My Spending Ban is Finally Over!!

Now if you are wondering what on earth I am talking about, because maybe you are quite new here then I have been on a 6 month spending ban! OK so recently I may have forgotten about it and I didn't post an update about it in December (naughty me), bu it was Christmas and nobody would want to read about a spending ban then anyway! 

OK so to fill you all in  here is the low down on the ban: spending ban info and here are my previous updates: update 1, update 2, update 3 and update 4! So here is my update for the last two months!

Ok so for me December was all about paying for the rest of the holiday and then obviously buying Christmas presents. I also got a pay rise in my main job too, which was a surprise and came at a very good time!! The only thing I really bought for myself was a dress for my Christmas party. So after forking out a lot of money paying off the rest of the holiday and buying presents for my family and Robert, I didn't really have any money for buying things for myself anyway! After Christmas I had a week off from work, which was amazing and Robert and I had the house to ourselves as my mum and dad were away in New York! It was a week of relaxing and I didn't spend any money at all really, as I had some Christmas money from family friends, which I used for some food shopping and dinner! I not bought any new beauty products since November, which is fab!! I did buy some clothes from New Look and then ended up buying a new bag a little while ago, but other than that I feel as if I have been very good! I have quite a lot of money too saved up for changing to dollars for the big holiday too! 

It is now less than a month away until we go to California and I am so excited!! So this month will be just getting some bits and pieces for that and then we are still needing to book a hire car and still some tickets for some things we want to do when we are there!

I am so glad that the ban is over, but I don't really think that now it is over that it will make me go and buy things. I will be saving that for the holiday!!! Hehe. There is some things I will need to go and pick up, like a pair of comfy trainers for me to wear while we are there, because we will be walking a lot! I will need to also go and get my hair cut (I have not had it cut since June I think!!!) and I am going to get some gel nails done as well, all for the holiday! 

So if you too are on a spending ban let me know how you are getting on!! A six month spending ban is a very very long one and it shows you that a shorter one can definitely be done! My biggest tip is try not to go near any shops!! Haha, although for me I don't really shop online so if you like shopping online, well I don't know how you will cope... You just have to be persistant and ask yourself, do I really need this! 9 times out of 10 the answer will be no and you just need to use your will power to make you put it back down! I wonder where my will power went when I bought my bag?! Hmmm... Hehe!

Love, Jen x

Spending Ban Update #4

Hi girls.... So this spending ban  update is slightly late!! Usually they are out on they 25th of each month, but sadly I missed it and by three days at that!! Eeep, but I have been very busy and I will be telling you all about that in a separate post! So onto the spending ban!

If you want to know why I am doing a spending ban then please click here for my original post and it is a very good reason too!! Also here are my previous monthly updates; Month 1, Month 2 and Month 3!

Ok so this month has again been one of a bit of a struggle I guess, I didn't save very much at all, due to the actual lack of money all month! Not good at all! Hopefully now, I can get out of that and start saving!! Although I think, as it is nearing Christmas and having to buy lots of presents this will be really hard!!

So this month, I have had to buy quite a few things.... Firstly was My Halloween Costume, I wanted to go out with my friends, so I had to buy something! It wasn't an overly expensive outfit, so I guess that was ok! Then I had to take my cats to the vets, which I think I will have to go there again to make sure everything is now ok with them, fingers crossed. My vets isn't too expensive, which is good. Mind you if there was something really wrong with them, then I would spend all of my money trying to make them better!! Hehe, a mummy's love! I then had to pay for my gown, for graduation!! That occurred yesterday! So look out for my post! Yay! So happy to have finally graduated! Hehe!

This month I was doing a health and safety course for a week for my work, so I had to pay quite a lot for parking!! After I passed my course, I went on a cheeky wee shop to Superdrug (click for my haul!). I also had to buy quite a lot of uniform , for the shop I work in, which also meant I bought some other bits and pieces too! I then had to buy a new outfit, for my night out on Saturday, which you will be hearing about tomorrow and seeing the outfit! Wait till you see the shoes!! 

On Monday I had to have a quick dash to New Look (again!) to buy a top for my graduation, as I worked out I had nothing to wear!! Eeep. I almost panicked and then I was fine, you will see my graduation outfit soon too!! Hehe! So there is two exciting posts to come! As you can see I was a bit naughty this month, although most things were needed, so I guess it makes it better! A bit! Hehe!

So as for the next month coming, well I am quite worried about it actually! I have still got to pay £600 to the holiday! Then on top of that I will have to buy Christmas presents! I feel as though this year will be a year of minimal Christmas presents!! I usually spoil everyone, maybe not this year!! Hehe, as this next month is going to be tough! Wish me luck!!

Is anyone else currently on a spending ban? How are you finding it? I've only got two more months to go!!

Love, Jen x

Friday's Letters #17

Hey girlies!!

It's Friday's Letters time... Go check out Ashley at Adventures of Newlyweds to take part!!

Dear Twitter, so glad I have finally joined you!! I took my time, but I think it will be worth having. I can get to know my fellow bloggers better and hopefully they can get to know me too! Follow me @Jenstar_Blonde Dear New Look, I really want you to have a really nice dress and heels for cheap when I get there later on today! Pretty please, just do this for me this one time ok?! Thank you! Dear Glasgow's West End, I'm a coming to you tomorrow night!! Hehe, you better be prepared! Can't wait, me and my girlies are gonna have a good night!! Dear Spot, will you please go away?!!! you are really starting to bug me big time, which is not a good thing, believe me!!! Feel like crying you big bully! Thank goodness for make up! Dear Money, please will you stop disappearing?! Thank goodness I get paid each week, or else I would be in trouble! Dear Spending Ban, you really have not helped me save money at all this month! More to come about that in my spending ban update on Sunday! Dear Cinema, I really want to see the new Twilight film!!! Yes I still have not watched it!!! Eeep! Maybe going tonight?! Yay! Also I really want to see Silver Linings Playbook, which looks really interesting!! Dear Channing Tatum, otherwise known as hottest man on the planet. Watching the movies The Vow and then Magic Mike one after the other was not good and has made me obsessed! He really is just wayyy too hot! Lets take the time to swoon over him girlies! Haha, no need to thank me! Although sadly he is married (sad face), what a lucky woman!!!

Ok ok enough!!! Robert is going to give me in trouble!! Hehe! Hope you all have a good weekend!!

Love, Jen x

Spending Ban Update #3

Hi girls! It is that time again! Another month has gone by!

Why am I doing this ban you ask? Well check here and then also here for my first update and lastly here for my second!!

Well this month I was very good, up to a point. This month I put all my savings towards paying off the holiday and there still is a large bit to be paid off still, so I have up until December to get that paid. However I kind of lost my way a little, after taking too much out of my account, it left me with too little to pay my car off and insurance. I have now scraped it back, but it was quite a scary moment for me.

I also sorted out internet banking so that I know exactly how much is in my account any time I want, which will really help me. I should have got this sorted ages ago, so I really really recommend doing this as it lets you access your account and you can find out what comes out of it and when, letting you see exactly where your money is going. I feel silly not to have done this before, but now that I have it, I think it is great! Especially on a spending ban, you can see exactly how much you have saved!!

I feel like now I am sort of just starting again with my savings, but I'm ok with that because paying off the holiday is why I was saving and still is and obviously to be able to take lots of money with me! 

I have had two naughty moments this month and one was the Boots Haul, which was straight after I paid off most of the holiday, as I felt like I deserved a little treat! The other was buying myself a new bag, which I guess was a little naughty and for a while after I got it was thought of by me as a bad omen, for me not having any money! But that is over now and it really is a fab bag!!!

I was really proud of myself saving that large amount for my holiday and it felt great knowing that I could save it all up, makes me want to save a lot more!! I think the feeling of having saved up so much definitely out weighs not being able to buy what you want, when you don't really need it! If you are thinking of going on a spending ban for what ever reason, then I do really recommend it, because you feel really proud of yourself and thats a really good thing!! I still have three months to go, which seems like a long time, but I know that saving up ll my money to use when we are away in California will be amazing!! The only thing I still need to get under wraps is Robert and I's eating out obsession! It is really hard for us though as we do not have a kitchen of our own yet, but hopefully until we get our own, we can use the kitchen more in our parents houses to keep down the costs of eating out!! Wish me luck on the next half of my spending ban!! Hehe!

Are any of you girls on a spending ban? How are you getting on?

Love, Jen x

Spending Ban Update #2

Hi girls! So we have come around to the second update of my spending ban! I cannot believe I have been on it for two months!

This month has had good moments and bad moments! Good moments being not buying anything!! Bad moments being buying naughty things, that I maybe should not have! First of all if you want to catch up on how I have been doing and what this spending ban is for, check out here and here! 

So I guess I have had 4 naughty purchases! The first of these purchases, I guess was very much needed and that was my Muji storage, which you can find a post about it here! I am really glad I bought this though, as it has helped me get my room organised better! It looks great with all my make up inside it too!!! Check that out here! One of my very naughty purchases was Debenhams online! I was so very bad and bought three things, one of which was needed, but the other two were just indulgences!! I was so set on just buying the one item I needed, but then saw that you got free delivery when you spent over £30! So instead of paying just an extra £3 for packaging, I fell for the offer and spent another £18 instead!! Hmmm... I have no idea where my logic went in that moment!! However I did buy my first MAC purchase, which was a big deal to me! So I guess that was ok! Sort of.... The only other bad thing I bought was my Benefit Go Tropicoral Kit, which I knew I was going to have to buy as soon as it came out, basically as soon as I saw that it was being released, which was in June I think! So basically that was the one thing I had in my mind that Iw as allowed to buy during my ban! 

The one purchase, which I have not told you about yet, but is a small clothing haul! Eeep bad Jen! I caved into New Look! I will be doing a post hopefully tomorrow on it so keep your eyes peeled! It was weird though, because I haven't actually ventured into a shop for I would say moths where I was going to buy clothes. So when I was in there it felt so strange, as if my whole mindset had changed. I felt so guilty about picking an item up and keeping it in my hand. At one point I almost psyched myself out, prepared to just leave my three items on a random stand and just run out the shop!! It was quite traumatic in a way! This is completely different to how I used to feel when shopping for clothes, because I used to love just picking up everything I liked and then just buying it! I guess the spending ban has really hit home hard and is always in my mind! I think that it is a good thing, as I did have to force myself to go to the till, maybe this is a good thing, but then maybe I should have just walked away! I'm not sure! One of the items was one thing I definitely needed and was looking for and the other two are to wear now that the weather has gotten a lot colder already! Look out for the post! Also as I had been in New Look two Fridays ago to get something to wear to Roberts Nana's funeral it felt like a completely different shop than the one I was in on Sunday. As before I had been looking for a set thing, which was a black dress and cardigan (which in itself is something so abnormal for me as I NEVER wear black), I knew what I was there for and I now realise that when you walk in with maybe something not so specific in mind this can be the problem!

I also had to buy some uniform for working at the shop. That is allowed in my rules, as I have to wear the clothes they sell, but I did also buy some scarves and other bits and bobs, that I wouldn't necessarily wear to work, but as I get 70% of them then I didn't think I was being too bad!

I mean when I think that if I had not bought all those things above that I would have saved probably £250 then I guess that kind of hurts, but I think also to get you through a spending ban and especially a six month one, then you do need to keep a realistic head and not just think you will not buy anything! Because as I have found out you probably will need to buy something!  I do think that next month though I will really limit myself and not let myself wander into shops, with the idea in my head that I can buy something, which happened on Sunday! Also, I think again the area I am really failing in is buying food, as we go out so so much for dinner or get take aways! We really need to get a good system in where we can actually cook! Keeping my fingers crossed! I could really save a tonne of money if we are able to do this!

This month coming up will be good I hope! I have got to pay off the rest of our holiday! Hopefully I will have that in my account! Eeeep! After that it will basically be starting to save again from scratch!! Although then I do have plenty of time to save up lots of money for the big holiday in February!! 

Are you on a spending ban? How are you finding it?

Love, Jen x

Weekend Letters!

Hi girls!! So I am doing my Friday's letters today, therefore they have been called weekend letters!!

Dear Club 212, you are so very cheeky!!! We thought we were going into a new snazzy club and then we went through the entrance and down the stairs and low and behold we were in Karbon!!! As soon as I walked in I was like I know where I am! They had just used a different entrance and painted a couple of walls and made a new DJ area with snazzy lights!!! The cheek of them! Haha and it was really quiet too for a Friday night! They didn't even open up the good room, which meant I didn't get to dance as much as I wanted!! Boohoo! Dear Spending Ban, hello there, no I have not forgotten about you and yes I know I have been very naughty this week and there will still be one more thing bought today, so please don't be too mad!!! I'm sorry but sometimes you just have to buy certain things! I'm sorry ok?!?! Dear Readers/Followers, yes this does mean there will be a small haul this week at some point and also maybe a small make up collection post now that I have decent storage!!! I don't have a lot of make up so don't be expecting loads ok? It shall be a good week of lots of exciting posts for you! Yay! Dear Desperate Housewives, eeeek! I'm just about to watch the last episode of season 6!! I don't even remember what happens!! Gabbi has just found out that Angie and Danny have been kidnapped and then also Lynnette is stuck in a house with that crazy women killing boy, who has just realised that he has killed his own mother!! Oh the drama!! I guess it all goes into a huge finale as usual!! Can't wait to see it! Dear Make up, I really love your new set up and I hope you do too!! You used to be stuck in little boxes all mixed up and in a mess and now you are all looking lovely! Yay, this makes me very happy!! One word: Muji!!! Dear Long Lie this morning, thank you!! You were very much needed, especially after last night! I fell straight to sleep when I got home and didn't wake up until 10 minutes to 11!! Ahhh very lovely! Although my bed is very annoying and needs to be fixed!!! Robert (!!) please hurry up and fix my bed already!! Hehe, pretty please! Dear Robert, thank you very much for picking me and my friends up last night (or should I say morning?!) and then going on a hunt to find a Mcdonalds for us!! Hehe we all enjoyed it very much!!

Love, Jen x

Spending Ban Update! #1

Hi girls!!

So as I'm one month into my 6 month spending ban, I thought I would let you all know how I'm doing!! If you want to see where this all started from then click here to see my rules and the reason behind the ban etc!

Well for this month, I would have done very well if it wasn't for the Olympics!!! Man oh man, that was a lot of money spent and probably most on getting there! Who knew fish and chips would cost £8.50 and a bottle of Diet Coke would cost £2.30!!!! Yea a lot of money was spent on juice!!! It wasn't very good in that respect, because it wasn't as if you could bring your own juice in either!! Although you could get free water from fountains, but then who would wait in a humongous queue for water?! So yea the Olympics, I think completely swiped a huge amount of money from both me and Robert. So in that respect, this month didn't go to well in the whole saving money front. I will say though when we weren't at the Olympics, I haven't spent as much as I used to! I feel as if I followed all the rules that I created for myself last month, the only things I have bought have been my Gilly Hicks clothes, which were allowed as I was on holiday, and then uniform for the shop I work in, which is also allowed! 

The only thing that I still need to cut out on is food. I still feel as if Robert and I are spending a lot of money on food, and this is proving to be a very hard habit to beat!!! We eat out all the time and it's not very good for us health wise or money wise!! We are bad!!! We do like takeaways and goodness knows how I stay so slim!! SO this is the only thing that needs sorting! Then I will be able to save much better! Petrol isn't really that big an issue for me as my car is very fuel efficient and I usually only have to fill the tank every two weeks, which is good! I don't mind paying for my car either as it means so much to me to be able to drive when ever and where ever I want.

Also, I have a great secret as to how I keep track on all my spending! My Lilly Pulitzer planner has been helping me huge amounts!! I like to put under every day just how much I have spent so I can then add up how much I have spent that week! Its a great thing to have a diary and to keep track of everything! I have found this extremely helpful and it also makes me more cautious of what I have bought, as I would rather be writing in as small a figure as possible per day! So I am very pleased to have it! If you want to have a wee look at my review on my planner then click here!

I have also been able to put money into my bank account, which has meant saving more too, as we keep a big jar of change in my house that when its full, I'm allowed to keep  the money! SO this has been a bonus for me this month! But it does take a long time counting it out into the little bags in order to take it to the bank! Although this is a very small amount of time to pay in regards as to what your getting out of it!! So I usually enjoy doing it, while watching tv! I hope the jar fills up again quickly!! Hehe!

Is anyone else doing a ban on there spending?! Let me know how you are getting along! I know next month there will be much more savings going on!! Thanks for reading!

Love, Jen x

Friday's Letters #8

Hi girls, so its Friday again! These weeks are going soo fast!! As usual i'm doing the link up with Ashley, find her great blog here!

Dear Random Wandering Dog, why do you do this to me?! I see you outside the shop at my lunchtime and your just wandering around, so I sit and wait to see if your owner comes out of a shop. Nop, you just wander away up the road. So I go round the corner and park and walk down to see if I can catch you, because you have a collar on and are a really handsome cream German Shepard, so you must be lost! But no you still wander away from me and change your course!! I now feel really guilty in case something bad happens to you or you get run over! I was going to phone the Scottish SPCA (an animal charity), but now I would have no idea where you are, as I am now back in work! I'm sorry that I couldn't help you, but I was whistling for you and you still didn't hear or see me. I hope your ok and your owner has found you! Dear Robert, I hope you having a fantastic time down in Weymouth, watching the Sailing event! I can't believe this is your 7th (!!!) Olympic event! I really do feel for your bank balance! Hehe!  I hope the weather is good! Dear Mum and Dad, I hope you have a great time down in the Olympic Stadium tomorrow!!! Haha, mum you were so funny and excited leaving the house, stating that you felt like a little kid!! Haha and dad don't get lost, I have told you how to get to your hotel so many times!! You must have it in your head memorised by now! Oh and also how is everybody going to Olympic events now?! Haha, although I really shouldn't complain, I have had my fill with 5 events! Oh and mum, try not to drive dad too demented by dragging him round Westfield for too long! Dear Friday Night, I'm going to have a nice relaxing night, with no one in the house to disturb me! Just me and my little cats! Haha, crazy cat lady anyone? Dear Sunshine, you are great and you make everything seem so bright and happy! Yay for a warm couple of days!! Dear Spending Ban, I think going to London has been very bad, for you! What a naughty holiday! I shall be very very good, to try and make it back up! Although I really need to buy uniform for the shop I work in, but its ok I'm allowed to aren't I?! Dear Ashley, thank you for creating such an awesome link up!! its great that so many people keep coming back to write their letters! You have created a brilliant way to read new blogs! Thanks again, you are fab!!

Love, Jen x

Spending Ban!!!

Hi girls! 

Yup, a spending ban is definitely needed here and its now set in stone, as its here on my blog!!

Yup, and its for 6 months!! Oh dear, will I actually be able to do this?!? Obviously I have made up rules for me to adhere by, so I will let you know them as well! However the reason I am doing this is that Robert and I have booked a big holiday at the end of February and I want to have saved a BIG amount of money, so that we can have a great time and I can buy lots of nice things! Then of course we are also wanting to buy a house! So yea a ban is something that I have to do and also want to do! First off I will tell you my rules!

1. I am not allowed to buy any make up, clothes, bags, shoes or any other unnecessary items. However this does not include buying uniform for the shop (as you have to wear their clothes!).
2. I am allowed to buy presents for people (such as Robert's birthday is coming up soon and then obviously Christmas presents!!). Oh but no present buying for yourself!!!
3. I am allowed to buy toiletries, but only when I have used something up and am in desperate need of it!
4. I need to try cut down the amount spent on food and going out either with Robert or my friends! These two things are probably the biggest culprits!
5. I am allowed to keep on buying and paying for necessities, such as petrol, car insurance and cat food.
6. I must try and put as much into my savings account as I can as often as I can! This way I can't spend it! Also you have to keep an eye on what is going in and out of your bank account and when! So you know when you need to have money in there and when its ok to put more into my savings account.
7. I am allowed to treat myself if Robert and I go away, such as going to the Olympics (very soon!!) and then going to visit Harry Potter later on in the year. However if I do make any purchases, then they need to be well thought out and not just in the moment type splurges (always the worst ones!!!)!

Ok 7 rules is a good number to have! Do any of you think I have missed anything out? 

So this ban starts today and will end in January 25th 2013!! Then this also means that I have one month until my holiday begins and I can buy anything that I may need to go on this holiday!! I think this has worked out really well actually!! So I am going to stick to this 100% and do not worry about the blog! It will still be just the same, but with more reviews and less hauls!! Hehe.

So now onto telling you girls about the holiday! Robert and I just went for it and told the travel agents what we wanted to do and he sorted it all out for us! So We will be flying out to San Francisco!! Staying there for 3 nights and we will go and pick up the Mustang we will have hired. Then drive down the coastal road, which is supposed to be breath taking!! We are then staying in Anaheim for 5 nights. This is so we can go to the Disneyland Resort (oh em gee!! Super excited for that!!) and visit Los Angeles and Hollywood. Then we will continue to drive down to San Diego and stay there for 2 nights! After this we are going to be driving to Las Vegas, where we will stay for 4 nights! When we are here we are going to drive to the Grand Canyon and visit the Hoover Dam! The we are getting an overnight flight form Las Vegas back home! Robert and I love taking trips like this where we have a car and are driving round ourselves! Its going to be such an adventure!!! I think for this trip I am going to need all the money I can get and especially for Disney!! So I will definitely appreciate this spending ban when I get to California!!

Oh and sorry about that really great map of our route that I created! I just made up a completely new road from San Diego and Las Vegas! Hehe we will actually drive on a road like normal people and not go cross country probably straight through people's gardens and forests and over deserts! Hehe!  I really hope you girls don't mind me having this ban! I'm sure you will understand though, as your all so lovely! Have a happy hump day!!! Hehe!

Love, Jen x