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| When less is MORE |
Of course I just had to pull her leg by putting on my poker face and quickly answering, "Oh, it wasn't a matter of choice. I just had a bl***y bad boss!"
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| Part-time vs Full-time |
To cut the long story short, a former colleague learned that I had resigned and told me that his workplace was urgently looking for someone to take over an English class. It was just for one class but that was how I stumbled upon the wonderful world of part-time employment and I have really fallen in love with it ever since. The CEO from my previous workplace warned that working part-time could be addictive. I concur. In fact, I love it so much that I am pretty sure there will be a gargantuan struggle when and if, I ever return to full-time employment in future.
The main concern everyone usually has about part-time employment is the instability of one's income. I will insist on using the term part-time throughout this post because I feel there is no need to use freelance as a euphemism to hide the endless benefits from part-time employment. Let's face it, part-time employment is not so bad, after all. Gone were the days when every ancient Chinese family longed for their sons to pass the Imperial Examinations so that they could join civil service.
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| Chinese Imperial Exam |
These days, if you play your cards right, part-timing can be a thriving business. While preparing for a Business English class one day, I came across another contemporary term - PORTFOLIO WORKER - and I thought to myself, "That's me!" In a sense, I have pretty much become my very own ... *gasp* BOSS!
But how do you deal with an unsteady income? You will surely survive if you follow this basic rule:-
Always cut your coat according to your cloth.
Nope, you do not need to be a tailor. You do not need to sew.
Here is what we need:
1) An Accurate Measuring Tape
Be honest. Don't kid yourself. Lay out the numbers bluntly as you would spread and smoothen a piece of fabric before measuring. Write down exactly how much you would earn that particular month. In my case, there may be month(s) when I have to trade in my income in exchange for an undisturbed semester break. In other words, there is no income at all.
Yet, there is no need to make excuses, either. When you have none, then you have none. It is much easier to make plans if you have digested that hard fact early on than to spend money you do not really have.
2) Excellent Measuring Skills
Now that you know roughly how much you have for that month, make a budget. I agree, some expenses are unavoidable. Well, pay those up first. For instance, you can't say NO to your house or car instalments. And unless you wish for your landlord to call the police over, you should also pay your house/room rental. If you happen to be staying with your family members, then your monthly contribution to the family is a must. There is no other way to walk around the house you live in with your head held high.
Nonetheless, if we are honest enough with ourselves, we will realise that there are certain things which we can do without, especially on months when our income is low or even nil. Some may beg to differ, but entertainment isn't essential. Go ahead and splurge if you have excess, but if you have none, then it is time to exercise some restraint. Only you alone will know what these non-essentials are. Nobody can tell you.
You just need an accurate measuring tape, excellent measuring skills, and a sharp pair of scissors.Leave the sewing bit to God and His timing. The outcome? You will not only discover the path to contentment and happiness, but may also be rewarded with a surplus. Then you will have even MORE opportunities to master yet another lesson --- How to Give.
Here is what we need:
1) An Accurate Measuring Tape
 |
| An accurate measuring tape |
Be honest. Don't kid yourself. Lay out the numbers bluntly as you would spread and smoothen a piece of fabric before measuring. Write down exactly how much you would earn that particular month. In my case, there may be month(s) when I have to trade in my income in exchange for an undisturbed semester break. In other words, there is no income at all.
Yet, there is no need to make excuses, either. When you have none, then you have none. It is much easier to make plans if you have digested that hard fact early on than to spend money you do not really have.
2) Excellent Measuring Skills
Nonetheless, if we are honest enough with ourselves, we will realise that there are certain things which we can do without, especially on months when our income is low or even nil. Some may beg to differ, but entertainment isn't essential. Go ahead and splurge if you have excess, but if you have none, then it is time to exercise some restraint. Only you alone will know what these non-essentials are. Nobody can tell you.
3) A (Really) Sharp Pair of Scissors
Brutal.
Savage.
Cold turkey.
That is the attitude you should adopt as you take out the sharpest pair of scissors and start cutting the coat according to your cloth. Before you purchase anything, think twice. Yup, just thinking twice would suffice to make a whole lot of difference in our purchase decisions. You will be surprised how much your perspective changes on that second thought alone.
Even if you do not think of the money in your wallet, spare a thought for the environment. Have you ever bought something only to realise that it is inappropriate, inessential, or unsuitable? I sure have. Quite often too. For every item that remains unused, I need to reserve a space for it in my room. And since my room is not exactly the size of the American continent, I must be careful not to purchase things I would not use.
I think we can learn a lesson or two from the ancient Japanese. There is a very sound reason for their minimalistic lifestyle. Because Japan is a land that is prone to many natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, and floods, its people tend to keep very few earthly belongings in their homes. When any catastrophe strikes, it would be easier for them to rebuild their lives. The more they have in their abode, the more destruction to pick up.
Another close friend of mine adopts a similar mentality. She is extremely disciplined when it comes to clearing out her unused items. Her logic? She is ever ready to leave her home with just two luggage in her hands. That is totally admirable! (I have yet to reach that level. If I have to bring all my things with me, I probably need an 18-wheeler semi trailer.) Yet another friend is a strong advocate for Marie Kondo's philosophy. Decluttering is the modern way to go.
There are days when one is tight with money. When that happens, start cutting. You can choose to eliminate certain expenses or to downgrade. Ah ... not the easiest lesson on earth, I must admit.
I took a 3-month unpaid leave while working full-time. The keyword? UNPAID. The first two months were alright. But by the end of the third month, I was tempted to unfix my fixed deposit account. The prospect of having to go back to work and to survive the fourth month without any pay until the 28th was extremely daunting. I felt really low as I stood in front of the shampoo aisle, staring at that bottle of Pantene which I wanted so much to purchase. Sure, it didn't cost much. But when you do not have much, NOT MUCH is A LOT.
How did I reach the point where I needed to mull over a bottle of shampoo, not because of its suitability but because of its price? But I loved my fixed deposit too much to lose it over a bottle of shampoo, so after nursing my bruised ego, I walked slightly further down the aisle to grab a bottle of Pureen Family Shampoo (which was value for money). I learned a very important lesson that day:
When you have to downgrade, you just downgrade.
There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when one downgrades his/her purchases. Yes, our ego may need to withstand a huge blow, but after that we move on. Even if we don't, life goes on (with or without us). As long as we have earned our money in a legal manner, then it matters not whether we live in a huge mansion or in a simple flat. Why live a miserable life paying off a Mercedes when you know you can live comfortably driving a Myvi or a Vios? Do you own the Mercedes or does the Mercedes own you?
I have discovered that Pureen works fine for me, just like Pantene. My hair is naturally frizzy and beyond repair anyway. These days, I can afford more than a bottle of Pantene, but why bother changing when Pureen works just as well? My hair still comes out clean.
Of course the Malaysian economy will suffer if everyone undertakes such frugal practices, but I believe we should always live within our means. That is the secret to contentment and happiness. Who are we trying to impress anyway? If there is someone which we need to impress, then that person is not worthy of our time.
My best friend and I then looked at many peers who struggle to keep up with the Joneses. Do we place our sense of worth in our possessions? Is it worthwhile struggling to pay off something which we were not meant to have in the first place? We should not limit our successes or our capability. But more importantly, we should measure OUR coat according to OUR cloth.
After all, WE are the ones wearing the coat, aren't we?
Brutal.
Savage.
Cold turkey.
 |
| A really sharp pair of scissors |
That is the attitude you should adopt as you take out the sharpest pair of scissors and start cutting the coat according to your cloth. Before you purchase anything, think twice. Yup, just thinking twice would suffice to make a whole lot of difference in our purchase decisions. You will be surprised how much your perspective changes on that second thought alone.
Even if you do not think of the money in your wallet, spare a thought for the environment. Have you ever bought something only to realise that it is inappropriate, inessential, or unsuitable? I sure have. Quite often too. For every item that remains unused, I need to reserve a space for it in my room. And since my room is not exactly the size of the American continent, I must be careful not to purchase things I would not use.
 |
| The less possessions you have, the less there is to lose |
Another close friend of mine adopts a similar mentality. She is extremely disciplined when it comes to clearing out her unused items. Her logic? She is ever ready to leave her home with just two luggage in her hands. That is totally admirable! (I have yet to reach that level. If I have to bring all my things with me, I probably need an 18-wheeler semi trailer.) Yet another friend is a strong advocate for Marie Kondo's philosophy. Decluttering is the modern way to go.
There are days when one is tight with money. When that happens, start cutting. You can choose to eliminate certain expenses or to downgrade. Ah ... not the easiest lesson on earth, I must admit.
I took a 3-month unpaid leave while working full-time. The keyword? UNPAID. The first two months were alright. But by the end of the third month, I was tempted to unfix my fixed deposit account. The prospect of having to go back to work and to survive the fourth month without any pay until the 28th was extremely daunting. I felt really low as I stood in front of the shampoo aisle, staring at that bottle of Pantene which I wanted so much to purchase. Sure, it didn't cost much. But when you do not have much, NOT MUCH is A LOT.
 |
| Pantene |
 |
| Pureen Family Shampoo |
How did I reach the point where I needed to mull over a bottle of shampoo, not because of its suitability but because of its price? But I loved my fixed deposit too much to lose it over a bottle of shampoo, so after nursing my bruised ego, I walked slightly further down the aisle to grab a bottle of Pureen Family Shampoo (which was value for money). I learned a very important lesson that day:
When you have to downgrade, you just downgrade.
There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when one downgrades his/her purchases. Yes, our ego may need to withstand a huge blow, but after that we move on. Even if we don't, life goes on (with or without us). As long as we have earned our money in a legal manner, then it matters not whether we live in a huge mansion or in a simple flat. Why live a miserable life paying off a Mercedes when you know you can live comfortably driving a Myvi or a Vios? Do you own the Mercedes or does the Mercedes own you?
I have discovered that Pureen works fine for me, just like Pantene. My hair is naturally frizzy and beyond repair anyway. These days, I can afford more than a bottle of Pantene, but why bother changing when Pureen works just as well? My hair still comes out clean.
Of course the Malaysian economy will suffer if everyone undertakes such frugal practices, but I believe we should always live within our means. That is the secret to contentment and happiness. Who are we trying to impress anyway? If there is someone which we need to impress, then that person is not worthy of our time.
My best friend and I then looked at many peers who struggle to keep up with the Joneses. Do we place our sense of worth in our possessions? Is it worthwhile struggling to pay off something which we were not meant to have in the first place? We should not limit our successes or our capability. But more importantly, we should measure OUR coat according to OUR cloth.
After all, WE are the ones wearing the coat, aren't we?
