Exercising,studying,job hunting and recession woes,

Finally !!!! I started back exercising....and at home to boot. No extra costs, no gym fees. We already have an elliptical so it's easy to just get on and start. What more could I ask for. I did twenty minutes on it and I felt invigorated! It was hard though, after such a long layoff. Maybe I can prepare to run a marathon again soon. Maybe not next year but certainly the following year might be a possibility(God willing of course).

So much for that. I have also been lapsing a bit with my studies and I really need to keep that on track because I have plenty of time to get that in order and I have to pass, no question.So, I will readjust my time table to complete the chapters and make plenty room for past paper questions.
Okay, that is my plan when I leave here.

On the financial front though. Things still look bleak but at least I can still last until December and hopefully before that I would have either gotten a job or in the process of doing something productive. I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place though. It would be ideal for me to find a job come January rather than this year. It would give me a huge chance of passing the exams without having to worry about heading to work,plus there is school for the kids and finding time to study while I am working. That is really the toughest but If that is how I have to do it, I guess i won't have a choice.

Funny thing though. Talking to a friend of mine who is actually working, she wants to leave her job to focus on something she loves but unfortunately cannot because she is in so much debt and needs the steady income to meet those commitments. She admits blowing a good deal of money and now finds herself in a lot of debt. I think that's the story for quite a few of us.Although, i beg to differ, maybe because of my accounting background(i know quite a few accountants who live paycheck to paycheck though) and my family background of saving. Also, I tried to reign in my credit card expenditure and sticking to cash. It meant doing without a few things and sticking to the necessities and using some imagination when it comes to preparing snacks and food for the family. Waste is just not an option.

So, for those who think the recession is not a reality, think again..........I am sure we have all been affected in some way. Some more than others but it's there......

Plans,Plans,Plans

Hmm...seems like Plans are just made to be deviated from. I did not do anything I was supposed to do today. It's not so bad though, I got some other things done that I didn't plan on.

However, I have to adjust myself and do what I really needed to do, later, after I put the kids to bed. Another thing on my agenda is to start back exercising(although the way I have been going, I think I am more than making up for the exercise that i am supposedly not getting).I just seem to be doing quite alot with my day and I thought I would be bored.

Anyway, my later involves studying and completing as much of the work that I need for December exams and that is only one subject. I have to start the other subject soon. More on that at another time.

In the meantime I have lots of other things to deal with(like, bills,bills,bills).

I also found a website called LayoffMoveon.You can just about guess what it's about. Those of us who have been laid off and looking for jobs or starting a business. A lot of people are out there either glad for the new opportunity to pursue a passion and then there are those who are just depressed and searching for an outlet and support from others experiecing the same thing. It's not a site to whine on , they also offer interview tips and ways of getting back on your feet. Quite interesting. Think i would keep checking it to see what I can learn from it.

Post Birthday

Birthday plans for my son went well! He enjoyed himself and his gifts and loved his spider man birthday cake and i was able to keep things at a decent price. It cost just over 100USD. To be exact 108USD. It was good keeping things at a reasonable level and still getting gifts that he would enjoy. He loves books,puzzles and his Dad got him a construction crew outfit with tool belt and tools, the works...he loved it!

So much for that. The job hunt is still on for me and I am also working on minding my own business as well. Nothing fruitful as yet, however, there is always work to be done.I have to continue my studying and prepare myself for exams in December. I relaxed a bit because the birthday plans and the little family lime took a little bit out of me. This week however, i feel rejuvenated and I am ready to start the ball rolling.

For the morning I have done a lot already. I paid a few bills with what money I have left :) and thankfully I am conservative in my use of my phone and other utilities.

I am ready to start my work......


Have a great day!

Birthdays etc

My son's birthday is coming up, in fact it's tomorrow and naturally because of changed circumstances(no job) it will be scaled back a bit. Thankfully a 3 year old's wish list consist of balloons,a watch,something to blow bubbles and play doh. Usually celebrations are at home and at his nursery, i would send a cake and ice cream and loot bags. Simple enough but could still be a pretty penny.

So, this time we will just have the celebration at home with cake and ice cream and of course balloons! Balloons is a must for him and i am sure he will have fun and some of his fave music too!

Simple things please simple minds and he is so sweet(when he is ready) about alot of things i wish i could give him a lot more but i think just having his family around will be enough for him and of course his little gifts......it should all come under $100....i hope, i have no choice anyway, that is what i budgeted for......

Being Average or being extraordinary

Funny thing happened tonight. Based on my last entry, the last thing I said went along the lines of me stopping the vegging in front of the tv and doing more worthwhile things. Tonight, as I was on Facebook, there is this girl talking about Mental Toughness and being extraordinary and moving away from being average. The very thing she mentioned was to stop watching so much tv and the reality tv and making your own reality happen for you(dreams etc) by working on you.

It just seems like inspiration just when I need it most. She also mentioned that she reads more,prays more does a lot more positive things to help her reach her dreams.

I think I will listen to her again and adopt some of those very ideas. Post notes around me to inspire myself as well and keep reaching for the stars.

Hind sight

Isn't hindsight something else. The dictionary meaning of hind sight "recognition of the realities,possibilities or requirements of a situation,event,decision etc after it's occurence".


The stark reality will now be facing me in the coming months now that i have to use my savings and not much else in the way of steady income to help with living expenses. It is at this time I wished I had invested in other ways other than saving to help me in the event of not having a job.

The question arises what would I or should I have done differently? I certainly know my goals and objectives are to ensure a pension in the long run, have my own home,provide for my children's tertiary education and have an independent source of income through investments.

Now my thinking is to have an Independent source of income that pays for those objectives. Hmmm...is that realistic? It is possible ....

To do that I thought investing in the Stock Market was great idea to help facilitate that. However, the problem with that, the businesses on the stock market are run by Managers and Executives and I would'nt have any real input.It is only by studying the intricacies of their financials and looking at how they do business can I say for sure I would invest in a particular business. I don't expect it to be a get rich quick scheme but something for the long haul.

While there are risks and uncertainties in any kind of investment. I wish I had taken the time to invest in the stock market alongside learning about it. Also, now is the ideal opportunity for me to start my own business and I could have probably explored that while I was working for my company(of course, not on their time but on my own personal time).

Such is the lessons of life. You live and you learn. I am cautious by nature and would'nt want to invest in anything too risky but when you are busy working and running around doing everything, you need to slow down at some time and take stock of some things. Not just your spiritual but also your finances,children and guardianship and ensuring things are in place as much as possible in the event of death(and that is a surety). However, it's a tall order given that everybody usually puts that on a backburner. Hmmm...no more vegging in front of the tv when I could do something worthwhile.......

Being a Houswife

For the first time I am experiencing what it is like being a housewife and all that it entails. Cooking,cleaning,washing and buying groceries etc. Heck, I did all those things while working too! Suddenly, now I seem to have more time and trying to squeeze in as many things as possible. You would think I would get more rest now but no siree! However, I plan on getting some rest, I must!

So far I plan my mornings to write my Blog and do my studying and so far so good. I see room for improvement though.I am starting too late but as it is vacation time and I have not had this kind of time for myself I am enjoying it a bit. However, come September school would be here and I would have to be dropping them on time.

Also, I don't know when or if I might get a job at all this year so by maximising my time to pass my exams in December makes the most sense.

I guess that's it for now. I am enjoying the housewife bit. I did not know I could enjoy cooking so much too. I have done so much cooking(of course with my cooking Bible next to me all the time:My cookbook).

Until next time.......

Networking, studying and family life

Well, it's been a week of not working and generally not saying anything to anybody. I am now into networking and letting my friends know that I am now out of a job and looking. This is actually how I got my last job. A friend I used to work with recommended me to someone and that was how I got the job and I wasn't even looking for a job at the time. That is the power of networking right there and keeping in touch with your friends.

However, I now have the opportunity to brush up on a lot of areas. I am completing my studies for example. I plan on doing exams in December and from there I will look forward. No other way to look.

In the meantime, there is a possibility of doing a private job for someone in the middle of July, so I will optimize my study time as much as possible now and figure out a way to continue even with a private job. It is really all about Time Management and especially when you have little kids. You realise how effective your work and life balance is when it is properly managed(planning helps). Of course there are the crazy things that might happen. Somebody gets sick, a doctor visit,or somebody just woke up and not in the mood to see any of their Aunties at school or nursery. So, it takes some extra cajoling and convincing and means getting most things ready from the night before.

Hmm...so much for that. I think I will get down to my books now and keep being positive. When one door closes, another opens.

Time to organise

Well, it's been a busy few days organizing my taxes and generally doing things I didn't have the time to do previously.

I have a list of things to complete and it should be completed by the end of this month hopefully.At least that is what I aiming for.

Add to that I have plenty of time on my hands so I am trying to complete my studies as well and make myself more marketable in the long run.

I even got my dog groomed which has been so looong overdue. She is also due for a check up at the vet. Take care of all those things that I can do now because I may have some long, lean months ahead.

To keep myself as current as possible in the field of accounting I am thinking maybe I could offer my services to charitable organisations that may need my services. Hmmm..... I will make a list of them and check them out, it's a possibility worth exploring.

How ready are you when you have lost your job

Well, it's been a while since I wrote something but I have lots on my mind.

For instance, how prepared are we really if we lose our jobs today? That's the thing. Well, as I mentioned before I lost my job and now I am on the lookout for another job as well as working on my own private vocation(so to speak).That is entrepreneurship.

Since losing my job I have had to consider how my credit card,loans and other commitments will be met. Now, thankfully given the economy I thought it prudent to cut back on my credit card purchases and review grocery bills and other expenses( i started this last year). That has helped a lot. These things are now under some kind of control but I must say this took months to achieve and I am now in a position to put some of my commitments out of the way.

However, those other commitments(recurring expenses) like school fees etc will be borne by my hubbie whereas previously we just split their costs down the middle. I am not sure what it is like for other people but one thing I can say I am grateful for his support and even my own personal commitments he offered to assist with. Not many people can count on that and for these things I am eternally grateful but I know these things may not last as well as even his job can be in jeopardy as well. It seems no one is escaping it.

Advice is you generally save six months worth of salary in the event you get unexpectedly booted from the job. However, that is a hard task for most people. However, with my hubbie as the main breadwinner now if he has not been doing that then it makes it even harder now as his commitments would have increased. Add to the equation we were also saving towards a house. You really have to make that extra effort to do things like that. In hindsight I wish we were both channelling funds towards a just in case scenario so that we can deal with times like these. Even the smallest amount after a period of time(a year, two years) would assist.

Oh well, you live and you learn. Those folks out there who may be going through the same experience, can you give your experiences and what you would have done different in hindsight?