to save as much money and keep my life as organized as possible

savingwannabe

Gosh i hope all the girls are ok on hols. This volcanic ash has caused major problems. Lots of people are still stranded abroad. Several staff were missing, stuck abroad when term started yesterday.

x_karrie_x

Hey, hope everyone is well?

I have had a nightmare week, we were suppose to fly to Sri Lanka last Friday but the volcano had other ideas. So we have been in limbo as to whether we would actually get there or not. The travel company have been really good and have managed to re organise everything so that we can fly tomorrow. :j

I am feeling a bit out of control with the amount of money i have spent over the last few weeks, im also suffering from withdrawal symptoms as i havent put anything into my savings account and i'am missing that buzz!:rotfl:

So any way ladies, take care and i will be back in a couple of weeks with an update and a renewed energy for saving money!

Karrie xxx

savingwannabe

Do have a wonderful holiday. You can be good when you come back!!!

:j

EC12345

Hello everyone, thought I would update today. It's bank holiday Monday so no work ..... YAY!!

Karrie - hello - did you manage to get on your hols yet? And how about the saving - is it going well - like you, I have also lost control since my last payday - managed to save £100 this month but needed loads of new clothes for work so had a little (well big) spree and now am completely broke until next payday!!! Am now up to the £2,367 mark.

As for the toiletries, this has been going great - still having bought anything since I started - but may well have to in the next couple of weeks now. It's really made me realise to just stick to the things I like - I did have to buy some shower gel the other week but that is the first time since Christmas - so five months of using stuff up isn't bad.

Becky - hi - we are off to Venice next month. I've just read all your tips etc about eating and am going to take this on board. I've been reseraching Venice on the internet and am going to try to eat/drink as cheaply as possible - well done with your job by the way - how is it going? Have you heard if it is full time yet and not just temporary. Where I work we should hear if we get a pay rise soon - didn't get one last year so everyone is counting on one - even if it is really small it's better than nothing. I have just read your last post again and really starting laughing - I love the tea challenge - that's brilliant - do you drink a lot of tea then???

My sealed pot is getting quite full now - I think there must be about £25 in there now. Am determined not to open it until December though and then may treat myself to something nice.

Well done savingwannabee on your ebay - try and keep up the saving - this thread really motivates me - how much is the kitchen you want - do you know - even £30 will help towards it.

Needhelpsaving - well done with your saving as well. I wish there was a supermarket a bit nearer me so I didn't have to take the car - sometimes it is the small journeys that use the petrol.

Talking about petrol - have you seen how expensive it is. I used to be able to fill up on £25 per week but lately it is now £30!!

Karrie - good luck with the saving!

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Emma x

Becky_2

Hi Emma,

Hope you are well and that you are doing well with saving money. I really hope you get your pay rise, even if it is just a small amount it does make you feel valued at work. Lucky you going to Venice soon. Are you staying somewhere central in venice? If you do, don't bother buying a couple of days travel card or for whatever length you are staying. we only did a few trips on the canal and walked mainly around the area. The main area of Venice is much smaller than you expect. We stayed near the main train station and from there to walk to St Mark's square was probably only a 10/15 walk. We ate a lot in the jewish area again towards the station area and it was much cheaper because it's seen as a run down area, but this was in 2004 so this might have changed. Anyway, have a fabolous time together.

Payroll underpaid me this month and put me by mistake on the BR tax code, grrr so this month I am only concentrating on keeping my overdraft as low as possible and using my credit card which I can pay off in full when the next bill comes. This has made me realise why it's good to have savings when these situations happen. My cosmetic challenge is going well, I have £25 in my pot now from that. I don't actually drink a lot of tea but I love having a big selection of herbal tea at home, in the last month I have finished 2 and have another 10 to go. Space is limited in our kitchen so it will be nice to create some space when a few more teas are gone.

Have a lovely Sunday and hope to hear from you soon.

Becky
x

Karrie - hope you had a lovely time in Sri lanka. Please let us know how it was.

savingwannabe

Hello Becky and Emma,

Hope plans for the holiday are going well. I have never been to Venice....Yet!

I would not be able to live without my tea. I love it. I hope your pay is sorted out next month.

Savingwise I have been silly wasting money on whoopsies that i allowed to go off as i forgot to put them in the freezer.What an idiot. I have the best of intentions but i forget to do things sometimes. Cosmetically i have come to the end of my stash of Kerastase Hair conditioner and Aveda shampoo now for the first time ever i am using Tresemme. I am amazed my hair hasn't fallen out, in fact there is little difference!

Even though i am making mistakes i am sure i am saving a lot more than i used to. I have switched to a better current account and i am waiting till next month to see how much i have left. I am hoping to save a lot to go towards all the building work on my house which is being done in the summer and then save for a kitchen. I am assuming it will cost 10 grandish. I don't know. Too scared to ask for quotes. I will when the main building work is done in the summer.

My saving pot is heavy but is mostly full of 2p's-10p's!!!!

All is well here. I am a miserable git sometimes but i visit MSE regularly to cheer myself up. I have made the best friends.

Keep saving. It will be worth it.

~Big hugs,

SW.

Becky_2

Hi Savingwannabe,

Hope you are well. Well done for filling up your saving pot and changing your current account. I have been thinking about changing account too but feel a bit scared doing it, it just seems such a hassle. I haven't got a saving pot apart from the tin that I use for the cosmetic challenge. Yes, I agree with some cheaper brands you cannot feel difference between that and a more expensive brand. I, for example have always bought really expensive mascaras for £20+ and now I use the Boots collection mascara for £1.99 which is superb.

this weekend we are doing a big shop in Sainsbury's since we have received 2 vouchers for £16 off when we spend £80, thankfully my OH will pay for this. Forgetting to freeze food is so annoying. I hate throwing away food so I try to do that as seldom as possible.

You must feel so excited about your building work on your house. What work are you planning to do? I know it's tough when you are in the middle of it but it will be worth in the end.

Just over a week to go before I get paid again and i am counting the days until then.

Have a lovely week and good luck with saving money.

Becky
x

savingwannabe

Hi Becky,

I live in a bungalow and i am having an upstairs added, and a new roof, plus the decor is very 1970s Yuk!!! I am having every bit of wallpaper taken down, and replastered and painted white. Wooden floors too and tiling bathroom and kitchen. Then i am going to take my time and buy lovely furniture but enjoy shopping and saving for it too!

It is really amazing i have been saving for 3 years and it is going to happen this summer at last! I cannot wait.

If you switch to First Direct they make all the payments for you and you only have to check the list of direct debits from your current account and they do the switchover themselves meaning less hassle for us. Plus after 3 months you get £100 back. But you don't earn any interest, still £100 is more than i would earn in interest in my old current account anyway.

Hope this helps. Glorious weather.

hugs,

SW

Becky_2

Hi SW,

Well done for saving up during the last 3 years so that you can do your bungalow up. It such a great feeling to save up for something rather having to take out a loan to get something. Have you started to do the bungalow up yet?

thanks for the tip about First Direct, I agree getting £100 is more than I would ever get in interest on my current account. Last month I transferred my ISA to get a much better interest. I am still with the same bank. I just didn't realise that after a year the bank moves your account to a low interest ISA account. Last year I only earned 0.10% but now I get 2% which is a bit better.

Hope you have a lovely weekend. Mine shall be quiet busy, today I am having a haircut and I cannot wait.

Take care

Becky
x

Becky_2

Emma,

hope you have a lovely holiday in Venice. Enjoy!

hope to hear from you soon.

Becky
x