Another Week, Just Another Day

It has been something of a productive day today. I updated my CV and sent on the results to my Career Coach. I included my thoughts on producing a CV which would cover me for the possibilty of having a different one to target possible downgraded jobs. I don't need this just yet but it is something I need to look into sorting out for the future. My coach's response was that my approach to the situation was "considered". It's interesting how people perceive what your decisions are. To me this was an obvious thing to consider.

I've actually got 8 weeks to go before I have to start re-assessing my objectives with the Benefits Agency. For the first 13 weeks of a claim I'm permitted to spend my time looking for work in my specialist field. After that I have to broaden my search and make other considerations in order to try and find work. That's where the possibility of downsizing comes into play. Because I will be moving out of my home at a point sometime before the change is due to take place the terms of the agreement will be a little more straightforward. I've thought about these things earlier because of the events of the other week, so perhaps from heading into that dark place at that point may have produced a benefit.

I also checked out the storage options and think I may have found something which will suit my needs. I envisage that the process will involve storing things for about 3 months or maybe longer. I don't really want to head into 2010 with no home and my stuff in storage. If I can get a job quickly then things will be pretty managable in a short space of time. I won't exactly have a mass of overheads and there should be some money left from the final settlement and also there is the pension scheme. I was paying into a pension scheme whilst I was there but I cannot remember how much I was paying in. Due to the fact that the I was doing so for less than 2 years I will get the money I saved back as a little windfall after 8 weeks. I'm calculating that will be around the time of my birthday - so that is quite a nice little present. On top of that I should get back my deposit on my flat (or at least some of it) which again means I'm probably going to arrive in August in reasonable financial shape.

I'm being as frugal as possible with money. I'm not going out all that much and I'm still shopping sensibly so I am not spending vast ammounts of money. I am learning to live a frugal life. That side of it is probably proving quite a positive thing. It's funny doing without some of the things I take for granted but that's the way it has to be for a good while to come. I guess the one advantage is that it's healthy for me. I eat cheap fresh fruit and vegetables from the market and have time to cook really good food. Sometimes it's the simple pleasures which appeal - although the huge ammount of flat mushrooms I got for 50p the other day means I'm beginning to look like one... Oh well, they're very nice. Tomorrow they're going in an omlette for breakfast.