Wednesday 28 December 2011

Four Months, where did the money go?

Since everyone is taking a look at what they want to change and what they want to improve and leave behind when the bells of the New Year toll, I decided to assess the financial damage I'd done in 4 months. As a student, I keep tabs on my money. I've got to. It's the way I roll.
Therefore as a student with mild control issues, I keep a budget, so I know what I've wasted spent my money on. Wanna see? Here's a slice:


This is the condensed version. When it's green, it's good, but when it's red, it's ridiculous. A lot of the budget amounts are things left over from my incredibly strict undergraduate days, so it needs tweaking to be more realistic.

Notes
  • My other house mate has yet to give me her portion of the Internet money.
  • I spent money on clothes for netball - netball kit and er.. other necessary supports.
  • The annoying thing about my bus travel is that I still didn't spend enough to warrant a bus pass. If I had shopped less, I'd have walked more, I'm sure...
  • When I constructed this budget, I totally didn't take into account the fact that I might need to take the train for my placement. So if I don't want that amount to be true, I should probably claim the money back...
  • I had to get the sewing machine fixed. And that was not cheap. Neither was the excess amount of material I now have in my house. 
  • Toiletries? Eh, I got no excuse. Come on, have you seen what I'm like?!
  • I'm actually quite proud of the Christmas amount. I calculated nine people I was buying presents for, and tried to keep it down to £10 each. I managed this for the siblings, failed massively when it came  to my mum and didn't even bother when it came to the Wonder Thing. I put my hands up - I failed there. But it's a failure that only comes once a year and it's laced with mince pies to dull the pain.
  • Having to buy new stuff for this new academic year, including printer ink, meant my stationary costs shot up.
But on a more positive financial note - I finally set up my ISA! Yay! My grand plan is finally in action! 
Whoo-hoo! So far all I've contributed to it is £100 of my own, and £600 of my overdraft. It's okay since I'm a student, I don't get charged for going into my  And I do plan on giving it back, after I collect the interest on it, so it's all good.
Definitely something I should be keeping an eye on in the New Year....

7 comments:

  1. I actually love your money organisation, I hope that I can be this organised when I grow up *stares into the night sky*

    :D

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  2. Haha, thank you. It's strange to think of my compulsiveness as being inspirational!

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  3. I think you still did pretty good. I too sit in awe at your chart!

    And a whoot-whoot to you for tithing! It's good to see someone else who does. :)

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  4. @b. - well, you know, giving back is a necessary part of life!

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  5. That's a really good idea. I tend to monitor mine on my online acct.....And then spend days trying to figure out where that £20 went only to realise it took Domino's 2 weeks to take it out!!!!
    Think I might just do that spreadsheet & enter in amounts as I spend!

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  6. What do you use your sewing machine for?

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  7. @Chanpagne - I find it's incredibly useful when it comes to planning how to spend my money in the future, especially since I can input stuff like bills and rent, so I know how much money I *really* have...and don't suffer that awful shock of having spent my rent money on Chinese food....

    @Aulelia: Well, it's my mum's but she hates it so I appropriated it from her. I'm planning to learn how to use it...and then make clothes that actually fit! :D

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