Isn’t it hard not to spend money?

Due to the general economic situation (ie no pay rise for three years and continually increasing bills) we are trying to have an economy drive. With varying degrees of success for a whole variety of reasons.

The Hubby is struggling due to the simple fact that he has two teenage boys both of whom have cars and that is expensive. Not only contributing towards the cost of the vehicle itself and its upkeep, but the insurance for teenage boys is astronomic. Even the most competitive quote for the youngest, who is just about to take his test, was just over £2,000 for a year and that was for an 04 reg Renault Clio and under the condition he has a special box of electronic tricks fitted to his engine to monitor his driving. Many of his friends are paying much more.

Like everyone, we are also paying more into our pensions to try and ensure a decent standard of living in our old age. They say that more and more people are opting out of pension schemes as they become more costly and the returns less attractive, which is surely just storing up problems for the future.

But by and large, it’s just the general household bills which are racking up at an alarming rate. I went supermarket shopping the other day and admittedly bought for a dinner party (which therefore included wine and various items which wouldn’t usually be in my trolley) as well as the usual weekly shop, and it was one of those weeks where toiletries and detergents etc had all run out at once, but the bill came to almost £200. I nearly fell over at the checkout! I have long given up being surprised at the cost of filling up the car, and as for going out anywhere – well it has to be strictly limited and even then it’s a Wetherspoon’s curry instead of the nice Italian restaurant just down the road.

And we are both in employment and relatively well paid (yes, you do have outgoings to match your salary and between us three divorces and several house moves haven’t helped, but you know what I mean). God knows how those on low incomes or out of work are managing (although a lot of them are still in Wetherspoon’s, I notice, either drinking all evening or fagging it outside).

We are busy people, and we try to do something each weekend where we can spend some time together that isn’t doing chores. Often that is going to Café Nero for coffee, or sometimes a walk round a National Trust property, a trip to Brighton or a Craft Fair. But everything, yes everything, is so expensive. A couple of coffees and cakes in Nero’s can cost over a tenner, tea at a NT café can be £5 or £6, parking alone in Brighton costs about £12 for the day and entrance fees to a craft fair are about £5 each even without a spot of lunch or a drink.  It’s no wonder people are staying at home, but I believe that if you work hard you cannot totally do without any social relaxation or you will go mad.

One side benefit of doing a totally catered for diet is that I am no longer spending any money during the week. I now avoid buying take-out coffee as on the shop counter are the temptations of bacon butties, brownies or croissants. When in WH Smith I walk straight past the crisps and chocolate (oh, how I am missing chocolate) to buy my magazine or Radio Times. I don’t need to go into the supermarket for sandwiches or salads and in so doing pick up Greek yoghurt or cake. I don’t impulse buy my dinner on the way home just because I don’t fancy what is in the fridge or freezer. So hopefully not only am I losing copious amounts of weight through this abstinence, but I am saving my money too.

I am determined that by the time I am 55, I will be debt free (apart from my mortgage) and be able to take up the option to stop work. It’ll be hard, and I won’t enjoy it. And the more the bills go up the harder it will be. The pipe dreams of the lottery or becoming a well paid author are just that, pipe dreams, so I’ll have to knuckle down and get on with it. Regardless of the economy. For my sanity, I must!