Control That Spending

Hey guys!

I haven't realized how long it's been since I last posted anything. I'm really sorry for not keeping you guys up to date on everything. However, it's not like there is much that has happened anyways, since the last time I've posted, there isn't much new, basically school and studying all the time. the work season is over, so almost no more work for me, but there is still the odd catering here and there for parties and weddings.

Today I wanted to make tell you guys about the spending that I've been doing lately that has gone a little out of control without me realizing and maybe give a few tips on how not to spend as much.

Lately, I've spent a HUGE amount of money without realizing it. Now for a lot of you, the amount Ive been spending might not be all that much, but for me, it is way out of budget, even if the holidays are right around the corner. I know where I've been spending, which is mostly on food and coffees, which frankly, I really don't need. I've been buy soups and salads to go with my lunch, which I really don't need to. it started out as a once in a while thing, but then I also got lazy in packing lunches, so I would always get a little something to add to the food I got, and before I knew it it became habit. The semester is over now, so I just have to learn to not do that next semester. I've also been getting Starbucks very often, and we all know that Starbucks isn't the most value friendly coffee out there. There have also been a lot of sales lately, due to Christmas being around the corner and because of Black Friday. I've been shopping a lot more than I should be as well. And I've been going out for supper quite a bit with my friends. I need to not spend as much and start controlling how much I'm spending. Here are a few tips that I find helpful (from past experience)

1. Ask yourself if you really need we what you're about to buy. Do you need it or do you want it? Will you still be using it in a few weeks/months? If it's an article of clothing, how much will you be wearing it?
2. See if you can get it somewhere else for cheaper A lot of the time we want something because it's a brand name, but most of the time we can get the exact same thing (minus the name and the expensive tag) somewhere else and the quality is basically the same.
3. Set yourself a budget. Planning a big shopping day or to go out and shop for the holidays? Set yourself a budget, don't go above the budget, when you're setting your budget, because most of the time it means that the amount you're willing to spend will encompass everything that you need to get.
4. Don't impulse buy, think your purchase through, ask yourself the first 2 tips, and what works for me is to not buy the item right away and wait a bit. If you really want it, you'll still want it in a few weeks, if you don't that means you never really wanted it anyways. Waiting a bit can also mean that the item that you want will be on sale, then you wouldn't feel so guilty about getting it.
5. Don't carry so much cash with you, or leave your credit card at home if you have issues controlling how much plastic you use. This often helps because you won't have any money to buy the things you see. This is kind of related to the 4th tip because it will also make you think about whether or not you really need the item because it will require you going back to get it.
6. Write down everything you buy, this will help you see your spendings habits and tell you where you could cut some of your spendings. It also lets you see what you should be spending your money on and the 'extras' that you don't need.

 To control my spending, I'm going to try to stick to this list as much as possible:

1. No more spending on beauty products. I'm a sucker at Sephora, everything in there is just so tempting and pretty and hard to resists. I end up getting little things and I come home and realize I have similar products. The same thing is happening with nail polish. I have 31 bottles of nail polish (I just threw some out too). I realized today that I have a million similar colors and I have colors that I don't even remember having, which is not a good sign. I'm only going to spend on a beauty product when I run out of it at home.
2. Capping my spending budgets monthly, except for on boxing day. This is going to take some time because I will have to come up with a reasonable cap for my monthly spending.
3. Budget for boxing day or any day I'm planning to go out shopping.
4. Keep track of everything I spend. Basically making an excel spreadsheet to keep track of how much I spend.
5. Limiting the amount of times I go out. and when I do go out, trying to find less expensive alternatives.
6. Not spending extra on food. In the new school year, I'll make sure I'm packing enough food to not even be tempted to buy something extra to eat.
7. NO MORE COFFEE, unless I plan to have coffee with a friend, because I do not need that much caffeine in me.
8. Carrying less money on me. I've realized that when I have cash on me I'm more willing to spend, when I have to use my credit or debit, I hesitate a little more.
9. I'm only going to get something if I really need it, or if I've been wanting it for a long time.

I'll only start the spreadsheet and the capping in the new years, since we're already in December :P The rest of the list, I will try to start implementing the rest right away because the rate at which I'm spending my money is scaring me especially since I'm not working right now.

Hope some of these tips help you guys during the holiday season, or any time of the year :)

-J

New Years Resolutions + Staff Get Together

Hey guys!

New years is fast approaching, and with that comes new years resolutions... that never seem to be kept for more than a few weeks :P I'm hoping this year will be different. This year i have a few new years resolutions and I'm hoping I'll keep at least one of them.

So here are my new years resolutions:

1. Get into shape: yes, this is partially me wanting to loose weight, but I also want to climb McGill's hill everyday without dying trying to get between classes. I with this resolution, I want to go to to gym twice a week, hopefully I'll be able to keep that schedule during midterms and finals too, but even if I can't I would want to go at least once a week. Part of this resolution was also to join a dance of a zumba class, and ST made me commit to that (at least for 5 classes) cause that is what she got me for Christmas! I am so excited cause hopefully, this will make me really want to commit to it for more than a few classes. We'll see how that works out for me.
2. Do better in my classes: I didn't have the best study habit in CEGEP, and I kind of kept that going for my first semester in Uni, but I'm hoping I can kick that habit and get myself to focus in my classes and come home and take extra notes and listen to lecture recordings, cause I have to admit,. no matter how much I can't focus on them when I'm listening to them at home, they help in the long run! I also want to get studying done before midterms and finals hit, cause that would be a load off my back and might allow me to get some gym time as well.
3. Get a lab job:  Now this one is because I am an undecided science student that is not looking at medical school in her future. I'm not looking into med school for a lot of personal reasons, one of them being that not being able to help some patients no matter how much I want to will kill me every time because I feel guilty really easily. So my only other option (not my only, but a big option) is a lab job. I would like to know what it's like to work in a lab to see if that is the life I would like to set myself up for. I don't care if this is a paid internship or even just a volunteer opportunity, I think it would be really cool to see what my future can hold for me. And this is also a resolution I want to keep for the next 2 years, or at least till before I get my undergraduate degree.
4. Be more confident: I'm a pessimistic person and I would like to try to change that, even my a little. I know I've said I've been better at it, but it's still hard. And I understand that it's not always easy, but when my friends say something like "you look good today," I would like to believe that it's true. And maybe this will be easier when I get into shape, and maybe it won't make a difference. But I will try my best regardless.
5. Be more careful with my money: I'll admit I'm already very good with my money, I'm not going to spend every penny I have once I get it, and I have money set aside in a savings account and I also have money that is not in the savings, but that I refuse to touch no matter how much I want to spend the money. And I admit, I made quite a bit of money this summer (mostly cause I worked my ass off and my boss milked every last hour he could get out of me), but I still somehow end up spending most of it... I have about 1/3 of it left. I guess granted that I haven't been working for 2 months that is very impressive, but I don't plan on getting a job until next summer, so I have to start being a little more money smart and start only getting what I really need, or items that I know I will use all the time. I will have to start asking myself "How often am I going to use/wear this?" and obviously, like I always do, look for good deals.
6. Keep my close friends: This one I find may be the most important and maybe the hardest to keep for the year. Don't get me wrong, I want to make new friends as well cause there us nothing wrong with making your circle bigger, but I'm hoping that by this time next year I'll still be friends with ST, W, BB and Y (although we've been kind of getting distant lately). It will be hard cause I won't have classes with any of them next semester and out schedules aren't exactly hang out friendly (along with the insane work load our programs give us). But I hope that by this time next year we are all still as close as we are not (give or take a little on the closer or the not as close side). But I really wouldn't want to lose them anytime soon. They are the ones that keep me grounded and make sure I have a good time and make sure I don't over stress myself.

I think that's about it for my new years resolutions this year. Hopefully I will be able to keep at least one of them, well I'm hoping all, but we all know how long new years resolutions last :P

And I'm just going to add this here cause not much happened at the staff get together. We needed up being five people going out for a sushi supper. It was T, WL, LT, CL and myself. I thought it was going to be awkward since both T and WL don't talk much, but boy was I wrong, they talked and laugh the most I have ever seen them do either. I think LT might have felt the most awkward at the sinner, but he was always a little awkward :P But we all had a blast and we all laughed a lot and we ate so much sushi it was insane, the waiter even came back a few times to make sure that we were sure we wanted to order so much. But it was a blast and after a stressful time planning it, the supper itself definitely makes me want to plan something again. But remind me again why I am the one that plans staff parties?

P.s. The horse back riding was postponed and I couldn't make it on the new day, so no news there.

What are your resolutions?
-J