I am Jane on Finances

At the beginning of this month, I vowed to start saving for a new camera. If you must know, my dad broke the camera he bought me and thus I am now left with a faulty and stubborn camera. Not that it was a sturdy one in the first place, but that is really the least of my fault because my parents didn't believe in what I said. They still don't and they still continue trusting people who cheat their money and end up buying gadgets not worth their price. Needless to say, my effort to save has failed me once again.

Honestly, I really don't know where most of my money went to, because although I used to buy tons and TONS of shoes, I really don't anymore. Probably it's because I've just given up wearing them. I used to remember how I could (and still can) run from my house in Bukit Damansara, across the highway, under the fly over and across the vast car park up to the steps of HUC, and along the one kilometer corridor before reaching class, and boy, was I (actually) fast. Today? I can't even stand walking around the malls without going home to sore feet. Sorry for the side track, although my shoe purchases have decreased, my love for them really hasn't.

Back to my money. I'm not in financial difficulty, in fact, I had just enough to spend this month. But of course, I want a new camera and if this continues, I am not going to get anywhere near it. And of course, being typically human, I want a lot of other things as well. I don't think anyone has ever complain about having a little extra to spend, right? If you do, please give me your money. I will spend it for you. We all want extra money so that we can move out of budgets and care less about not having enough by the end of the month. Especially now, when the market is doing so badly and prices of EVERYTHING has gone up so drastically. I have no idea why some people are complaining about the pinch in their pockets but still continue spending as they always do, if not more.

How can anyone claim that their not materialistic in this situation? Unless you're a monk and you practice the many precepts, one of which that we can not dwell on worldly things. I don't know how that works, but I'm not going to criticize religion. Even as a kid, do we not crave for food? Do we not look for our favourite toy? And do we not cry, kick and scream when what we want is not in sight? Has materialism not become part of human nature? Unless, of course, you are tarzan living in the jungle.

Some how, my train of thought let me to when I checked my bank account one fine February day, and saw that my very first pay was in. It was worth four figures, and the job I did was quite simple. I wish I could have that job back, but some how, big corporation aren't as ethical when it comes to small time employees, especially if they don't reside in the US. Anyway, my point here is that I still remember the joy that filled me at that moment as if it just happened yesterday. It wasn't really a greedy feeling, but more of a taste of my first financial independence. This was the money that I earned with my own two hands. This was the money that I could use to buy what ever I want without my mum having 'direct' rights in criticizing. But of course, I can never escape her criticizing. Imagine how she'd react if she knew I blew more than half of my salary for a small little gadget which I love till today. It may not be perfect, and it may not be the latest technology. But I'm happy with it, for now. And I shall always keep it because it is the symbol of my first financial independence.

Months have passed by since that bank transfer happened. And the amount I have is substantially different from what I intended it to be. There is still some left, but not much. Now, I crave to have that feeling again. I have no idea how that opportunity came across to me, but I do hope an even larger and brighter door opens up this time. I'm not being greedy. I'm just being 'contented'. And maybe slightly over optimistic. And so, one thing led to another, I started job-hunting online. I've applied for a few, but none can compare to my first job. Sigh! I really do hope something comes around again. I like the feeling of not having to ask my mother for money. I like the feeling that (although I am still financially dependent on her) I don't have to wait for her to bank in money for me because I know I have my own. Any ideas? How to be financially sound, but at the same time not waste too much time on it? I envy those who can balance everything so well. I can multi-task, but I cannot balance my duties. And so, I shall resort to being a bum.

Money oh money, I wish you fell from the sky and onto my lap, or come rolling in when I open the door. Don't judge me. I'm not being money minded. I just want what I want. And that's perfectly human. Funny that an accountant-to-be can't even manage her own finances. Hold that thought, let me rephrase that, I think I actually didn't do that bad. At least I didn't have to ask my mum for extra. In fact, I haven't asked for a very long time! *pat on back. But I still get nagged for no reason :( No idea when my mum will be grateful, but that really is beside the point.
It feels like it has been a long month for me, it doesn't even feel like July right now. It feels like it's at least September, if not October. Results are out in two weeks. More stress, more problems, more mood swings, more worrying, more uncertainty, more tension. Sigh, why do they torture us like this? I've been to Melaka this month, I've been clubbing, I've gone shopping, I've done a lot of other things which I can't remember. But I still do look forward to getting my quilt from Ikea before August ends! And I do need a better bag. In fact, let's do some calculations.

Opportunity cost is the cost for the opportunity lost to use the money for other things (rough definition, but you get the point).

And so:

Bag [47] (which I think is quite unsuitable now but was desperate enough to buy) + shoes [30] (which I now think I could have found better) + Expensive Ice Cream [15] (social obligation. Lol) + meat [7] (which I ended up throwing away due to my own carelessness) + cab [11] (which was really unnecessary, I was just lazy, or I was just in a rush for something that wasn't there yet)
= RM110 (minimum)

These are things that I remember. Trust me there are quite a number of other things I forgot about. And so, using shadow pricing theory, my opportunity cost could have gotten me a nice Sisley bag which was so rarely on sale or a nice, not-so-warm quilt (I'm boiling in my current one and it's giving me a bad nasal allergy). And oh, I so am looking forward to a shopping spree in Singapore. All praise goes to the great Singapore Sale. Sigh...

On the other hand, I did experience something worthy my money today, if not under priced. We went for Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3d and it was AWESOME. Maybe the storyline was a little crappy, but the 3d effects were AWESOME! My favourite part was when the birds all flew 'out' of the screen. Seriously, RM17 is a very very affordable, if not cheap price to pay for such an experience. The motion master in Genting costs at least double, for only 10 minutes!

Someone please tell me how to print money...