I've been following the news with interest all week: all doom and gloom, cutbacks left right and centre... Seems ironic that the Government seems more concerned with propping up the banking sector than safeguarding community services. In the mist of it all the shocking revelations that €83m was siphoned from the Disability Services funds, by that ongoing bad variance AKA the HSE, barely cause a stir.
'So what' says the News '€400bn is more juicer to chew on...'
All the talks of the ECB lowering the interest rates has me sceptical too. Do anyone really think that will happen??!!! Did any of you notice that almost all the fixed rates have been steadily increased by the banks by .1/.2% across the board?
'So what' says the News 'We need to speculate what the banks will do with the €400bn...'
The Unions are encouraging us to reject the recent paydeal, rising unemployment and the Government majority owned 'State' airline is considering laying off its ground staff in favour of outsourcing. Hardly reassuring...
'So what' says the News 'US Congress just approved a $700bn bad debt bail out! Everyone is working towards recovery...'
Two of my friends announced that they were doing their Christmas shopping this week. My eldest gives me a list of 20 toys/games and subtly hints that I pass it on to Santa for him. Eeek! Why so early!!! I plan to bring my winning from the Deepstack to Amsterdam in November - that's time enough for me, and Santa will have to make do with what he can find in Kalverstraat! Then the rumour mill starts grinding out more bad news: the credit cards will be withdrawn, overdrafts will be frozen, forget shopping and start paying them off now!
'Ah sure' says the News 'If you run into debt the Banks are covered... just don't go over €400bn on the credit cards.'
Several prominent players were complaining they were too late to register, or had other commitments, to play in the IPO or Laddies game in Killarney ... Let's be honest - the real reason lies with the credit crunch... right?! Come clean!
I'm old enough to remember the bad old 80's, being in secondary school with peer pressure to look good was tough if you didn't have the means! The shame of having to wear those god awful council glasses! The shame of having no headstone for my father's grave for 4/5 years! The shame of having to sell the family car,and my mother had to hitch with the weeks takings (we had a business) to the bank in the next town... No worse than anyone and we survived.
'Uh oh' says the News 'WARNING: This recession will be worse. MUCH worse.'
With the looming threats of rising bills, food costs and interest rates reared last May - it was time to start cushioning myself for the worse. I changed my driving style, turned off the air con, and shopped around for petrol, I pay my son in PC hours to clean the car (he's very good!); shopped for food bargains (very easy right now), the new fridge with the extra freezer space is full! I reduced our heating usage, got strict with electricity and got rewarded with the cheapest utility bill I've ever had last week! A gas bill for €17!!! I'm so proud of it - I carry it around everywhere! I even applied to fix my mortgage for 5 years... just before the rates went up.
But the best advice yet had to to from a client last month. This little old lady whose daughter is regular on the poker scene, upon learning that I was a player asked me how was my 'poker purse'. She had me mystified at first then explained that her daughter held two purses: one for housekeeping and the other for poker! "And never the two shall meet!" LOL! While my virtual online 'purse' is pathetic... my live purse is currently richer than my housekeeping one that's for sure!
I set myself a 1k challenge for August - started really well but had a disastrous final week, but glad to report I was €700 up by 31st August and already had that spent! September added another €230 profit to start off my 'purse' (didn't play as much, kept to low stake games) plus a bottle of sparkling wine the best hand (straight flush to the Jack) and October is off to a good start with another €170 profit into the 'purse'... it should have been €390 but I messed up in the final hand headsup. Meh! Feck the credit crunch - I'm setting myself a 1k target for October!
"Ah now" says the News... Shhhhhhh! I'm enjoying my wine!
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