A lot hang around this end of town, scavenging off the student leavings. When the scarfies are in town they live high, but now it is midterm break and the pickings are slim, so they are getting quite agressive. In the long summer vac it's as much as your life is worth to walk across campus eating a sandwich. Ain't they like people who spend it all when they're earning big money, then screech when the source of it goes.

today is my birthday and I found a gift outside the pet shop. A wallet containing over nz$200 plus some foreign cash. Nice if it had been mine, but of course I handed it in. I guess it was some tourist and I wouldn't want to spoil their holiday. Then I went and had pizza and a beer with a friend with a clean conscience.

There was a line crew working down the street today. One guy was up in a box trimming overhanging branches away from the lines. Three others leaned on shovels, apparantly waiting to bury him if he got electrocuted. No wonder my power bill is so high.

Readers Digest has sent me an opportunity to participate in their latest prize draw for nz$450,000. Nice. Now the question is do I spend .50 cents on a stamp or do not take the risk and buy carrots for tonight's soup? decisions decisions.

Almost at the end of the month and I still have money in my wallet, so I dined out. Twice even.

That is, I had coffee and a gooey muffin with a friend and I bought a helping of fries. Loaded with salt. Yummy. Total amount paid nz$6.60. We po' folks likes our little treats, even when we're bent on saving every penny. I'm looking forward to that nice rest home where people bring me food.

I am atoning tonight by finishing the last of the celery from the garden before it freezes.

So I have nz$3,600 saved in my travel account and 1,800 in the account I use for repairs, new appliances and anything else connected with the house. And I keep wanting to shift some money across to get the travel a/c up to $5,000, which is what I intend to spend on my trip.

I *must not* do this! Sure as eggs, Murphy will puncture the water heater or something. Besides, there is a $1 withdrawal disincentive on that particular a/c. Patience patience. I will get there by the end of the year.

My only purchase today was a bag of oats for nz$2.29. Hmm, .50 cents more than last winter - I thought prices were supposed to go down in a recession.

As I picked out my store brand packet, I couldn't help noticing all the schlepped up oats at fancy prices, all full of dried fruit (and a lot of sugar) and all the granola/candy bars. Amazing what the healthful reputation of oats will do for the manufacturer's bottom line. Aha, they're all buying the stuff - that's why it's getting expensive. I thought competition was supposed to drive prices down.

Write on my tombstone: she pondered the nature of oats and capitalism.

There's a sale on at the yarn shop. It's good because I get extra hours, but it's hard being surrounded by lots of lovely cheap wool and seeing it all walk out the door, wondering if there'll be any left for me. I keep wanting to buy, buy, buy but I am staying focused on my goals. The only purchase i have made is 3 balls of black silk laceweight, because it's hard to come by, especially at nz$4.50 a ball. It's for a special gift for a friend at Christmas, so it's budgeted for. And I bought a new cable needle because I lost mine.

I must make time to visit the wool shops when I go to Britain. I will buy something really special as a souvenir.

Payday, and as all the regular monthly bills are already paid, there is only groceries to buy for the week. This month is a 5 paycheck month, so bar anything unforseen cropping up, I should have nz$400 left over on the 30th. Impatiently counting the days off the calendar...

Shortest day of the year. Brr, thank goodness summer is on its way back. I dread my next power bill. I celebrated midwinter by having a NSD - and finding .40 cents. With the change I'd already saved up, that made nz$8.90 to go into my travel a/c.