Goal

I've decided to set myself the goal to have all my debts paid off by July 31st.

That's only 4 months away, I can totally do that!

10th March Spending

Thursday 10th of March

- $1.50 - diet coke (entertainment expenses)

- $2 - contribution to work birthday gift (need to figure out where this comes from)

- $38.05 - Groceries (food)

So I didn't need that diet coke but at least I'm getting better then what I used to be! I used to have at least 2 cans of diet coke a day, now I'm down to 2 a week, but I still want to get down to 0 and keep free from chemicals.

An unexpected bill

I received an unexpected bill yesterday, it was $60 for a blood test I had to check my iodine levels, along with a host of other tests. Just so you other non Australian bloggers aren't shocked that I was shocked I was charged for a blood test, Australia has Medicare and things like blood tests are usually "bulk billed" aka covered by the government, which are paid for by our taxes.

Back on topic I was so shocked to receive the invoice because I had never been told that the iodine test wasn't covered under Medicare neither my doctor who prescribed the test, the receptionist at the clinic or the nurse who took my blood advised me this particular test wasn't covered. I'm the least likeliest person to complain or make a fuss but I really want to call the clinic and ask why I was never told about the extra cost.

Does anyone have any advice for contesting medical bills or any undisclosed bills?

Weekly Money Check-Up

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on $50 for a new phone.
2. Today I feel hopeful towards money.
3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was I cleaned my kitchen. Don't laugh but as much as I hate cleaning I love the feeling of a clean house afterwards.
4. I will consider this week a success if I..... I don't know right now.
5. My guilty pleasure TV show is Keeping up with the Kardashians. Yeah you're judging me, but I love them!

from My Pretty Pennies Weekly Money Check-Up

Pay Day

Pay day today.

Wednesday 9th March

+ $1675.51 - wage, including overtime pay

- $100 - credit card

- $100 - Parents loan

- $5.20 - lunch which is deducted from my weekly food budget

- $3.70 - Tram ticket, it was raining today and I had to get the tram home (need to figure out where this will be deducted from)

$29 - Prepaid internet top up

I made the most amazing (and cheap) dinner tonight! 3 Chicken thighs, 1 packet of dry soup mix, some powdered vegetable stock in the crock pot fill to a 3rd of the way with hot water then cook on Low for 8 hours.

I came home to the most delicious smell and I swear I'll have about 5 serves from this pot.

Why bulk buying is that frugal if you're single

So one mistake I made when I was first getting into budgeting/frugal living was to bulk buy. I read so many blogs that promoted this method of saving food money that I became super eager and would always look out for bargains, I didn't consider that these blogs were written by mothers and couples, not by single people. For me it was a waste of money to buy a 2kg bag of potatoes for only $3 or the 2 for 1 carton of milk or the 1.7kg bottle of sundried tomatoes because I could never use them before they spoilt. I'd end up with a half full mouldy pile of tomatoes, sour milk and my 1.7kg bottle of sundried tomotaoes? I've only used 1 quarter in 3 months and they're starting to get a funky smell.

I'm not saying bulk buying is bad for single people but I'm saying its not the be all or the end all of frugal living. I buy in bulk my non perishables like flour, sugar, tea, UHT milk, canned goods. I have considered buying beans and brown rice but I don't think I could finish the rice before it spoiled and I'd probably get bored of the bulk beans and push them to the back of the cupboard. For fruit and vegies I go to the prahran markets or Queen vic markets and try to only buy what I need. This for me is living frugally and within my means.

Pleasant surprise!

I just found out today that my work may be sending me to a training conference in my home state in April, exactly around the time I need to be home for the family event! I'm hoping it works out because it means I won't need to pay for flights, or accommodation!

fingers crossed!

EDIT:

This didn't eventuate Sad panda :(

However my Mum ended up paying for the plane tickets for me.

Just getting some shopping urges out of my system

I don't need it. But they're still so pretty. Resisting the shopping urge!

Spending ban fail

I've been lazy and undisciplined. I have no excuses. I'm giving myself a huge kick in the bum right now. I have spent money, on only small things but they were wants not needs (coffee, diet cokes). I did record my spending, on my iPhone, except yesterday I dropped my phone down the stairs and now its smashed and it won't start and I've lost all my precious data.

I had to buy a new phone today, I live alone and don't have a home phone so it's important I do at least have some way to get in contact with people. I opted for a cheapie $49 phone I still have 3 months left on my plan so I'm still on the ridiculous $69 plan that I always exceeded. I tried to be smart today when buying the phone, instead of opting for a phone that can check Facebook, twitter and Internet sites I got a basic phone with no internet access. I realised last night that I'm actually addicted to my iPhone and it's concerning, I check my Facebook and twitter several times a day, I google recipes and random things on my phone I regularly exceed my plan and will end up with $200+ phone bills for the most unnecessary things. When I bought my phone and I also purchases insurance on the phone and I am covered for this damage so I can lodge a claim and get a new phone except I don't think its a good idea for me to do. I'm going to wait out the next 3 months of my contract and then go onto a prepaid phone. I'm already having iPhone withdrawals though.

I've been seriously thinking and organising travel plans in my head and with family and this time I'm implementing an actual to honest gosh real spending ban. This is the 6 Month OH MY GOSH I'M 24 AND NEED TO TRAVEL SAVING PLAN"

The plan is this, (I'm paid fortnightly but planned it monthly for convenience)

I'm paid on average $3087.12 a month. I've done a monthly budget including savings, paying bills and daily expenses the budget I've worked on has a $445.$12 left over which I will first pay onto my credit card debt and then when my credit card debt is paid off it will go into my savings account.

parents	200
credit card	500
savings	300
rent	1173
food	200
phone	69
internet	60
electricity	40
play money	50
health	50
house	50
total	2692
monthly wage	2991.16
left over	299.16

Once my all my debts are paid off I should hope in about 3 months. I will then do a new budget that focuses specifically on saving.

The reason I've made this plan 6 months is that I think I'm going to need 3 months to pay off the debt and then 3 months to get some substantial money in my savings which will hopefully train my mind and my thinking for the next 6 months of saving for travel.

I know I have some big purchases coming up that will affect my budget however, they include 1) I have to fly back home in April to see my nieces christening and 2) I am taking french lessons so I will need to pay for 2nd semester in 2 months. I've got this figures in my mind and will be deducting money from my savings for these expenses (but only these expenses)

I am ACTUALLY going to do this.

EDIT:

I miscalculated my monthly pay and gave myself to much money, also thought it would be wise to add a household expenses portion.

Weekly Money Check-Up

My input for My Pretty Pennies money check up:

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on. not counting rent it was about $80 on "entertainment" expenses. I'm not really a large item shopper, I'm guilty of purchasing lots of smaller items that all add up.
2. Today I feel sick towards money. Looking at my credit card debt makes me sick.
3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free/inexpensive thing I did last week that made me happy was walking to work, it clears my mind and I feel more alive by the time I get to my desk.
4. I will consider this week a success if I am happy.
5. This Valentine’s Day I am single.

Inspiration Blogs

This is mainly for my future benefit but here's just a few blogs I've been reading lately for inspiration

• Digging Out and Up
• PennySpender
• My Money Journey

I love personal finance blogs they keep me motivated and it's good to know there are other people going through the same things I am. The wealth of knowledge out in the blogosphere has taught me how to develop a budget and learn saving tools that will help get out of debt and save for travel.

What are you favourite inspiration blogs?

4 week Spending ban

Alright it's time to get back in control of my spending. I've recorded my monthly spending and it's depressing I know I have some large bills coming up so from tomorrow I will be going on a 4 week spending ban, the rules are thus:

1. no spending outside groceries, rent and bills

2. time to get creative with entertainment if friends want to hang out I'll suggest something free, if they insist on lunch/drinks its ok to say no!

3. no spending!

4. I will try to update this blog daily with my progress. if not daily weekly.

5. from 16/02/2011 - 15/02/2011

Here we go!

I'm alive

Long time no talk. Sorry! About a week after my last post I moved into my own apartment and I haven't had any internet. I've finally bought a wireless modem now.

Time for the honesty, the past 3 months I haven't been saving over Christmas time I spent 3 weeks on holidays not working, and not getting holiday pay I also had to borrow some $1300 from my parents to afford the bond on this apartment.

It hasn't all been bad though. I've paid off my centrelink debt and over the past month I've been recording my spending to write a new budget for my new living situation.

Anyway, I'm back.

I'm back!

So I have a job!

New company, similar job, higher wage (which is good).

My savings has taken a hit which was painful.

The new job is ok, the company has a similar corporate structure that I had issues with at my last company, I can already see a similar employee pattern ie open bitching about managers and staff complaining about other staff, just some overall negative vibes that were craftily hidden during my interviews.

I've decided however my attitude is going to be to keep quiet, sit pretty and keep saving for the next 18months - 2years.

The UK will be my end goal!

Current Situation

I got a bonus pay this week at work.

When I saw the amount of money in my account I instantly thought "Great I can finally buy a DSLR" after half a second though I realised I can actually put everything straight onto my credit card and pay a whole hunk of it off!

So without further ado I present to you all....

My Current Situation

Credit Card Debt $992.85

Centrelink Debt $517

Travel Savings $1004.97

Do you see that! My credit card debt is in the 3 digits! Now I can focus on paying a smaller steady amount off my credit card without being stung to hard by interest rates, everything seems a bit more do-able right now.

Since I made the lump sum payment onto my credit card I've been looking back on my purchases and what I've used this credit for and I've been unable to account for anything substantial to show for it. My brother who's horribly in debt has things like a big TV, laptop and a new couch, instead my purchases have been trivial entertainment based things like Going to the movies 1 day before pay day and paying it on credit and then saying "I'll pay it tomorrow when I get paid" except I never did.

I'm not saying my brothers debt is somehow better then my debt I just wish I had something to show for it all instead of a statement showing "$4.80 to Starbucks".

I'm still here

So I haven't forgotten about the blog (or my financial goals) I've just had a lot of things going on in the past few weeks.

To cut a long story short I've handed my notice at my work, combining my current savings and my holiday pay payout I figured that I have enough to survive for 3 months while looking for work.

I have 2week left of my notice period and until I figure out a few more things this blog is going to take a back burner.

Thanks guys.

See you soon.

What I'm doing good

So I would just like to draw your attention to the sidebar on the right, the one labeled "current situation".

You see it? Well next to Travel Savings it has $801.97!

You don't know what this means?

Well, what it means is for 2 months or 8 weeks or 4 pay periods I have saved $200 each pay time AND I haven't touched it.

I've had this particular savings account for 7 months, for the first 5months of its life I was always dipping into it.

Go Me.

That $800 equals 1 visa application and 2 weeks accommodation in a hostel.

Sweeet!

Pay Day and What I've been doing wrong

It was pay day today, the last fortnight I haven't had any unpaid sick days or leave so I received my full amount of pay this fortnight. Yay! Unfortunately like before most of it is going towards bills.

What I've spent today

$100 centrelink

$172.56 Mobile Phone

$565 rent

$200 into savings

$29.40 Train fare

This weekend I was at a party and I was talking to a friend about saving, spending and budgeting (yeah I know real livewire I am, don't worry she's into Personal Finance anyway). revealed how much difficulty I'm having sticking to my budget and the smaller issue Im facing with receiving bills from my "before budget time" that I hadn't accounted for in my new budget. Anyway as I was talking about everything I realised I've been putting to much pressure on myself to be "perfect", I expected I'd be able to instantly manage my finances without any issue anymore because now I'm paying attention to them.

It sounds really juvenile now that I think about it but I can see there's a lot more to managing your personal finances then keeping a budget and reading a few blogs and online articles. Which is why I've decided this month I need to alleviate the pressure off my budget and simply track my spending to get a deeper understanding of where my money is going, yes I'm still going to work around a framework of a budget, I just wont freak out when I'm over an allotted category and decide to blow it all because I wasn't perfect.

Stats so Far

Travel Savings $801.97

Credit Card Debt $2155.10

Centrelink Debt $617

September Goals

Just a quick post for tonight, I'm watching the footy as I type this and it's a really good game (Go the Pies!). Anyway.....

My Goals for September

- Earn $300 extra snowflake income

- Pay $400 off my credit card this month

- Save $500 for London this month

- Read 2 books

- Go to the gym twice a week

- All Bills paid up to date

Have a good weekend everyone

My Finances are a mess

Ok so my finances are a complete mess. Yes, I know we already knew this, I mean thats why this blog is here so I can track my progress and savings, but I don't know It's hard to explain it's like I always knew my finances were bad but I just choose to ignore it and now it's in writing and I'm looking into everything, its just so real.

Today I got my Mobile bill for the month $266.51!!!!! I'm on a contract which is only supposed to be $79 a month including $400 worth of calls and txts, 1gb of internet and insurance. I'm stuck on this contract until May this year. I opened up the bill completely shocked, but really the bill has been looking like this for a while so I don't know why it took me until today to be shocked but I digress. After looking over the bill I found $13.59 a month going to "Vodafone Live".

Vodafone Live is my mobile providers entertainment service, they have things like TV Shows, Movies and games, I have an iPhone and and the iPhone can not access Vodafone Live. I have absolutely no idea why I am being charged for this service I don't use.

I looked at the rest of the bill and everything extra is excess usage charges for the internet I had absolutely no idea I was using that much internet or COULD use that much internet on my phone. However the more I look back and think the more I see how those "just a quick check of facebook during break", google maps, looking up a recipe when Im downstairs cooking, showing a friend funny picture when out can really add up.

I called my provide today to discuss the Vodafone Live charge and they're systems are down and I was told to call back in 24hrs.

To top everything off I've had a terrible few weeks at work and exceeded my "entertainment" budget but ALOT with alcohol purchases to handle my terrible week at work, and when I was looking at my credit card balance to figure out how much I owed I was looking at the Available Funds Column not the Account Balance Column, so my actual credit card debt is $2155.10.

I feel like crawling into a ball and crying, or getting drunk.