Goals for 2012

It's 2012 a new year with all new possibilities, new goals and new opportunities

I have been working on my new budget for the year. First I have my big income tax bill to pay at the end of January and then it's going to be a bit tight for the first few months because of a trip I have planned a trip to Venice with three of my godkids in March.

I will have to start leaving my debit card at home or leaving my purse at home when ever I go down the road to the high street. Online is also a big temptation for me especially when it comes to books and music. I have spent way too much on the iTunes site last year and so will have to really be careful this year not to repeat that. My next purchase will be for my birthday in April and not before!!

Hope you've sorted your budget and wish you every success in reaching your goals for 2012.

Planning the New Year

Hope you all had a great Hanukkah/Christmas!
Now that the festivities are done, it's time to sit down and see what damage it has all done to our finances.
For me - so much for not doing Christmas, I have spent way more that I thought I would on my Godkids and even sent some pressies back home for my younger brothers family. And of cause something for my Mums too.
My biggest thrill this year was a text from my Dad wishing me "Happy Christmas" - haven't seen him since 2000 and last contact I had with him at Christmas was when I was 9 years old.

But back to my finances I will end the month with £500 less in my savings than I had planned for December. So not a good end to the year.
Christmas and New Year are good for me as I get double time and so this will greatly help with my expenses for January, which includes the first payment of my income tax for 20011/12. As I have very little in the way of expenses to worry about next year is now all about saving and paying in cash for all my spending. I am planning some trips in March and in August, possibly even a trip to Africa in May. The African trip is purely vanity - I just want to see my sponsor kids again. It would be better to just send them the monies I would have to pay for my flight and accommodation but I would really love to see them. May is the end of the rainy season and is said to be cheaper at that time. Will see how well I keep to my budget between now and March.
The plan for the next month is as follows:

1. Pay 1st payment for 2011/12 tax year in full.
2. Save £300 in my regular saving account.
3. Save £500 in my ISA.
4. Keep to my expenses budget of £200 (ie. don't overspend on my phone or Internet usage)
5. No food purchases unless out with friends. (This for my wast line as much as for my finances)

Wishing you all a very happy New Year!
(this one is a big one for the UK)

And like the pub landlord said - "it's going to be a little bit shit"!

Now that it's December I can eat mince pies with a clear conscious!

It's offically the silly season and as it is December I feel able to start shopping for Christmas not that that will be a lot of shopping for me. As I tell all my friends and family - "I don't do Christmas or birthday". That way I never forget a birthday and no one is disappointed at Christmas time. But am so very glad that I did purchase a Heston Blumenthal's Christmas pudding last month as they have sold out 'again' at Waitrose.
According to The Telegraph.........

"That is because Northern Foods, the supplier, has bought up the complete supply of Valencian cured oranges – the crucial ingredient – and no more existed. It takes seven weeks to cure a Valencian candied orange, meaning that after this short production run no more were possible until after Christmas."

The pudding was for a friend who now resides in New York and so is lacking in the basics for a good English Christmas but I really should have gotten him two of them.