Money Saved? Enough for a Holiday or Time Out
I work casually and therefore do not have holiday or sick pay. Every week, when I get paid, I go online and do my banking. I have been paying $30 extra on my rent each week for a year, with the result that I am now quite a few weeks in advance and I pay at least $5 extra each week on my gas, electricity and phone accounts - which I also pay weekly (having calculated the approximate amount I would need to pay on a weekly basis). I leave a little over, enough for insurance payments that are direct debited out of my account monthly, transfer as much as I can afford to my savings accounts (which are slowly growing) and what is left, I withdraw for my weekly spending etc. I am single and make sure that I go out to dinner or a movie at least once a week.
I don't shop a lot, consequently I rarely impulse buy and I don't often succumb to takeaway food. I have 3 money boxes in the house, which are rapidly filling with change and will be used at Christmas time for any extra treats that I might want and I am slowly stockpiling as much non-perishable foods and toiletry items as I possibly can - buying them when they're on special. I use only long-life milk, which is a lot cheaper and freeze most of my vegetables into individual serves as soon as I buy them.
If I buy clothing, I try to get what is on sale, or I go to opportunity shops (I recently bought a gorgeous pink, near-new handbag for $4). And I read second-hand books and swap them when I'm finished.
By doing this, I have gradually paid out 3 debts that I had left over from my recent failed marriage. I am planning to take a small holiday in October and I don't feel panic at the thought that I may get sick or have an accident and not be able to work for a while.
At present I do not own a car and walk to work a lot. I also do not drink or smoke, which is a huge money saver.
I was once absolutely hopeless with money and now have hope for the first time in my life - and most of my motivation comes from the Cheapskates Club - thankyou.
Lee Adamczyk
I don't shop a lot, consequently I rarely impulse buy and I don't often succumb to takeaway food. I have 3 money boxes in the house, which are rapidly filling with change and will be used at Christmas time for any extra treats that I might want and I am slowly stockpiling as much non-perishable foods and toiletry items as I possibly can - buying them when they're on special. I use only long-life milk, which is a lot cheaper and freeze most of my vegetables into individual serves as soon as I buy them.
If I buy clothing, I try to get what is on sale, or I go to opportunity shops (I recently bought a gorgeous pink, near-new handbag for $4). And I read second-hand books and swap them when I'm finished.
By doing this, I have gradually paid out 3 debts that I had left over from my recent failed marriage. I am planning to take a small holiday in October and I don't feel panic at the thought that I may get sick or have an accident and not be able to work for a while.
At present I do not own a car and walk to work a lot. I also do not drink or smoke, which is a huge money saver.
I was once absolutely hopeless with money and now have hope for the first time in my life - and most of my motivation comes from the Cheapskates Club - thankyou.
Lee Adamczyk