Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

I ended 2009 on a bit of a sour note, one that will effect my financial standing a little bit. Yesterday I was reversing my car, looking over my right shoulder at a power pole, making sure I didn't hit it. As I was looking over my right shoulder, I didn't see the tree behind me and alas, hit it. The damage is pretty bad and it looks like I will have to get my entire boot replaced. An unpainted boot costs $759 and then I have to get it painted and installed. Needless to say, my emergency fund will soon be depleted.

I am not particularly happy about it. I had big plans and they'll now have to be put on hold in order for me to scrimp and save for the money to get it fixed. But from now on, I won't reverse my car without taking extra special care.

I'm Still Here

I have had a pretty busy December, hence my lack of posting. But no more, I want to get back into the swing of things, get back into saving and planning for my future. And the best way I know how to do that is through blogging!

I graduated in early December, with the whole family coming down for it. It was a great day and I am very glad to be done with it. I don't start my new job until January 11, so I have been at home for the past couple of weeks.

Plans have begun to fall in place for me to move into an apartment with my brother. I have to wait until I actually go down there to find a place, but I have started planning in other ways. Most of my Christmas gifts were home things, including some small appliances. I have also been hitting the post-Christmas sales and now have almost everything I need. The main thing I need to buy is a bed, but I can't do that until I have found a place. I do, however, have the money set aside for that purchase.

All of these purchases, I have been saving for, so I am not going into debt for them. I am also getting a small gauge in my car fixed tomorrow, which I have also saved for.

So even though I haven't been very diligent lately, I am doing alright. I have been saving all year, knowing I would need to buy a lot of stuff and I have been putting money away 'just in case' something were to happen to my car. So I am feeling good, getting excited about this new phase of my life and can't wait to continue saving for my future!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2010.

First Boxes Have Arrived

My first batch of moving boxes arrived yesterday, so now I must begin the arduous task of packing. I have a whole bunch of things set aside to sell on Ebay but I'm wondering, do you think I should just give them to Goodwill or pack them up and take them with me to my next city?

I'm Back

What a whirl-wind couple of weeks I've had! I apologise for the lack of posts, I went away for two weeks for a work course and didn't have access to the Internet.

It is official! I am a university graduate. Well, there is still the ceremony where I get handed my degree next Wednesday and I will only get that if I return all of my library books, but I've done all of my exams and passed all of my courses!

Needless to say, I am relieved. During my work course, I spent the middle weekend letting loose in Melbourne with some friends. I spent a lot of money (for me anyway) but it was worth it to me because I was rewarding myself for my three years of hard work!

But now I need to get into planning mode, I have to start getting ready to be an adult (see my last post). Glad to be back though!

Being an Adult

I graduate from university in around a month and after a few weeks of summer holidays, I will then start my first ever full time job. I'm nervous and excited!

This does mean, however, that I have to start thinking about rent and buying food and all that big, bad adult stuff. To begin with, I will be utilising company accommodation (basically just a room to sleep in, shared bathroom and kitchen facilities). This is until I get my footing in my new city, know what is what, that sort of thing.

However, I am sick of communal living, not having a home or a kitchen, that sort of thing. So I would like to move out and into a nice little apartment. At this stage, I want to live on my own, but may need to look for a roommate to save money. I don't really know how to budget to see what I will be able to afford as I have no idea what my expenses will be next year.

Any suggestions?

Christmas

Well, it's now less than two months to Christmas! Time to start thinking about gifts!

A little while ago, I put some things on lay by. It was my mum's, my younger brother's, my sister's and my three little cousins gifts. These cousins are the only ones I buy for, because they're so little.

I have almost paid it off. I've been very lax in making payments as I don't see the rush, it will just create clutter in my room once I pick it up. But, I still have more gifts to buy, most of which I can't think of anything for.

I need to get my dad something, my older brother and my two best friends. I don't know what to get any of them! Any ideas out there?

It's Going Well

My new lifestyle is off to a fairly good start. I have been quite good about my eating habits, eating all the lovely fresh stuff I have. I did spend the weekend at my grandparents where my diet was a little carb heavy, but that couldn't be helped without being rude. So now, back onto the healthy eating!

I have been a little lax about the exercise though. My exams start tomorrow and I've been studying for those, pushing exercise to the side. I know that's bad, I should definitely make time for both and it would probably even help me study better! So here's hoping I do better with that this week.

I had a very inexpensive weekend. All I had to buy was petrol and a box of chocolates for my grandparents. This week will also be inexpensive, as will the weekend, as I will mainly just be studying. Yay for savings!