The Travelling Fund; £10,000 in 10 months!!!

killerpeaty

Yes Kat, joking. :money:

Have you ever seen extreme couponers? Mental. Totally mental.

NinjaSavingKat

Haha!

I love those people! No shame! Although it seems like they pay for more over there.. Bin collection, food is more expensive, water and electricity etc. but some are just embarrassingly tight. Being frugal is one thing but being a tight git is another that I wouldn't stand for.

For the the idea of cutting back on non-essentials means affording luxuries paid for with cash like holidays. Not sitting at home watching your free samples of paint dry etc...

NinjaSavingKat

:T:T:T It's 4 days to my 31st Birthday!!! :T:T:T

Not wishing to emanate pure mental instability in all it's glory but these little clappy hands are here for a reason - even if I am now in "my early thirties".

This time last year I was in Italy. A £1000 budgeted holiday whereby my inner frugalista sprung forth and caught me by the ankles as I walked passed some of the most expensive shops and accoutrements I have ever seen.

I was staying in a well sought out budget B&B within easy reach of the train station AND my hotel in Desenzano Del Garde right beside Lake Garda - it was quite, there was endless cups of tea and a balcony.

It was there that I sat with my blank pages and pen in hand creating a list of what I wanted to accomplish in the coming year. I was turning 30 and was only just managing to grasp hold of the life that was mine and creating the future that I wanted instead of what "just came floating by" - for me it was time to makes things happen.

Number one on the list - get debt free = DONE!
Number two on the list - Get £1500 in savings by 01st April 2014 = DONE!
Number three on the list - pay for an Apple laptop in cash = DONE!

The other numbers were more personally orientated and they are on the way to being accomplished as they are an on-going process.

So it's time to make a new list. Lists make me happy, create a nice order and allow me to feel in control of my life - it means moving forward has purpose. Sad I know...

I find that thinking about "doing nothing" while on the road fills me with the heebie jeebies - perhaps a bit too much too soon coming from such a high paced life... and so I feel it necessary to start thinking about what I can learn while on the road and what I want to do this year. Expecially since I might have to earn a bit more money to accomodate such adventures...

Top of the list...

• Thai massage course.
• Open water diving course in Thailand.
• Cooking Course in Japan and Vietnam.
• Cooking Class in Thailand.
• Fully fledged travel blog..."Beside The Beaten Track"

Obviously I want to teach myself that not everything has to be go-go-go and I am currently trying to decide if Koh Kood is remote enough to relax and enjoy 10-14 days of winding down....(go on Google it, you know you want to...)


But this time round my "doing things" will be fun fun fun.....


I cannot wait!!! :T:T:T

icklejulez

Hi NinjaSavingKat,


I have just come across your thread. Im also recently turned 30 and I have also had that OMG I need to do something with my life moment!


My problem is I have 3 mini-me's! This does have a few challenges to the adventure. We have decided to emigrate to Australia. We decided this in 2008 however, we had so far to come that it has taken this long. In 2015 we should be starting our new adventure. In between I had to gain a degree and start a new career, we relocated across the UK, changed schools, jobs etc. We had DS2 along the way!


However, this enthusiasm for a new adventure has completely changed me. Prior to 2008 I couldn't make £10 last a day! We set a timeline from 2008 to 2015 of things we needed to do and how much we needed to save and we have managed to achieve every step on our path.


Its so exciting and fulfilling doing it all with no debt, and ensuring that we can arrive and live a comfortable life. The adventure also allowed me to get a career I love and we have done it all as a family. The children are excited about the move. I am now ready to start planning the 5 years after we arrive, which I thought would never arrive!


Good luck with your adventure, I know you will achieve it. Once you start upon this saving and planning path it becomes addictive. I have just this morning sourced another £100 I have saved this month and put it in my savings. I have a pie chart I update and can see the percentage of savings we have change. We also have lists, like you and love highlighting them in green once we have saved that much!


It certainly makes you evaluate how you live your life! Looking forward to following your journey!

CEW

NSK Koh Kood looks and sound wonderful. I could certainly relax there for a few days.

I do think though that after a few days I would want to see more of the area and would need to go exporing.

You are going to have one fantastic experience and I can't wait to enjoy it with you...via your blog though unfortunately :rotfl:

I have a few life and lifestyle decisions to make over the next few months and am looking to you for some inspiration.

Chez x

NinjaSavingKat

IckleJulez - WOW! Now that is determination! I take it you had to re-create a life within one of those "most desired jobs" hence the re-training. That is some epic planning between you and your OH - a complete house move, degree and much more.. I am suitable impressed!!!

I like the fact you are working together on this - I know it obviously a combined journey but it's so cute that you make lists together. I want an OH like that!..

CEW - yes I think I need a little something to do and Koh Kood is not looking as cheap as I would have liked but that is to be expected as it's barely touched by tourism although there is a chance to get deep sea diving trained..?............okay getting ahead of myself here... lol!

Siouxsie32

Happy birthday lovely lady :bdaycake::bdaycake::bdaycake:

I hope you and your mum have a gorgeous day together. The next year is going to be AMAZING and I know you'll continue to inspire us all as you grow your wings!

xx

apple_muncher

:bdaycake::bdaycake::bdaycake: HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAT!!! :bdaycake::bdaycake::bdaycake:

Have a great day!

We're off to Toysrus to celebrate for you!

xxx

killerpeaty

Happy birthday, hope you get to do all the things you want on your travels.

NinjaSavingKat

Well Diary Readers... I am now 31 years old. Having read back on said diary from last year I realise I need to sit down and make some more goals. Perhaps not the expected 'must travel to this country' but more of the personal goals. I have to sit when it's all quiet and have a think about what I really want.

Mumsy and I are nearly at the end of our weekend together. I am going out tomorrow to see her to the train station to make sure she is safe - nothing worse than a busy train station and a Mumsy on her own...

I am now trying to make money before spending it, there seems to be more that has gone out recently than has come in. Although I have acquired a healthy £70 from family for my birthday I am putting it to good use along with the £49.84 I still have another £280.66 to make me super happy.

The amount you see on the bottom is what has been acquired over the last few months but I only have £1400 in my bank account. I have planned that with the income from both bikes (push / motor ) and a little OT over the coming months I should still get £10,000 together - this was the ultimate aim.

AND more importantly I have been trying to ensure I have £4000 for my Australian bank account and £7000 in cash to distribute through the months in SEA and Japan. HOWEVER I have been calculating my daily expenditure in $$$ but calculating my savings in £££ = which means I have more than expected. Instead of £7000 I will have around $11500 which is MORE than enough for 6 months in SEA, trains, living as a frugalista and a week or so in Japan.

I have a website called Helpx that I might have mentioned before. This is where you can basically apply to help out at someone's farm for free accommodation and sometimes free food. If you can plan is properly you can aim to find a local family who are natives as opposed to expats and learn from the local community and not just be looking in on them so to speak...

I want to do this in Japan though. I have seen a few places who are wanting help pretty soon but there are limited places offered in Japan. It's something that I will keep an eye on regularly when it comes to leaving in case something is advertised closer to April/May 2015 - this means a slightly longer stay in a very expensive country and learning from the locals.

I have booked my first two night in Bangkok though - I located a nice hotel, where I have a room to myself, and it's only £11 for the two nights. I don't want to stay too long in Bangkok and am now looking for a beach resort for a cheap two week stay to really shake myself into the holiday spirit just can't decided where to go. Grr!

Anyway - enough witterings from me. I need an early night for once!