Magnificent Makeup

Okay, so today I cracked and spent £13.47 on four make-up items. The first was a BB cream. There has been a tonne of hype on them so I decided to try it out so I bought one from the ’17′ range in boots for £6.99 which I think is pretty good since the No7 BB cream is £12.95. If you don’t know (although, I’m no huge expert) BB cream is basically (in my opinion) a tinted moisturiser with SPF in it. The one I bought has SPF 15 in which I think is perfect for the summer.

I also bought two lip tints. I do love lip tints although they’re very drying on the lips, they’re perfect for me as they don’t come off as easy and lipstick. I got two from the 17 range also as they are the cheapest I’ve seen at £4.99 a pop, brilliant compared to Max Factor’s £7.99 range.

Finally, I also bought an NYC (New York Colour) lipstick for only £1.49 and it’s a beautiful colour. The most expensive product from that brand is a fiver and that’s a huge bronzer.

So, I just wanted to write a post about cheap but brilliant makeup. I think the main cheap brands are NYC (available at Superdrug), Miss Sporty (everything under £4.00), MUA (available at Superdrug only, most things are a pound) and Natural Collection (available at Boots – everything either £1.99 or under) I feel that these are amazing for budget consious people like myself. So if you’re looking for a new makeup staple or wanting to try things out like new colours, check them out. They’re all very varied in colours and are very cheap!

-Megan,ThriftyTeen.

What’s the point of saving money at this age?

Hello there, hope you’re well.

Okay, so I wanted to write a post about what I’m saving for and what this blog is all about really. Recently a friend said in a conversation: “What’s the point of saving money now, we’re young!”   I personally couldn’t understand where she was coming from but maybe because I’ve never really parted with my own money, especially when I was younger!

For me, this blog is a little like reminder of budgets and savings, I can use it as a log and it’s just my little spot on the internet for all of my thoughts. I’ve actually never hugely been interested in finance until about two years ago when my parents had to make a lot of cut backs. So, I just wanted to get out why I’ve decided to save and what I’m actually trying to save for.

Firstly, I’d just like to say that these things are in no paticular order, just the list inside my head.

University

Obviously, I won’t be paying my fee’s whilst I’m in University but I will still have to pay them as soon as I start earning £21,000 (correct me if I’m wrong, I’m not too geeked up on the whole thing) But, I’ll still need food and I might need to pay accomodation fees/rent. I might be able to get a part time/saturday job whilst at Uni but looking at how the Job Market is at the minute and the ever-growing population, there just might not be enough places to employ all applicants. I’ve decided that I want to be a language teacher (peferably Spanish but I can do French)

House

I don’t know about you but I really do not like moving about all the time. When I buy a house, I want it to be one that I love, one thats nice looking and if it does cost a bit of money, then so be it because I couldn’t bear the thought of moving constantly. I also really like the sort of shabby chic/cottagey vibe in houses and they are a rather jaw dropping sum sometimes – but I think it might depend on where you’re looking.

Wedding

Weddings are always going to be expensive but they say church weddings are on the price rise which is quite annoying as that’s what I would like. I want it to be the best day of my life and even if I am thrifty and get good deals, it’s still going to be expensive.

Baby/Babies

Children are amazing things. They can also do amazing things like bleed your bank balance. Babies cost an absolute fortune. Nappies, Clothes, Prams, Car Seats, Cots, Toys, Food (unless you liquidize ordinary food – might just do that!) and then when they get older it’s still Toys, School Uniforms, Clothes, Shoes, Coats, Food, Birthday parties..etc. It’s a cycle but I do believe it is completly worth going through it. Personally, I’d like two children, three maximum because growing up as an only child is great but sometime pretty lonely.

The thing is, you don’t know what will happen in the future. You might be rich or win the lottery or you might be working three jobs and struggling to pay the bills. I know saving money wont nessacarily get me a pre booked place on a rich list and ensure I dash from my town house in Belgravia, London to my Tunisian villa for a shopping trip but I believe it will help me in the future. I’d rather put money in the bank, knowing I can have nice things in the future then spend it on random junk or some shoes that will disappear or be outgrown.

Also, just a little confusion that came to me when I was on ‘MySupermarket’ – love that site so much! Tesco Value Baby Shampoo is 9p whereas Johnsons’ Baby Shampoo is £2.44 .. I was really confused as to why someone would spend an extra £2.35 for a pink bottle with a ‘leading’ name on it.

Hope your weekend has been a sunny one!

-Megan,ThriftyTeen

Merry March!

Hello

Okay, so I haven’t been keeping to the budget but it’s okay, I’ve only bought nessacary things like food although an odd, unnessacary purchase of makeup did come into the equation but that’s a different matter.

I did get a few things that I would say is a ‘good investment’ such as birthday cards from Card Factory. I bought ten cards for £1.00! I personally thought that this was a brilliant deal and they may not be the best cards but for 10p, why complain!? There is a wide selection, but I would say the range is predominatly for females.

I also bought four ‘Impulse’ body sprays because they are currently £0.95 instead of the heavy £1.99. I usually stock up when this deal is on at Superdrug but I only bought four as I have recently counted all of them in my drawer and I have 32 body sprays. One body spray lasts me about two months so I’ll have enough for.. a very long time!

This week, I am going to put £145 into the bank. It’s some birthday money and then from then on, I’ll put left over money in and around £40 a month into that account, just because I know I’ll need it in the future!

 

Happy February!

Hello, I hope you’re all doing okay! (wait..who am I talking to?!)

Okay, so far this year has been pretty good to be honest.. In January, I spent the sum of £18.90 which I think is rather good.. and under budget! However, I’m ashamed to say that I have not put any money into my bank yet so I am just going to wait until the end of March, after my birthday to put in a lot of money to put things right.

On the 11th of February (this saturday) I have planned to go out and have budgeted ten pounds. My dad owes me money too so that twenty pounds will be spent on my mum’s birthday present and then all the rest of the money will be put into my bank.. I think it will be around £40 going in which will be good.

So yes, just a small post but a post nevertheless.

Spendings So Far..

First of all, I’d like to apologise for not being consistent in my posting, I’ve just been busy with school and homework.

I’ve looked throught my 2012 diary and so far this year, I have only spent £5.00 !  I am actually really pleased and have budgeted another £5.oo for tomorrow. I’m going out and am getting lunch with a friend then going to a local park with her to just get some fresh air and to talk really..

Sorry, it’s not really an interesting post! – I just wanted to let you know I was still around!

Happy Saving!

-Megan,ThriftyTeen.

The 2012 Plan Of Action!

Hello readers..

How silly, I doubt anyone reads this blog! I’m writing this so I know the 2012 Plan in my head too and I’m also thinking it as I progress on this post. Okay, as this isn’t exactly the an infamous blog (..yet!) I’m not going to be discreet and I will write exactly what I am going to do.

First Stage: Money Matters.

I get given £10 a week from my mum which equals £4o a month. I also get given £20 a month from my dad so all in all, I get £60 every month of the year. My mum also transfers £10 a month straight into my bank so I do actually get £70 a month. I have decided to bank £40 out of the sixty (not counting it as seventy as I didnt have the tenner in my hand..) every month so that I have £20 for going out with friends, shopping at the high street or in town or just going and buying some sweets. I really don’t want to spend the £20 every month and I’ve decided that if I don’t spend all of the money and I have either all of it or a tenner/fiver left, I’ll put it into my bank.

If I just put £40 a month into my bank, I’d have £600 extra in there because of the extra £10 put straight into my bank. Wow.. that’s pretty good! Just imagine if I put more in there!   Also, I am putting all my coins into two money boxes (one for coppers, one for silvers) and I’m not opening either until they are really heavy and full.

If on six months out of the year, I didnt spend any of my £20 allowane and I had £60 going in at the end of each month.. I’d have at least £900! Oh wow.. We’ll have to see how it goes really..

Second Stage: Budgeting.

Okay, most of my money goes on food… I’m pretty ashamed to say that but the pasta pots, starbucks, bowls of chips and hot chocolates do add up. I don’t need to buy any chocolate or sweets. I’m going to set myself a budget of maximum £5 on food and drink when I go out.

I do not need any more clothes and I won’t need any until the summer. My budget for seasonal clothes is going to be £20 and I think that I’ll probably be using vouchers so I really don’t need to use my whole monthly allowance. So that’s that covered..

I am a big fan of ‘Lush’ products..they just smell great. I do tend to get carried away and their staff must be trained amazingly because they always get you to buy something you didnt really intend to go in for. I’ve set myself a budget for ‘Lush’ products which is £10 as I’ll probably buy my mum a Mother’s Day present there (In 2012, it’s incidentally on my birthday aswell..)

Make-up. Oh God.. Right, I’m not going to bother explaining.. Budget, £5.

Body Sprays.. I am obsessed with buying these.  I have over 20 Impulse’s so I definitley do NOT need anymore.

Third Stage: Taking More Care.

I have absolutley loads of beauty stuff and a tonne of ‘Lush’ so why can’t you see me dazzling from a thousand miles away? Because I’m lazy. When I get home from school, I really cannot be bothered, especially if I have homework. I’ll probably do my homework, go on facebook, come off at eight and wonder where the four hours went. I mean, I get facebook notifications and messgages through on my phone and ipod so I don’t need to go on the computer after school anymore (well, maybe this site ) I really need to just get my hair nice, my skin radiant and spot free and smoothe.

I need to shave my underarms like every.. other day. I’ll just do that in the shower really in the morning. I’ll shave my legs every Sunday before having a bath. I also might start showering at night so I get a lot more sleep than I usually would. Yeah, that sounds like a great idea because then, I can straighten and do more with my hair instead of wasting 25 minutes battling with the hairdryer. I usually get up at quarter to six and leave at quarter to eight so I have two hours to get ready. – And I’m still late! I could get up at seven and have 45 minutes to get ready. That’s fine because my hair will be washed and already dry and natural! Even if I go to sleep around ten, I’ll still of had about nine hours sleep!

I’ll do my skin routine day and night too and drink eight glasses of water a day to keep hydrated and to flush any toxins out. Another thing I need to remember is to wash off all my make up at night and to moisturise my skin after going in the shower so I’m all smooth and my eyelashes are nice and clean and unliable to break.

Finally on this stage, I need to care for my feet a lot more and soak them in the bath before going over them with a Ped-Egg, smoothing over lotion and smothering in socks whilst I sleep. I also need to keep the pretty painting up and do it to stop boringness, improve concentration and it’s free as I don’t need to buy any as I already have around 40.

Alrighty, that’s it to be honest. I’ve nothing more to say at the present time so..

Adios, I will write soon!

Just nearly forgot, I haven’t spent anything at all for the past three days but I’m going into town tomorrow (just before the plan goes into action x) to get some school trousers and some Lucky Charms cereal!

Byeeeeee!

-Megan, ThriftyTeen.

 

A slight overspend…

Okay, I’ll put my hands up and say that today, I went a bit over board. It was the sales so quite a lot of it had a certain percentage off but still..

I went into town and bought quite a lot. Much of it was bought with a gift card so it didnt cost me anything. Looking back, I bought a lot of unnecessary items like a muffin, toiletries and a vile fizzy drink. Overall, I spent £33.57 which doesnt sound a lot but I only planned to spend ten pounds.

I was given a new body butter that my gran didnt like (unopened) so I put it into the gift drawer to give to a friend on their birthday or for Christmas. At the end of the month, I’m putting £30.00 into my bank, which I think is pretty good. In the New Year, I’ll put at least £40.00 a month into my bank and then if I have the odd note of money, I’ll put it into my bank – even if it’s a fiver! It all adds up.