Wednesday 26 May 2010

Saving Christmas...


In the spirit of the age Dear Charlie has come over all Chancelloresque and is muttering things like: "Responsibility" and "We’re all in this together", which, as we all know, really means we’re virtually, if not in reality, bankrupt and it is going to hurt like hell before we come round.
So from his lofty moral position, in that he’s not the one who uses up all the money as he doesn’t shop or pay the bills nor does he ever have cash on him (much to my chagrin), he has decreed that there has to be some hefty cuts to the household budget.
From his perspective the cuts look relatively easy, simple to implement and will induce immediate savings. It doesn’t quite look the same from my vantage point…
He sees the immediate cessation of all building works as a no brainer. I see it as an eyesore, an immediate 20 per cent drop in the valuation of my home, and frankly a Health and Safety nightmare. Negotiations have been hard but a compromise was made without me having to resort to twitter. Essential building works will continue and no further contracts will be entered into this financial year though I may of course feel free to secure in-house contractors (i.e. myself) for any minor works to enable the smooth running of the household.
All emergency works will have to go through the chairman in the first instance – like yeah! Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if a pipe burst and me having to get the OK via His Nibs before securing a plumber? Firstly the likelihood of getting past His Nibs’ secretary is bad enough now let alone in a real emergency. There is nothing a smart London PA likes best than playing power games with the put upon corporate wife. Secondly even if I do get hold of His Nibs, the answer is hardly likely to be no especially if I happen to mention that his precious water colour collection is under threat…well not necessarily by the water from the burst pipe but if he believes that who am I to deny it?
The cleaner is under review but even dear Charlie couldn’t stomach attempting to veto the ironing lady – he’s seen how I iron and knows that even in these cash strapped times the importance of putting on a good front.
Personal trainers are out as are children’s parties, dining out, birthday presents and of course Christmas. As for holidays – well I’ve been told politely I can whistle in the wind.
And it’s set me thinking although there can be cuts and these make everything seem OK there can also be savings which mean I might be able to keep hold of the cleaner, even the personal trainer, presents can still be secured and you never know I may also be able to save Christmas. 
It’s all about “Bottom up economics” shaving pennies here and finding pennies there, using everything up before buying anything more. Working out what can be sold, saved or salvaged. It’s not going to be easy but it is far more creative than just cutting everything willy nilly and making us all miserable, discontented and looking out for a new chairman.




10 comments:

Mother Hen said...

Tattie, not Christmas! Eat out of the deep freeze and sell stuff on ebay. Teach him to iron!
Good luck :)

Pondside said...

Teach him to clean too!
I believe that small economies are good and can lead to real savings but I always remember my old aunt's admonishment not to be 'penny wise and pound foolish'. Perhaps you should remind the Chairman of this!

Trish said...

Oh heavens! What to do? I do my own cleaning and ironing so we can go on holidays. The cleaning is sporadic and superficial but hell the holidays are fab!

Expat mum said...

Don't forget to use your money saving coupons for shopping. You can actually save tons of money doing this. Heck, it's a national pastime over here.

Tattieweasle said...

Mother Hen - Exactly what I have planned though it could be a little bit liek Russian Roulette some of the stuff int eh freezer is SO old that it is impossible to tell exactly what it is!
Pondside - I feel I better not remind the chairman of too many things or he could pull the plug on the lot...;)
Trish@Mum's gone to - it is a case of priorities but I couldn't do without my cleaner not with builders and 34 windows to wash as well. But I am fired up with enthusiasm and looking to haunt e-bay to sell not buy!

Tattieweasle said...

Expat Mum - ooohhh yes I'll be buyng all my petrol at Tescos usingf my mastercard giving me money off my shopping and saving on my club card points at the same time! I am seriously going to get into this!

Lou Archer said...

I have no cleaner, (the place is minging!) no personal trainer, (getting fatter by the second) do my own ironing, (husband looks like Tracey Emin's bed) and I still can't afford a bloody holiday ...... fancy a house-swap?!!!

My hubby has issued same ultimatum....we're not married to the same fella are we?

Molly said...

I enjoyed your blog post Tattie. Don't really have any meaningful suggestions other than to say I think you have a writing talent - why not sell your articles! I have been married 44 years and have always maintained a war chest in the form of earning my own money, to spend as I wish, although we have never ever quarrelled about money and get on together like a house on fire. If you were not so dependant on the big C. perhaps you would not feel so down. My N&D knows every cent that I have so there is nothing done secretly. I'm happy for him to have his own money as well, and then we also have a joint account for paying bills. Sorry if I'm talking a load of rubbish, but seems to work for us. A big purple hug from M xxx

Dorset Dispatches said...

Oh, my husband does this too. Suddenly appears with a load of measures that we have to do in order to remain financially above water.

The last time he did it I had a bit of a meltdown. He's now learnt that it is a much better idea for us to sit down together to work out a budget together that we both agree on rather than just imposing stuff.

He's also learning that I can't budget if I don't have all the money coming into and going out of the same account. If I don't know what is coming in and going out how on earth am I supposed to form a reasonable budget?

It's a painful process. We are still doing it. Good luck!

Tattieweasle said...

Lou - you can house swap anytime your's looks so gorgeous but you'd have to do my work here and talk to people about the exciting world of logistics...
PS. Possibly not the same man but definitley the same school of thought!
mollygolver - you are not talking rubbish at all; I have decided to continue my work for just these reasons if I am to have any chance of equality in this elationship then I need to bring in my own money then it doesn't matter what bee he gets in his bonnet. As I am the one who does all teh finance at least I know where we truly stand...unless of cuorse he has a secret bank account but somehow I don't think he's that organised!
Pantswithnames - I think it is in bloke DNA they suddenly think they need to take control usually either when they have lost it at work or when they feel that they are not treated with the same sort of gravitas in the home as at work...I am trying to just let is wash over me!

Go on you know you want to...

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