One week to Payday!

My salary account is running on reserve, and for the week that's coming up, the week before payday I've got big plans!

Plans:

1. 3 day trip to hill station
• Leave already applied for
• Stay arranged
• Travel and Food expenses need to be taken care of
2. An application form
• Which can thank fully wait till after payday though that would mean I'd be brushing it a bit close to the dead line.
3. An unsupressable urge to to go on a shopping spree
• OK, you're probably raising your eye brows on me at this one, but I really wanna shop! And it's a while since I had such an urge!! So yup, that's my excuse, and I'm going for it. :P

Shopping would use up at least 60% of my avail. bal. That leaves about 40% for the trip. That's cutting it very close too, unless I wanna starve and walk to all of the 8 places I wanna see there! But, there are 3 other options: Bad ones, but nonetheless, loans from

• Sis
• She got an advance of her birthday money (haha)
• It'll be a purely business deal
• But she's my younger sis! so ...you know?
• Grandma or Dad
• Slightly embarrassing to go to them for money after I've started earning
• Bigger problem: "You planned a trip, where you want to go alone, and you don't even have enough money saved up?!?! How irresponsible is that ? Please go after you're able to take care of yourself. Don't worry, we'll all go somewhere soon"

So those are the 2 options, which I might have to stoop to.
If you're wondering what all the hoo-ha is about... why I'm so hyper about this (Now now, don't roll your eyes and go, 'when haven't you?' Its because this whole thing has brought in me 2 very strong feelings, one I love and one that I had missed dearly!

The one I missed was budgeting. I'm a single girl who lives with her parents. My food and stay is taken care of. Even my gas is filled for me by my dad every week. My salary more than covers for all my whims and fancies (yes, even though I might complain about it's littleness many times :P). It was...is my birthday month, so the beginning of this month saw all my savings, and a huge lump of my salary went into my birthday gift to myself, add to it a few treats, a dress I made for my sis , and I'm all but broke.
I've had a feeling, on and off, that people my age don't really have to earn so much. It all goes into savings or shopping once we're done with repaying our debts which got us to where we are.
Till I was a school girl, I was an avid saver. I would save up months of allowance for gifts. I was, and always have been big on birthdays and festivals. I love making a fuss about them, I love getting gifts, throwing parties, cakes, good food....the whole package, and more. So, all my allowance was always carefully tucked away for the next big one. Ever since college though, I've been really reckless. No saving, no tucking away coins in a purse, just here and now, here I come- kinda spending.
Last year, I worked for 3 months - savings of which happily contributed to my sedentary life at home, and Now for the past few months, sans savings (Birthdays are once in a year !!!) , I've been very happy. So now, here I am, almost 7 years after the last time I planned my money down to penny, and the feeling is just great. It's something of a secret thrill when you're deciding on how far you will stretch that penny, prioritizing, making sure there are back ups available, looking for route of least resistance, without having to compromise on the plan of maximum fun!!!

Which brings us to that second feeling :)
Do you remember, making plans when you were a kid? Not the life plans, the silly ones...the vacation plans, the retirement plans and so on... Do you remember planning them down to the last detail? Even though it was something that 'might happen in the future'.
This was one of those plans for me. To take a back pack, have a fun destination in mind. None of the major details like travel and stay arranged (when we were kids, those things just took care of themselves! SO I'm gonna let it be this time too). With the perks of this generation and adulthood.
This to me, is like a childhood fantasy which is going to be brought to light in brilliant techni-color! Seriously, how cool is that?!
I've already made my list of places to visit. My camera fully charged. My notebook picked. All I'm waiting for is for 3 more days to run !!! Then weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !

As for the budget, I'm still budgeting :P
But no compromises :D

6 days to pay day:

After writing that post, I realized that there are a few more factors which influence feeling number one. Widening options. Another perk of adulthood, one which I'm forgoing because of principles.
Third option: Your friends earn too.
(And some of them are either better at the saving thing or don't have whacko un-plans like me :P)

So my Guru (one of my best friends ;) ) reads this post and offers a loan.
Then... I know I don't normally do this, but this time, it just fits. God sensed my predicament, (He probably reads my blog too ...hmmm...) and decided that he's gonna step in as my best friend. My dad comes home yesterday and goes "Aunt (who had come visiting for the weekend) wanted me to give this to you so you can get clothes or something, she didn't have time to shop na, so"
I was staring at him with wide open eyes for a long moment, that he went 'if you don't want it, thats fine'.
"I want it! I want it! (Oh you have no idea how much :P "
So now here I am, POST shopping spree (Yes sir, I did it :D) with no financial trouble because I'm budgeting, and God stepped in :D :D :D

While I went shopping, I got a jacket for the trip too! 2.5 days !
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee