Wednesday, 23 April 2008
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FOUR WEEKS FOUR WAYS
It’s the end of the month, your payslip has just landed on your desk, and you’re stressed. Between commuting, rent, grocery, the must-have outfit and that holiday you are painfully trying to save for, there is nothing left for entertainment.
Still recovering from last month’s bruises, you fight the urge to storm into your boss’ office to tell him exactly how you feel about your salary and value to the company.
Hold your horses. That may not be a good idea. True, you are valuable to the company and all, but it won’t solve your current predicament. You need a life, yet your budget won’t allow that. But maybe you are going about it the wrong way. With simple planning and a little ingenuity, you can have your cake and eat it.
From the outset, it’s best to be realistic. Don’t just dip into your kitty haphazardly. Plan your expenses. Curve out where every single piece of expenditure goes and don’t forget to keep a small but reasonable sum for your pleasure. Don’t set aside half or a quarter of your salary - that is not reasonable. Once you have done that, the following simple yet satisfying strategies might put you back on track until your next pay check and in the meantime think of better ways to show your boss how important you are.
First and foremost, stay in your league. If you really have to go clubbing or bar crawling, only go to places that really suit your budget. You may also want to avoid pay clubs, as most tend to be rip-offs. There are many good spots that may offer an even better environment without biting into your drink budget by charging you for walking through their doors. If you have to, there are some fairly good entertainment spots that don’t charge if you get in early enough. However, what you may spend on drinks due to your early arrival might defeat the whole purpose of trying to save, so just avoid it.
Second, you are spending quite a huge amount on your mortgage or rent. So why don’t you want to spend time in your house? Who did you buy that big flat screen TV for? Home entertainment is one of the most effective ways to have fun without doing any serious damage to your finances. Register with your local DVD rental shop and watch your favourite movies at your own pace. You can always invite a friend or two along and enjoy yourselves with a bottle of beer and some popcorn. You will be making merry without overstretching.
Granted, home video might not do it for you, why not check out your local movie theatre for deals for regular film goers? Cinemas are generally expensive. If you are an ardent film fan, it makes economic sense to go for the flat rates offered by most cinemas which will let you watch as many movies as you want without feeling the financial pinch. Alternatively, you could plan your movie days around off-peak days, mostly Mondays or Tuesdays. All you will be left to budget for are the snacks which you can avoid anyway and still enjoy the picture. Besides, you may want to watch your waist.
Fourth, you can never go wrong with a house party. Invite your pals to your house and ask each one of them to bring along some alcohol with a snack if they intend to get drunk. Don’t feel guilty about not spending anything; after all you are providing the atmosphere, which remember, you are paying for in that mortgage or rent every month. Ok, if the guilt won’t let you then you could always start the party off with a bottle of wine. Just remember to go for the ‘three for 9.99’deals. The downside of a house party though is that someone may get over themselves and mistake your cosy little bed for the loo, in which case, have a nice trip to the cleaners the next morning.
If none of the above appeal to you in any way, or if you try them out and still end up with a carnal urge to storm your boss’s office, then maybe it would be best to consider becoming a monk or a nun and living a life devoid of desire or anger. Extreme? Ok maybe you should update your resume.
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