Well I only work for my dad right now and I don't have any incomes anymore because I decided to accumulate my hours at my dad's place by working there and take my pay before my trip to Morocco.

I've been having problems with my own money and it's mostly because of the people I hang out with who influence me to spend. My dad isn't helping me either, some days he just randomly dumps some things that I need to pay for my own. Anyways, I really don't know what the heck he is thinking and it is frustrating us that he just randomly tells us to pay this and that.

Basically, I'm trying to stand up for myself now as I realized Kiwii have been influencing me to do things that I don't want to do which involves spending my money. Anyways, I will stand up for myself and not feel bad when I hurt her feelings. I can't make everyone happy!

From now on, I'm going to follow my plan B by not working that much and to concentrate on my studies. Studying have become a lot easier because I am more stress free and I don't need to work that much anymore.

As for my money challenge, I'm going to save my money first on my Morocco and my other trips with my dad in the summer. When I come back, I'm going to concentrate on my Japan trip. I realized that in order to do this, I should be here more often. I will try to update it as often as I can.

My allowance will be 200$/month with my dad.

Here what I need to pay for each month:

Bus pass: 42$
Phone bill: 51$(I'm trying to lower it)
Beauty: 20$
Emergency: 52$

Left to save: 35$

As for going out and all sort of things... I don't know yet. I have to track my expense.

I've been having a hard time copping with my new lifestyle which also affect my travel fund because I didn't plan on any emergency money or anything. It results in me spending my money in there and I completly lost track of it again... Another thing which bother me is that I don't have any warm enough sweaters in my closet and it's getting colder and colder where I live which mean that I have to go shopping again. The good thing is the January big winter clothing sales.

I was embarrased to write everything down for the year 2007. However, I've been doing pretty good in 2006. I came to realized today that I must face this before it's too late. I know I need a budget... But how can I make one that I will stay committed to? I guess I need to figure it out myself. All I know is that I need to priorize some things before the others.

Maybe I need to put the money that I have left in my travel fund in a mutual fund. I'll talk with my financial advisor tomorrow about it. I'm feeling the need to start all over again. I need to feel poor again. XD

Here is what I jot down that I might put in my budget #2.

Budget #2

Things that I need:

- School bus pass: 42$
- Phone bill: 37$
- Go out and stuff: 30$
- Beauty: 20$

Things that I want:

- Jewelries : Need a new one at least once a month but can do without (~10$)
-Yoga class : Take one at local place 2nd semester
-Dance class : Take it with friend at the 2nd semester
Language class: Take it at the 3rd Semester

I don't have anything to talk about these days... All I do is work and hang out with friends (usually at my house).

Dad wants to pay me once a month instead of twice per month because it costs him 0.87$ to deposit my paycheck. I don't mind at all because I don't need the money for the time being and most of it will go into my travel fund.

For the moment, I want to concentrate on how I'm going to make a reasonable budget and my plan B part 2.

Okay I guess I have many surprises this month... I need to repay my dad the cellphone bill from last month which is 37$, my new cellphone which cost me 104,99$ + tax (I lost my old one last Christmas and my plan is not over yet), I went shopping yesterday to buy two t-shirts for Morocco which was 10$ each and snowboots for 40$. I don't have any money put aside because... well I put it all in my challenge money.

I think I have to pull myself out of the 20$ challenge and make a budget or some sort. I also need to make appointement for vaccination in the travel center and... I have to buy a few conservative clothes for my stay in Morocco when summer comes. All my clothes are form-fitting and a lil revealing in their point of view from what I read in the book and internet.

Anyways, I don't feel like I'm failing in saving my money. I have new responsabilities and I'm not going to try to avoid it or ask my parents to pay it for me. Don't worry guys, I'm still going to blog here. You'll be hearing from me often from now on. =)

Plan B :

2nd semester (January through May 08)
1. Take 7 or 8 courses

2. Work if I have time, if not, I don’t work.

4. Try to not go out often

5. Don’t go shopping too often and follow my list.

= Concentrate on my studies and save my money


Summer 08:
1. Go to Morocco to visit my friend in July (3 weeks)

2. Go to Alaska with my parents in August (2 weeks)

3. Take back English class in June (4 weeks) + Try to take an extra course
so I’ll get less course next semester.

4. Work part-time at my dad’s place

5. Try to take dancing class.

= Save as much as I can and try to find time with friends.

3rd semester (September through December 08)
1. Find a part-time job at a clothing store.

2. Take 7 courses.

3. Take dancing class or language class like Japanese.

= Save as much as I can

Winter 08-09:
1. Try to get a full-time shift at my new work place.

2. Try doing winter sports on my spare time.

= Save as much as I can

(To be continued)

I'm making many decisions concerning money. The boss said I won't be working many hours now because she is sick and someone replaced her at work on the weekend with another girl with her. I guess I will try to be there for her when she needs me but I will be hard to reach because I recently lost my cellphone this Monday.

My cousin suggested me to work for my dad this coming January for 8$/hour (yes they pay minimum wage now ^.^') with her. I figure, since I have one month off. What the heck. I can save the money for my trip in Spain and Morocco this summer.

I also talk to my dad about my future plan. He asked me if I want to stay in Barcelona and learn Spanish for a month or so. I said yeah!! I suggested him to pay for my education there and I pay for the flight,food, activity,etc there. He is not too happy that I still want to go to Morocco. What the heck, it's my choice!! I'm thinking of going to Spain for a month and two weeks then go to Morocco.

About finding or staying at my current job. Well since I stopped working at Tim Hortons now. There will be less income for me and I might work at the sushi stand for like once a week or when they need me. I decide that I have to deal with less money now. It will probably help me by being more frugal and I have my cousin with me who like to do things the cheap ways since she's not working.

So yeah... On to my quest of living a simple life. I have develop my plan A for my current stay in College. Wanna know my plan A?

Plan A :

Winter 07-08:
1. Work at my dad's place and the sushi's stand.
+
2. Do the things that I want to do in my goal 2008. (Will put up a list soon, currently writting it)
+
3. Enjoy life with friends and try to reconnect with old friends.
+
4. Go to Toronto with friends instead of New York City for two days.
+
5. Visit my financial advisor and my English teacher.
+
6. Learn to live a simple life.
+
7. Be happy overall.
= Try to reconnect with the people.

2nd semester (January through May 08)
1. Take 7 courses/week
+
2. Work (7h min) or not work (Have to see it works out in the end)
+
4. Try to not go out often
+
5. Stop shopping and do with whatever I have.
+
6. Learn Japanese with a friend.
= Be more relax and have more time to do whatever I want.

Summer 08:
1. Go to Barcelona. (1 month and two weeks)
+
2. Maybe visit Switzerland if I have enought $ to visi my Swiss friend. (1 week)
+
3. Go to Morocco to visit my friend. (2 weeks)
+
4. Go to Alaska with my dad (? week, probably 1 week)
+
5. Hang out with friends while I can.
= Have the best summer of my life!

3rd Semester:
1. Take five courses.
+
2. Find part-time job in retail shop. (Maybe work 20 hours/week)
+
3. not go out not too often.
= Save up for my future trip and for my future. Try to have fun with less money.

Winter 08-09:
1. Work full-time at my new work place.(If I still like it)
+
2. Try doing winter sports.
+
3. Take two weeks off to go somewhere South.
= Have fun while saving my money for my future trip and my future while try not to overspend.

4th semester:
1. Take five courses again.
+
2. Work at the same place if I still like it and still not sick of that place.
+
3. Not go out too often.
+
= Save up for my future trip and my future. Try to have fun with less money.

Summer 09:
1. Work full-time
+
2. Take two weeks off to travel somewhere in Europe or somewhere. Not sure yet.
+
3. Hang out with friends before they go to University.

= Enjoy one of my last moment with the people in my college school.

5th semester:
1. Take back classes that I drop in my 3rd and 4th semester.
+
2. Work at the same place if I'm still not sick of it.
= Enjoy my last college life and my last few months in Montreal.

Winter 09-10:
1. Try not to work too many hours in December.
+
2. Enjoy my last month in Canada overall.
+
3. Hang out with friends and family as much as possible.
= I decide to go to China to study Mandarin for 7-8 months there with all the money I save that concern future trip mostly.

Beijing January through May-June-July 2010?:
1. Learn Mandarin as much as possible.
+
2. Visit how many places as I could including Hong Kong to visit relatives.
+
3. Don't forget to call people in Canada to tell them how I'm doing.
= Learn about my culture and prepare myself in the future.

May-June-July 2010?:
1. Go to Japan with a friend for a few weeks.
+
2. Pratice our Japanese skills with other Japanese.
+
3. Learn about the culture by visiting many places.
= Visit our dream country. =D I have to wait till my friend is 20 years old to go with him because he wants to be legal there to do whatever he wants.

Mid-August 2010:
1. Reconnect with friends.
+
2. Relax and enjoy home.
+
3. Read English book to reconnect myself with the English world =P.
= Prepare myself to University and to study hard.

After that... I dunno =)

This is plan A guys! ^.^ Although, life is unpredictable. I can always form a new plan. Making plans help me motivate myself. =P

I'll be changing some of my habit for good.

I know that it won't be as easy as it seems but I have to think this thoroughly over the week or possibly before the beginning of December.

P.S: Thanks guys for making me feel better. I love you guys too! =)

I'm comming back in. I'm pretty behind on saving but this time, I'm comming back in full force.

Ever since I came to college, I've met some friends who are spenders. Kiwii haven't change her habit even though she made a blog a month ago.I'm disappointed in her by not trying to learn how to use her blog by herself and she forgot the website name. This is a clear sign that she is not that willing to save. I try giving ideas on how to save when we went out for breakfast at the beginning of the year by buying her a termo cup so we don't need to spend on drinks. Yet,she always find a way for us to spend our money on unessecerities such as going to a metro station to buy breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. I don't have a Montreal pass to go so it will cost me 4$ for a round trip! Which make 4$/week just to go eat breakfast at the metro station. Thank god we don't go there anymore or we rarely go there.

There's also other factors that make her a spender. She claims she knows how to save but her ways of doing it is totally irrational sometimes. I mean why do you need so many earrings when you have some at home? Her excuse: " Well I don't have this color at home to match with my certain outfit." Why not buy a classic kind of jewelries where you can match with everything instead? She criticizes my earrings for being puny and boring looking. Hey, I look good in every outfit with my little round size earring so I'm happy with it. Plus, I'm least likely to get tired of it in a few months or so. Since it's my signature jewelries,not many people wear those kind of earrings and it fits me well. If I compare my jewelry box to hers, I have 1/10 less than hers. She has a box full even a drawer full of accessories. Although, I don't mind her buying jewelries and accessories but her forcing me to buy something which I don't need is annoying. My weakness is that I gave in too easily. I don't mind going shopping with her again but I have to stand up for myself and not give in anymore unless it's necessary.

Yesterday, I want to tell her about our shopping experience. We got into a little argument at a shoe store because I told her not to try the high heel shoes. It's about 5 inch and it looks awfully uncomfortable for the feet. She said that she is used to it because she wore it often at her house and she buys them because it's for her family. One thing that got me worry about a 5 inch boots is that they are dangerous for the feet. You could seriously damage your feet if you fall or something. I didn't tell her that because she is a hardhead person so it's hard to get the message through her at the first try. I tried calling her at night about it but she was having a serious talk with her mother so I wrote an email to her instead.

Her shopping habit is cheap though, she's not the type to spend on expensive things but she gets suck into the so called fake bargain in the shopping store. Where it's buy 1 sweater and get the second half price for sweaters. She said that she has to buy two sweaters because it is on unexpensive. My other friend was telling her that she doesn't need to buy another sweater because it said you'll get 50% off on the second one. Her response was irrational. I guess it's the bargain trick in the store that make us think irrationally.

I guess that's all for my rant. I have made a comment on her about that also but it's hard to get through her. She has a lot of clothes in her closet and most of them seem hard to make multiple mix and match. I taught her that if you can make three outfits then buy it. Her response was simple but it doesn't make a different three outfits so I gave up. Maybe someday, she will decide to join this forum and read up some interesting thing. For now, I rather watch myself and try not to get absorb into the spendthrift world again.

You can't have everything you want Christina.

I think it's time to be more realistic. I'm becoming the person whom I hate the most. A spender!! I spend on things because at home there's nothing to eat, not even leftovers.

My parents are always working so their only solution for us is to buy food with our weekly allowance at the cafeteria. I tried eating at home as often as I can but there's only pasta and instant noodles. My mom stock up on instant noodles and that is really disturbing that she is encouraging us to eat unhealthy.

I can't have a family who buy us good healthy food. They don't know the difference between eating healthy and unhealthy. All they see is food. No wonder their health is declining. I wish I could help but I'm in the middle of the end of my term so I have many essays to write in two weeks. Even if I help, my parents will not learn from me, they will rely on me to keep the family healthy which make me feel more stressful.

Another thing is that I am stress about my challenge. I know I have around two months to achieve the christmas fun but I'm not working much anymre. How can it be possible to achieve all? I need to come up with a lower amount of christmas money. I know I can't give present to everyone though because I have plan it pretty late already. Even though if I take my hours back, it won't do me any good because I will still feel like I'm not making much. So yeah, I'm reducing my christmas fund to 300$.

Since I work only once a week now. I can't put any money in my challenge until the month of December. By then, I will come back in full force.

I'm going to continue to put my paycheck and my 50$ a week from my dad in my christmas fund and New York fund. I have to promise myself to not organize any trip later on or to shop too much lol... I still have a few sweaters and a pair of shoes to go. So far, I didn't go shopping for a little while. I promised Kiwii that we're going to go shopping at Smart set with my 20$ off coupons. I have four of them and I decide to split with her.

I don't want to put off the New York trip because the Canadian dollars been going up lately and it is likely that it will reach 1.10$ by January next year. So why not go shop there? I might have a more easier time finding nice clothes there. The things in Canada are far more expensive. @.@" They are not willing to lower the price so a lot of Canadians are going south to do their shopping.

I'm putting the 50$ that I just received yesterday into my christmas fund.

Old amount: 255$ + 50$
New amount: 305$

I count my changes again and I have 80$ for my New York trip!

Today at work, a coworker of mine usually work in the mornings. She told me about a girl who worked for 5 years at Tim Hortons that thinks she's superior then the others.

The funny thing is, she said to her that another coworker of mine and I, we work very slow but the fact is, that girl never really work with us. The last time we worked together was when I first started in October through January and that was in the morning. That makes three months that we had work together. After that, I start working in the afternoon till now. So my type of work is very different than the morning. In the afternoon, we have to do everything by ourself and in the morning, there is usually a baker, a dishwasher and a bunch of servers doing a specific task. Her feeling that she is better than us is langhable because she never work in the afternoon shift or the night shift.

Another funny thing that she told me about that girl is... She is afraid of change. She works at the same place and same schedule for five years. Last time she found a job, she stayed there for a week and she came back at her old job. Her excuse is that she doesn't want to leave the people she works with. My coworker said she is afraid of change. I could see that... I mean she worked at Tim for five years and she is really losing her patience with the customers. By then, I would have done something no?

It also made me think about myself. I'm afraid of change too but I would not lose my patience with the customers or complain. I have done it before and I didn't feel like the customers deserve it. So yeah. I worked for Tim Hortons for a year already and I feel that soon, I will have to change to another job. I would very much like to work at a clothing store. It looks cool and I feel like I could learn a thing or two about that particular area. I hear is hard but doesn't matter, I want something new and challenging.

I have to give myself a time frame I guess. I would like to quit my job when summer comes. My decision will be final later on. I'm going to concentrate on my homework first.

I decided to use the 1000$ for clothes and other things. I think the same way as Luna do about spending on expensive (or not) classic items. I'm going to patiently shop and I already made a list of what I need to buy. I'm not a shopaholic and I don't go shopping every week but I get unsatisfied with my clothes easily. So yeah. I'm going to try to plan carefully and solve my problems once and for all. I'm going to find thrift stores in Montreal when I have time. Around where I live, there's not a lot of good ones and the clothes are so disorganized.

About the clothes that I just found and the two tank tops (Classic type of tank tope) that I just bough last week which cost me 15$ for two (black and white), I'm going to take pictures of them when I have the time and when I find my dad's camera located somewhere in the house.

I'm going to take out all my clothes budget to put in my challenge money and my christmas present.

I'm going to put 40$ in the challenge money and 50$ in my christmas presents money.

Old amount : 3661$ + 40$
New amount : 3701$

Old amount : 55$ + 50$ =
New amount : 105$

*Sigh* These days, I feel like I'm sucking in a little in my saving account because I miscalculated the amount that I have in my chequing to pay my credit card. It's quite complicated now and I'm trying to fix it. If I put my clothes budget in there, it will fix everything eventually.

I need to find a way to fix my problems of spending on clothes. My only problem is the clothes area where I need to buy basic clothes and I have some unplanned spending. I'm still thinking of a way to make my clothing needs disappear for good and be satisfied with the clothes that I have. Although, I'm really lacking in sweaters for the winter! hmmm...I'm reading a few sites these days on how to find classic and good quality clothing.

There's also a need to buy hangers for my closet in my room and shoes rack. I gave all my old hangers for my brother and now I have none. All my clothes are in my dresser. So yeah... I'm thinking of taking my 1000$ in my first challenge money to spend on those things and yes... I'm going to try to spend it wisely. I already made a list on the clothing that I need and I'm going to buy a few of those things probably next week in my two days of study breaks.

I'm trying this out and I hope that it will solve my problem.

I'm planning to save some money for presents this year. I hope that I can save 600$. With that money, I would like to buy a christmas tree. My brother might pitch in if I ask him to help me. We always want a christmas tree but we never actually save for it. Certainly because my brother give up on everything easily.

Around Novemebr or December, I'm going to look for a good quality inexpensive fake tree. Hopefully, it should cost around 100$ or a little more. I hope I can find good one at that price range

I add 55$ in there and I'll be adding around 50$ a week in there.

If I have money left, I'll put it in my challenge money.

This is what my friend said to me when I volunteered to help her save. I didn't add anything else after I said that. She probably took it the wrong way and she's quite stubborn.

She may know how to save but in a wrong way, by not eating breakfast or lunch. Whenever she has money, she spends it on friends, things for herself, food (breakfast and lunch),etc. The last time she told me what she is going to do with her next paycheck. She was naming me all the things that were pure wants. She even plans on what she will spend on her next next paycheck and the one after that. I was wondering, how will she save if she's planning to buy all these things. It might take her months to be able to save a 100$ and let it stays in the bank for a week or two.

Another friend was telling me that she doesn't know how to save. Most of the time, she can't spend on things that she really needs like googles for our swimming class. We have swimming class every Friday. When we first went into the pool, my eyes were hurting because the water has strong concentration of chlorine. I made sure to buy googles for the next class. After a few classes, my friend didn't buy her googles yet because she doesn't have any money.

Last class, I was worried about her eyes condition. They were hurting really badly so I told her that I'm going to buy her googles for her birthday in October. She asked me to buy her green ones. After school, I went to the same store that I bought my googles and I bought her one for her as a birthday gift.

To finish this blog off, I decided I'm going to help her save indirectly. I'm going to help her by influencing her to do things frugally with an excuse that I want to save more money for my trip which is true by the way. It will be helpful for her and I. I hope that my experienment will help her too.

Tomorrow will be my first try of no spending for a week. I'm going to challenge myself not to buy anything.

If I succeed, I'm going to try it for a month which will probably in October. My essentiels will be my bus pass,my cellphone bill and waxing which is 10$/month (I have swimming class this semester ._.')

I'm going to take a break on shopping this month and wait till the mid-December to buy clothes. I need to buy winter clothes because I'm lacking in them... Don't know where it all went @.@... I'm planning to check my closet to see what kind of clothes I like best when I have time.

I have 300$ for the fall/winter season. I spent around 46$ on boots .______." and I returned a pair of shoes where the money that I have back (23$) went into my challenge money. Now I have 231$ left and that money will be deduce again from my shopping online... Well the belt maybe won't be included because I want to give it as a gift for my cousin.

Anyways, I'm going to find good clothes that will last me a long time. I'm finding a way to change my clothes spending habit for good! This winter, I already have my winter coat still in very good condition and boots for winter. I might have to buy snow boots that don't have platform heel... .______." *sigh* Well, I'm going to make another category and this one in particular will be on clothes. I'm going to take pictures of the clothes that I bought and the price that I paid for it.

Oh yeah before I forgot...

I counted my piggy bank and I got 20$ change and I have 40$ tips from work.

Old amount: 350$ + 60$ =
New amount: 410$

I returned a pair of jeans two days ago and I got 43.33$ back in my credit card. I need to return the sweater so I have enough to repay back my credit card. I feel bad that I went out of control. Next time, I'm going to bring in cash and leave my credit card and my bank card at home.

I'm getting closer to the goal and I still haven't found a CD or anything for it. Well I'm still thinking what I'm going to do with it but London seems like a good choice. I'm always confused at where I'm going when it comes to travel XD. I want to go everywhere!!

Morocco will be my next destination next summer to visit a friend that I had promised to see her three years ago. She is very excited and me too but I have to talk with my dad first. About my friend, I knew her since we were in sixth grade and after a year here, she has to go back home because her dad found a job there. She visited twice here around three years ago and we made rendez-vous to see each others at a mall and the last one, I couldn't go because my dad was forcing me to stay to work at his place. This is also one of the reason why I resent my dad so much, I never saw my friend again and we rarely talk on msn. My dad tried to bring me back to work for him but I refused, even if he pays minimum now, I will never ever work at his place... Just looking at the way he treats my brother, I don't want to go back. Anyways, I'm the only one in Canada who still keeps in touch with her after all these years. All the others don't bother to talk to her again and it's kinda sad... I mean... She made a lot of good memories here in Canada with them and they don't care... Well, I'm going to keep in touch with her as long as possible and I'm going to see her next year no matter what.

I guess I found my next challenge... Saving up for Morocco next year. It wouldn't be so hard to save at least 2500$ in less than a year right? XD I gotta work hard then.

Oh by the way... XD My friend and I saved 4$ at the movie yesterday with my coupon XD !! yay! It became 5$ each. I still owe him another movie because he paid for the dinner. I think I'm falling in love with him... LOL... I kiss him on the cheek yesterday night. He is a very simple guy and he likes me for three years already. He used to be creepy, always staring at the girls he likes, now he is more normal like and more enjoyable to talk to. I hope we will get along in the future.

Old amount: 3745 + 4$ =
New amount: 3749$

251$ left to go... =)

It's hard to return a jeans that fit nicely... *sigh* I think I'm going to return one of the three pairs of jeans that I bought today. Man it's hard but I have no choice. There's always another pair of jeans that will fit 3 times better. T.T'

I think I ruin my August budget... I don't have any money left this month.

#1 : I'm going to add 220$ left that I have in the bank after separating the money in my budget.

Old amount : 3186$ + 220$ =
New amount : 3406$

I'm waiting for my next paycheck next Thursday Hehe... Since I earned more money this month by working extra hours... I might achieve the 4K. I'm pretty sure Amber will beat me by now but it's fun to competed XD!!

#2 : My brother decided to make a garage sale next week. We have many things to sale and we are thinking of putting the money we earned to redecorated our house. Well... I would like to put the money into our Christmas tree. My brother and I always wanted a real nice Christmas tree but parents never bother to buy one or they buy the cheap kind that will break easily.

#3 :I have to work out. I'm feeling tired these days so I think I need to exercise to feel better.

#4 : See rush hours 3 next Thursday with friends. I've been looking forward all summer now!! XD

#5 : See my financial advisor.

I decided that I will help out my dad's grocery after my class at 4pm to 7pm. At the same time, earn money to get my 4K goal this month if I can. I don't bother waiting for the guy anymore... But I kept my words that I'm going to be at the grocery store more often this month. So it's his call. I'm not going to be madly in love with him. It's breaking my concentration from my precalculus class and I hardly know him anyways.

I went to the bank yesterday to deposit 50$ in my chequing account. I notice that I spent the money in my budget... Mostly on beauty stuff this month and eating out. I also notice that I have 200$ more than I plan to have in my chequing so i just put the money in my challenge account.

Old balance : 2493$ + 200$
New balance : 2693$

My chalenge money is getting better. Although, I'm beginning to feel like I should change my goal in some ways. Because after this challenge, I decided to visit my friend in Morocco next year. My second goal will be to save a certain amount for next year but I'm quite unsure for now. I'll keep you guys update later on.

By the way, my budget is getting better. I don't use my 30$ allowance/week that fast anymore. Although, I have to work on my habit of eating out too much.

I decided to make a budget first before deciding how much I put in my challenge money... I don't know how to follow a budget before because I don't have an idea what I spend on but ever since I wrote down my expense, I know what I spend the most money on... It's FOOD! I need to reduce it now or I'll never achieve my goal.

I earned around 658$/month from my part-time job included tax deduction already.

I have to see what necessaries I need to spend for me every month... Well I don't have any necessaries stuff to buy except lotions for my skin, clothes and soon, I have to buy a monthly bus pass (I'm going to college soon!). Man I feel so spoiled. Don't need to pay anything but I'm quite lucky.

I like to have new clothes sometimes and I do have to buy occassional clothes that I can rewear again and again but I don't have that much. I'm thinking of renovating my room to make it look more interesting. Like look more colourful.

My budget:

'Bi-Weekly payment : ~249$ + ~80$ tips = 329$'

Monthly : ~658$

Necessaries :

-Skin care : 50$/month
-Bus pass (transportation)(3 zones) : 70$/month
-Allowance (entertainement, eating out,etc) : 30$/week X 5 = 150$/month
- Mutual fun account (travel) : 50$/month
- Mutual fun account ( house/car) : 50$/month

Total : 370$

*By the way, I could cut back on those by not buying skin lotion that month and by buying a one way bus zone instead(42$). That way, I can save up for something else. They remain necessaries because I spend on those three stuff mostly.

Luxuries :

Gift : 30$/month (for someone bdai)
Clothes : 50$/month

Total : 80$

Unexpected expense : 50$/month

Overall total : 500$
Left over: 158$

Don't worry guys, I'm not going to spend 500$ a month. I never really reach that number except at the month of May where I bought many things for different occasions. The number might not exceed more than 200$ with careful spending. T he rest of the money I will save on each category... I will decide later on because my head is somewhere else right now (study). It sounds realistic to me now and I'm going to try this for a little while after I'm done with exam.


I'm going to put 158$ in my challenge money at the end of each month.

As for the rest of my challenge money rule, I will write about it later. Right now, I don't have any clue how I'm going to put money away.

I'm taking it slow and easy guys =). I'm still a teen and I'm starting to have a social life with my friends and a boyfriend who's trying to spend time with me whoever he and I can.I have many expenses that are not consider useful for you guys ^.^' but I'm getting back to the frugal style soon! Just need to know the new me!

God I am getting off track in my spending... I don't feel like writting anymore because of exams and such.

I wrote a few stuff here and there but I'm going to come back strong somewhere next week, I promise I'll do better.

My prom is on June 22nd and I'm not 100% sure if I can go. The written production and the reading comprehension in French will decide my faith. I need a little push to get myself into studying again like the beginning of the year... So far, I've finished my math homework for tomorrow and my economie exam in advance. I'm planning to finish my French book this week so I will have more time read my 24 pages of text for my writting production next Thursday.

I had bought the dress already and I need other things to match with it. I'm planning to go buy them with two of my friends next week. I already know who I will sit with at prom and... I have no prom date but hopefully, I might ask a guy that I kinda like to go with me or with my 22 years old friend.. @.@" Well I don't know yet.

Today, I didn't spend any money today (1$)and I brought my lunch (4$).

New total : 1366$

I'm a total organic freak... I seem to buy things that said organic... Well the food that I need of course ! I bought organic orange juice with lots of vitamins and I bought organic chocolate teddy bear cereal yesterday. It's not the greatest cereal in the world but it tastes pretty good.

I'm concentrating on environnement a lot but I doubt I am 100% environnemist. Well I still have a lot to learn!! My brother was telling me that I am a freak and I shouldn't pay too much even if it's organic because in order to survive, we need the cheapest possible good food... Hey, who was the one buying bacons and fattening cookies? Not me. Who's claiming that we should eat healthy? My brother of course... Yet, his way of doing things is the total opposite of what he said... So I'm not listening to him!

By the way, yesterday, my brother tries to convince me to split the price of a ps2 game called.. CSI or something so we could play together by saying : Christina, there's a CSI game where we find "something something... I don't pay much attention to what he said" and we could play together, so both of us pay half of the price of the game... How about that?

In my mind, his definition of his words is : Hey Christina, you pay half the price with me because I want to save my money. You won't like the game after we played it possibly, so I will be getting the game for half of the price. How about that?

My response : Naaaah... I rather spend on something else.

His response : Eum... Lalalala...

I totally nailed him. He used to suck me in by convincing me that it's a good price and we should pay half of something that he wants. I never really ask my brother to pay half half of something that I want. I remember about a year and a half ago when I was in Vancouver, I asked my brother to pay half of a Japanese series because I wanted it. Later on, I realized that it's because I don't want to pay too much for something that I want so I ask someone else to fit in the bill with me. Whenever someone asks me to pay half half of something, I remember that feeling and it saves me by making a stupid purchase just because that person doesn't want to pay full price and I'm helping him/her pay it. I'm also making sure I won't ask anyone to help me pay for my wants either. If I don't want to pay too much... Then I don't buy it or I look somewhere else for a cheaper price.

Not a lot of people in my entourage has the same dream as I am especially when it comes to their future. Many people are going into the straight path with high school to university then to the work force. I don't like that path, I feel like something is not right at all. I don't want to conform to people normes of just living a mediocore life. It may be good for them but it's not good enough for me.

Everytimes I talk to my dad about my future plans... Which I doubt he'll even remember I've talked to him about it. He said it's my choice but he suggested me to finish school, get a good job then I'll get to travel as much as I want. You know what? I don't like having a set amount of time to do whatever I like and the responsabilities that goes with it. My guess is that dad will think I'll change my mind again and he has no idea that I'm saving my money for a big trip in a few years to come.I wonder how it will turn out in two or three years? Will my dad start to panick and try to convince me that I'm making the biggest mistake of my life? Will my mom worry that I'll never go back to school and start criticising me like she always do? I could care less. I had enought of people telling me what to do and how to do it.

Speaking of people telling me what to do... My aunt was a little mad that I quit Chinese school last October. Why did I quit? 1st reason : Can't pratice Chinese in Canada... Quebec. 2nd reason : I don't have a lot of times for myself because I'm going to school 6 days/week and a day is reserve to do all my homework and study. I turned crazy because I couldn't keep up with it anymore. 3rd reason : I spent nine years in Chinese school because my parents want me to. They are doing it for my own good but I hate it. I was never motivate to learn to read Chinese in the first place and nobody can force me back into going back into that place. I'll go back when I'm motivate but for now, I don't give a damn to what people are telling me. Good or not, I don't care. I HATE READING AND WRITTING IN CHINESE. Even if it's the next super power in ten years, now I just don't care.

*sigh* It feels good to say that after so many years.

Anyways, to finish my blog.. I need a dream to keep going in life and that's traveling the world... That's what my challenge money is for. I'm starting in London with 4 000$ and the rest of my money where I'll be using it is in my mutual funds.

1. Need to recycle my cans
2. Buy a few things
3. Go to the library
4. Finish studying math
5. Start reading my French book

Yesterday :

1. Finish math homework.
2. Buy Strawberry her food. [Check]
3. Buy my cousin's her other half of her gift.[Check]
4. Recycle my cans.
5. Sleep early. [Check]

Today :

1. Finish the other half of the homework
2. Recycle my cans.
3. Finish other homeworks
4. Clean my room
5. Sleep early