2008 - Year of Thriftiness

Rob and I have agreed that 2008 has been declared the year of thriftiness. I'm basically shite with money and have little to no self restraint to when it comes to buying things for no apparent reason. This is why I have shedloads of old computer equipment and video game consoles, guitars, radio controlled cars, a diesel guzzling 4x4 and even a damned unicycle.

Recently I realised that this can't go on for ever and so I have tried to become more responsible with my money. This is proving to be surprisingly difficult. I keep seeing things, that I find rather appealing and then I realise that it's just like it was before. Why do I need a rare Psion Organiser II XP which has a translucent case? Or a left-handed Squier Precision Bass which needs some parts, so I could learn bass left handed (which is apparently good for your brain). I'm trying to get myself into the mentality that I must only get things which have some sort of use, and try to rid myself of the crap that I have that I don't need.

Oh well. I have now at least got some more savings put away, but the thing I really want to save up for is a house. But now that house prices have gone so utterly insane, that isn't an option at this point in time. It's basically impossible for a single person on my wages to buy a house. Renting would be an option but it's dead money and the cost is about the same. So I'll just keep saving and trying to cope with the humiliation of living with my mother at nearly 30, and hope that somehow house prices come down again. Either that or get a yurt or something.

The Discovery is being a bit of a worry. It's nice, but the fuel economy isn't great and at some point I'm going to have to get underneath it with a wire brush and a bucket of Waxoyl to get the chassis and body protected before the winter. The pic is what the Discovery chassis should look like, but after 17 years, there's more surface rust than paint.

Also it's eaten the tread off the side of one of the tyres indicating the steering needs adjusting, and needs a few other bits and bobs. The thing is, whenever I see a car for sale that's small and economical, the ground clearance just isn't there and it would probably end up wrecked like my old Xsara did, though that was a total piece of crap before the track ruined it.

Though hopefully, if 2008 is the year of thriftiness, then 2009 is the year of holidays!