We're now at week 25, which is exactly halfway through the 50 week challenge. It's so nice to see that yes, we've saved/repaid all that on the sidebar!
This week, as of yesterday, my credit card fell just below $4.5k owing, which was pretty exciting. I've allowed myself to really enjoy that, because I think it will be a little while before it dips down below $4k. In fact, at 31 December (if there were to be no more snowflakes) it will be $3,992.18. So, it will be a little while yet.
Yesterday I got a CPI raise at work (where you are compensated for inflation as per the annual inflation rate of the country you are living in). This year it was 1.3%. I'm really happy to work at a place where you get paid CPI each year, because as I was saying to my boss yesterday "imagine working at a place where you have the same job for 5/10 years and the pay doesn't go up yet the living expenses do??" and he said yeah, people usually have to leave then just to be compensated for what they are actually worth. Glad that's not me! Here the larger organisations (I am certain the banks pay CPI, because my sister used to work at a bank and she got it) pay CPI as a standard thing, but smaller businesses I'm not so sure about. I never got it at the real estate agencies I worked at (two) and I'm not sure about the other accounting firm, it was so long ago. Anyhow, as of the 15th of this month, I will receive an extra $40 each month, it all adds up.
In other news, on Thursday night we did something fun and went to see the band we are having play for B's party. It is a friend of his, and it turns out this is their first gig in five years! (Because it's B's friend, he gave us a cheaper rate of $600, normally you would pay at least $1000) They were a bit rusty in places, but when their songs came together, they sounded really great! They rented out a studio room and we got to listen to them jam - never ever been lucky enough to do that, it was a cool night. I had a headache yesterday but it was worth it 
Here, we are getting the coldest weather we've had in 15 years, it is so cold! It was a no spend day simply because I couldn't bear to leave the house! The dog got walked before the rain came but other than that the only time I went outside was to hang the washing out. Send me some sunshine guys!!!
So grateful for heating and hot drinks
Hoping you're all having a lovely weekend
Week 25, Exactly Halfway Plus CPI Salary Raise
July 11th, 2015 at 08:06 am
July 11th, 2015 at 04:58 pm 1436633917
July 11th, 2015 at 05:47 pm 1436636830
July 12th, 2015 at 12:39 am 1436661543
Blues femme - thank you
July 12th, 2015 at 05:51 am 1436680313
July 12th, 2015 at 07:23 am 1436685800
July 12th, 2015 at 02:35 pm 1436711728
I recently learned that I earn less than what is defined as a Living Wage (government is supposed to be changing this, so I heard..). I like where I work because it lets me and dh work opposite days from each other which means no childcare costs. Plus I've been there so long I probably wouldn't know how to work anywhere else. Actually I probably could, it'd just be weird.