I have also updated them on my side bar, but these are my new balances:

Debt:
CC1: $0
CC2: $0
Personal Loan: $3836.74

Savings:
Everyday Account: $178.79
Bills Account: $226.64
Holiday/Gift Account: $100.13
Emergency Fund: $196.00
Home Loan Deposit Fund: $1518.91

I have $178.79 until next payday (Tuesday and Wednesday) plus $64 that BF owes me.
I have to get:
groceries
a couple of singlets
maybe a book (on sale - not full price!)
plus lunch with a friend today

Should be absolutely fine! And any remaining I think I will put into my home loan account.

I have completely cleared the CC's. I am only using the CC2 for the points anyway so I don't mind if I transfer the money before the actual due date. I know it works well (to buy everything on credit and put the money in an interest earning account until the due date) BUT it stresses me out a little. If it's paid, it's paid, and I don't have to worry about it, and I know my money is MY money.

Income: $2041.50 ($510.38 p/w)
Job 1: $695.00 ($173.75 p/w)
Job 2: $1219.50 ($304.88)
Other: $127.00 ($31.75 p/w)

Deducted from Savings:
Gifts: $50
Holidays: $150
Bills: $142.69
Total: $342.69


---------------------------------------

Expenses: $2113.43
Rent: $506.68 ($126.67 p/w)
Groceries: $219.71 ($54.93 p/w)
Petrol: $113.13 ($28.28 p/w)
Phone & Internet: $26.69 ($6.67 p/w)
Loan Repayment: $148.00 ($37 p/w)
Extra Loan Repayments: $80.00 ($20 p/w)
Skincare: $29.95 ($7.49 p/w)
Mobile Phone: $30 ($7.50 p/w)
Misc: $5
Health & Beauty: $36.50 ($9.13 p/w)
Gifts: $60
Bank Fees: $7
Fun-
Alcohol: $56.50 ($14.13 p/w)
Takaway Beverages: $90.32 ($22.58 p/w)
Takeaway/Dining Out: $239.40 ($59.85 p/w)
Magazines & Books: $13.50
Clothes & Shoes: $83.65 ($20.91 p/w)
Makeup: $21.95
Entertainment: $213.45 ($53.36 p/w)
Staff Lotto: $8 ($2 p/w)
House: $8.00
Car Service: $116.00
---------------------------------------

Savings: $220 ($55 p/w)

---------------------------------------

So:
Income: $2041.50
+ saved: $342.69
= $2384.19

Less Expenses: $2113.43
Less Savings: $220.00

Remaining: $50.76

----------------------------------------

Whew!

This is the first time that I have used my Holiday/Gifts Fund for what it was supposed to be used for, and it actually worked!

And yes, I know, I know, I spent a lot on the 'Fun' categories. In my defense, I had a wedding and a hens night to go to, which meant two whole weekends a couple of hourse drive away from my home. This month will be much better, the only thing I have to spend on in September is stuff for my party, which should cost roughly $100 or a bit more. I am thining I will take what I can out of my holiday account, if I need to.

In line with my not-wanting-to-spend-much-money-this week train of thought *cough* we went to the movies last night. (X-files movie - not too bad but not much sci-fi, a lot more relationship talk than i would have liked... oh well. can't say i wouldn't watch anything with david duchovny in it anyway...)
To be fair, it was cheap night, so the ticket itself cost $8.50.
Total Expenditure last night:
Movie: $8.50
Coffee: $3.75
Icecream: $4
Kebab: $10
Water: $1.40
Total: $27.65

$17.75 of that I am transferring to my loan my debt is now *officially* under 4k.

Hopefully this week (or next week, depending on how much interest is added on the 8th) my personal loan should be at UNDER $4000. How exciting. I am then roughly $300 off Goal # 2.

$730.28 away from Goal # 3 for my House Deposit/Uni Savings.

$94.79 away from Goal # 1 for my Emergency Fund.

$205.51 away from Goal # 2 for my Gifts & Holidays Fund.

Unfortunately however the Gifts & Holidays Fund will have some setbacks this month. I will be taking $50 out for a wedding gift, and also $113.12 out as I am taking a Friday off for the wedding, and that's how much I would have earnt for the day.

It's a setback, but that's the whole point of it being there, so in a way it's kind of exciting to use it for what it's meant to be used for!

In other news, I think I might start the $20 challenge again this week. I will be adding the extra money to my House & Uni Fund, for anything positive that I do financially or health-wise.

I will also be adding to my debt any small purchase amounts like takeaway coffee (for example) that could have been avoided, so essentially when I make a stupid purchase I will be paying for it twice

Well, it's 5am here and I have to run for work now. Take care everyone!

New Savings Deduction Amounts:

Emergency Fund: $20 weekly
(current balance: $64.82 goal: $1200 amount left to go: $1135.18)

Gifts/Holiday Account: $15 weekly
(current balance: $113.84 goal: $500 amount left to go: $386.16)

Uni/House Fund: $50 weekly
(current balance: $525.15 goal: $10000 amount left to go: $9474.85

Bills Account: $60 weekly
(current balance: $212.57)

Debt:
Loan Repayment: $37 weekly
Extra Loan Repayment: $40+ weekly
(current balance: $4153.24-)



gosh, isn't it funny how direct debits seem to take over your money (and life) and suddenly there is none left? it's a bit overwhelming sometimes!

from my tax return, which I just completed online. woohoo! i love doing my tax straight away. of course, i am sure had I OWED money I wouldn't have done it as quickly...
I am putting $350 in my savings and $350 on my loan, and the spare change is going on my credit card payment.

I thought I would just list my expenses for my holiday in detail:

Food: $72.55
Beverages: $61.50
Clothes: $77.95
Entertainment: $50 (Circus Oz ticket)
Magazines: $8.20
Books: $76.90
Misc: $12.30
Transport: $22.00
Total: $381.40

This is for three weeks. The reason my spending was so low is because I was staying with my dad, stepmum and little sister, so I had most homecooked meals and a lot of my dining out meals were paid for (even though I tried hard to pay for myself).

Now I am back into the swing of things again. I worked yesterday and today. (a rude shock to my system, my first day of work having started at 5.30am on a monday - quite a bit different from three weeks of waking up at around 9am!!!)

I am going to allow myself two weeks of leeway before I begin my challenge and stupid vault counting again. by this time I will have started to get full pays again and will have sorted out all my money!

It is now officially tax time, woohoo! I am currently writing up the group certificates for Work #1, and will be getting my Work #2 group certificate with my payslip on thursday.

Also apparently my boss and his wife at Work #2 handed out $25 coles-myer gift cards to all the staff with our group certificates for putting in a good effort over the year, which is lovely. (we also get $50 gift cards for christmas and a bottle of bubbles, and scratchies-cards for our birthdays...) Yes, it's a nice place to work.

I don't know how much I will get back from my tax return but I'm going to cross my fingers and hope for $700+.

While I was on holidays I also reached Goal # 1 on my Personal loan for $4250 balance. It is now at approximately $4190. I will update all of my savings and debt amounts later.

Well that will be all for now. Thankyou for reading but I have to get back to work now

I had a little bit of a spendy day yesterday, but in afterthought I think I did quite well!

I went into town and bought 2 jumpers for $AU25. (so, $12.50 each) which was an absolute bargain. And no, I didn't just buy them because they were cheap. I bought them because I am going on holiday in a couple of days, where the temperature can get below 0 degrees celcius. I am hoping it won't be too cold, however I am going in the middle of winter so...

I don't have a great deal of jumpers. I have a few cardigans, but no actual fleecy jumpers, because in the state where I live, even on the coldest day in winter last year it was about four degrees, and usually averages around twenty, which means you can comfortably walk around in shorts and a t-shirt. (well, most of us can)

I did a mock-pack of my bag and weighed it, as I am only allowed 15kg in luggage on the plane. (damn tiger!)All up so far it is about 7.5 kg. I am hoping to keep it at 10kg so I have some room to bring stuff back with me.

Also yesterday I spent $2 on the staff lotto and $4.35 on a coffee while I was out. I am transfering the $4.35 to my personal loan RIGHT NOW. New Stupid Vault balance: $29.73

There are only 3 nights left until I hop on the plane.

This morning my pay went in for Job # 1 and I transferred $11.69 to the Stupid Vault.

New Loan Balance: $4288.47
New Stupid Vault Balance: $20.93

I also transferred $60 into my bills account. Once the money goes in for Job # 2 I will be transferring the remaining balance for CC # 2. Then I will officially have no credit card balance at all!!! How exciting, I haven't had that for months!

I will have to set up and change some automatic transfers over the next three weeks for:
Bill A/C: $60 weekly
Rent: $126.67 weekly
EF, Uni Fund: $20 weekly
Gift/Holiday Fund: $10 weekly

Why, you ask?

Because, I AM GOING ON HOLIDAY!!! Yes, that's right. A three week holiday to visit my dad, step-mum, sister, granparents, brother, sister in law, nephew, aunties, uncles...

It will be my last holiday of length for five years, if my University plans go ahead. So I am really looking forward to seeing all my family, as they all live in another state. The plane leaves next Tuesday. (This is what I have been saving for in my Holiday Fund).

I say 'holiday of length' because I am sure there will be many long weekends in there (being one that likes music festivals, bands, camping, trips away etc) but I am certain I won't be able to afford any holidays spanning weeks for a very long time!

I will miss BF terribly. Did you know, the longest we have ever been apart in five years is a couple of four week holidays here and there, and a couple of one week work-related trips for bf?

Whilst on holiday I am going to try and keep a spending log, so atleast I know what I spend when I am on holiday. This will let me plan for future trips too, incase I am able to save for a plane ticket.

Once I am back from my holiday I should have some surplus to keep me going for a week, and then I will be back into saving, saving, saving. My main priorities will be:

-a car service
-my EF goal # 2
-my goal # 2 for Personal Loan
-visiting my sister for two days in august

If I have a lot of money left over from my holiday I might consider checking out the stocktake sale in myer, as they sell a brand of jeans that I really like which are around $100 normally, but I can usually pick them up for under $50.

Today my expected spendings will be dinner, as we are having dinner with BF's mum. They usually have specials at the place we are going to at around or under $10, so I will try to keep it at $15 for drinks as well. That should be all the money I am spending today.

Anyway that is my update for today

I was naughty and bought a muffin for morning tea. That will teach me for not putting something healthy in my bag this morning! $3.80 - gone!

I have decided to copy Amber (www.veronak.savingadvice.com) and add the same amount to my debt (only it will be my personal loan, not my credit card debt).

From now on, any stupid purchases (yes, I said stupid) will be added to my Personal Loan. I'm going to try and keep a running tally, like the $20 Challenge, only I will call it the Stupid Vault.
Any pro-activ choices, purchases etc will be added to the Challenge money.

It makes more sense really:

Challenge Money = Savings = Good
Stupid-ness = Debt = Bad

Challenge Balance: $23.00
Stupid Vault: $3.80

Now only if the rest of our lives where that simple to work out, eh?!

Short Term:
- Track my loan payment progress in $250 goal increments
- Track all expenditure and endeavour to stick to or under my budget.
- Get my car serviced.
- Completely pay off all cc balances.
- Start my $20 challenge
- Start transfering money to my cc as soon as I make the purchase, so I don't get a nasty shock at the end of the month.
- Eat less meat and make my boyfriend enjoy meatless meals more.
- Start cooking healthy meals and then freezing them in bulk lots.
- Exercise 6 days a week.
- Make an appointment with my parents' naturopath/homeopath

Long Term:
- Completely pay off my loan.
- Reach my target amount for my Emergency Fund ($1200).
- Maintain a gifts/holidays account where money is drawn out of for days off & gifts purchased for others.
- Save a lump sum for university (current goal: $10 000) by January 2010.