I find I have 710 kuai in my wallet at the beginning of this new year. That's a little under £50. Ouch! I am owed another 800 or so for an editing job I did on Monday, but I'm not sure when (or if!) I'll ever see that, so....... things are a little bit tight at the moment.
One of my New Year's Resolutions this year, I think, must be to try to live within my means. Well, OK, since I don't have any regular income at all at the moment, that could be a little bit tricky, but..... I think I am going to aim to spend less than 3,500 RMB each month (I've probably spent twice that much this December - but hey, it is a party month!). Since my phone and other utilities charges come to nearly 500 RMB per month, that would leave me barely 700 RMB per week; after weekly grocery shopping (perhaps slightly expanded from recent levels, since I really should be trying to stay in more often, cook for myself more often), that's perhaps 500 RMB each week or so for going out. That's only 2 or 3 rather modest nights out per week (perhaps only 1 major one) rather than the 5 or 6 nights out - often wildly on the lash nights out - per week I've often been indulging in over the past few months.
It will be a tall order, quite a dramatic change in lifestyle - but it's doable.
If I can achieve this more straitened mode of living, I might perhaps be able to subsist in China almost indefinitely - without worrying about getting another job job. After all, I can earn 3,500 RMB from only 3 or 4 half-days in the recording studio. Ideally, it would be nice to earn another 4,500 per month to cover my rent as well, but I'm not going to kill myself over that. With a bit of luck, I might be able to raise another year or so's rent by sub-letting the place for the Olympics. And if not - well, I have enough savings to keep me going for at least a year, maybe two if I'm careful (although I really don't want to eat too far into those savings if I can help it!).
So, the New Year begins with many exciting options dancing in front of me (travel, study, writing, starting a business - or just being a full-time bum??). It's just that habits of thrifty self-discipline are so deeply ingrained in me after years of struggle that I find it almost impossible to go to the bank and take money out. So, for now, 700 kuai seems like all the money I have in the world - and it ain't going to go very far.
3 comments:
You can do it!!! Niels & I live on 2000 a month. Granted there's no where to go out here, but it can be done!
Yes - but in general I should think Zhengzhou is quite a bit cheaper than Beijing! And "two can live as cheaply as one", they say. Especially if you never go out.
I'm doing well so far - but only because I've been too ill to go out anywhere for the past few days.
But I'm going to have to shell out for a new visa (possibly the dreaded 'HK run') next week....
And it doesn't help that there aren't that many places to go around here.
But why go out when we can play Guitar Hero I, II and III on the Sony Playstation 2?
Yes, I'm a nerd and I'm completely ok with that.
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