Recession proofing my life

So here I am again. Laziest. Blogger. Ever.

I went home sick from work today with a fever hovering around 102. Must be fighting something and since I subscribe to the sweat-it-out school of fever treatment, it's bed rest and blogging until this passes.

I called my mother for sympathy, however, she was much more interested in discussing my finances. It went something like this -

M - you need to be putting more money into your RRSPs
pD - Mom (pause for effect) I don't have more money to put into my RRSPs
M - then you're going to get dinged at income tax time
pD - how badly? Ballpark it for me, babe.
M- six grand?
pD - WHAT THE FUCK? (ok, I didn't actually use the f-word with my mother, but in case there are any pre-teens out there reading my blog, I totally want to impress them with my lame and transparent attempt at coolness) I don't have that kind of money!

Now, to be fair, my mother is not an accountant. She probably chose a random number, albeit on the high side, to create some anxiety in me....and it worked. My mother is really, really good at that.

So after a quick net search for employment in the Cayman Islands, I've decided on a more realistic course of action to recession proof my life. After all, I am the queen of inventing new, rash, decisive governing rules for my life...and also the princess of breaking those rules, but I digress.

The impending recession has been dominating media coverage for weeks now and has been bubbling somewhere towards the back of my brain for just as long. Despite living in a province that's economy is in direct defiance of this global trend (go SK!), I still think it prudent to curb my enthusiasm for the material right now. With all the money I'll save, I can add it to my RRSPs, thus reducing what I'll be required to pay The Man!

As such, the guiding principle will be the immediate eradication of all non-essentials.

To be more specific:

• Command start for the Escape - E (What?)
• Shoes - NE (no new pairs - you have no idea how this one hurts)
• Purses/bags - NE (see above)
• Make-up - E (staples only - no new additions allowed)
• Skin care - E (no new items...right after I get that daily microfoliant from Janes)
• Hair care - E (staples only - no new additions allowed)
• Clothes - NE (no new items allowed - must be the fever, I am getting weak)
• Starbucks - E (I have my pride)
• Mexican vacation in February - E (to my sanity)
• 42 inch TV my coworker is selling at a steal of a deal - NE (executive decision)
• Xmas presents - E (sort of - we drew names, I got my dad; and I'm putting a 100 buck limit on spending on my niece)
• Entertainment - NE (I'm allowing an outing every second weekend; and appy and cocktail nights chez moi)
• Charitable giving in the workplace - TOTALLY NE (at least I have an excuse now)
• Books - NE (but only until I get through all the ones I've accumulated but not yet read over the last while - books feed the soul, you know)

I think that covers the basics. I'll keep you updated on my progress. I am sure hilarity will ensue.

Until next time,

primaDonna