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What I have been saving for and living very cheaply for will become a reality in five weeks. In five weeks, I'll be on two planes. The first one will go from Nebraska to Chicago. Then the second flight will go from Chicago to Manchester, England.
The first three months of 2013, I saved 50% of my paycheck. Then after that 30-35% for the whole year. By June I bought a round trip ticket. My holiday will last for five weeks and spending Christmas and New Year's in England.
Through the whole year, I saved every loose dollar bill I got. I did not spend a dollar bill all year. So far that has totaled $607, which will be part of my spending money while in England.
Earlier this week I sent 500 pounds ($825) in advance. I hate traveling with to much cash on me. This money was from overtime made this year as well as roughly marking 8% of savings throughout the year for this trip.
I still have two full paychecks before my trip... money from that will go to two months rent and two months on my electric bill and cable. So when I return I won't have any bills till February except for my cell phone.
While I'm in England, I will be on paid vacation. So I will be getting three full paychecks, which will be directly deposited into my checking account. Also in this checking account is over $800 from rounding up my checks and rounding down my deposits as well as charging myself $10 a week for having this account. I will have a debit card in case this money is needed. My goal is not to touch a penny of the paychecks so when I get back to the States, all that money can go back into savings.
If all my planning goes well and my finances stay in order, I will return back to Nebraska having a five week vacation that will cost me roughly $500.
This whole trip has been planned and paid for with cash. That said, in the worst case scenario I will also have two credit cards with me. I have used these on and off for the last two years and have never carried a balance on them. They will be my last line of defense in an emergency.
I do not make a lot of money at my job. I just live very cheaply and watch every penny. Five years ago I was near bankruptcy and $65,000 in the hole. This Christmas I will be spending my fourth year in a row in England. Every trip paid for in cash. And as I learn to manage my money a little better, every trip seems to get cheaper and cheaper.
I didn't share this to brag. I share it as a testament that making money isn't as important as spending it. I don't spend money throughout the year and this is my reward for living a very frugal life.
I now have a creed after being so close to bankruptcy in the past I worked for money, now I want money to work for me...
Thanks for reading...
The first three months of 2013, I saved 50% of my paycheck. Then after that 30-35% for the whole year. By June I bought a round trip ticket. My holiday will last for five weeks and spending Christmas and New Year's in England.
Through the whole year, I saved every loose dollar bill I got. I did not spend a dollar bill all year. So far that has totaled $607, which will be part of my spending money while in England.
Earlier this week I sent 500 pounds ($825) in advance. I hate traveling with to much cash on me. This money was from overtime made this year as well as roughly marking 8% of savings throughout the year for this trip.
I still have two full paychecks before my trip... money from that will go to two months rent and two months on my electric bill and cable. So when I return I won't have any bills till February except for my cell phone.
While I'm in England, I will be on paid vacation. So I will be getting three full paychecks, which will be directly deposited into my checking account. Also in this checking account is over $800 from rounding up my checks and rounding down my deposits as well as charging myself $10 a week for having this account. I will have a debit card in case this money is needed. My goal is not to touch a penny of the paychecks so when I get back to the States, all that money can go back into savings.
If all my planning goes well and my finances stay in order, I will return back to Nebraska having a five week vacation that will cost me roughly $500.
This whole trip has been planned and paid for with cash. That said, in the worst case scenario I will also have two credit cards with me. I have used these on and off for the last two years and have never carried a balance on them. They will be my last line of defense in an emergency.
I do not make a lot of money at my job. I just live very cheaply and watch every penny. Five years ago I was near bankruptcy and $65,000 in the hole. This Christmas I will be spending my fourth year in a row in England. Every trip paid for in cash. And as I learn to manage my money a little better, every trip seems to get cheaper and cheaper.
I didn't share this to brag. I share it as a testament that making money isn't as important as spending it. I don't spend money throughout the year and this is my reward for living a very frugal life.
I now have a creed after being so close to bankruptcy in the past I worked for money, now I want money to work for me...
Thanks for reading...
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I invited Bill to have dinner with me last Sunday. He wasn't willing to drive 7 hours to mid Michigan and teased me with his beautiful ribs!!! So, of course I ate alone and had cedar salmon
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check out that smoke ring. It tasted really good. I smothered it with Maulls BBQ sauce which is Local to St. Louis and one of the best I ever had.....
Even better is the fact that it's paid for -- with no huge expenses to worry about when you return.
Congratulations Messenger. You've planned and saved well and you're about to be rewarded. Hope this trip is everything you've dreamed it will be!
And I feel like I do every year... nervous and excited. I always worry about forgetting something, bill wise and then scrambling on my vacation to get bills paid, either online or by phone. It has never happened but I do worry about it... I guess old habits die hard... LOL
Good on you for all your wise preparation and planning!!!
I hope your trip goes swimmingly!!!!!
You earned it, all right!! Now just enjoy it!!!!!
Sitting good with bills, all that's left for this month is the internet and that usually comes out on the 25th, at that time I hope I will be able to pay three months on it. I pay this one over the web so we shall see if I can do that.
I also receive a mass mailing from one of my banks at changes in the way they will charge accounts. Basically, accounts need to be used regularly or have a minimum balance.
Savings account is way above the minimum but the checking was way below it. I haven't used this checking account in well over a year. It only has $13 in it. I created this account to pay back taxes on the house and to pay the IRS money I owed them.
I just wanted a separate account to do that so I could track it easier. I decided to keep it open because I'm still not 100% convinced that I am done with my past and old bills... as far as the house is concerned, which means an audit.
Its been four years but I'd rather be safe then sorry... so I added money into that account to get it above the minimum and avoid any monthly charges on it.
This time of year is when I treat myself to some new clothes, for my journey. Hopefully this weekend I'll be doing that...
Last paycheck had 15 hours overtime, all of that went into checking for emergency money on my vacation... starting to look good...
Before you know it, you'll be getting strip searched at the airport ;-) and walking down the jetway!
When I was at the bank and putting money in my checking account so I wouldn't get any charges I asked if there was anything else that might surprise me down the line.
The teller said that there might come a day that if I got my statements through the mail that they would charge for that. So I signed up for e-statements and today, checking my account I was given $10 by the bank for doing that...
Also on Wednesday, I'll be paying two months rent and that too will be done until February...
Slowly but surely things are moving forward and my departure is getting closer...
See what they have for your internet.
Called cell phone company and had my phone changed to international plan for a month...
Clothes are washed and ready, gifts are bought but not wrapped. That's just asking for extra time at security if they're wrapped.
All that is really left is calling for a taxi...
If you'd like here are some photos from my journey last year...
http://youtu.be/tVAbbv0gGMU