Budget

My only 'souvenir' this time was the little white vase with the tulips.

I live by a budget. Ever since I was in serious trouble several years ago where I didn't open any mail, nor paid any bills and ended up being uninsured for about three months. The real wake-up call came however when I found out that when moving to another country they want you to take money with you. Which I didn't have. 

So, I set about getting rid of my financial troubles. Got rid of the car, no more holidays (not as bad as you might think, due to my fantastic job which still allowed me plenty of (free) travel), no more dvd's and no more other frivolities. It took a few years, but I managed in the end. 

I had had a sort of budget when living in the Netherlands, but I didn't really bother with it after a while, but after moving to Norway I started using one again. Just to find out where my money went. Especially after moving to my lovely little red wooden cottage in the Norwegian countryside. And then this year I found an even better version than the home-made version I had used for a while. One with so much more options and possibilities. I was hooked and from then on, I have been quite religious in making sure it's up to date.

Well, up to date it wasn't today. I hadn't updated it since I went away on holiday two weeks ago and I was afraid I would be up Caca River without an oar or even a rowboat, even though I had saved all the receipts. Or had I? Only one way to find out. Write everything down and then try and match it to my bank account. Guess what!

It tallied!! It matched. There is one receipt missing, but I knew what it was anyway, so I was fine. Job well done I would say! I am pleased with myself!

PS: the second photo shows my collection of 'foreign' money. There are Euros (notes and coins), US Dollars (notes), Swedish Krones (notes and coins), Danish Krones (coins) and British Pounds (coins). I tend to forget to take them away on holiday. So the stash grows!