Sorry I'm MIA, but:
a) hunting for flats BLOWS, esp. when you haven't had to look for over 5 years and your rent has stayed the same for that entire time period.
b) see a)
Monday, May 26, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Friday, May 09, 2014
Just kidding. Posting resumes...
Well, my budget is about to be blown to bits.
My landlord has decided that he is not going to honor the agreement we made about reducing my rent due to a couple being here.
He thinks that because there is an extra person, all that person's extra rent should go to him, as landlord.
This contradicts every conversation we have had for the past 3 weeks where I asked him if it was OK to get a couple in, reducing my rent, and he agreed.
Now, he wants me to pay my full amount, and the couple to pay the rent that they and I negotiated amongst ourselves. He did nothing, was not a part of that deal, because he told me to handle everything, he was OK with whatever I decided.
We had a two hour discussion about this, and he accused me of being immoral and greedy for wanting to reduce my rent this way. He said he had never heard of anyone reducing their rent by bringing in an extra person to the mix, even though literally ALL of my friends have done this in Auckland, and it is very common to see this on Trademe.
Earlier today, I contacted the Tenancy Tribunal and they told me I was well within my rights because a) no where in my contract does it state the maximum number of people allowed to live here, b) I have a text message from him saying that was OK for a couple to move in and to reduce my rent, and c) our rental agreements are linked to one another (meaning that if the other one moves out the other has to pay the full amount of rent), making it a flatting situation rather than separate tenancies responsible for separate rents.
So yes, I'm moving out, and the couple that just moved in is moving with me. He loses three very, very reliable, good tenants that would always pay on time and treat his place like our home (which is has been for me for the past 5 and a half years). And I lose a home that I have made into my own.
My landlord has decided that he is not going to honor the agreement we made about reducing my rent due to a couple being here.
He thinks that because there is an extra person, all that person's extra rent should go to him, as landlord.
This contradicts every conversation we have had for the past 3 weeks where I asked him if it was OK to get a couple in, reducing my rent, and he agreed.
Now, he wants me to pay my full amount, and the couple to pay the rent that they and I negotiated amongst ourselves. He did nothing, was not a part of that deal, because he told me to handle everything, he was OK with whatever I decided.
We had a two hour discussion about this, and he accused me of being immoral and greedy for wanting to reduce my rent this way. He said he had never heard of anyone reducing their rent by bringing in an extra person to the mix, even though literally ALL of my friends have done this in Auckland, and it is very common to see this on Trademe.
Earlier today, I contacted the Tenancy Tribunal and they told me I was well within my rights because a) no where in my contract does it state the maximum number of people allowed to live here, b) I have a text message from him saying that was OK for a couple to move in and to reduce my rent, and c) our rental agreements are linked to one another (meaning that if the other one moves out the other has to pay the full amount of rent), making it a flatting situation rather than separate tenancies responsible for separate rents.
So yes, I'm moving out, and the couple that just moved in is moving with me. He loses three very, very reliable, good tenants that would always pay on time and treat his place like our home (which is has been for me for the past 5 and a half years). And I lose a home that I have made into my own.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Hiatus
Trying to keep up with my exercise, meditation, schoolwork, and regular work has me exhausted. I think it is time to put this blog to bed, at least until something exciting happens! Posts will be very irregular, though I'll try to do my normal monthly spend reports...
I'm still keeping up with reading the blogs on my sidebar--->
but I probably won't be commenting much. Best to you all! Mwah.
Saturday, May 03, 2014
April Spending
What a wonderful April we had here! Other than a few days of showers, it was almost like summer didn't want to end. And the week break from work due to Easter/ANZAC Day didn't hurt, either...not that I did anything with my time off other than meditate and reorganize my closet...
My PhD sort of unofficially started on Monday. So far, so good. Not much has changed, actually. I have awesome supervisors and I get to go to the US for work in November. I was thinking of heading home for Thanksgiving - Christmas afterward and saving my airmiles, but the idea of spending so much time at home in the cold weather really doesn't appeal, even though I'd get to spend the holidays with family again and I'd save most of my airmiles for next year. I am trying to get a few family members to come visit me in the southwest, where I'll be working, in November, though. Just a weekend with them would be great.
I got approval to go home for all of September, so that is what I'm doing instead. My airmiles are pretty much gone after that, though. Too bad. I'll have to come up with another genius plan to cover next year's trip.
Speaking of, I'm not sure if I'll get to go home at all next year. My supervisor mentioned trying for the conference in Prague that I want to go to next August, so I need to make sure I get a lot of work done to earn that trip. That will get me some airmiles, sure, and I'll see if I can hit up Germany to see my other supervisor (she'll be on sabbatical) while I'm there. I also plan on spending a few days visiting my good friend in London. That may eat up a lot of my time/money available.
So anyway, PhD is on track, work is on track, friends and social life are amazing, and I'm keeping up with meditation, eating well (mostly), and exercising a lot. I've decreased my rent by getting a couple to move in with me (though that was not without its major hassles!), so I'm taking care of my finances, as well. My sister is back in the hospital, but other than that, my family is OK. As usual, the only thing in my life that I can't get to go well for me are romantic relationships. Par for the course.
Ah well. Let's get to the money:
My PhD sort of unofficially started on Monday. So far, so good. Not much has changed, actually. I have awesome supervisors and I get to go to the US for work in November. I was thinking of heading home for Thanksgiving - Christmas afterward and saving my airmiles, but the idea of spending so much time at home in the cold weather really doesn't appeal, even though I'd get to spend the holidays with family again and I'd save most of my airmiles for next year. I am trying to get a few family members to come visit me in the southwest, where I'll be working, in November, though. Just a weekend with them would be great.
I got approval to go home for all of September, so that is what I'm doing instead. My airmiles are pretty much gone after that, though. Too bad. I'll have to come up with another genius plan to cover next year's trip.
Speaking of, I'm not sure if I'll get to go home at all next year. My supervisor mentioned trying for the conference in Prague that I want to go to next August, so I need to make sure I get a lot of work done to earn that trip. That will get me some airmiles, sure, and I'll see if I can hit up Germany to see my other supervisor (she'll be on sabbatical) while I'm there. I also plan on spending a few days visiting my good friend in London. That may eat up a lot of my time/money available.
So anyway, PhD is on track, work is on track, friends and social life are amazing, and I'm keeping up with meditation, eating well (mostly), and exercising a lot. I've decreased my rent by getting a couple to move in with me (though that was not without its major hassles!), so I'm taking care of my finances, as well. My sister is back in the hospital, but other than that, my family is OK. As usual, the only thing in my life that I can't get to go well for me are romantic relationships. Par for the course.
Ah well. Let's get to the money:
| Apr Budget 2014 | |||
| Category | Spent | Budgeted Amount | Balance |
| Rent | $840.00 | $840.00 | $0.00 |
| Groceries | $520.61 | $400.00 | -$120.61 |
| Internet | $49.50 | $50.00 | $0.50 |
| Electricity | $70.05 | $75.00 | $4.95 |
| Eating Out | $79.30 | $125.00 | $45.70 |
| Charity | $0.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Cell phone | $20.00 | $50.00 | $30.00 |
| Medical | $0.00 | $100.00 | $100.00 |
| Misc | $519.39 | $275.00 | -$244.39 |
| Savings | $600.00 | $600.00 | $0.00 |
| Total | $2,698.85 | $2,540.00 | -$158.85 |
Income: $3050.48
Salary: $2842.97
Garage Rent: $100
Trademe sales: $107.51 (sold two pairs of shoes I'd never worn)
Rent: This will be going down, hurrah!!!
Groceries: Holy Moses. All those trips to the American store did it.
Internet: As usual. I'll see what it is with the couple moving in. My last roommate was home all day, every day, and I think all she did was download and stream tv shows and movies...
Electric: About usual.
Eating Out: Under by a little bit. Not too bad.
Charity: will give double this month
Cell phone: normal
Medical: none
Misc: Yikes! Way over.
Alcohol: $77.50 (celebrate my PhD acceptance, round of drinks at a friend's leaving do)
Entertainment: $6.30
Exercise: $100 a tennis lesson and registration for the Auckland half marathon
Fees: $2 to change bank recurring debit
Gifts: $26.66 (printed pictures for a friend's bday gift)
Random stuff: $216.93 ($72 for field shirts, $88 for toiletries, craft stuff, and a new canvas wall hanging for living room, $20 or so to Trademe for fees; $36 for boston simplus solution for hard contacts)
Transport: $90 (cityhop car)
$351.63 is leftover to contribute to my Mental Health Fund. :)
How could I do better:
1) want less stuff
2) cut down on cityhop car (once per fortnight?)
3) plan meals so that I don't have to buy so much at the grocery; eat down my cupboards and freezer
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