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November 2011 marked a one year anniversary of my first steps into the investing world. In my final two years at university I copiously researched investing (risk tolerance, where to invest effectively for tax purposes etc) and finally decided to take the plunge three months into my first job out of university. November 2011 has also marked some important steps in progressing my finances. As I’ve mentioned in previous articles – personal finance management does not stop. You must continue to stay on top of your situation and ensure your money is making money for you whilst you sleep. Complacency and personal finance should never be said in the same sentence.

What are the three steps I’ve taken this month?

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This weekend passed I was looking through my expenses of the last few months. Since I moved out of my sister’s place and back into Central London I knew that my expenses would have increased. I was careful at the beginning of the year to sort out my budget which takes on the 70/20/10 structure. I’ve never been great at splitting my money into more than essentials, non-essentials and savings so this budget always worked best for me. View full article »

Primarily this blog is about sharing experiences of money management and giving advice to students and graduates as they progress through their careers. Over the years, I’ve developed sound devices for money management including tracking expenses, developing a budget that works for me  and investing in the stock market whilst remaining highly diversified

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I’ve recently been promoted and am over the moon as I’ve been working long hours and more intensively than I ever have before. The time and energy put in has finally paid off. With the economy making it difficult for graduates to get a job I feel incredibly fortunate to have a job let alone a career. The promotion was not something that I could have achieved on my own and it was with the help of the great bloggers that I follow religiously and of course with the support of my line manager. With a combination of my experience and the great tips I took from others I’ve compiled a list of must-do’s to ensure steady, career progression and that all important promotion.  View full article »

New to The Thrift Diaries?

Maureen is on holiday this week.

If you’re new to the blog then Welcome! I hope that what you read on here is accessible and applicable to your situation whether you’ve just started uni, just graduated or have been working for a few years already. My aim is to share my experiences of personal finance management back when I started as a fresh-faced 15-year-old up, throughout my years of university and finally through my 2nd year of being in the working world. View full article »

One month has passed since I moved back to Central London. I can’t believe how quickly time has gone by but I am over the moon with my new flat. I’m closer to work, I have more time either side of working hours and I’m able to go on big nights out with friends. Reducing the amount of time by not having a big commute means I can spend more time doing the things I enjoy. View full article »

This weekend gone I successfully moved into my fifth flat in five years. I’m living in Central London again having spent one year paying minimal rent by staying with my sister and brother-in-law (back then just a fiance – hence the move). My intention is to keep moving around so that I can make a good habit of not having too much stuff. Five years on it seems things are worse than they were when I was at university. So how have things changed?  View full article »

No one cares more about your money than you do. One of my favourite personal finance bloggers mentions this frequently on his website and it has stuck with me too. It’s fact. Your parents tell you to do this, your friends something else and your colleagues tell you something completely different. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about what you should do with your money. This blog aims to provide you with a positive way of thinking about your money management and also tries to encourage readers to be proactive. I even provide you snippets of how I manage my money but in the end it comes down to what you think. View full article »

The Money Diaries @ I Will Teach You To Be Rich: Based on New York Magazine’s Sex Diaries. A collection of stories from real people about their spending habits over seven days, anonymized and posted here.

When renting is smarter than buying @ Get Rich Slowly: This a topic that many people feel strongly about. Myths such as ‘you’re throwing money away’ tend to transpire when the discussion gets underway. Sometimes it can make more sense to rent.

Extreme Early Retirement in Practice @ Get Rich Slowly: I’m always keen for young people and graduates especially to take their pension and retirement seriously. If you’re not contributing to your pension yet when do you expect to start? This article will help to put things into perspective.

Why We Save @ The Simple Dollar: The simplicity of everything we do. Trent’s 5 year old is saving for a Nintendo DS. If a 5 year old can save surely anyone can?

I have a diverse group of friends. What I love about having a diverse group is that I get to discuss a variety of topics and we have some great debates. One topic that comes up frequently in conversation is Money. This is a topic that I naturally enjoy discussing because it’s a hot topic but let’s not forget that it is still a table topic taboo in British culture. We’re all feeling the squeeze with inflation rising to 5%, pay freezes and the dream of buying a house becoming ever more distant. View full article »

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