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2 Nights in NYC – New York Money Diary
I recently spent two wonderful nights in NYC but as the budget conscious traveller I am, I was a little concerned about its spenny reputation. If you’ve read my plan to only spend £5k on my gap year, you’ll know that I only get £10 per day spending money. Obviously this wasn’t going to cut it in NYC. So I started hoarding little amounts each day in the two months ahead of the trip. By the time the trip rolled around I’d amassed a nice little pot of money and was ready to explore. So here we go, my New York money diary. Exactly how much I spent during my…
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Everything You Need To Know Before Sleeping At Heathrow Terminal 5
As I am writing this at 6.35am from a bougie lounge (thank you Trusted Housesitters for including lounge passes in your membership!) in Heathrow terminal 5, it is safe to say that I survived. Want to know how it went sleeping at heathrow terminal 5? Keep on reading! Disclaimer – this post may include some affiliate or referral scheme links. This means I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you! I had a nights gap between a housesit ending and my flight to NYC so I initially looked into airport hotels. Wow they are so so expensive! We’re talking over £150 for a room. One that I…
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£5k Budget Breakdown – October 2022
Well, October has been a spenny month! Only two months into my year-long gap year and I have already spent over 20% of my £5k budget. Just writing that percentage down is a little panic inducing BUT surprisingly my projections have me still in budget! New here? Let me give you a little context... I have just graduated from uni and have chosen to take a gap year before deciding what to do next, career wise. I will be spending the entire year travelling and have set myself a strict £5k budget which needs to cover all costs and last the entire year! Seem a little tight? Check out this…
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Make These 5 Changes to Become Financially Confident
You don’t have to have a lot of money or a high income to be financially confident. Anyone can achieve this state of mind at any financial level. Get started today by making a few subtle changes to how you interact with your finances. Financial confidence is a state of mind rather than a number. It is that feeling when you are in control of your money and it isn’t in control of you. You could be in thousands of pounds of debt and be more financially confident than that guy at work who drives a Porsche. Reaching a state of financial confidence is something you have full control over…
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Groceries On A Budget: How To Save Money
The current price of groceries is a big stress for a lot of people at the moment. Due to the cost of living crisis, prices just keep increasing and it’s hard to keep up. But with some planning and a little bit a savviness it is still possible to keep your groceries on a budget. Enter today’s blog post – 8 easy things you can do today to save money on groceries. Related Articles: Shop your cupboards first Shopping your cupboards first will both save you money and reduce waste. Start by taking an inventory of what you have in. Check your fridge, freezer, and cupboards, and make a list.…
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How I Saved Every Penny Of My Income
During my three years at university, I worked multiple jobs on top of my studies, and I saved every single penny I earned. Sounds crazy right?!? But it became second nature to me, and I would do it automatically without even thinking. You might have already called bullshit because like duh obviously you have to spend some money to live so this must be false. So let me start with a little disclaimer… Fortunately, I was eligible for almost the maximum student maintenance loan (around £9k) each year. This was more than enough to comfortably live on; hence this stream of income became the only one I would budget with.…
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6 Easy Finance Moves To Boost Your Savings
Saving money can sometimes feel like a slog, especially if your numbers aren’t increasing as fast as you want them to. Enter this blog post! Six easy finance moves you can make today to boost your savings. Most of them are as simple as setting it up and forgetting about it, just watch the money roll in 🤑. Disclaimer – this post does include some referral links. Meaning I will benefit it you decide to use my link. I would never recommend a product/account that I don’t use and love. Thank you for supporting BST! Save for your deposit in a Lifetime ISA Instant 25% return on your money –…
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September 2022 Money Review
One month down, only eleven left of my gap year! Crazy how fast time flies when you are professionally unemployed 😂 But the end of the month means only one thing on this blog – time for a September money review! September did not really go to plan but I made the most of the situation. I ended up staying an extra two weeks with my parents because a housesit got cancelled. This was one I had organised with a friend so I wasn’t covered by any guarantee like I am when I housesit through Trusted Housesitters. But this meant for a very cheap month. This will be the last…
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How To Save With A Variable Income
Mainstream budgeting techniques and savings suggestions often ignore the fact that a lot of people have a variable income. They don’t get paid the same amount every single payday and often the paydays don’t follow a regular pattern. Therefore, it can be very hard to get into a saving rhythm. For example, a lot of finance experts suggest automation as the best technique for saving more. But this can be very tricky to implement when the amount you get paid changes each and every time. Plus it may not even be on the same date, so knowing when to set up the automatic payment for is hard. I have had…
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Cheap Dining Out: How To Save Money Every Time
Dining out is one of those things that people assume you can’t do if you’re on a budget. This is not true at all! Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can never eat out again. But it might mean that you need to become a little more creative and intentional. And in this article I’m going to share 4 easy tips to save your money everytime for cheap dining out! Related Reading: Budgeting often gets a bad rap as being restrictive and gloomy. At its bare bones, budgeting is simply making a plan for your money. You are taking back control over your money. If done correctly, your budget…
