A well overdue goodbye.

I started this blog when I was out of control. I had no control over my spending habits, I had no control over my social partying and I had no control over my diet and health. I spent my time gleaning the archives of other PF bloggers, learning about budgets, credit card interest and paying off debt till it finally all clicked for me and I was able to pay off my credit card.

The next goal was saving for travel, however as it often does, life gets in way of your plans. In May this year I had a health scare and was told by the doctor if I didn't loose weight I would be on my way to diabetes and other health issues. I'd gained control over my spending and social habits but hadn't gained control over my diet or health. I put everything on hold and for the last 6 months I've been educating myself on healthy food and balanced diets and exercising. It's worked. I've lost over 15.5kgs aka 2.4 stone or 34pounds and I'm now in a healthy weight range, my tests are normal and I look and feel fantastic!

I am happy, healthy and still debt free, I'm still saving for travel but not as much as I planned as I have willingly forked out for personal training, nutritionist, gym memberships and exercise gear. I'm on track for a May 2012 travel date, which is exciting and I can't wait!

But I guess what I'm really trying to say is I'm a reader not a blogger. I'm no longer in the place I was back in August 2010 and I no longer feel the need to blog.

Thank you to everyone who has provided me guidance and advice along the way. I still check your blogs every now and then but right now I'm enjoying finally feeling in control of (most) aspects of my life and no longer burying my head in the internet/vodka/big mac!

Maybe I'll come back for a post to let you all know when I'm in London!

Break time

Hey guys, things are a bit hectic right now at work and at home so I'm taking a few weeks off the blog while things sort out.

Talk to you all later (probably next week knowing me)

Beauty Post

I can't believe how much make up and beauty products I actually have. I also used to focus on what I didn't have, I was so stupid!I'd go to a make up store and think, gosh I don't have that blush or that lipstick, go to priceline and buy another restorative face mask or a moisturising hair mask.

Doing project 10 pan, I've been paying more attention to what I do have, and I have a lot of stuff. I think I honestly have enough tiny little conditioners, hair masks, treatments and gels to last at least 6 months, maybe enough body products to last 3 months and waaaaay to much make up.

Every day I'm making an effort to use a new product and to use something from my project 10 pan. I've even made a little beauty schedule for things like weekly manicures, face masks and hair treatments (at home of course) so I can actually use all the products that have been lying unused in my bathroom. To be honest, I'm having a lot of fun and I feel more spoilt then I ever did when I was buying the products and not using them.

I think everyone should have a little project this week to go into their bathroom cupboards and pull out something that's been pushed to the back of the cupboard unused and use it.

I'm back!

Hi everyone, sorry for the Radio silence, I ran out of pre-paid internet credit and instead of topping up with my credit card I was frugal and lived without the net for a week.

Of course I wasn't totally without the net, I still had my phone. I don't think I've talked about how much I love my new phone plan? It's the $29 Vodafone Pre paid flexi cap, you get 500mb of data AND free Facebook and twitter, I pretty much only use Facebook and twitter so I haven't chewed up my data allowance like I usually did on my old plan.

I'm still catching up with everyone's blogs but It's great to read how everyone's going. Maureen good luck with the restaurant!

It's pay day today Yay. I'm not putting as much as I wanted to into savings. I've had a dearer then expected phone bill $270, so glad this is the last time I deal with the monthly plan bill drama. I also needed to buy some winter clothes, on my credit card. Yeah I know I should have waited till pay week, but it is freezing here and I didn't even have a scarf, gloves or a beanie, and they're kind of essential in winter time. I told myself I could only use it as long as I paid it off in full at the end of the month.

It's not even winter yet and it's cold already, my apartment doesn't have heating and I thought I could survive as long as I rugged up and used a hot water bottle, but I was kidding myself, I need to buy a heater stat! I hate all this extra expenses though, I don't want to spend off my budget plan, I want to save as much as possible but as quickly as possible but I had to step back a bit this week and realise health and safety is more important that saving. I had a terrible year last year getting every cold and virus and I can't afford to have that many sick days this year. Don't worry though guys, I'm not going to go off on a spending spree, I've been researching and I think a small oil radiator should be fine, they're the safest and the cheapest to run compared the the electric radiators. If I set aside $200 for it I should be fine.

Enough about me, how are you guys going? What's new?

Oh and I paid off my parent's loan so I am completely debt free!!!!

Friday Inspiration

Friday Inspiration is weekly post to keep me motivated on my saving goals. The next time I'm at the shops drooling over a not on budget item I'm going to remember these posts and keep on track!

This Friday my inspiration is all the cute actors and comedians I want to stalk see out on the streets in the UK.

As usual all photos are from flickr so click on the photo for the source!

Shopping Time

I had to do a bathroom restock today, I didn't want to but I was getting a bit desperate so I picked up some much needed items. I got mouthwash, dental floss, exfoliating gloves, anti bacterial hand gel (it's flu season here and I can not afford to get sick like last year), umbrella (it's poring down rain here) and some makeup removing facee wipes. All in all it came to $38.74 and I can't believe how expensive it was an I only got generic. I could have got nearly a weeks worth of groceries with that much money.

I realised this week I need to update my glasses prescription, like Sarah at Digging out of Debt's son I have really poor sight and my lenses themselves cost over $200, including frames I'm looking at spending at least $400 on glasses. I don't have private health insurance so I can't get anything back. I can't put off getting a new prescription because I've been getting headaches and migraines from all the eyestrain. To be honest I'm really tired at how bad my eyes are, I've had significant eye operations when I was a child and my optometrists have always told me my eye sight prescription should stabilise when I become an Adult, well I'm 24 and every 2 years my eye sight gets worse by 4 points.

Anyway enough with the ranting, I've decided to go for contact this time 3months prescription for my lenses cost around $140 - $160 it's cheaper right now for me and good for my vanity. To pay for my lenses I did overtime on Saturday so I should be getting around $190 - $200 extra this pay. I've decided to take advantage of all the overtime that's on offer at work at the moment and use the money for any un-budgeted expenses (like the contacts) and put the rest into my savings.

To much ranting

Thank you guys for the feedback on my last post, I had a rethink today and deleted the post, because as anonymous as my blog is, it's probably best I don't reveal to much about work.

I'm having a quiet night in tonight and ordering a very un-frugal pizza and cozying up on the couch. What is everyone else up to?

Friday Inspiration

Friday Inspiration is a weekly post to keep me motivated on my saving goals. The next time I'm at the shops drooling over a not on budget item I'm going to remember these posts and keep on track!

This Friday my inspiration is Cardiff! Ok So I'm a massive Dr Who fan and I love Torchwood! I would love to visit Cardiffand I would love to visit it and see all locations Torchwood was filmed at

All photos from Flickr. Click on the photos for the source!

May Goals

I was feeling a bit left out reading everyones May goals, so I decided I had to look into getting mine!

1. Have $500 in my emergency fund

2. Find a part time job

3. Have some items listed for sale on ebay/misc sale boards.

4. Organise my pretty boxes of "junk"

What I learned last night

Last night I learned champagne and the macbook trackpad do not mix. Don't stress though! I also learn't if you cover said trackpad in rice for a day it will draw the moisture out and the trackpad will be back to new.

Today was payday, the majority of my pay is going straight to my rent so it's a frugal fortnight this time. I transferred $100 to my parents today as per our loan agreement. I have $1o0 left to go and I will be 100% certifiable, completely debt free. I wanted to give an extra $200 to my mum to pay back the "misc" money she gave me when I first moved but she won't let me.

My mobile phone contract finishes this month so I called the company tonight and cancelled my contract. I'm going to a $29 monthly prepaid account and cutting the internet off my phone. I've realised I do not need the internet and I can survive 8hours without checking my Facebook.

This is going to be a boring fortnight sorry guys, I'll be staying in, being frugal and doing nothing.

Project 10 Pan.

Common Cents gave me a great idea on my post yesterday to use up 10 items of makeup before purchasing anything new. This is actually a popular thing in the makeup world. It's called Project 10 pan and it's exactly that, you use up 10 beauty and make up items before purchasing another!

I've trawled through my makeup drawers and found 10 items to use up and here they are:

Isabella Rosselini My Manifesto Perfume

Viva Glam Lady Gaga Lipstick

Garnier Fructose Intense Anti Fading conditioner

Maybeline Pulse Perfection Mascara

Gorgeous Cosmetics - red lipstick

Gorgeous Cosmetics liquid foundation

Gorgeous Cosmetics Powder Foundation

MAC Paint pot painterly

MAC Pigment Chartreuse

Simple Hydrating facial moisturiser

I always work best with goals so this will hopefully help me curb those makeup lemmings everyday I walk past MAC.

I want to go Shopping!

I don't know whats wrong with me! I've paid my Credit Card off and I have no money in my savings account left to spend but all I want to do is go shopping.

I've looked at ebay for wigs, I've walked into MAC and played with the makeup and I nearly walked into JB HiFi to look at the DVD's but I stopped myself. I guess that good thing is that I haven't spent any money yet but that little spending voice in my head is starting to justify unnecessary purchases.

I don't think I have a spending addiction but I just love to shop and buy new and shiny things. It also doesn't help that I live in an inner city apartment block that is surrounded by the biggest shopping street in my city.

My Friday Inspiration posts keep me motivated as does the thought of having money in my savings account and being debt free, but sometimes it isn't enough, sometimes I just want to buy something.

To try and curb my spending or my want of new things I'm going to use my unused and new beauty products and make up every day, I'm hoping this will be enough of a mind game to help me not feel "without". I also only use cash envelope system when shopping which also prevents any non-budgeted expenses because I can visualise where my money is coming from, "oh only $24 for an entire season of Friends, that $24 from the food budget, oh gosh no put it back!"

I'd really love some advice or even some tales from your own life? Do you guys love to spend and how did you curb the spending habits? Better yet, for the ones that are debt free now how did you stop yourself from wanting to go shopping to reward yourself!

I loved it!

The Royal Wedding was amazing! I went to a friends house for a Royal Wedding party and we ate a very posh(sarcasm) dinner of KFC and Champagne.

I'm not normally so girly or gushy but I teared up while watching the ceremony and aaww'ed in delight at the dress. The cow stole my dress though, it's pretty much my ideal wedding dress so when I ever get married I'm going to be accused of copying her! Oh Well at least the design will be easier to find.

Prince Harry I'm single ;)

Friday Inspiration

Friday Inspiration is a new weekly post I've decided to start to keep me motivated on my saving goals. The next time I'm at the shops drooling over a not on budget item I'm going to remember these posts and keep on track!

This Friday my inspiration is Rome! I will definitely be visiting Italy during my travels but I can't decide how many cities I want to visit yet, I know I want to visit Rome!

Photos from flickr, click on the picture for source

The Proof

Here it is my credit card balance! I've decided to keep my credit card right now because It will probably come in handy when I need to book airplane tickets and accommodation, it will just remain in my wallet unused until then. I've updated my sidebars as well and added a bar for TRAVEL SAVINGS!

Yeah I'm still hyped up about the thought of saving for travel!

I'm Credit Card Debt Free!!!

So I caved and I transferred the money from my regular account and E Fund to pay off my credit card and I can gladly say I'm Credit Card debt free, all that's left is to pay the last $200 from my parents loan and I'll be completely debt free.

This means I'm going to be living tight for the next pay fortnight with the majority of my pay going towards rent but I'm happy to do this for the joy of being Credit Card Debt free and being able to start my holiday savings plan sooner then expected!

If you want to know the reason for this change of mind from my last post, I partly blame the 5 day long weekend in Australia which has allowed me time not to do anything and to be to in my head thinking about my credit debt. I've also been bad with my money this pay and spent my entertainment fund 3 days into the fortnight. I was sitting on the couch tonight, stressing about the spending and decided rather then spend anymore money this fortnight I'll just put it all onto the credit card instead. It's a bit stupid, actually probably a lot stupid but I'm so happy to be Credit Card debt free so I can stop stressing about my money and start SAVING my money.

Yahooo!!!!

I'll update the sidebars once the payment clears my bank fully and the balance shows $0

I'm breaking up with fashion blogs

I love fashion, I love style, I love clothes, I love make-up, I love fashion magazines, I love shoes and I love jewellery but this is all part of what got me into this mess in the first place. I keep up to date by following fashion and style blogs and reading magazines since I've stopped spending I still read the blogs and magazines and it's not helping me on my spending ban!

I read a blog and want to spend $200 on a pair of doc martens or I read a magazine and want to buy the next MAC makeup collection this is not helpful to my spending ban so I've decided to stop reading fashion blogs and magazines right now while I'm on the spending ban and saving for travel. I don't know how long I'll last and I might cave a few times and check some blogs out but for now our relationship is over! Goodbye !

Weekly Money Check-Up

I haven't done one of these in a while! It's My Pretty Pennies Weekly Money Check up time!

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on My credit card payment as usual, I can't wait till I can answer "Savings"!
2. Today I am thankful the 5 day weekend is over tomorrow, this sounds a bit sick but I am so bored!
3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was staying in the other night and drinking a cup of tea and watching dvd's.
4. I will consider this week a success if I do not stress out at work.
5. My favorite TV show growing up was EVERYTHING! Rugrats, Aah Real Monsters and The Adventures of Alex Mack are the main ones!

I'm frustrated

I'm frustrated with my friends right now they all know I'm saving to travel and I can't afford big nights but they just don't get it. I haven't gone out much recently and people are noticing, I have friends who will send me messages on Facebook saying how "We need to catch up" and inviting me out, when I say I can't afford to go out right now but I'd love to do something a bit cheaper maybe a cup of coffee or seeing the latest free thing thats held around my town they don't reply!

I had a close friend last night, chuck a tantrum over the phone at me "because I'm no fun anymore". I'm really sorry if I'm not fun but I'm broke and I'm trying to go overseas, clubbing is on permanent hold right now. I'm struggling a bit with my lack of social life right now, but I'm not saying the struggle is a bad thing I've been involved in an unhealthy social circle right now and I've known for a while I need to peel away from it all.

There's not much point to this post really, I just needed to vent some frustration. Sorry.

Lest we forget

Today is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand. The day we commemorate the service of the men and women who fought to keep Australia free and safe, the reason for this date was during worldwar 1 25th of April was the date Australian and New Zealand forces landed in Gallipoli (turkey) to capture Turkey which was then an ally of Germany. The fight was not a success and we lost over 8,000 people and today is the day we thank them for their service.

ANZAC Day is not just about the 25th of April anymore though, today we also thank and recognise the service of every man and women who fought for Australia in all the proceeding wars. My ancestry is English and Australian during both World Wars our English side lost family members.

There are often news paper articles or news bites about young Australians being apathetic to the day but I'd like to argue that is only a small few (the drunk 18-19yr old Bogan boys). My friends and I are grateful for the service they provided for our freedom and every year we recognise this by attending the marches in support and speaking respectfully of the service these people have provided us. I'm planning to travel to Anzac Cove in Turkey during the next Anzac day to show my respects and see the service.