Had a vocal text message on my land-line, allegedly from BT, telling me to phone an 0800 number about recent business on my account. Suspecting a scam I called the main BT line and after talking to a machine and listening to some stirring classical music I spoke to an Asian-sounding woman and then an Irish-sounding man. No scam. They wanted to check that I knew a reverse charge call to Coffs Creek had been made on my account costing £45.96. Why didn't they just phone me?
We're having an austere month to keep costs down before a holiday we can't afford so that blows the budget saved on wine and drives me back in its general direction anyway. Better put the cork back in breakfast, as P.J. O'Rourke said.
Deciding that I need a break from accidentally spending money I don't have I reach for a CD and find that Dr John is singing 'Accentuate the Positive.' So let's have a go. If we had phoned Jon every week since he left home it would have cost that. Under £50 is a small price to pay for the privilege of hearing your son speak to you from t'other side of the world for the first time since February.
Liz's attempt at saving money has gone equally badly as she has saved about £60 in careful budgetting and has been working extra hard so as not to have any spare time to be tempted to spend money on clothes an ting. During this time she has picked up a speeding ticket.
It seems to me that every time in my life I try hard to care about money it all goes tits up. I'm going back to not caring and reminding myself that I'm sitting in about a quarter of a million pounds worth of realisable capital as I write.
Remember the Jesus on Wheels competition is still open as is the opportunity to help me reply to my hate mail.
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