trying to be a smart saver

I have the cheek to write that when I am a member of a saving website, but it's true. Although me and my fiance have decided that we're not going to get married until 2009 I want to start saving now. I have tried to put some money away but I don't think it's enough. Also, I don't want to be the one that saves all of the money and pays for everything. We're hoping to book something next year and then we'll have plenty of time to pay it up. I did have some money put aside but my mum needed it so I gave it to her, so now I only have a pathetic £20 to put towards a wedding.

I haven't written in here for months! I should be ashamed of myself. I need to start getting in the habit again though...my boyfriend proposed on Friday and we're getting married in a couple of years. I can't wait!!!

I decided I better update my blog. I'm ashamed to admit it but my savings have not gone to plan. I ended up taking out the loan for the graduate endowment because realistically there was no way I could save the full amount.

My boyfriend and I just celebrated our 4 year anniversary this month. We have finally started to take a proper look at houses, since we're planning on moving out at some point this year. We found a website which lets us look at different houses, all we have to do is include what we want in the search criteria. I was very impressed. I thought we would just be looking through newspapers. So, what do we want?

- A two-bedroom house
- I don't want to live in a flat
- gas central heating
- parking space (I'm hoping to pass my driving test this year)

The average rent for a 2 bedroom house seems to be £500, which I cannot afford right now as I am still waiting on starting this other job. I've done a lot of phoning but still I haven't started, they need to find something for me. I'm waiting on a local primary school getting in touch. (I could have started at another place last week but I was doing overtime at the supermarket, we had a visit.)

We are hoping to move out later on in the year i.e. August/September, just to give us a chance to put some money aside.

This month I am spending a lot, but I'm hoping to save some money too. This month I am spending money on:

bills
meeting my friend for dinner today
anniversary meal with my boyfriend
driving lessons
night out for my birthday

The friend I am meeting today is going to Australia for a year in a couple of months, so I don't mind spending money for that. I haven't seen her since October.

I don't need to go out for my birthday or anniversary but I want too.

My blog anniversary was on 14th January. I've been keeping this blog for just over a year

Before work yesterday I added £100 to my challenge.

My new total is £237.13.

It's day three and I have money to add. my driving instructor didn't have change last week so I owed himless this week. So I came back from my lesson with £5. I know this should go towards next weeks lesson but I'm just going to save it.

Old total: £132.13
Added £5
New total: £137.13

I wish I could participate in the new challenge but I don't think I will manage to save the money that I need too. When it's over in April I will still save money. I'm not feeling confident about this saving at all. If I'm being realistic then I should admit that there's no way I can save this money, not in three months. Maybe I could just send the money that I do save and then they would know that I tried?

Quiet new year overall.

Let's see how 2007 turns out.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas tomorrow.

I saved £1.40 today when a friend of my mum's gave me a lift home from work. I only had £1.50 in my purse so I added that.

Old total:£130.63
Added:£1.50
New total: £132.13

Tomorrow my uncle is giving me a lift home so I will add the money that I save.

I found £2 in my bag.

Previous total: £128.63
Added: £2
New total: £130.63

Between now and Christmas, I only have one day off from work. We've been really busy recently. Next week will be worse.

I have to buy a secret Santa gift for work. I only have to spend £5 so that's fine. Apart from that I have a couple more presents to buy.

I have to save up £1901.37 by April. How am I going to do it? I really really need to budget. I'm stressed now! It'll be a miracle if I do manage to save this.

I'm off work today so I've started wrapping Christmas presents and writing cards.

I added some money to my challenge so my new total is £128.63. Still got a long way to go.

My new total is £126.98. It should be way more by now. I don't know what my problem is. I hope I get this other job, especially if overtime at work stops after Christmas. This other job will make saving so much easier than it is. It doesn't help that I've dramatically increased the amount I spend every month learning to drive.

I can't remember how much I spent on a night out last week, it's really bad. I was drunk...

I need to get my act together.

I've been really busy with work lately, I haven't really made the effort to keep this blog up to date.

My interview went well. I've to phone when my disclosure comes through. This job is only temporary so I really need to keep my current one.

At my current job I have been doing a lot of overtime. I'm bored of the job but I'm just thinking about the money.

I've started Christmas shopping. I will be doing more tomorrow at work because staff get an extra 10% off. I'm going to buy some gifts for my cousins and my boyfriend if I see anything that he will like.

I've got a new driving instructor. I had my first lesson this week and I booked my test today, it's not until January though. Driving lessons are more expensive this time, I'm taking two lessons a week rather than one. One of my friends has booked her test already and she's only just started taking lessons, some people have all the luck.

Started Christmas shopping.

My job interview is on Tuesday. If it doesn't go well I've made sure that I'm doing a lot of extra shifts at my current job over Christmas. If I do get it then I will keep my current job for a while longer.

I'm opening up a savings account tomorrow for my challenge money. I'm meeting my boyfriend after he finishes work so I will go to the building society before I meet him. My money has been in my room for ages so it's about time I put it into a savings account.

On Friday I am going to phone to try and get another driving instructor. I don't have any money until Friday otherwise I would phone before then.

My boyfriend owes me money. When he repays me it's going straight into my challenge account, along with all of the other money I have to add.

I haven't started Christmas shopping yet. Although I have been looking at gifts online to see if they are cheaper.

I was working the other day when a girl who I have worked with for years handed in her notice. She's still going to work in customer service, but at least it's another job.

My job is annoying me right now. I don't know if it's because I've been searching for another job for months, or because I'm not happy with the pay... People are leaving all the time. I don't like my hours either. I'm never usually like this, I'm just in one of those moods.

I suppose I should be happy that I have a job.

I applied for some jobs last night so hopefully a new job will come along soon.

I've been on the internet looking for a new driving instructor. I think I will book a block of lessons and hopefully book a test after that. My theory expires next year so I have to pass before then. So, I am sticking with driving lessons.

I quit my driving lessons today. I'm not getting the hang of it and it feels like it's a waste of money and time. I told my instructor. He thinks I should get back to him at the weekend and think about it more.

Well my challenge total is increasing very slowly, but the important thing is that I'm adding more to it. I have £3.20 to add to it. This is savings from shopping and money from walking my dog.

Previous total: £90.90
Added: £3.20
New total: £94.10

As far as my spending is concerned I have paid some bills and spent money getting to work. Taking my lunch to work all weekend. I have to help my mum buy a fence for our garden, hopefully it won't be too much.

A while ago I decided to quit a habit and add the money that I saved to my challenge money - I haven't done that yet.

I came back with money from my holiday which I said I would add to my challenge money - I haven't done that yet.

I decided to open a savings account for my challenge money - I haven't done that yet.

This month I am going to do all of these things.

I saved £3 today so I added that to my challenge.

New total: £90.90

I just walked my dog so I have £1 to add.

Old total: £86.90
Added £1.00
New total: £87.90

I bought some things today and made some savings. I will add that once I total how much I have saved.

I walked my dog twice today so I have £2 to add to my challenge.

Previous total: £84.90
Added £2.00
New total: £86.90

Also, for the past two days I haven't spent anything

I got a letter today telling me to phone a number to arrange a job interview. It's not till November and it's a temporary position, but at least I've got to the interview stage.

Well it's taken me ages but I finally counted my challenge money. I have £84.90! I was hoping for more than that but I still have a lot more saving to do.

I got back from the Dominican Republic early this morning. I'm a bit annoyed with myself - I only came back with $40. I thought I would have came back with more since it was all-inclusive. However I didn't consider days out when I decided how much spending money to take. I'll get it changed and then I will finally open up a savings account for my challenge. Hopefully I will do that soon.

I only spent $22 on gifts for my mum and my auntie. I went to the stalls on the beach with only $10 and basically said that was all I had to spend. The man there was trying to sell me a lot of things that I didn't want e.g. candles. I looked at some ornaments and asked how much - they were $7 each. I told him I needed two gifts so I got 2 for $10. I probably could have gotten a better deal, but I was pleased with it.

I had a great holiday, actually I think I have the travelling bug. I can't wait till I go away again, hopefully it will be next year.

I came home to a rejection letter, only one so it could have been worse. I've decided to get serious about job searching.


So I'm back home...aiming to get serious about job hunting and my challenge money. I didn't think about money when I was away, although really I had a lot of No Spend Days. I'm back to reality now.