Recent big expenses

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my new job will save me money on commuting and food. And it has. So my expenses should have fallen by 1.5K this month. However they have increased by 3.5 K, all this is on books.

Yes, I bought 10 books to read in the past 2 weeks and at the proper stores (not from the streets at a fraction of the cost) In any case these title would not be available anywhere else and I am totally enjoying reading them (completed 5 :-) ). But still 3.5K is very pricey, maybe I can gift them now. :-)

I also bought 2 sets of salwar kameez. a completely unplanned expense (1.5 K). That too when I am going to Delhi this weekend. Very bad, very bad.

So it better be back to disciplined spending after the Delhi trip. God knows when I will be able to there next, and with my best friend moving out from there, it won't be the same again.

Impromptu trip home

I had almost a week off between leaving my old job and joining my new one. I had planned on using that time to spring clean my apartment and do some reading for my new job. After one day of doing that, I realised that it would be very difficult, and at the end of the week, I would be more frustrated than relaxed. So i decided to go home.

The cost of a last minute round trip from Bangalore to Goa came to Rs 6K. I also had to shell out for transport to and from the airport (4 trips) which came to Rs. 1.5 K. And now with the Bangalore airport being shifted 60 Kms out of the city, that will become pricey!!! So all in all, the trip cost me Rs. 7.5 K. I did'nt spend at all when I was at home this time, no going out with friends and even when I went out with my parents, they had invited other people (since those plans had been made well in advance, before I decided to come), so I did'nt offer to pay.

Goa is a very expensive place to live in, and eating out is so expensive. Much more than in Bangalore. I really feel jealous of my colleugues who are buying property in their home towns, I can't afford to do that in mine. It'll be a long while before I can, and by then the prices will rise even further. Not that I want to ever stay there, but I would like to have the option. And I do have a mental block towards renting in the place I call home. That is the disadvantage of coming from a place which is such a famous tourist destination.

Cost of a cold: Rs. 2000!!

Bangalore is the allergy capital of India, or so we say. In my very first month here I succumbed to the seemingly harmless, but highly irritating cold and fever. My job as a software professional further made it irritating: office lit brightly by artificail lights, staring at a glowing screen and the air conditioning. Three years later and the colds continued at the same frequency. A small weather change creates an office filled with people coughing or blowing their noses ( and the closed environment provides a happy place for all the viruses and bacteria to breed) and doctors' waiting rooms filled.

My last bout was not a particularly nasty one, it lasted a week. In the spirit of this blog, I list all the related expenses. The total shocked me.

Doctor's fees ( 2 visits) Rs. 300
Medicines Rs. 300
transport costs for doctor's visits Rs. 150
Transport costs of going to office on a holiday ( to make up for sick absence, 2 days) Rs. 300
Take away (too tired to cook, plus need to eat extra foods) Rs 700
Entertainment ( movie cd cos i was too tired to go for a walk or hangout) Rs. 200

Total: Rs. 2050!!

Three bouts in a year could have financed another trip home for me.

All this emphasizes the importance of fitness. This year I have implemented a sensible eating and exercise plan, and hopefully that will keep me away from the common cold.