How to feel rich with 10 euros per day
I'm a long-term unemployed person; what can I do?_ At fifty-something, I'm having a hard time. I live on the minimum insertion allowance of 426 euros/month. But I have decided to be happy and live as well as possible. And I have found the secret, to live on just 10 euros a day. I will tell you about a day in my life and how I manage to be a sybarite.
I woke up at 7 a.m. thinking I had no job and was a social parasite, but I went back to sleep so happy because I had nothing to do and worry about. Finally, I got up at 11 and read my emails—especially Linked In. As usual, I sent a CV for a job. I hardly ever get a reply, but I keep on trying. I mustn't let my guard down. Maybe one day, I'll get hired again.
I had an orange juice for breakfast, costing me 40 cents (2 euros 4 kilos a day). Then I watched an online course on preparing for a job interview as a programmer. I'm not a programmer, but anyone knows. I like doing online courses because they are free. I've gone from low cost to total free cost (when I can).
Then I went out to Libros Libres, a kind of NGO of donated books, where I took four magazines, two comics and a self-help book for which I paid 20 cents. It used to be free, but now you have to pay a donation. I don't mind, and I am still within my budget with 40 cents spent.
Next, I was hungry, so I stopped at the nearby food house. The owner knows me, and we agreed. I give her advertising for half an hour, and she gives me the day's menu for free (I save 7 euros). That's perfect. So after handing out the flyers, I brought the free food home (paella and squid in its ink). On the way, I went to the supermarket and bought a bottle of half-litre wine, which is very tasty, and a loaf of bread. The price was 2,60 €. I could eat without bread and wine, but I like to eat and drink well.
After the succulent lunch, I took a nap for half an hour for various reasons. A wink is good for your health, it's free, and the wine made me sleepy. It was so good that I almost finished the bottle, but I restrained myself and left a good glass for the next day. In the end, I was transposed for an hour but woke up tremendous and full of energy.
And at this point of the day, I asked myself: What do I do now? Well, I called a friend for a walk, which is free of charge. She is also a long-stopper, so we have a lot in common. We walked for about 4 kilometres, which is good for my waistline as I've been eating so much. I'm getting a pot belly. Back in the neighbourhood, I felt generous and wanted to buy her a drink. But not just any place; I chose the Barceló market, which has a very chic and chill-out terrace upstairs. I had black tea and she had manzanilla for which I paid 4 euros.
Then I had to hurry because there was a match tonight: Manchester - Real Madrid. I had arranged to meet John, an English friend who had decided to stay in Spain after Brexit. I was in charge of the drinks, so I went to Ahorra Más, where there was a beer promotion. I bought two blonde and two black leffes at 1 euro per bottle. I don't know if you know this, but leffe is (in my opinion) one of the best beers in the world. Mahou and San Miguel are cat's piss in comparison. If I'm going to drink beer, I want it to be good beer. There is a tobacconist outside the supermarket, and I also bought two cigars at 50 cents each. If I'm going to smoke, let it be something consistent. I'm not going to buy a pack of fortune which is going through the roof... Doing my maths, I had gone over budget. I had already spent 12 euros.
I headed to John's house with all the provisions to watch the game. I like to meet him because I am learning English free-cost. We talk a bit in Spanish, English, or whatever he gives us.
Although he is English, John is quite formal, and as soon as he saw me, he gave me two euros for the beer. I'm still on a budget and have two euros in my pocket.
So I spent the afternoon drinking good beer, smoking a cigar, watching football and learning English. By the way, Madrid won.
After the match, we went downstairs to the bar. Even though we had lost, John made out with me and bought me a pint. I could have purchased a half pint with the two euros I had left, but I let him buy me a pint. That's what friends are for.
I got home around 12 o'clock, and before going to sleep, I read one of the history magazines I bought in the morning for 5 cents each. It was five years old, but as the articles are about history, they are timeless. I'm going to spend less than 7 euros on a current magazine anyway, and I'd instead go to the library. I fell asleep before finishing a fascinating article on the living conditions of English workers in the middle of the industrial revolution. How lucky I am not to live in those times and work 12 hours a day for a pittance of a wage.
And to sleep, which is free and very relaxing. I'll probably wake up tomorrow at 7 o'clock thinking I have no job and am a social parasite.
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