Introductions

I recently realized that it’s been over three and a half years since I’ve been to a new country.  For someone who backpacked though Europe at age 17, and visited China for a month on my own at 20, this was quite a shock to the system.  So I made a resolution to myself: I will carve out the time and money for at least one big trip per year.  I spent a day plotting my escape to Kenya and Tanzania, a two week semi-solo trip including a trip up Kilimanjaro, hopefully with a few friends for the climb.  The total of my preliminary budgeting (including vaccinations, flights, accommodation, and fees for climbing Kilimanjaro), came out to about $4500 Canadian. 

Which brings me to the reason for this blog.  Where, oh where, do I get the money from?  I am part-time employed but not on a regular wage.  I’m studying part-time for a Master’s in development management which I’m paying for out of my current savings.  Oh, and I’m moving from the UK back to Canada in September.  Put simply, I simply don’t have $4500 Canadian to spend at the moment.

The inspiration for blogging about my efforts came as a result of my role as a GamesMaker at the London 2012 Olympics.  Because of my financial situation, I resolved to have a “Freelympics”, only spending money on essentials such as food in venues where food may not be allowed to be brought in, and on the occasional cheap ticket.  I reckon I’ve spent about 50 pounds total, but have had an incredible experience, going to several events, starting an Olympic pin collection, and making some great friends along the way.

And it struck me,

Why spend money when I don’t have to? 

At the same time, as a young professional, I need to project a certain degree of professionalism in dress and technology (as much as I would like it not to, the fact is that I need nice clothes, nice shoes, and a nice computer in order to be taken seriously).  So the challenge is not simply to save money, but to not lose out on the nice things that I want, and to a certain extent need.

I’ll be bringing you some tricks I’ve already discovered, and will be on a mission to discover new tips and tricks to save money, so I can actually afford my dream holiday next summer.

Tip #1 - Laundry

The first quick tip is to do with laundry.  I’ve always had sensitive skin, and have needed liquid, sensitive skin detergent since I was born.  With bottles of liquid detergent costing up to $15, depending on brand and volume, the cost seemed minimal at first, but can add up over the year, let alone decade.  The solution to this is washing balls.  I bought a set (I won’t mention a brand name as I’m unwilling to promote any specific product on this blog) in the UK for ₤10 nearly four years ago.  The starter pack came with two balls, two refills, and an eco stain remover.  I’ve purchased some more refills, which cost another ₤10 for six refill packs.  Therefore, I’ve spent ₤20 over 4 years for all my laundry for me and my boyfriend (just over $30 Canadian).  That’s under $10/year, well below the cost of buying liquid detergent.

That’s all for now, but I’ll be back with more tricks for not spending money unless absolutely necessary.