Rough start

After having lost my old contract at the end of november 2012

it took some time for me to decide on a new job.

I ended up signing the new contract at the end of january

and had to move to Berlin.

Two month without any income, plus the move, burned up all of my reserves,

but I was happy about the new more permanent job.

I managed to squeeze by january, but is was really tight, which helped me to tighten my tracking and spending.

Living Ultra Minimal actually wasn’t that difficult and I still don’t have a couch.

Getting rougher

I fought over 2 month with pneumonia, without realizing what was wrong, until I was finally sent to a doctor,

because I completely stopped breathing one night.

Some antibiotics and five days in bed later I felt ok again.

The bad thing: I realized the new company wasn’t as shiny as expected. Lots of broken code, architecture, processes and people.

Well, I was stuck.

I managed to survive february, so my immediate money problems got a little bit easier.

By the end of march things looked bleak again, I suddenly had to survive on the bare minimum till the end of august.

Somehow I managed to play which probably kept me from going insane.

Better?

I managed to get healthy – well, healthier – again. I controlled my spending, while furnishing my new flat

and I managed to survive the new job.

Not too bad, but still not realizing the full truth.

Somehow I passed the two year mark of this blog and kept it going.

Most of my goals haven’t worked out … yet,

but I’m getting better.

Alone?

I managed to clear up the situation with my not-girlfriend, just to stumble into a hot, but weird relationship,

which ended as quickly as it began.

In the end I got back together with my not-girlfriend and broke up with her again.

We were never really together, so breaking up isn’t exactly right,

but sometimes things are to complicated to explain in simple words.

I’ll just leave it at that: She was a very good friend.

Squeezing by.

I managed to keep my overall spending low – while outfitting the new kitchen, which was a hell of a job, but I did it.

I even found some time to go through my old bookmarks, which remindes me that I probably should get going again.

And I started to pay back the loan from my brother, which in the end took until december, but I did it.

My broken car didn’t help to make things easier.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Towards the end of the year I finally managed to tie up a few loose end, got my flexible spending under control

and even had a plan for my fixed spending, which almost worked out.

I finished my tax for 2012 and it looks like I might even get a little (~2000) return, once they checked it.

Only downside at the moment: My flat in southern germany is empty, since the tenant moved out; And I just don’t have the time to handle it, so it stays empty for the time being.

Well, another 500 a month missing.

Bleak?

Not really.

Yes, I hate the job, well, not the job, but the surrounding situation.

I’m not that happy in Berlin anymore.

Money is still tight.

But

• A very special someone entered my life.
• I’ll have a serious talk with my boss next week, which will improve the situation.
• I have rock solid offers for other jobs on the table, just in case things go south.

TL;DR

All in all a tough year, but I survived and my situation is slowly, but steadily improving, with minor setbacks not really worrying me.