A question about : My Saving's diary
Hi,
I'm Helen! I'm 21, living with my parents but saving like mad to get a house with my boyfriend of 4 + a half years. I had a thread on here previously tried to edit it thinking i was all technical + somehow deleted my posts and ruined it so here goes, fresh thread for a fresh month as it's 1st October 
We need a Ј5000 deposit for the house, then obviously there's fees to pay and money for furniture - so while i focus on the deposit money my OH is focusing on the rest. We currently stand at Ј3262.90 it's took us just over a year to get that which will be for the deposit so at least were half way with that.
We're both doing the 52 week challenge and selling a lot of old unused things on eBay to make extra money which so far is going well - I've also started using One Poll which is a success on Ј8.80 at the moment and I've referred the OH so he can earn some money too. I'm also doing the 50p + 20p challenges too! Lots of saving is happening 
According to the MSE calculator, if we carry on saving our monthly amount each month we will hit our Ј5000 deposit by September 2015 which will be great, plus as were both saving we should have more than our deposit by that time - fingers crossed!
Every year at christmas i get so angry that i'm always dead last minute and end up getting stung for expensive presents that i could of got at bargain prices if i'd started christmas shopping earlier so this year i've got myself organised and i've budgeted.
My budget is Ј260 for 7 people - Here goes...
OH - Ј100 (one present so far for Ј8.99)
Mum - Ј40 (1 body/bath set Ј9, impulse set Ј6 - they were on a 2 for Ј8 offer though, so saved Ј7 + also got her a ghost perfume gift set for Ј24.50. So i was under budget by Ј7.50 for her)
Dad - Ј40 (know what i'm getting just need to order it online)
Nan R - Ј20 (umbrella/glove set Ј5.99 + slippers Ј2.99. So i was under budget again by Ј11.02 for her)
Grandad P - Ј20 (haven't seen anything for him yet, i'm sure i will though)
Nan E - Ј20 (when bottle of whiskey go on offer will get her one, as i know it's something she likes it)
Grandad A- Ј20 (will get him something garden orientated as he loves him gardening)
Total spent so far - Ј50.47 and two people are finished. (Ј18.52 saved so far)
I've also budgeted for my card's, wrapping paper, bags etc -
Ј3.47 for birthday cards (dad's, nan's, grandad's)
Ј5.96 for christmas cards (OH's, parents, 2 x nan + grandad's)
Ј2.00 for 8 gift bags (offer of 4 for Ј1)
Ј1.98 for 2 rolls of wrapping paper (8 metres long)
Ј0.99p for 3 rolls of cellotape + dispenser
Total spent - Ј14.40 so saved Ј5.60 altogether 
Today's my dad's birthday too, i budgeted myself Ј35 for his present, was going to get him aftershave but it was Ј56/Ј57 
so got him 4 bottles of wine for Ј24 instead and he was happy with them so that saved me Ј11
Got my Grandad's birthday at the end of the month (no idea what to get him but will think of something, got a budget of Ј15) and then my Nan's mid November but I've got her some slippers Ј2.99 and there lovely so that saved me Ј12.01! 
I'm also hoping that me and my boyfriend can learn some money saving tips from here to use now as well as when we live together as he also has an account on here, seems I went on about it so much hehe 
I'm mature for my age + know exactly what i want in life - i'm not under any illusions that it's going to be easy to get everything done and perfect. I know it's going to be a long journey but were willing to put 110% in to it as we want our own house to call home so we can start a family ♥
Think that's enough for my first post, as I've waffled on enough. But seeing all that I've wrote and how much I've saved so far makes me even more determined to keep at it to have our house deposit sooner than September 2015, so we can then start planning our wedding and then baby making!
If anyone has any tips or words of support etc feel free to leave them, good luck to everyone on there missions too!
Best answers:
- Way back in the day (early 70s) I remember the desperate feeling of wanting to own our own home. We were lucky to get a low start mortgage from the GLC and "owned" our first house aged 21, quite normal in those days.
It is nice that you want to give presents at Christmas but, for me, that would be the first thing to go. I feel sure that your family would be more than happy not to receive any for a while if it meant you get on the housing ladder earlier. I know, as a parent and grandparent, there is very little that I actually need/want except, maybe, things doing for me. E.g. a lift to somewhere, the grass cut, small jobs around the house. All worth more to me than actual gifts. Might be worth discussing with them? You could be imaginative and design little gift cards with things written on them to hand over as gifts.
Just a thought.
You are doing well, keep it up and you will get there. - Hi whitesatin,
I have thought about the no gifts thing but as i'm an only child and the only grandchild that visits my grandparents, i'd like to keep it up. I did overspend previously at Christmas by having silly amounts to spend on people but I've literally cut back and as you can see from my first post I've kept under budget so far
Thank you for your kind words of advice. We're hoping to have our deposit by next year. - So late last night after my post on here i got really stuck in, i wrote all my cards (birthday/Christmas) out so there ready to be given, i also wrapped my mum's and Nan's presents up and put them in there gift bags (so organised ). Today I've also wrapped my Nan's birthday present so that's ready for her birthday next month.
I have 17 items currently selling on eBay - 2 definitely sold so far (Ј12.99) and another 6 being watched including the sold items (could have a bit of a bidding war ) all of these items are finishing within the next 2 to 4 days but as my allowance was renewed yesterday i'm going to put a lot more stuff on it today to help earn some more pennies + my OH is putting more of his stuff on his account too!
Also just done another survey on One Poll - balance is now Ј8.90, going up quite fast - hoping i'll be close to cashing out by the end of the month. - Thank you! I will keep everyone posted who pops on to this page - just listing more things on eBay to hopefully help the funds go up a little bit
- Another present ticked off my list, Ј19.99 for a meerkat solar light for my grandad for christmas (saved Ј0.01p but at least it was a saving hehe )
Done a bit more eBaying today, few things finishing in the next couple of days so hopefully that'll get some money coming in - still need to put more things on it aswell.
I'm now up to Ј9.70 on One Poll so that's a bit more, only Ј30.30 to go till i can cash out - hopefully it'll be before the end of the month.
Also added Ј3.00 to my savings for the 52 week challenge so now it stands at Ј3265.90! Going to update my signature after this
Getting a bit competitive with the OH now as he's doing his own challenges and also eBaying a lot - hoping this will motivate us more - Sounds like you are doing AMAZINGLY well - you know what you want, and are going to get it, I admire that
We were in your situation not so long back - and quite literally cut out all non essential spends - including Christmas & Birthday presents. We explained to family not to buy us anything also
Do you and OH really need to spend Ј100 each on each other for Christmas? That is Ј200 worth of savings you could make right there - Hi, pickledonionspaceraider.
I'm proud of how far we've come so far, i think we've done good
We did think of not bothering but were carrying on at the moment + we've lowered are budgets to Ј100 for each other as we used to just spend all sorts. Once we have a house this will stop as we will have things to pay for etc.
Thank you for your kind words + comments
Some eBay items are finishing tonight + this weekend so anything that doesn't sell will be relisted as it's free + anything sold will be packaged up ready to be sent off on Monday as long as payments have been received.
Also going to be wrapping grandad's Christmas present tonight + bagging that so it's all done + ready.
81 days till Christmas! - Managed to sell 3 things on eBay which made Ј7.99 - every little helps OH sold a few things too so that's spurred him on to sell more. I've also got a few things finishing tomorrow, so fingers crossed for them too + i've re-listed the items that didn't sell at lower prices. Feel free to search me on eBay for a bargain it's the same username as on here
Added my earnings to the savings so that's got it up to Ј3273.89 - hoping to hit the Ј4000 marker before Christmas, so that's only Ј726.11 - with 3 paydays to go that'll be Ј450 so i need to earn an extra Ј276.11 from eBay, One Poll and extra budgeting. Shouldn't be too hard as i'm in the zone!!
Managed to package everything up to send off tomorrow + also wrapped grandad's present so i'm on the ball.
Just in the middle of listing more things to eBay whilst watching/listening to Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (such a big kid ) + my mum's also on a mission to find me more stuff to sell
80 days till Christmas! - Daily post time; getting good at this posting every day
Another few items sold on eBay so that's another Ј18.67 to the savings, re-listed the unsold items, going to post all items that have been paid for out this afternoon. Mum found me a lot of things to put on but as i have over 20 items on at the moment, i'll hold off on them until I've had more sales hehe
Savings now stand at Ј3292.56, getting closer to the next mini target (Ј3500).
Just a little update on my budgeting for Christmas - i budgeted Ј20 for cards, wrapping paper, bags etc + saved Ј5.60 and i also budgeted Ј260 for the 7 people i buy for at Christmas and so far I've spent Ј61.48 and saved Ј18.53 (i've also finished buying for 3 of the 7 people) Very proud of myself
Off to update my signature!
79 days till Christmas! - Finally managed to order my dad's Christmas present off Amazon yesterday Ј27.99 and free delivery so that should be here within 5 to 7 working days then i got him a little gift set for Ј5 so i was under budget by Ј7.01 for him (will wrap both presents and bag them once the main present has arrived) and that's another person ticked off my Christmas present list.. so happy!!
Total spends so far - Ј94.47
Total savings so far - Ј25.54
Also got to Ј10.10 on One Poll - still hoping to hit the Ј40 checkout amount by the end of the month.
Went to 02 recycle yesterday evening with OH as my mum found some ancient phones that weren't needed and said i can have the money so that's an extra Ј16 once they've been processed. Also decided that when me + OH have a free Sunday morning we'll do a car boot sale to help earn a few more pennies
So proud of how well we're both doing!
Got to send another eBay item off later then just waiting on one more payment to send the final item off - got 2/3 days before the next batch of items finish (got a few watchers, so fingers crossed hehe)
78 days till Christmas - Dad's present arrived this morning, so that's his presents all wrapped and in a gift bag - starting to get a nice little pile of prepared Christmas presents in the corner of my room.. So proud of myself
Just hit the Ј10.60 mark on One Poll, so that's another step closer. Got to post another eBay item off later as just received payment. Hoping for a few more sales this week to get over the Ј3300 marker.
Also got Ј5.80 between my 50p & 20p challenge jars, going to bank them when I've completed my 52 week challenge (fingers crossed i won't have to dip in to them)
Been reading a lot of the different threads on here too about how people have changed there lives for the better by making little changes and sticking to them, here's hoping me + OH can stick to them too as hearing about others spurs me on and motivates me! - Had no luck finding anymore Christmas presents for my final ones - going to have a good nose on the internet this weekend and try to get them sorted ASAP!
Sold 2 more items on eBay this evening so that's an extra Ј7.03 which takes our savings to Ј3299.59 - just updated the signature to reflect it, each mini targets getting closer and closer got 4 items finishing tomorrow and then a few over the weekend so got everything crossed for some good sales!
Hit Ј11.55 on One Poll so i'm officially over a quarter of the way there, not bad for a few minutes each day - Hey im in the same boat as you and its hard going but we will get there and it will be sooo worth it! have you thought about doing some handmade gifts this year? They can be so nice and still cheap. Or hampers can be done cheap, there is a thread on here with hampers on with loads of ideas, can be cheap but look more expensive, good luck with all the saving x
- Hi jkl123,
I have thought about things like that but i'm not creative at all my OH is really good at art but with working full time he doesn't get the chance to do much - when we have our house we'd have more time to do things like that together. I've kept within budget so far - so i'm really pleased with myself It's nice to hear about people who are in the same boat too, good luck with your journey!
Just transfered Ј4.00 to savings for 52 week challenge so that's another week completed! Savings now stand at Ј3303.59
Need to send 2 eBay items off this afternoon + also got another 4 items finishing quite soon (2 have watchers just no bids ) Fingers crossed for a little sale - Don't usually post twice in a day but couldn't resist hehe.
Sold a pair of ankle boots on eBay for Ј5.99 so that was added straight to the savings also got a payment through from 02 recycling for Ј6.00 little bit less than expected but phone's weren't in full working order so can't complain Savings now stand at Ј3315.58 every penny really does count.
Got an email off One Poll saying there were some surveys available went on and ended up getting to Ј12.50 not bad for a couple of minutes work
Trapped my finger in the door which was really sore but soldiered on and parceled eBay stuff up ready for sending tomorrow.
Also got a blue star on eBay for so much good feedback everything's on the up! - Sent my eBay parcel off, so that should get there tomorrow - re-listed items that didn't sell yesterday. Got a few items finishing today and tomorrow so fingers crossed they sell.
Update on the Christmas front, got my Nan's present today and was way under budget. Got her 2 cat statues priced at Ј5.99 each but when i went through the tills they were only Ј3.99 so she's all done and i saved Ј12.02 in total as i was way under budget
Total spends so far - Ј102.45
Total savings so far - Ј37.56
Only 2 more people to buy for aswell, so proud!
Found out today that my lovely Nan has said that she's going to buy a microwave, toaster and kettle for the house, so me + OH will look online and decide which one we want then she's keeping it at hers until we have the house.. Oh it's so exciting!
74 days till Christmas! - Finally found Grandad's birthday present for the end of the month was Ј1 over budget so i'll take that off his Christmas present budget so i'm not over spending so that'll be Ј19 instead. Just need to find a gift bag for that and it's all done and ready.
eBay announced it's free listing until the 14th so i'm taking full advantage of that also made Ј29.19 this weekend so that takes the savings to Ј3344.77 hopefully it'll keep rising with more items being listed hehe OH is taking advantage of eBay's free listing too so hopefully that'll help a lot.
My nan also phoned and said that she's got 2 DVD players to sell so i'll get them off her next weekend - i'm literally selling anything lol.
Also managed to wrap and bag my other nan's Christmas present so that's another lot in the Christmas corner - only 2 more people left to finish, thank god.
Off to update my signature! - Not much to report today, sent my 3 eBay items off this morning as they all paid in full love it when they do it quickly!
Made another Ј2.30 today just waiting to be paid for it then i'll send it off - brings the savings to Ј3347.07 so pleased with how things are going.
OH is putting his things on eBay tonight and tomorrow so fingers crossed and i'm putting more on once I've finished this post - you really do make more money on the run up to Christmas
Earned another 10p on One Poll so that's at Ј12.60 getting there just a bit slower than i wanted
Anyway off to update my signature and bombard eBay with new items
72 days till Christmas
- 283 reads