Turning the corner

Posted on Wednesday 2 July 2008 at 06:38 - Post Comment

Through the past 8 years together, T and I have come to realise that things happen in cycles with regards to income/ success/ aspirations etc.  When we first met we were both pretty much starting out in the 'real' world of work.  T a brand new teacher fresh from Uni, and me in marketing but still very unsure of what to do.  We were broke to begin with but both worked hard, and over time we earned some cash (which at the time seemed an enormous amount!) and had a great time for a few years, clubbing, living it up, racing motorbikes, socialising and having a great time.

We then bought a house and were back to being as skint as students.  Still, more hard work saw us get well on top of things, and able to save a considerable amount to go travelling and get married on.

Then we moved to NZ!  To be honest I thought it would be a piece of piss, and we'd soon be rolling in the dosh and have plenty of free time to spend it.  If you've read from the beginning you'll see it's not been quite like that but this past month has seen things get better and better.  So much so that I really do feel that come the end of July we'll have turned the financial corner and actually be able to start actually saving again!  ( I like saving, T likes spending -  a match made in heaven if ever there was one )

What's so good?  Well, my promotion for starters.  Plus a performance bonus that I'll get for the first time as the team has done well these past few months.  T has just had her new teaching contract through for the next 6 months so that's in the bag which is brilliant.  Also the exchange rates being what they are mean that we may soon be able to bring our UK equity over and punch a chunk out of our mortgage with it so that'll also free up a bit of dosh.

All in all, by September I plan for us to be debt (apart from mortgages obviously) free and have that time and money to actually enjoy NZ!  Of course, if we hadn't bought the land and then the house then we'd have been in this situation earlier this year but it's great owning your own house and we have no regrets on that front.  In retrospect the land could be a bit of a millstone as no-one is buying sections at present and we could really do with shifting it but such is life.  If we hold on for a year or more things will most probably change and we can live with that chance so it's not the worst thing in the world.

So, a corner is turned - most definately!

Even better - we finally bit the bullet and bought a dishwasher.  My Mum & Dad'll appreciate what a big thing this is for us as we are notoriously crap at washing up.  It has recently got to the point that the washing up gets done when we run out of plates, bowles and cutlery and we decided enough was enough.  A trip to the store later and we found a bargain of a dishwasher off the shop floor which had $500 off and so we snapped it up.  Being used to buying in the UK when it can take a week or 2 to get something delivered we asked when we could have it.  NZ being what it is the guy looked at us funny and said 'Well now of course - drive to the back doors and we'll stick it in the boot!'.  How good's that?!  So, we brought it home and as the weather this weekend just gone was so awful I decided to give plumbing it in a bash.

3 simple things to do:  Attach to a cold water feed, attach to the waste water outlet, plug it in.

To cut a long story short the whole process took 2 days, 4 trips to the DIY store, $40, lots of swearing and a moderately flooded kitchen.  Ultimately though - 5pm Sunday night and it was done.  I'd installed a tap to the cold water feed, routed the waste water, and plugged it in.  Together, we turned it on and.....

Nothing. 

Seriously - nothing happened.  Checked it was plugged in and turned on - yup.  Checked everything else - all good.  Plugged the waste disposal into the same socket and checked it worked - yup.  Scratched head.

After another 10 minutes of faffing T tried a few other electrical things in the socket and none of them worked so it must be the socket!  For some reason, the waste disposal works but nothing else does!?!  How freakin weird is that?  We're gonna get a sparky friend in to have a look but in the meantime - not to be outdone by a solitary socket - we've got it running off an extension lead. 

Clean dishes - minimal effort.  Bliss!

Now, how long till we get too lazy to put them in it and turn it on.....?

Not just saving though...right?

Posted by Littletoe on Wednesday 2 July 2008 at 09:08 - Link

I mean, what if that rainy day never comes? You've got to LIVE! A deserved holiday? New lounge suite? Come on guys! Join us as we hold onto our youth and niavity for just a bit longer!

Ha!

Posted by Wiz'n'Ton on Thursday 3 July 2008 at 01:35 - Link

You and Toni really need to meet - she is the spending Queen! If it weren't fo her I would be filthy rich but living at home with my parents!!!