Roll on October

So this week marked the start of a new month. October has arrived. The scary realisation that there is only 3 months left of 2012 and the realisation that I have been living this adventure for almost 6 months.

I am particularly excited about this month because I have a very exciting trip coming up. I will be travelling to Prague in the Czech Repulbic and to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. 2 places that are on my bucket list and I am so excited to tick them off.

I love that my days are filled with reading up on the history of these 2 amazing places, I am filled with knowledge and excitement at the same time.

Initially when I set off on my adventure one thing always stuck in the back of my mind. If I go alone, I will be alone. All the places I want to see are possibly going to be done solo, something that I had accepted and was prepared to do. While you are travelling you meet so many amazing people and you plan these unbelievable trips to discover the world together.

Once again, I am forced to righten up my budget and be a lot moer careful of my spending so that I can splurge out and have an unforgettable holiday. Its all worth it. And im getting quite good at this budget thing. As my build up continues I shall take you on my adventure.

1st day of February

It is the first day of February, can you believe it?!

January was really a busy month, besides work being so busy, I was mentally and physically preparing myself for the year. I have my head on straight and have decided what I want out of this year. I can now go on with this year confidently knowing what I want to achieve.

February is such a special month, especially this year, not only is it a leap year, it is the month of love and more importantly my birthday month.

I hope that you have spend most of today (or you will be spending tonight) working out your monthly budget so that you can find the extra few coins to spoil yourself.

Buying luggage

Over the past few weeks I have been browsing around for the best luggage deal I could get. After lugging around for weeks on end I am proud to say I know everything there is to know about luggage from size to weight and brands.

When I first ventured out on this task I had a clear indication of what I wanted. What size and what colour – I did not want black, blue or brown as these colours are the most common and finding yours on a conveyer belt will be a task near impossible as many other people will have these colours.

My top tips for buying luggage.

-         Get a feel for the brands and do your homework. Decide what size you need and what your budget is because it can get quite costly.

-         Shop around. A lot of shops have the same brands and some people are more knowledgeable about the different products and brands. Most shops have similar pricing on similar brands.

-         Check the wheels. If they are not solid and are a thin plastic they might not last as long and what’s a bag without wheels?!

-         When you have made your decision go to the Oriental Plaza. You may not get the brand you want but you know what type of quality you are looking for and what you are willing to pay. Most often you can bargain a great deal with them.

Life on a budget

What exactly is a budget? The total extinction of a social life? Cutting out groceries for the month? Not paying any accounts?

NO! To me a budget is simplifying and cutting out the unnecessary in order to save a bit at the end of every month.

When considering implementing a budget it is not easy to do it, no matter which way you look at it or what angle you approach it from.

Here are some simple ways in which you can save a bit and cut out the unnecessary.

1. Make lunch.

Instead of going out everyday and buying lunch – and stopping in at a few shops on the way, which leads to you trying on a gorgeous must-have top, not able to leave without this top you put it on account and carry on your merry way. By making your own lunch you also save petrol. Don’t buy food from the sandwich lady either thinking you are bettering her life. You are trying to better your own. You may even loose a few kilos as well because you will be making healthier meals and not wasting a lot as well because 9 out of 10 times last nights dinner becomes today’s lunch.

2. Stop spending on your accounts

Challenge yourself to not spend on your account for at least a month. You will be surprised at how your payments will actually start making a difference. You will also discover what amazing clothes you already own. Most of the time we spend on accounts and not actually NEED the things that we buy. Just avoid shops full stop.

3. Buy groceries monthly

Estimate what you will need for the month. Plan meals if you have to and estimate quantities before hand. Make a list of items that you need as to avoid picking up things that you don’t need. By doing monthly shopping you are not going to the shop daily or weekly which means those extra 10 bags of chips, 5 chocolate slabs and 8 cold drinks will not be necessary. Again avoiding those extra kgs.

4. Write down a budget plan

Make a list of all of your spending so you know where the over spending takes place and how you can use your money more effectively. Make sure that you can account for every sent. Pay all your bills in full before you spend on anything else.

Make 2012 a year to save.