Low-spend progress

 Low spend indeed - the amount I have spent this month on 'non-essentials' has leapt up to a whopping £260.40, although this has included adding two new feline family members. It's quite amazing to me how much it all adds up even when you are trying to be conscious about how you are spending money, and it makes me wonder how much I've actually been spending on months when I have been a bit more frivolous than this.

It all serves to highlight how much there is to buy, and how deeply ingrained into my behaviour buying more stuff is. It's not the end of the month either, although frankly the budget for non-essentials is completely used up so there can't really be any more unnecessary purchasing from now on. 

Especially with the addition of two more cats, our financial situation is pretty stark. We have enough money for all of our needs. We have enough money for new clothes and shoes when the girls need them. In theory we have enough money to put a little by every month for just in case. And beyond that, we do not have a lot spare and need to count every penny. 

And I can't help but feel that this is the way it should be. At what point in history did we decide that we no longer wanted to live like peasants, but instead like lords? I am shocked again and again by the expectations of those around me, and occasionally even by my own. So many of the people we know are on substantial salaries, higher than ours, and are still feeling like it's not enough and they need to find ways to make more money. My experience is that your wants and needs expand to fill whatever budget you set out. Certainly that was the case only a year ago when Will was on a higher salary and I was also working. We had a great deal of money and yet still never saved. We also didn't do essential work on the house, pay of our debts, or really put the money anywhere of long-term value. So I find it hard to see any point in trying to make more money now to put us in a 'more comfortable position'. And I would say that it's just me and I'm not particularly responsible, but I see it in so many people I know. There will always be something to spend your money on.