I am not unaware that recent posts may make me appear rather profligate with money. In fact I am not – like all the women in my family I am a great budgeter. It is just with a good job and moderate house with no mortgage, no kids, pets, taste for alcohol or cigarettes or designer clothes, I can afford to spend a bit. (OK a fair deal). That does not mean I do not appreciate the need to manage money well, to share it with others less fortunate and to save – I will happily set aside money to spend but can’t enjoy spending unless I know I have also saved a good proportion of my wages so I know I will be able to spend when I am retired or am unable to work.

So I decided, in the interest of prudence, while I was in Bath, to investigate if it was possible to lower my monthly mobile phone bill. One enquiry at Carphone Warehouse (one of the few companies I can say that I have had nothing but superb service at ever since I started to use them in 1999) had good results. I got a new tariff for £10 less per month but with 50% more inclusive minutes. I was due an upgrade on my phone but rather than just take the basic Nokia one that was free they negotiated me a rather swish Motorola that should have cost £70 which I got for free. I also declined their offer of insurance for £12 per month to cover loss or theft of the handset on the basis that they allowed me to keep the phone I already had which is still in perfectly good working order.

The phone allows me to download photos onto it so I now have a choice of quilts for wallpaper which makes me smile, and I have £120 per year more cash, which also makes me smile. My head says that sum is in fact a small inroad into the effects of inflation and fiscal drag beloved by our Chancellor and doesn’t really offset the fact that publicly funded lawyers have not had a pay rise for ages, that the government is dead set on destroying legal aid for family cases and that I should add the £10 to my pension subscription.. My heart says that is £10 bonus per month and I should join a FQ club.

Which would you follow? Head or heart? Or shall I allocate £5 to each?!