Codes of Living - 8
We're after the magic formula. According to our calculations, our monthly total cost increased to 12,320 liras when we completed the furniture.
I'd like to go out a little early today and finish the household items.
Our shortcomings are television, iron and vacuum cleaner. Let's get a couple of plastic chairs on the balcony. Then let's take a look at crockery, pots and pans and electrical kitchen appliances for the kitchen. I think we can buy these with our dowry loan.
If our salary is not enough for other expenses, we will now take consumer loans if necessary, or at best, load on credit cards.
Let's take a look at our famous store again for television, vacuum cleaner and iron. We can also find small electrical appliances for the kitchen there. We should also buy the kid a tablet for school.
Television: many models are out, android televisions, 4k televisions, Smart televisions, FHD televisions, LED televisions. There are even sizes as big as a wall if you can choose. It wasn't as complicated as it used to be. Sales representatives have also become the eyes of their mother, they count fifty features, one gets confused. The lady left the choice to me and she went to the side where the brooms and irons were. So I told the sales rep to think about it a bit. To make the right choice, I must first decide on the size.
If the screen size is too small, we cannot see well from afar, large ones are already too expensive, we cannot afford them. I decided to get one of the 32" or 40" ones. If it's not too expensive, 40" would be better. The living room isn't very big anyway, there's no need for a bigger screen. We'll buy one anyway.
Most homes now have several televisions, at least one in the kitchen, and there are even those who put one in each room. But we are a middle class family. One is enough for us in the hall.
As in the old days, those who want to watch television come to the living room, decide together and watch. Although the lady wants a series, the child wants cartoons. When the little one grows up, even he has his own opinion. I don't know how it will be, I would definitely like to watch the match when there is a match. Will everyone sit and watch the game with me? If only we could get more if we had the opportunity, then it wouldn't be a problem. Everyone turns on the channel they want, and watches whatever they want in their own room on a separate television. But if so, what about social communication within the family? What about family unity? Nobody even needs to talk to each other. Everyone withdraws to their own corner, to their own world, and lives there without communicating with other family members.
Now I don't know which is better, everyone's compromise sometimes or a world for everyone? Anyway, this is a very deep subject, now our topic is the magic formula, we have more ways to find it, we will return to philosophical topics when this series of articles is over.
Let's choose a good TV now. The prices of 32" and 40" ones vary from 3,250 lira to 6,000 lira. The devil says, take the most expensive one and go. The state-of-the-art, 40" ultra hd ones have a brighter image, the latest models also have internet connection and smart television features. After examining a little, I decide on a 40" model with a smart television and internet feature, as well as a Dolby stereo sound system. . Let the lady be on during the day so she can watch any TV show she wants on the internet whenever she wants. If there is something he missed in the evening as a result of a joint decision, at least we will find a solution like this. We buy the television in a small size to be economical anyway, at least its technical features are suitable for the era, the price is 5,799 liras.
Let's see what the lady did. I found it, he is examining the brooms. The prices of vacuum cleaners range from 1,749 lira to 4,498 lira. The lady liked a model worth 2,499 liras. I said ok without any comment.
Irons are also different, from 749 lira to 1,749 lira. The lady liked the 1.199 lira one, it was steamy, I didn't object to that either.
We also bought an ironing board, 899 liras.
We went to the side of the small electrical appliances for the kitchen. We bought one grater blender, 699 liras, one chopper, 549 liras, one food processor, 1,349 liras, one stationary blender, 1,429 liras, one hand blender, 519 liras.
I said that's enough, he said coffee maker for Turkish coffee, I said it tastes better than your hand, he said electric kettle, electricity is very expensive, I said you can boil it on the stove, he said yogurt maker, he said electric teapot, I said you already make the most delicious mash. He said to prepare tomato paste, I said we bought a chopper, he said, it works for something else, then I said we'll see later. While he was going to the cashier, he caught the dough rolling and cutting tool on the right, he saw the bread machine on the other side, I took his hand while I was walking towards that side, I still went to the other store. I said we're going to go get plates and dishes, I dragged him towards the cash register.
He's still blindfolded in the meat grinder, so I asked the cashier to calculate. How many trivia they produced, they really made us a consumer society.
The account amounted to 14,941 liras. Television and small electrical appliances are also ok. When you put it into the formula, it comes out as 199 lira and 20 cents monthly installments.
r, let's say 200 lira straight account.
For kitchen crockery, we again headed to the other nearby store.
We spent a lot of money, a lot. On the way, at least, let's spend a little bit carefully in this store, I said a lot to the lady that we would not be able to afford the installments. She'll have a lot of guests, too, she frowned to see if I should bring something decent in front of the guest. He's right, of course, the guests gossip later, I'm convinced.
But when I entered the store, I was really scared, let's see what the cost will be in this store. In fact, we're going to buy every inch of plate and dish, how much can it cost?
The store is very big, we immediately found the glassware section, we started to wander. They are divided into sections.
First, we bought something from the food preparation department, a triple set of large knives, 289 liras, knife sharpener, 69 liras 99 kurus, paring knife, triple set, 59 liras 99 kurus, cutting board, 59 liras 99 kurus, whisk, 25 liras 99 kurus , mixing bowl, 11 liras 99 cents, stainless strainer, 34 liras 99 cents, plastic strainer, 22 liras 99 cents, stainless grater, 49 liras 99 cents.
Then we moved on to the cooking part, one large stainless pot, 3 liters, 249 liras, one stainless cookware set, three pieces one with a glass lid, 329 liras, one cast iron grill pan, 269 liras, one frying pan, 89 liras 99 kurus, one also smaller pan, 69 liras 99 kurus, a sauté pan with glass lid, 399 liras, one stainless oil splatter, 54 liras 99 kurus, a glass oven serving dish, 42 liras 99 kurus, a highlight cake tin, 149 liras, one round cake mold, 139 liras, a pizza tray, 109 liras, egg brush, 17 liras 99 cents, half-liter scale, 19 liras 99 cents, stainless spatula, 44 liras 99 cents, stainless dough molds, 39 liras 99 cents, cake jar, 99 lira, roller 59 lira, 99 kuruş, the lady can't stop. I said enough. If I let go, he'll take the whole store. He said he needed one last thing from this section, the bucket set, 109 liras. He said, "I'll buy the wooden spoon and wooden spatula from the market," he said. It is cheaper in the market. While going to the other section, he also put a jar set for spices in the market cart, 49 liras and 99 cents. Finally, we proceeded towards the exit of the cooking section.
He said come on, let's go to the glassware section, but while saying this, he also put a dish rack in the car from the shelf at the end of the cooking part, 189 liras.
First we looked at the glasses, a set of six water glasses, 69 liras 99 cents, a set of six long glasses, 54 liras 99 cents, a set of six juice glasses, 99 liras, a set of two tea glasses, 49 liras from 99 cents, 99 liras of 98 cents , two six-cup sets, from 249 liras to 498 liras, three coffee mugs with coasters, 29 liras each, from 99 cents, 89 liras 97 cents.
We went to the plates, studied a lot, there are very nice sets, many of them very expensive. But our shopping was easy here. Two sets of six dinner sets, one set from 599 liras to 1.198 liras, four serving plates, each from 79 liras to 99 kurus, 319 liras to 96 kurus.
"Ok, I know you're bored," he said, "We'll take one last place," and went over to the shelves with the cutlery. From here, we finally bought two sets of six-person stainless steel cutlery, 779 liras a set, two sets 1,558 liras.
We got very tired, I left the lady at the cashier so that they could calculate the total price, what we bought, how much it cost, let the cashier deal with it. There was something missing, the lady informed us from the beginning that we will come here for another tour to see if we can buy them separately later.
The story of the pasha who put his beautiful daughter's dowry in sight came to my mind, the story that no one could find missing, but the old woman said while visiting the dowry, "Pasha of the pashas, where is this barbecue tong". Dowry work is very difficult, it never ends, so is making a house. I hate shopping.
By the way, I remembered that we had to buy plastic chairs and a table for the balcony, I told the lady I'd go check it out. While they were taking out the bill, she said okay, wait at the cashier.
So I went to the balcony furniture section. I was going to buy something plastic, but there are very nice foldable wooden balcony table and chair sets, as well as cushioned, two chairs and a table, it's enough for my lady and me to have a cup of tea, the balcony is already tiny, I gave up the plastic ones, I bought these, the price is 1.096 liras 98 cents.
I went back to the cashier, they are still calculating the kitchen supplies. I thought of one more thing, I said and left the safe.
Let's look at the computer section, we were going to buy a tablet for the kid, I'll take it out of the way. It is available for 749 liras or 17.999 liras. I did a little research and chose a simple one for the kid. Probably enough for his lessons and playing games, the price is 1,599 lira. Not the latest models, even the standard quality ones are very expensive. In fact, I think the price of the one I chose is too high. Whoever does it, technology makes money, countries like us have to buy only what is done by paying high prices. Would it be that expensive if we could produce it ourselves?
On the way back to the cash register, the water filters section caught my eye. It is very expensive to buy ready-made water. No drinking water from the fountain. It's best to get a water filter. How expensive are some of the under-counter filters, 16.8 There are those that cost up to 40 liras. Of course, there are also very cheap ones, for 690 liras, but I am not sure, do they purify well? The most popular one was 1,899 liras, even this model was too expensive for me. The real expense comes when it's time to change the filter. Let's buy a triple water purifier with cheaper filters, the price is 979 liras.
I returned to the safe. The cashier took out the account. 624 liras 92 cents from the preparation section, 2.530 liras 90 cents without cooking, glasses 911 liras 93 cents, plates 1,517 liras 96 cents, cutlery 1,558 liras. The total is 7,143 liras and 71 cents. When we add the balcony furniture, 1.096 liras 98 cents, the child's tablet, 1599 liras and 979 liras water purifier, our account is 10,818 liras and 69 cents.
According to our formula, monthly installments of 144 liras and 25 cents. If we come later and get the missing parts, let's say that the round account is 150 lira per month.
Let's recap again.
The payment we made yesterday for the items
• 32,736 lira white goods
• 22.902 lira bedroom
• 28,374 lira living room furniture
• 14.850 TL children's room
• It cost 109,582 liras, including 10,720 liras for carpets and curtains.
on today
• 14,941 lira electrical appliances
• When we add 10,819 liras for kitchen utensils and some other needs, our cost for goods increased to 135,342 liras.
Our monthly income requirement account yesterday:
∆ 2,300 liras of accommodation,
∆ 8,550 pounds of nutrition,
∆ Monthly installments for goods:
√ 440 TL for our white goods
√ 310 lira bedroom
√ 380 lira living room furniture,
√ 200 TL children's room,
√ 140 TL including carpets and curtains
It cost 12,320 lira in total. On today:
√ 200 lira electrical tools,
√ Adding 150 liras of kitchen utensils and some other necessities, our total cost increased to 12,670 liras per month.
The total of our installments for the repayment of the dowry loan is 1,820 lira per month. This is also our monthly household expenses that we mentioned at the beginning of our article series.
We were tired again, but it was worth it, we have done a great job today. Now, we have a house to sleep in, even if it is rented, and food to fill our stomachs, but we also have enough items for life in our house. But these are not enough to live, we will need electricity, water, and bottled gas or natural gas.
Tomorrow, we will examine our electricity, water and natural gas expenses, which are our main expenses for the fourth month. Let's see how much these costs will cost.
Love and regards from Moscow
