Saving to move out - my savings diary

Thrifty_Fashionista

You're doing so well, once my debts are down (one loan finishes next year) I will be able to save more - keep it up!

TF x

nyc_451

You started this thread almost a year ago and you are still here, still saving!! Very impressed!!

PruHarrison

Nice planning!! There are few good saving categories.

mandatory

Thanks all! I can't believe it's been almost a year already, and luckily I'm still feeling as motivated as ever. My little sister is excited too since she wants to live with me (!) and save money, but I'd like some time on my own to appreciate what my savings have brought me when I move.

My voucher total is up to £110 now from surveying (only physical vouchers), which I'm still saving for when I move. Maybe a nice kitchen-warming gift to myself? On a slightly related note I won £40 of Wagamama vouchers yesterday! Since I don't go out all that often due to saving it'll make for a nice treat once my exams are over - I also have a free cinema voucher from Coke Zone points to use.

Hope everyone's saving is going well!

wannaberichbtch

Hi Mandatory
It's nice to see that you are close to your goal, and I don't doubt you will reach it. I had a bit of luck with the Royal Mail shares, bought and sold in a week with £325 profit, have managed to double my cash savings in a year I'm happy with this as it keeps me on target. Which language is your course in, I would like to learn Italian as I love the country, but think Cantonese or mandarin may be more mse!

mandatory

wannaberichbtch wrote: »

Hi Mandatory
It's nice to see that you are close to your goal, and I don't doubt you will reach it. I had a bit of luck with the Royal Mail shares, bought and sold in a week with £325 profit, have managed to double my cash savings in a year I'm happy with this as it keeps me on target. Which language is your course in, I would like to learn Italian as I love the country, but think Cantonese or mandarin may be more mse!

Congratulations wannabe! I completely missed the share issue and as I'm quite new to that I didn't want to jump in (kind of regret it now!). It's great that you've managed to double your savings! Watching numbers grow gets pretty exciting, haha.

My course is in Japanese and I love it! I've been working my way through the classes since I first started four years ago (!) and I'm on the last available level. I may consider private tutoring next year and take up another language at the language school... Mandarin looks great and I'm also considering Korean or even relearning French (I have too many 'wants' on my language learning list...). Like you I'm studying because I love the country but it's so expensive to visit. If I save enough for my apartment then I'll treat myself to a holiday, it'll be the most expensive holiday I'll have ever taken!

mandatory

I thought I'd do a little mini update!

My Tesco Christmas Saver vouchers have arrived! (Online at least!) I had £22 saved up throughout the year so this means £44 to spend on Boost items. As I have to take the train at the end of November to Stoke and Manchester and then back again I'm going to double up £10 of my vouchers and use them to book my tickets (already have £10 credit on my RedSpottedHanky account). Not bad at all! This means I will be able to book a hotel to save me running around all day.

Christmas shopping this weekend, going to get some stocking filler gifts and easy items, so socks for some of the men (they asked for them!), t-shirts (for my nan, she likes long sleeved and has asked for some) and some sweets for the little sister hampers. I may end up buying Christmas cards this year... I made them last year but it was so tiring, so now I'm only making cards for those who genuinely appreciate them. It's probably more expensive for me to make them!

Plus it's November tomorrow, another month to save! (And exams... must study more!)

wannaberichbtch

I personally can't get my head around oriental languages, you have a rare talent which could well prove useful to you later. I have heard that Japan can be a difficult holiday destination if you can't speak the language but it looks amazing. Why not make a Japanese visit your next target, have a look at the travel boards on mse and thorntree forums on lonely planet, foreign travel can be quite cheap, trouble is the travel bug isn't!

mandatory

Hi wannabe, I never thought about using the travel boards here! The only options I've considered so far are tours, which cost in excess of £1,200 for around a week. My friend from class has gone on one and is going on another in a few months, and he spent almost £2,500 on it last time! I really don't want to do that and put it all on a credit card like he did. Money saving me says to explore doing it alone and surviving on my language skills, so with maybe an intensive course for survival conversation and booking my own accommodation I could save a lot of money. I'll be sure to check the forums out, both here and Lonely Planet. I'd love to travel more... but it's so expensive! I never had the chance to travel while I was younger or after uni due to my troubles finding work, so now really is my chance.

mandatory

Having a sneaky break from revision (last exam tomorrow!) to update you all on my savings. Payday today and saved £900! My regular saver closed and I got £34 of interest, it has been moved to my ISA and savings account and now I'm down to three savings accounts. I saved less this month because... I bought a 3DS XL. I figured that if I've spent months studying (and having virtually no life for the past few weeks) I've earned a little treat. I went for the Argos deal of a 3DS XL and two Professor Layton games for £159.99 since I just so happen to love Professor Layton! It was too good to miss!

For Christmas I've been trying to get vouchers, mostly through Valued Opinions and Swagbucks, and by the time New Year comes around I can have a play in the sales if I have some leftover. Not too concerned about sales though since New Year is a new year for new savings plans! 2014 is the year of my independence and I can't wait to move out. The deposit is getting there, I think I'm around 3 months away from my goal of £15,000. :T

Christmas shopping is also almost done! Just need a few bits for the grandparents and my mom's boyfriend (he wants socks, easy peasy), and I need to get something for my dad... and his birthday, and the two other family birthdays on Christmas Eve. December will hurt! :rotfl: