Save money

During this year I have managed to put aside several thousands of dollars.
As of this moment I have aside a bit more than 5 monthly wages, my bills for the month are all payed and payday is close…

Unfortunately Christmas is arriving, so I don’t expect to put aside more money in 2006.

One bad news for this goal, the new Nikon D200 is arriving…
But I should get some money back from my former landlord, I had a salary increase of 15% starting from October and our “friend” Ralph Klein in a populistic move has decided to share some of Alberta’s 4 billion $ surplus equally between the taxpayers, so I should get 400 bucks.
Plus, moving to a new apartment with my girlfriend should have the additional benefit of making me save some 100$ per month.
Not bad times, after all…

I don’t have a permanent job, a good salary and I don’t even know in what country I will end up living… It is kind of sad considering I have been studying for more than 25 years and have a PhD.
My plans are very short term right now so it is difficult to do long term financial planning. But I must. Who knows if I will get a new job soon when my present contract expires. Relocating to some random place in the world, as I expect to happen, will also be expensive.
I want to try stabilising things in my professional and personal life, and possibly to be able to form a family and buy a house in some years.
With the little money I have it seems pointless to invest it, not to mention the fact that investments need time and I might be moving soon. So the little I can start doing now is to cut unnecessary expenses.
I have been spending too much on photo gear: stop now! No fancy carbon fibre tripod until I get a real job, promise!
No more books and DVD purchases…
I can survive with my old clothes, just replacing those too worn out to be used any further.
Less restaurants and bars…
No more buying lunch at the food court: it is cheaper (and healthier) to bring it from home.
I should travel less but this is something I am not able to give up.