Thoroughly modern millennial

Tag: Lifestyle & Travel

  • The F Word: Getting real about my finances

    The F Word: Getting real about my finances

    We’re talking a ‘taboo’ subject today and one that’s still seen as inappropriate to be so brazen about.

    Finances

    I know. Snoozefest. But since opening up about earnings and spending habits to friends and family I’ve personally found it less scary to actually approach something that’s a bit dry and still a bit dirty to talk about.

    Money + Me

    I’ve never been terrible with money. I’ve been very lucky to have been in some form of employment (even if just part-time) since the age of 17. I don’t have any ‘debt’ other than my student loan and I do a have a pretty immense fear of going ‘in the red’ as it were.

    I don’t say all of this to brag, but I think it’s important to establish and recognise that I do come from an incredibly privileged background and was lucky my parents instilled a ‘work hard and save your money’ ethic in me.

    But even so, I know I have some bad habits. Last year, in particular, was a particularly ‘spendy’ year. Though I’d never take back the experiences of my India trip, I did dip into my savings in order to afford it. I was also, for the first time, doing financially well at work and took the fact that I knew I’d worked hard as permission to spend any disposable income as such. Surely that was my reward for how long I’d worked through Uni and in a graduate job?

    Whilst for some this kind of spending is totally reasonable, for me, I needed a wake-up call and that was the realisation that I wanted to do so much more.

    I want to travel more, I possibly want to do an MA one day, I want to get out of a renting cycle and own my own space (even if that’s just a teeny studio flat), and (as much as I adore Oxford) I would like to try live in another country for a bit.

    Unfortunately, all that costs money.

    Which means I need to stop being so scared to check my bank account and pay attention to what I’m flinging my debit card at.

    The Audit

    I drew a line in the sand at the end of 2017 and accepted I spent frivolously at times. And that’s ok? It’s already done and spent. I can’t take any of that spend back and 2018 onwards is my fresh start.

    This month, I’ve taken a good, long hard look at how I approach money and for the first time tracked every spend, every bill, and every ‘ treat yo’self’ purchase.

    Rather helpfully I found a super amazing spending/saving tracker on Twitter which has been so helpful in categorising my spend and allows tabs for tracking potential savings. With a little editing and playing around, I got a pretty decent idea of what my spending habits are, how much money is coming in, and what my current financial standing is.

    There’s good and bad in there, but overall I guess I’m not in as dire straits as I thought.

    Setting Financial Goals

    There is still, however, a lot of room for improvement!

    Some things I’ve started already, such as moving to a much cheaper phone contract, shopping at my local corner shop or farmer’s market on a Saturday because I’ll get way more for my money, and batch cooking to cut down on the amount I eat out.

    But here are a few some of the goals I have in mind to kick-start some healthier spending habits.

    Follow the 50/20/30 rule:

    Popularized by Elizabeth Warren (yes, that Elizabeth Warren) this budgeting method has you split your income into 50% for essentials (rent, food, bills etc.) and 20% for your savings account. The remaining 30% is then allocated to non-essential spending (i.e. that cheeky book purchase, cocktails with friends on a weekend, or tickets for a cinema trip).

    The saving portion of this is especially something I want to focus on. My saving method has usually been to bung an arbitrary amount into my online savings account. Some months it would be loads, in other months not so much. Setting a specific amount and building a budget around the fact I know that’s going into my savings no matter what.

    But I also like the fact that the rule does allow for you to y’know spend on stuff that you enjoy rather than focus so heavily on saving or only spending on the ‘boring’ stuff.

    Setting up a f*ck it fund:

    Or for a more family-friendly version an emergency piggy bank. I want to start building up enough money so that I have at least 6 months worth of my total outgoings in case, god forbid, I can’t work anymore, fall ill, or need it for a family related emergency. Shit happens and I want to be more prepared for it.

    Equally the fund can potentially be for that moment in my life where I do want to take a leap into something bigger. Whether that be moving, or taking a break to travel, or going back to school, again, I want to be prepared for it.

    Equating mental health to unnecessary spend: 

    One thing I’ve been doing alongside tracking my spend is also working out when my mental health slips are, or when I’m stressed or tired. I’m definitely an emotional spender and will more than happily spend money on a book or drinks out if I’m feeling like I need a pick me up.

    This goal is bigger than just how I spend money, but it’s also taking into account the mental mindset I’m in when I do and working out a long-term way to address my mental health rather than the short-term buzz of buying something.

    There are more, some more private, others require a bit of work. Much like my 2018 writing goals I wanted to write about these to not only be held accountable but also because it’s a topic we shouldn’t shy away from. I’ve listed a couple of bloggers who’ve equally inspired me to write this post.

    If any of you guys have any tips on saving those pennies let me know, I’d love to open up the conversation on money, budgeting and finances in general out into the blogsphere.

    R Xx

     

  • Guest Post | Postcards from Cornwall | Anastasia

    Guest Post | Postcards from Cornwall | Anastasia

    “Cornwall is very primeval: great, black, jutting cliffs and rocks, like the original darkness, and a pale sea breaking in, like dawn. It is like the beginning of the world, wonderful…”  – D H Lawrence, Letter 1916
    I know Ria is the one who’s on holiday but who ever said you can’t send postcards from your own home?

    I’ve lived in Cornwall, albeit a little further inland than the beginning of the world, all my life. However, it’s only in recent years, since moving barely an hour away to Devon for university and then back again after graduation, that I have really started to appreciate the beauty of the place. I guess I just took it for granted when I was growing up that my town was only a short drive away from the stormy seas and misty moors that have inspired so many writers and artists throughout history. I think at the time I was too busy being annoyed that most of my friends lived in neighbouring villages and valleys, too far to walk to, to really think about it.

    From Geoffrey of Monmouth naming Tintagel as the place of King Arthur’s conception in the twelfth century, to Daphne du Maurier’s novels, John Betjeman’s poems, and, yes, Winston Graham’s Poldark, there is almost no end to the writing that has been inspired by this wild coastal county. Creativity doesn’t just seem to thrive here, it seems to be in the very dirt of the place. I’m positive that growing up here, between ocean and fields, is the reason writing and photography have always lived in my bones. Who could live in a place like this and not have a desire to capture it somehow?

    I couldn’t resist taking this opportunity to share a little of it. If you’d like to see more you can find me, my photography, and my writing at stasialikescakes.

    — — —

    Thanks a bunch to Anastasia for the lovely post and gorgeous photos. I’ve never ventured down as far as Cornwall but these photos are utterly dreamy! Gotta love the good ol’ British coastline.

    Ria Xx

  • Guest Post | How Living Abroad Changed My Life | Michelle

    Guest Post | How Living Abroad Changed My Life | Michelle

    Sometime in September of 2014, I made an impulse decision fuelled by jet lag to apply for one job in Hong Kong. And by some miracle, I was interviewed for it and 4 minutes 29 seconds later, I’d been offered a dreamy job on the other side of the world.

    I’ll be honest with you: moving and living abroad is one of those pipe dreams you have when you’re just starting out in The Real World. There’s an undeniable societal norm that tells us to go away to University, spend a helluva lot of money on a degree that you decided on a whim over the Summer of Being 18 you’d undertake, graduate and then slip into a degree-related job. That’s it. The requirements of being an adult, right? It’s a funny thing because I did all of the above and then suddenly wondered if there might be more for me out there than my job as a fashion writer in the smokey city of London.

    And then, I moved. I packed one suitcase and a handbag and hopped, quite tearfully, onboard my one-way flight to Hong Kong. It was easily the best decision of my life thus far.

    Living abroad changed my life in so many ways and as cliche as it may sound, I feel like my life wouldn’t be nearly as enriched without those two years spent abroad. Being forced to fend for myself and attempt to deal with an 8-hour time difference was eye-opening to say the least. It forced me to manage my time better and make time for my loved ones. How easy is it to put off calling your parents ‘until the weekend’ and then again? With an 8-hour time difference in hand, I’d be home by 9pm on a Sunday to make sure I could call my Mama and Skype my tortoises. It made me woman up and grab life by the balls, no waiting around for somebody to help me do this or see that. I’d do it myself.

    I may have grown up in England, raised by relatively traditional Chinese parents, but learning the Hong Kong way made me toughen up – quick. Hong Kong living is like London life – or any city life, I suppose – on crack. It’s a true 24-hour city and it’s home to city life, countryside, beaches and more. I absolutely adore Hong Kong. It’s a cut-throat city and everybody is determined, ambitious, driven and hard-working. Oh so very hard-working. But it isn’t ever intimidating and, in fact, you’d never find a safer city in my opinion. However the everyday buzz, the hustle and bustle, made me miss my beautiful England and adopted hometown of London and all of its calm, quirky, uber-polite ways. I’d find myself missing the English countryside and clean, fresh air. The way you can always see the sky and watch on colours hazily blend and melt together. The sheer greenness of England. I learned to appreciate both cities for their respective unique quirks.

    I find such value in being able to draw from my experiences living abroad to my present-day lifestyle. Immersing yourself in a wholly new and different culture truly opens your mind as well as your senses and it grounds you with a sense of yearning to share that passion and the qualities from your new city. All of those good vibes you feel lazing around on holiday? Try that a thousands times over.

    Living abroad completely changed my life.

    — — —

    Thanks to Michelle for this amazing post. I’ve always admired her decision to take the leap and move so far away from home. It’s definitely a dream I hope to mimic one day and I can only hope I do it as fabulously as she did! You can catch more of Michelle’s writing (and dreamy snaps – I adore her photography!) at DaisyButter.

    Ria Xx