Save for a rainy day

My friend had an accident where she will be home-bound for the coming few months after a surgery last week, it was pretty bad for anyone I can imagine, and she was the same age as me. I've known her since high school (1-2 years) then she went abroad to study, we lost contact in the age of the non-smart phones. 2 years ago I was standing at a bus stop in a busy street and she walked in front of me glancing forward - in precisely that 2 seconds or so I shouted her full name, she turned and looked at me and we met again!

So last week I dropped her a message asking how she was doing and it was then she broke the news to me that she had a terrible accident. She asked if I could go and visit her it'll make her feel better as she can't possibly head out in her crutches. I felt very sorry for her and I went shopping for a gift for her today after work. I settled on a box of chocolate tied neatly in a tin, a bit over my budgeted HK$100. In hindsight I should have gone for the handpicked pieces, maybe 4 pieces tucked away in two neatly packaged boxes (each housing 2 bites). That would look as fancy as the tin I got, and it'll be cheaper too. Argh, I literally want to punch myself for not thinking of that before the purchase!

Lesson 1: Do not buy any gift in a rush, particularly when it's something you can mix-and-match for price! Unless it's something you're very very sure of getting (like a regular priced perfume you know you won't get it cheaper anywhere else).

Lesson 2: Even though I don't like the idea of buying gifts indiscriminately, it's important to budget in the incidental expenses arising from gifts.

I went on to another supermarket and saw yogurt on clearance, I thought it was $28 (when i looked at the fridge/rack) and turned out $35 (the label wrote $35 when I'm at the cashier). I thought I mixed up with other clearance yogurt cups in the same shelf. It was until I was taking a shower, it occurred to me - and I want to smack my forehead again - I think I've chosen the one expiring on 23/9/14 ("reduced" to $35) instead of 22/9/14 (where it could be $28)!!! I had plans to finish it by 22nd anyway so it didn't make sense to pay a few dollars more.

Lesson 3: Double-check the price label before heading to cashier. Calculate how much the bill would add up before going to cashier.

I also walked to the clearance shelf and saw a box of chocolate for $30. I thought it would be great for gift when I visit the aforementioned friend. The fancier tin of chocolate would be saved for someone I really, really owe a favor to. Brilliant.

Was planning to get some asparagus on the way home too (the two places I went to are quite up-market...) but I forgot! *smacks forehead* Looks like I"m stuck with sausages and instant pasta tomorrow (no spend day).

The colleagues at work were discussing whether to sign up for an extra Sunday work a few months later - I did the math and it came down to $100 / hr and the location would be quite far away, it's not really worth the time (it's not like we can sit and do nothing, but it's not like really busy anyway). I'll sleep on this, maybe I'll sign up and see which location they put me in. I could have more comfortable extra work done at home and earning the same rate, minus the traveling and the physical labor.