Friday, March 12, 2010

Waving to the Money Gods.

One of the problems of not having a monthly income is the anxiety and stress that overcomes me when my bank balance inches dangerously close to zero. Or worse, when the balance sits in the minus pit of doom.

Anyone who's been in the same position knows, it seriously sucks to be broke.

Bills will always have to be paid and food will most definitely need to be put on the table.

Simple luxuries like fresh bread that we'd usually buy for 2€ were replaced by a supermarket brand a quarter of the price. I'm not a snob. I just like bread. It's times like these, that it's definitely worth being a non-meat eater because grocery bills are reduced by a third, if not more.

Last year i managed to work on a corporate identity manual which helped pay for many luxuries and our every day life. Although our move to a new city, didn't really help in our expenditures. Money has a tendency to come and go and before i knew it my worries were back.

Since coming to Germany, i've learned to appreciate what little disposable income i have.

And if you're one of the few that have been following my ever so exciting life, 2010 started really bad for me; both mentally and physically. But then like a gust of wind everything changed.

J and i started having a social life. We took on the challenge of owning kittens kids. J has started to juggle two jobs to help ends meet. And i'm tapping in on my Creativity to help support our little family, by means of scoring some design work. And based on my production schedule, this massive job should keep me occupied until September!

So i sent out the quotation and every day i'd check my bank accounts online and each time a minuscule of Hope would flicker when i'd click the log in button.

"Please let the money be there," i'd say. But to my disappointment my account would scream less than one digit.

So sad.

Waiting for a client to pay the first deposit is like watching a plant grow. It can take so bloody long.

Then this morning, i did my usual bank balance ritual and lo and behold, the Money Gods heard my prayers... THANK YOU!

So as a pre-birthday treat to myself, i'm going to be all girly and spend the afternoon at the hairdressers. And i wonder, does "Uh oh" in English mean the same in German.

Let's hope i don't find out.