Trying to Save

I checked my university's website and my exam timetable has finally been put on it. My exams are on 29th May, 2nd June and 3rd June. I was hoping for a better timetable than that.

I met up with my friend on Sunday and I have decided to stop taking driving lessons during May so I can concentrate on studying and finishing coursework and my dissertation. Not only will I have more time I'll also save some money.

Hopefully today will be a "no spend" day since I don't plan to leave the house until after dinner when I go to my boyfriend's. I am going to work on my essay all day and hopefully I will have a first draft to show to my lecturer.

I was ill last night, so I'm glad I didn't put my name down for any overtime...well not till tomorrow anyway. I decided that I really need the money and I'm skint enough just now so I might as well do overtime while I can.

It seems like whenever I see my friends it usually involves spending. It is one of my friend's birthday tomorrow and i haven't had the chance to meet up with her yet...but I have bought her a present. She's been really busy; she just moved in with her fiance and they're getting married in a couple of months. I've been busy too, it seems like we never make the time to meet up. I phoned her parents' house today to try and get in touch with her but she wasn't home and i seen her fiance shopping today so at least she knows I'm thinking about her.

I'm meeting my other friend who I haven't seen in months for lunch tomorrow before I start work. I didn't even know she was visiting (she moved away to go to university).

One of my other friends, who i also spoke to today, can be a bit too dependent on me. Her boyfriend moved away to go to college so I tend to get a lot of messages when he's gone. He's away on a trip just now so she sees even less of him. He wants to move to Canada after he's finished college but she doesn't want to. I think they should go there for a couple of months just to see what it is like. In fact, I'd like to go there.

Quite a long entry and none of it was finanicially related. All i know is that i am really skint this month. Only six days till payday

I really shouldn't write a plan since something always happens and I need to change it. Anyway I'll try. Ideally I would like to have four "no spend" days this week - I would like to have five but i have a driving lesson during the week so that ruins my plans. I think I'll try for three since i have to go shopping with my mum and that usually involves some spending, but not a lot, just bus fare there.

Ideally I will have three "no spend" days since I'm not putting my name on the rota for overtime - I have a lot of work to do. Also I'll get a good start on my essays.

I'm working twelve hours tomorrow. It is just over a week till I get paid and I could do with the money to put towards my holiday (same as usual really). I'm in my overdraft too so my wages won't look good when they go into the bank.

I finally handed my first draft in this week. During Easter I'm planning on getting a good start on coursework which is due after Easter and early May (two essays). After the holidays I will be really busy with studying, so I'm hoping that by doing some extra work now it will help me when I need to spend time on my dissertation. I've started doing some planning today because I'm working all weekend so I won't get anything done then.

On another note I have to see less of my boyfriend if I ever want to get a decent amount of work done. The next couple of months are going to be really busy so really the more work I do, the better I'll feel. We live near each other so it won't be too bad, and there's always phone calls.

As soon as I got in the house, well a couple of minutes, me and my mum were arguing over money. A bill came and its due a couple of days after I get paid. My mum said she would get it but she wasn't happy because it takes some of the food money. Then she changed her mind and said that she always gets it, and when she was working she didn't ask me for a penny. She said it was up to me to go on holiday and take driving lessons. We always argue over stuff like that.

I went into Debenhams this morning. They're having 20% off formal dresses although I don't know how long for. I wish I had enough money right now to buy one because I seen some really nice ones. I'll have to look in more than one shop before I buy my dress for my graduation ball anyway. I'm counting the months now till I graduate, I can't wait until I don't have to study anymore. I think I'll check Debenham's website for information.

I'm an only child (well not if you include my two half-sisters and my half brother) so having people, or another person stay at my house is unusual. Firstly because it hardly ever happens and because it was really only my younger cousin who stayed over on the weekend when I was younger. Anyway on Saturday night - actually it was 2am on Sunday morning - my younger cousin (not the one that used to stay all the time) showed up at my house. My mum answered the door. As it turned out he said that he couldn't get into his house, and that all of his windows had been broken. He also said he was no longer talking to my uncle's ex-girlfriend (they split up years ago). By the time I woke up on Sunday he was gone, only for him to show up again on Sunday night. He left early this morning, about 7am and said he would be back this afternoon to let my mum know how is his dad is (he's in jail). The thing is that we already know how my uncle is because we've been writing to him since December, in fact we got a letter from him last week. So there's no need for him to come back. This morning he told my mum that he is now talking to my uncle's ex yet I heard him call her a b***h...sounds like he's lying to me.

Now my cousin is three years younger than me, he has a job - but he's claiming benefit too, he told my mum. He is capable of looking after himself he's just too lazy too. My mum washed the clothes that he had been wearing all week - yes the same clothes. He's been having showers at his friends houses so maybe he should stay there. He keeps on telling my mum different things - first he's not talking to my uncle's ex, then he is, then he's meeting up with her to see the housing officer today. I don't know what he's playing at but he's definetly lying to us. He better not try and stay here all week.

There's also something else that he told my mum: he wants to go to England to live beside my auntie like my other cousin done. I know that she won't want him there since it's just not practical for him to be there when my uncle gets out this year.

If he tries to stay any longer he can stop drinking all of his money away and give some to my mum - apparently he's been spending all of his wages on drink, which is probably the truth. I'll see what happens tonight.

I really spent money told that I shouldn't have:

£8.00 lunch (me and my mum)
£10.00 bread,milk,etc...
£2.00 dinner at work

I left the house early before I started work, so I went through the shopping centre before I started. There were a lot of sales on - typical when I haven't got enough money. My mum bought me a pair of shorts to wear when I go on holiday and I repaid her by buying stuff that we needed e.g. milk, bread. If I had had money I probably would have gone mad today so it's probably a good thing that I haven't.

Put my name down for an extra shift at work on Wednesday..every little helps. During the Easter holidays I will do some extra hours too.

I came home from work, checked my email and then checked this website. I believed Jeffrey and Nate when they said that they were selling the site to that other company. I check this site all the time. I'm so pleased that they're not.

I think that from Saturday onwards I'm just going to work out my wage from my old pay. I'm definetly opening a savings account once I've paid for the holiday.

No more news to report today...but is only about 5.30pm.

For a while now I have been thinking that I will need to buy some books for going on holiday in September. It's a 9 hour flight so I really will need a lot to read (hopefully there will be some good movies). Anyway I was reading the paper this morning and it said that Waterstone's have books at 99p each. I don't know how long the offer is on for. I went there this morning and bought two. I'm not reading them until I'm on holiday. Two books for £1.98, it's a great deal.

I was at uni today from 9am till 4pm. I only had lectures in the morning. After my lectures I was working on my dissertation until I decided to come home. I am going into uni on Monday, even though I don't have to,so I can work on my project.

I get paid in a fortnight and I really need the money. I still haven't worked out what I'll get paid next month, I've been far too busy with my project. In fact, I should be working on it right now... The next time I add an entry I'll hopefully have done a lot more of my dissertation. Early start tomorrow to get as much work as possible done.

I have a change jar which instead of putting actual change into I have been putting 50p and £1 coins into. I usually do this when I save some money e.g. today I put some money into it because I didn't use the bus fare that I had planned to use. I am considering whether I should keep on doing this and save it up for a while and put the money towards the bills, especially the washing machine. Or should I just save it and then put it into a savings account? I don't have a lot right now as I haven't been doing it for long.

I really should think of new headings for my entries. Well it is a no spend day and I'm pleased about that.

I cancelled my driving lesson for Thursday. I need to go into university and work on my project. I have a lot of it to write. I've saved myself some money by doing that. I have a double lesson, which i was meant to have on Thursday, next Thursday instead.

I have a couple of thousand words to write today, maybe more if I can manage it. After I've graduated I'll need to make my no spend days less boring. No spending shouldn't have to equal boring, right?

There's a bus strike tomorrow so I won't make it to uni. That means I will save some money. We got an email about it last week but I totally forgot about it.

£4.00 day ticket for 3 days (£12)
£1.60 for three days (£4.80)
£34 driving lessons
£2.30 day ticket for 3 days (£6.90)
£5.00 for mobile phone
£1.00 bonus ball
£2.00 for lunch at work
£1.00 snacks at uni
£9.30 council tax

Total = £76

Finally another one this month. I'm hoping to have another one soon.

1. Increase payments towards washing machine
2. Pay more than the minimum catalogue payment
3. Open another savings account
4. Pay extra towards PC

Currently I pay £17 a month towards the machine which isn't a lot, although the interest rate is 29.9%. I'm trying to work out how much would be an adequate payment to get it reduced (ideally cleared). I think it's time to look at old statements.

There is no interest charged on the catalogue...the bill is huge.

I phoned the hotel to give them my card number today. I'm going to start putting money aside for graduation. The woman on the phone said that I have until 4pm on the day of arrival to cancel and there won't be a cancellation fee. I won't be cancelling but it's nice to know. My boyfriend is giving me his half before we go so I will put it into my account.

Next on the list is:

decide a hairstyle
pick a dress
book gown
book photos
save money for the evening
money for travelling back

It's quite a long list but I have until July.

I'm on holiday from work from the weekend. It's worked out quite nicely because it's Mothers Day tomorrow.

Me and my boyfriend met up with another couple at the pub tonight. Before that we went to see The Pink Panther at the cinema, it was good. In total I spent £15 which is good considering we spent about 7 hours together in total. He paid for us into the cinema and I had vouchers for money off a meal at the local pub.

Tomorrow will be a No Spend Day. It will just be nice having time off work..well until Friday anyway. I'm at uni during the week.

I started looking at some websites today for prom dresses. I have decided that I'm going to try and spend a reasonable amount on the dress, maybe about £100 or less. I will try and put money aside before I buy it.

I'll also have to put money aside for the hotel room. If I start soon I should be fine. Plus money for the actual evening, drinks etc. It's a 4 star hotel I'm trying to think of how much drinks will be, it's been four years since my high school prom so I can't really remember.

I tried to work out what money I'll need for April and I think I have more outgoings than wages. My overdraft really doesn't help. A lot of overtime this month should make sure that I'm okay by the time I'm paid next month. Fingers crossed.

The application for the savings account arrived today. I only filled out my details yesterday so it was really quick. I've decided that I'm not going to open the account yet, especially while I'm so skint. I'll open it within the next couple of months. I've decided that I'll save about £20 a month, I won't notice that.

This could have been a No Spend Day but I had to go shopping for my mum's Mothers Day gift. I ended up buying her a flower basket and a card. I also bought something for desert on Sunday. The total was £9 something.

I bought a pair of shoes which were only £5. They're going into my suitcase for my holiday.

In total I've only spent £19 towards my holiday so far.

£50 deposit
£260 february
£180 march

Total = £490

So I have £460 left to pay, and I have three paydays left to do it in.

I checked the building society's website today and I filled in a form so that they can send me some information about the account. The money will be saved for 3 years and then I can decide whether to put it into an instant access account or take it out. I'm hoping to start this is June when the holiday's paid, maybe before then if I manage to pay it sooner - fingers crossed.

Trying to work out expenses for April, I'll write it in here as soon as I do.

Ordered two items from the catalogue, they were on sale, so that will go towards the bills next month.

I was hoping to have a couple of No Spend Days this week but it looks as though it isn't going to happen. Today I have to buy some food at the shop for my mum after uni, hopefully it won't be too much. I'll also have to buy a Mother's Day gift and card too. I seen a pair of shoes for my holiday which I'm also planning on buying - they might not be there next month.

I have decided that once the holiday is paid for (June) I am going to open another savings account. The one I have just now is instant access so this one will be long-term and hopefully I'll have to give notice to take money out. I seen one advertised, I think the AER is 4.25% or something like that. Anyway the building society isn't in my town which means that even if i did want to touch the money, I won't be able to because it isn't nearby and it will be a pain to travel there. I am thinking about probably saving £15-£20 per month, so that I won't really notice it from my wages. It won't be much but it will do until I get a better job.

Speaking of jobs, I was going to do overtime tomorrow but I'm not going to. I am already working ten hours extra this week and eight hours extra next week.

Today I registered to graduate. The woman at the reception said "congratulations" to me for finishing my course. I'm not finished yet, so I said "I'm nearly there" Hopefully the next couple of months will go in fast.

My mum wanted to hire a car e.g. a limo or rolls royce for the event. However in the booklet that I got it said that it is best to use public transport since there will be limited parking. I'm pleased because it means that money can be used for something else like pictures of the event.

I'll need to find out how much pictures will cost. It's going to be expensive but it will be worth it.

I have a busy week planned which is a bad thing since I am skint. However I'll just not spend as much as I usually would and I'm doing overtime so it will help in next month's wage.

My wage wasn't as much as I thought it would be. But I forgot to deduct NI and tax off from the total, so the total before any deductions was right, it was just the one after.

Now I've got a problem because we got a letter from the tv licence company and it said that we have to renew our licence. I tried to do that last month, i gave them my card number so they could take the balance out of my account but for some reason it hasn't worked. I think my mum is going to help me pay it since she knows that I've got a lot of expenses this month.