I said no to shopping

I'm not even sure how I managed it, but coming home from work today, knowing I'd be home tomorrow and didn't have much to eat at home, normally I'd pop into the shop for "just a few things". It's never a big spend so I tend to reassure myself that it doesn't matter... but the small spends add up over time.

Well I wasn't feeling the greatest this afternoon, so I skipped it. That's a few extra pounds that I'll still have at the end of the month. I'll raid the cupboards and use up what I have. I keep meaning to try to pare down the food I have left, but like everyone else, I usually prefer the food I haven't got at home already :)

I've submitted my video interview for the position I'm going for. No news yet. Perhaps next week when the submission deadline passes.

I got a free razor in the post this week, so that made me happy. I also made and used a really inexpensive home hair lightening treatment. It wasn't as effective as I had hoped (actually I suspect it was simply that the conditioner was far too runny) but on the plus side it smells lovely and my hair is nice and soft, so it didn't really waste anything. My favourite of one particular cosmetic is almost empty and I found one at half the price that seems just as good, so there's another few pounds saved.

I am on track to save about three-quarters of my pay this month! Since my rent has already been prepaid, it would have been one quarter. I'm still quite pleased with this since I know I will be quite skint when I move towns in September and that last quarter will be swallowed up in higher housing costs.

Oh, and in wonderful news, we have received a purchase offer in on our Helsinki flat that looks 99% sure to go ahead. We'll know for sure in about a week and sign on the dotted line a week after that. I also discovered that thanks to the UK's tax treaty with Finland, I'll save a hefty chunk of the tax I had expected to pay on the profits. All very useful for financing my next move! ::thumbsup::

So this happened

I went to visit that town I mentioned, and I came away with mixed feelings. It's a lovely place and I can definitely feel that it would be good for the tourist trade. What made me hesitate was looking at where I could afford to live and its proximity to the town centre (I don't think I would nail my preferred radius of a 15 minute walk).

I realised I would never get "perfection" and that if I expected that, I'd never make a decision at all, so I had resolved myself to going ahead. I was all-but set for a transfer - the restaurant manager in our sister store was happy to take me pending a short interview. And something still made me hesitate before setting up a time with him.

In the meantime a twist happened - because this is me we're talking about and life would be boring without them, hey? I went home to procrastinate over the weekend before calling that manager and I discovered that the brand new store opening next year, the one I would have wanted anyway, is hiring much earlier than I expected.

Application: in. It's a team leader position. I know I have fierce competition and I may just not have the experience they want, but I am hoping they will consider me based on who I am and what I've done in previous roles. I really hope I at least get an interview.

Either way I actually made a decision (whoa!) and if I don't get it I'm still moving to that town. It's brilliant for tourism and the housing costs are lower.

Mood: hopeful. Positive either way.

Next up I have to find somewhere temporary to live for a month (ouch).

In frugality matters I got a nice gift from work, of a cloth bag, tough bag, chocolate bar, throw blanket, lettuce seeds, watering can and stuffed toy. :) I've also received five free moisturising lotion samples in the mail this week.