Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Urban inflation index

August 07 – changes from 6 months ago

- Litre of fuel Kshs. 80.79 ~ $1.21 (up 8.75%)
- Maize meal (2 kg. Unga) 50 shillings (no change)
- Sugar (2 kg. Mumias pack) 150 shillings (no change)
- Tusker beer: 100 shillings at local (no change)
- Safaricom promotion: Then: was Saasa - with 8 shillings per minute calls during off peak hour. Now is new shape of Safaricom including a new Super Tariffic tariff which has calls 38% cheaper and SMS 30% cheaper than the previous Tariffic tariff
- US Dollar exchange rate: Kshs. 66.50 (5% weaker against the shilling)
- Plastics items are not being tracked, but milk and bread have gone up since the budget speech read in June.

Personal expenses
I tried using various online services to track expenses, but eventually fell back to Microsoft Excel and built a tracker that fit my needs. For July 2007;

- Rent 30% (high, but it’s safe and close to town)
- Charity 14% (one time event)
- Electronics 11% (new phone, but do I say)
- Fuel 8% (lower than expected, but my daily commute is short)
- Drinks 6% (Rather low, so should not feel guilty)
- Relatives 6% (unavoidable, non recurring expense)
- Investments 5% (should be higher, but there’s nothing promising till end of August)
- Dining 5%
- Parking 4% (take that Mr. Mayor)
- Newspaper 2% (rather high)
- Gift 2% (for every time I visit someone’s’ house)
- Utilities 2% (electricity & water)
- Communications 2% (mostly Safaricom)
- Groceries 2%
- Personal 1%

sports
- I love the new G TV advertisement which compares the three English premiership soccer packages
Get 3 games a month for 0 shillings i.e. Nation TV (NTV)
Get 6 games a month for $70 ~ i.e. DSTV
Or 32 games a month for Kshs 2,750 (i.e. GTV)
but this weekend, Supersport will show opening matches of the big four teams Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester Utd
-With all the fallout from the Hungarian Grand Prix, it should be pointed out (to non-F1 fans) that Hamilton started the fracas on Saturday when he deliberately ignored a direct order from Ron Dennis (team Boss) to let Alonso past on the track during the early stages of qualifying three.

16 comments:

coldtusker said...

Try the Telkom Wireless line...

It costs 7/- (less than all other SafCon plans) to call Telkom lines...

Other calls/networks are 24/- during peak (6am-6pm) then 14/- to other lines.

They have 350,000 subscribers mainly in Nairobi...

Anonymous said...

How did milk fare in the inflation index Banks?

Anonymous said...

Im a die hard F1 fan. I beg to differ about Hamilton-Alonso saga. Alonso was timed at being stationary for more than 30 seconds after his tyres were changed before heading out while Hamilton waited behind him in the pit. The stories in the papers here in UK say that Hamilton said to his boss "what the f*** are you doing to me?" His boss replied "don't u f***** talk like that to me" Hamilton replied "go f*** urself" Alonso can't handle the heat. There's a Rookie in town who isn't taking any nonsense. Its no wonder Ferari want him for $35million per race!!!!

gishungwa said...

My personal expenses layout is not as detailed me thinks i need classes. I am on Celtel so i wouldn't relate.
I do love that the Pay TV now has competition it is good for us consumers.

odegle said...

on the personal expense tracker, try Microsoft Money. very deadly and will also track your investments, savings, fixed assets etc very nice reports and detailed month on month analysis

Jakarumba said...

Hi Banks, coincidence! I've been reworking my expense tracker since last week. Could you help me with your template for the expense tracker?(syldke@yahoo.co.uk).

Odegle, I was recently looking for Microsoft Vista, and it was hard to come accross, where can one get Microsoft Money and whats the cost?

Cheers!!

Jamo said...

Banks expound on the DSTV/GTV/Nation, package Hii maneno hatujasikia huku majuu. Whats on offer for the said cables? How much is the connection fee (decoder+dish) for the GTV deal? Should be coming home soon, and decide whether i'll migrate.

Right here (UK) we are spoilt for choices after Sky ripped us off in the previous seasons. The new kid in town is Setanta Sports who were given rights for 46 premiership matches. Costs you £9 plus 10 quid connection. I get my setanta matches on broadband for £9.99. Liverpool TV will soon be coming on Setanta package, joining Celtic TV and Rangers TV. For Golf lovers Setanta is real deal, they got US PGA tour plus lots of French, Scottish football. ITV still got some Champions league matches. All said, Sky is still superior with 88 premiership matches, Champions league and other stuff. From the sound of things, it appears that DSTV will be getting their feed from Setanta while GTV from Sky. (I stand corrected)

As for Lewis, that boy may be ruining his career so soon. The boy got favored on sunday even after being the source of the aggression, Men I feel for Alonso, though he too is turning out to be a cry baby (borrowing from Martha Karua)

James

bankelele said...

coldtusker: Telkom is a real option. But I read in BDaily today that their netork can't go past 1m lines!

Pasha: Soem places no change, but at local, up from 21 to 24/=

Anon: We've heard from Lewis, let's hear from Alonso next week. I'm a Ferrari fan who has learnt not to under-rate Alonso (but admist also that Hamilton is the deal)

gish: try & track for a month (I'm shocked how much I spend on newspapers, and how little on Safaricom!)

Odegle: I have quicken on old PC, but I wanted to build my own tool. wher can I buy MS money?

Jakarumba: will mail you by weekend

Jamo: we'll know in a few weeks. will check out GTV at the local bar, as DSTV will be a tough habit to break

Anonymous said...

Mental notes.... i need to invite banks to my house...LOL

The compe is good as Gish indicated!

I know a place you get tusker @70bob hapo parklands... and its not dingy!!

Anonymous said...

Jakarumba et al...

There are many different types of financial mgt software for both individuals, homes, and businesses.

Examples are Microsoft Money, Quicken, Quick Books, Peachtree,Great Plains etc

The other alternative is to create your own Excel spreadsheet with the required formulas plugged in.

Each of these products has different versions/types (e.g Essential, Deluxe, Premier etc)depending on the functionality.

The beauty about Microsoft Money (and maybe others) is you can download a FREE 60-day trial. Check out the "Free Trial" tab under http://www.microsoft.com/money/default.mspx

Try this and see if it meets your needs before going online to purchase it.

For those in the US, some of these softwares can interface with your Online Banking and hence you can avoid duplicating tasks.

Hope this helps.

coldtusker said...

Well... buy Tlkm before they reach 1mn subscribers... lakini they will expand with help from loans & chinese help...

Celtel is taking on both Telkom & Safcon with new pricing on shuks shuka...

Telkom has plan for 5/- to 5 Telkom lines...

Spyce said...

I know what you mean about personal expenses software. I came across this one called YNABand i must say it shows all the others dust, saves time and is very affordable. gives you a one month trial too so you can decide if it works for you.

Check it out

Anonymous said...

I need to start tracking my spending more closely see where my money is going. I have had it in mind for a while but have been too lazy to implement it. At the moment looking for a small nifty application that would work on my PDA for convenience of entering votes as soon as i spend.

Anonymous said...

someone spoke of even a better deal from 'OxygenTV' Decorders@5k and 500 p.m.for monthly subscriptions or was it a dream?

mdskpr said...

About this GTV/DSTV thing, it's a bit odd because GTV are not really going after DSTV customers, their primary target is those without DSTV who would like to enjoy pay TV but cannot afford DSTV's price tag. Unfortunately, the great majority of those after pay TV are after it because of football, so DSTV gets shaken. Why are DSTV doing this ad blitz and trying to talk to "us"when all this time they positioned themselves as a super-premium brand on a high perch for you to take-or-leave-it? Reactionary, if you ask me.

Dropmyload said...

I am so mad with DSTV, spent the whole weekend watching lousy irrelevant games coz I dont have GTV, and can't even get it as it is sold out!!!!!

Called DSTV this morning, and they were so rude!!!! I can't beleive someone who is under so much threat does not even care for their customers.

I predict DSTV will be in financial trouble by December, and even will downsize and leave some African countries next year. I understand GTV has won the EPL rights for the next 3 seasons!

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