Attempting to Save as a Twenty-Something

Honestly, I have always been pretty good with money. I know when I should and shouldn't be saving and if I want something I'll work my arse off until I get it, but as I entered the new year (accompanied by a disgusting amount of chinese food) I was hit by the sudden realisation that my efforts just aren't cutting it.

This year marks the end of my time at university, the end of my student loan and the beginning of adulthood, and in all honesty that scares the shit out of me. I look at other people my age and wonder how the heck they are able to afford the things they do? A handbag here, a weekend in Paris there, whilst little old me is praying that if I work really hard for the forseeable future there might be a spot on the property ladder for me by the time I'm 25. So that gives me three years to get my financial shit together (soz about the multiple shits) which at present makes me want to weep into my share bag of mini eggs.

Being a full time student, my part time wage doesn't leave me a lot of spending money, and as somebody that doesn't earn the same amount each month either budgeting can be hard. Over the next 12 months or I'm aiming to make a pretty hefty dent in my savings goal and although right now it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, I'm hoping that in getting the ball rolling early on I'll be living like a queen in no time, LOL. By giving myself a rough spend and save limit from payday onwards I'm hoping it will allow me to track my finances, as well as identifying where things may have gone wrong (I can confirm that 99% of the time things go wrong in Topshop) I am also going to be unsubscribing from store newsletters... because the temptation is v real. 

Although I try my hardest to be good with money I am also prone to the occasional slip, but that is OK. I am definitely not somebody to shy away from an all you can eat Chinese buffet, when I get sad I like buy myself something new (because new things make me happy) and if my boyfriend suggests a spontaneous trip to the pub then you know that I'm all for it... The fact of the matter is that life is expensive, but if you can't treat yourself every once in a while then what is the flippin point? As badly as I want to save for a house deposit and a mortgage (as well as a snazzy All Saints jacket) I know there will be countless fuck ups along the way, so for now all I can do is try and make conscious decisions when it comes to spending and saving and hope that my bank balance will rejoice. CAN I GET AN AMEN?