To do: 9th April

• Ebay stuff
  • TY book and cd sets
  • Stuff in box
  • HP Omnibook
  • DVDs
• Fix Toshiba laptop to sell or maybe keep
  • Buy air spray and soft CD case from Maplin done
• Clean work suit(s) ready for presentation in Farnborough taken in, need collecting
• Take old clothes to the charity bin by Sainsbury’s done
• Buy face scrub, toner etc in Boots done
• Get car MOT’d
  • Book in
  • Put it through the car-wash first
• Credit card balance transfer
  • Reinstate RBS direct debit done
  • Move money from penalty-savings to flex-savings
  • Make overpayment on HBOS card
• Figure out how to take the media centre to Japan? Jonathan recommends TNT, removing hard disks and packing separately in electrostatic/tamperproof bags; disk parking not required on modern tech.
• Washing up
• Clothes washing (for tomorrow!)  done
• Vitamin C done
• Passport renewal
• Query about photography course
• Get shower fitted
  • Double check power rating and requirement for RCB box done
  • Buy shower unit done
  • Call electrician to get him booked in
• Do cutting-in on lounge ceiling
• Cornwall house
  • Phone estate agents done
  • Phone solicitors done

Wish list – 3rd April 2008

• Clothes
  • baggy combats
  • outdoor fleeces
  • O’Neill gillet?
  • base layer tops
  • office garb for teaching
  • Remember – always need to have *something* I’d feel comfortable going out in, plus “indoor” cheap casuals to avoid wearing out “best” clothes
• iPod nano – 8Gb …. 12GB?
• Laptop? Would it be cheaper to buy one in Japan?
• The Pier – buddha and thai dancer statues done
• Fat Face watch done
• Cafe del Mar Vol 2 done

Money

This morning I totted up the costs that will be incurred in Jan/Feb time by attending the TEFL course I’d like to do:

Required 
Air fare (2 x one way) - £900
Cost of TEFL course - £1146
Cost of living while on TEFL course (accom & food) - £700
Mortgage while waiting for a tenant - £1000
Storage - £100 (should cover two months)
Buffer (for emergencies and unanticipated costs) – £500
Total: £4346
Minus £700 that could be saved in Dec & Jan: £3646

Divided by the next 8 months: £455

I do know that there’s no way right now I can afford £455 per month for the next 8 months. So this is a problem. I’ve not found the solution yet, but it is good to at least have identified the problem with enough time (perhaps) to do something about it.

One option is to go abroad without the TEFL cert. In fact, that would be by far the simplest and cheapest solution. But we’ve all seen what happened to Nova. I don’t want to find myself out on a limb a long way from home. And much as its tempting to trim any slack out of the figures, it will already be tough adjusting from a fairly comfortable budget down to a minimalistic one – its important to be realistic.

Argh. Radical solutions may be necessary. I’m glad I looked at this before I bought furniture and signed up for the next dance class.

Things to sort out – Tuesday 18th March

• Passport
• Shower installation
• Car MOT & insurance
• Money – pull something out of flexible benefits scheme? can’t be done until September
• Check how health insurance claims should be raised (no paperwork)
• Follow up on lack of pension paperwork
• Wish list ahead of next year:
  • Clothes: baggy combats, outdoor fleeces, base layer tops, office garb for teaching
  • iPod Nano 8Gb? 12Gb?
  • Laptop? Would it be cheaper to buy one in Japan?? items added to wishlist post
• Need money for:
  • Cost of TEFL course
  • Cost of living while on TEFL course
  • Buffer on arrival in Japan
  • Additional mortgage payments while seeking a tenant
  • finishing the renovation … cooker … fridge … detailed in a separate ‘money’ post
• Photojournalism course - accomodation/location?