Ruby's "Stop Spending, Start Saving" Diary

ruby_eskimo

As you can see, I've updated the sig to reflect everything at the end of this week! The overdraft is down, but won't stay like that for long! I'm trying the £10 and day challenge because I want to keep track of the overtime that I do at work plus interest and money I get from selling on eBay and Amazon and keep that away from mundane spends.

I did spend £100 on a flight yesterday for my November jaunt to Prague. I know we should have probably booked it months ago to get a cheaper fare but we (Le boyfriend and I) both had problems with getting the time off work etc. Also we want to maxamise our time out there (only going for 4 days) so we're going the earliest we can and coming back the latest we can. Apart from that I had a relatively low spend weekend and now not looking forward to work tomorrow!

Fire_Fox

ruby_eskimo wrote: »

Yesterday I went to the cash machine to get £10 out for my bus fare but they only had £20's so I had to pop into the shop to buy a packet of crisps and bottle of water to get some change. The bus drivers around here get really annoyed if you pay with notes.
Today I'm cleaning again!

Bus drivers get a bit stroppy here too. Discovered recently that our bus company's pink card that gives travellers bus miles can also be loaded up with money. Might be worth seeing if your bus company has anything similar? You should be entitled to a student discount travel pass once you are studying again. :T

ruby_eskimo

Oh yes didn't think about that FireFox!

I was naughty last night and bought quite a few things from eBay. That place is my downfall! Got a couple of dresses to try out for the Dinner and Dance thing in October and then decided to treat myself to some Clarins skin care because I had a crappy day at work and my skin is really not liking the cheap crap I'm using on it. My mum did get me one of those Clinique skin care sets which I have to go and pick up Friday from our local Boots but Clinique really doesn't agree with my skin. So she said I could pick it up and return it and keep the £20! Result!

To make up for the eBay spending I've listed 5 of my precious MAC things on there to sell: A Hello Kitty Beauty powder I've used once, a concealer that's the wrong shade and 2 foundations that are the wrong shades and make me break out! Might look through the rest of the collection and see what else I can list!

Also listed some Lush things to sell on the Lush forum, again skin care that isn't really working for me.

No spend day today!

ruby_eskimo

Worked some overtime yesterday and got an overtime night tonight. So that's about £100 coming my way next Friday! Also starting to write a whole bunch of reviews for Dooyoo, trying to get to that 50,000 mark. Also trying to cash in on my surveys that I've done. Every little bit helps!

ZiggyStardust_2

ruby_eskimo wrote: »

Worked some overtime yesterday and got an overtime night tonight. So that's about £100 coming my way next Friday! Also starting to write a whole bunch of reviews for Dooyoo, trying to get to that 50,000 mark. Also trying to cash in on my surveys that I've done. Every little bit helps!

Good good! :beer: Do you do many surveys? I signed up a while ago to valued opinions but haven't had much luck with it! :rolleyes:

ruby_eskimo

I do: Lightspeed, IPSOS, Pinecone, Valued Opinions, ItsYourView, Toluna and I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of them all right now! Basically a few months ago I just signed up to everyone and anyone that offered surveys and I just fill them in when they arrive in my inbox. After finishing the survey I check to see what rewards I can get and then forget about them till I get another one in my inbox!

ruby_eskimo

So finished the token night shift this morning, god was I tired coming home. Fell asleep on the bus and only just woke up in time for my stop! Slept most of the day and still feel rather tired, got 2 long days in work (think 14 1/2 hour days) Saturday and Sunday and then 6 nights next week. Oh well at least the weekend will be a no spend! Added £7 odd to the Virtual Sealed pot today, need to get the ball rolling on the sealed pot properly though!

ZiggyStardust_2

Hey Ruby, how long until you go back to uni? :cool:

misselvis

Good luck with the saving fund, am planning to do a social work masters myself next September so am attempting to reduce my debt, start saving as well as living my life without impactng too much. well done re the overtime its worth it in the end as long as you save it rather than spending it

ruby_eskimo

ZiggyStardust wrote: »

Hey Ruby, how long until you go back to uni? :cool:

Well, from looking online, term starts 1st October. However haven't heard anything from them since March when I got my Unconditional offer. Have tried emailing the course secretary but the emails keep bouncing back. Starting to get a little worried now so if nothing turns up Monday I will try and give them a call (hate talking to people on the phone, have trouble even talking to Le Boyfriend on one!).