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Archive for May, 2008

Thinking of moving out

May 31st, 2008 at 02:35 am

Hey everybody,

Well I'm thinking of moving out to an apartement that my godbrother suggested me to his friend and girlfriend.

The appartement is a condo style place, I get a room for myself, plenty of closet space and I find it big and comfortable enought. It's a few walks from the bus station, in front of a shopping centre, in front of a Loblaw grocery store and there's two bus next to the appartement where I can take it to go to school right away. In the morning, I don't need to walk 10-15 min to a bus station and I don't need to take two buses to go to school in the afternoon. The only downfall is that I have to work to be able to pay the rent, food, utilities and all my personal needs. Not to forget cooking for myself... Which I suck at it but the people who I am going to live with will teach me how to cook.

Here what the monthly cost for different things will be:

Rent/utilities/cable/internet: 350$
Phone bill: 45$
Bus card:45$
Food: 100$

Total: 540$

Monthly needs:
Skin product: 24.45$
Laser treatment: 40$
cosmetic/other: 30$

Total: 94.45$

Total: 634.45$

My dad is going to give me the monthly allowance (200$) and he will pay my school fees and books)

Reduce 200$ from the total: 434.45$

I earn close to 690$ per month at Tim Hortons so I will get to save 1/3. Although I have to be prepare for any hidden fee such as entertainement. The appartement will include a swimming pool and a gym to work out. All I have to pay is the key to enter there and I can bring a friend or two to workout.

Another disavantage is that I won't get to save for my Japan trip as fast as I would like. Also, I will have to get serious about saving. Since living with my parents, all over the limit purchase are forgivable since... Well I don't have to pay for anything.

My dad was seriously not supportive of me moving because he thinks I won't be able to concentrate on my studies and all that. He won't help me in anything at all and I have to convince him to give me the allowance and pay for my books. I just asked him if he could bring me to places where I can buy furnitures. He thought I was going to take care of anything. Can't I have any guidance DAD?!!

The reasons why I want to move are plenty. There are times this house gets violent and it's usually in school times. It makes me stress because of problems at home and I can't concentrate well in school. Moving out into a new environnement will make me more responsible and I will learn how to cook, clean and everything. Most of all, it will open my eyes to the real world. My parents overprotect me because they've heard all kind of horror stories but I wanna prove to them that I can be on my own and that I will take precaution in things. It seems that this family especially in all side of my family tries to lead me into the right path. What right path?! If you guys try to overprotect me then I will be friken miserable in my life. I know that my decisions may not be the best all the time but I will learn from my mistakes and I will grow.

Anyways,if I got to my final decision then I will start moving on August 1st. By then, I will get to save as much as possible before that date, hopefully ^.^



Artists that I love!!

May 29th, 2008 at 07:07 pm

Hey everybody!

I made a Tina suggestion category to recommend you guys about books,artists,songs,places,etc that I love!!

One of my favourite singer is Tamia. She's Canadian and I really love her songs especially her songs from Just between friends album.

Here are some of my favourite songs from her singing live:

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQYRn5Ra0Wg and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQYRn5Ra0Wg

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tCvkaP0hoo&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tCvkaP0hoo&feature=related

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdzFK0IHjdI&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdzFK0IHjdI&feature=related

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_K6I2f1zgU&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_K6I2f1zgU&feature=related

Her singing a cover of Aretha Franklin's Day Dreaming:

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU4gxsvzDac and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU4gxsvzDac

Her songs from her album Just between friends:

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugIv2SJ-tDg&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugIv2SJ-tDg&feature=related

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itnIP2MqaUY and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itnIP2MqaUY

There's many more but you guys have to look around =]

Another one of my favourite artist is Craig David, a British singer. I love many of his old songs like:

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YCXJcoCBGI and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YCXJcoCBGI

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61SwMaHXm98&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61SwMaHXm98&feature=related

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qog5QsmdKjw&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qog5QsmdKjw&feature=related

The song with Sting:

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07JQ29UVd2I&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07JQ29UVd2I&feature=related

No matter what, I still love Corneille! My favourite French singer!

Here are some of his songs from his first and second album:

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwWYZ1chvR8 and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwWYZ1chvR8

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YwNh3XUb7o&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YwNh3XUb7o&feature=related

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHXLQLzrQ1M&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHXLQLzrQ1M&feature=related

Text is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohW_MzFwi3o&feature=related and Link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohW_MzFwi3o&feature=related


That's all!! I got plenty of more to recommend but I don't want to bombard this post with too much links! =]

Next on Tina suggestion, I will present to you guys different asian artists that I love =D

Planning for Morocco part 1

May 29th, 2008 at 05:21 pm

I decided that I should plan for what I need in Morocco now.

The reason why I buy bikinis is that my friend lives in Mohammedia, a popular beach place in Morocco and she lives near a beach. I only have one bikini so that's why I wanted to buy some more. Three set of bikinis were 148.49$ and I do regret spending that much. The reason why it cost so much is because of my third set of bikini. The two others would make it around 60$ but I wanted the third one because it was cute. It was 70$ the third one... .__." I know I know... I could go look for a cheaper one and the bikini could be on sale two weeks later. Now I can't return the third one...

Anyways, I do need to buy 1-3 conservative tops and maybe... another conservative pant (I have a black loose pant at home) Hopefully, I will spend less than 200$. It will be hard to find conservative clothes since it's almost summer now. I hope to find those loose ones... I don't want to die of heat @.@". I will also use this money to buy a hat (My friend will give me her hat if I like it) and a pair of sunglasses.

As for my digital camera, I think I would be able to save 400$. Of course I won't buy an expensive one. I would try to look around the internet and newspaper for an inexpensive good camera in order to save as much as possible from now on.

I will visit a travel clinic center to see if I need any shots or some sort. I read information about Morocco and it said that I don't need any shots of any sort but I have to make sure I already have for Hepetite A.

I looked at what I can and can't bring in the plane. My friend in Morocco asked me if I can bring her 60 donuts from Tim Hortons... Can I bring food in the plane? I don't think I can fit five boxes of 12 donuts in my bag... Hell it would be too much. Not to mention a box of French Vanilla and English Caramel would be even more. I will try I guess.

As for suncream, I bought a 30 sps and I might buy a 45 sps. I will buy a small less than 100 ml bottle to put sun cream in so I can put some when I arrive to Morocco. Just a precaution, I might get a sunburn... Which I never ever got one in my life in Canada because there are times that it gets 25-33 degrees outside and I was fine. Anyways, I don't want to get cancer or any sort in the future.

Tomorrow Friday, I will visit the health clinic to check if I need anything.

I admit... I am not proud of myself

May 28th, 2008 at 06:11 am

I have a spending problem! Yes Christina is a spender now... I love clothes! I love food! I love to travel! Even my brother's girlfriend is scared of me that I will bring back shopping bags from my window shopping with my friend today.

Here's what I did wrong this week...

Monday, I went to eat at Burger King after meeting my boyfriend at the bus station because I slept late the night before so I couldn't make myself to eat. 6$ spend... I donate 4$ for the China earthquake which is consider okay except I have no extra to give away and it was not plan. I bought 27.19$ worth of beauty product and food at Walkt-Mart. 5.99$ for sharing the cost of the food with my boyfriend. Geez... I'm so bad I spend like 38$ in one day!!

Tuesday, I bought a frappuchino green tea at Starbucks. I don't go buy drinks often but man the drink cost almost 5$ alone. Then I went to eat lunch and I spend 6$ again for spaghetti. I bought three sets of bikini for 148.49$ and... that's about it =S!! I need bikinis for the beach in Morocco and other place but I certainly don't need that much and I can't return it!

I knew the consequence in it but I thought it wouldn't be too bad. It doesn't matter if we know the consequence but how we are going to pay it back. There this magic thinking that everything will be fine even though I bought the purchases... Grr... I hate it hate it hate it!!

Anyways, I have to take off my digital camera buying before the trip but put it after. I'm using my dad so I will have less to save for now.

I guess I have to make sacrifice!!

5$ less in phone bill

May 25th, 2008 at 05:00 am

I called this morning to get rid of the 5$ text option. The customer service said my next bill will have 1/2 of the 5$. I don't mind anyways because I get to spend spend 2.50$ less and no more 5$ extra the one after this. I'm happy!

My shift at work is 3 to 11 pm and I got 22$ tips. Tomorrow I work 8am to 3pm. Let's see how much tips I'll get this weekend =P

Just those bills...

May 24th, 2008 at 04:32 am

I have my cellphone bill to pay each month which make 50.17$!!

The plan was 25$ with 100 min day call and 1000 min night call... I also get unlimited receive call. Except there's no caller display which I have to add 7$. Then 50 cents for 911 emergency fee, system access fee for 6.95$ and not to mention I add 5$ for 500 text messages (the lowest package). I am beginning to think if I really need the text messaging option.

Recently, I text a lot to my friends but I can reduce the amount by a lot. I don't need to reply stupidly hahahaha... Well anyways. I am planning to cancel the 5$ for 500 text messages tomorrow. That way, I spend 5$ less.

As for the rest of the plan, I need my caller display to be able to reach people whom I miss their calls like my boss for example. If he wants me to give me more hours in the summer. I will make more rather than losing a couple hundred by refusing to pay for 7$/month on call display. So I'm keeping that opinion.

I expect to have in the 40's on my next bill... Hopefully. I got the best plan so far and I can't cancel my contract for another two years or so. I'm stuck with it for months to come. That mean, I need to make place for it.

Over 7000$ in mutual funds!!

May 23rd, 2008 at 06:58 pm

Last night, I talked with my financial advisor to see how much I have in my mutual fund. I have over 7000$ in there!! By next year, I can pull out all the money without penalty and transfer part of it to my name.

My dad refuses to sign anything that has to do with deposit my money or transfer to my name because again for reason such as "she's a bad person!" without any proofs or whatsoever. I had no choice but to pull out my money in order to have it in my name. Part of the money was for my travel fund initially which I will put it in my Japan trip. Although I can open a new account after my Morocco trip for future only and take the money in my mutual funds with my dad name on it for my Japan trip or take at least 5000$ in it for the trip. Then again, it is not till August 2009 that I can take it out. I could also put it in another mutual fund for another two years. Ummm... That sounds like a good idea.

Japan trip:
Old amount: 255$
New amount: 7255$

When I finially get a 10000$, I might add 2000$ to visit China and Tibet a little bit with my boyfriend. I guess we'll see about that next year. I'm sure I won't spend 10 000$ in my stay in Japan. I'm going to stay there for a least a month, the only person who will wipe out my money is my dear friend whom doesn't want me to mention his/her name. Other than that, I will surely have some left overs... Unless there's too much things to do there. My boyfriend said he wants to try everything. xD Well... Gotta enjoy while we can there. Haha... I can't wait.

I save 5$ today!

May 23rd, 2008 at 12:33 am

I save 5$ from my laser hair treatment. The lady gave me rebate for referring a new client to her. Now I only pay 40$ for the next four treatments. OMG I'm so happy =D

My weekly allowance exceed this week so next week, I only have 20$. Although, I'm planning to have only 15$ and put the 5$ in one of my ticker. I think I will put it in my Japan trip ^.^!! Yes!!

Old amount: 250$
New amount: 255$

I'm going to call my financial advisor tonight to see how much I have in my travel mutual fund. The one where I open when I was 17 years old. Hopefully, I can take it out next year and another one of my mutual for my future to put in my name this time. This way, I can put my money without my dad approval. Since he does not like my advisor for non important reasons, I will still stay with her because she has been very honest with me so far and I trust her enough to manage my money.

Today it's official...

May 23rd, 2008 at 12:22 am

NO MORE SCHOOL FOR 3 MONTHS!! WOHOOOO!!

I finished my French writting exam and I received my paycheck ^.^!!

I got 323.33$ YES!!

The bad news is... I bought black shoes for work so I spend around 90$ for it. There's no nicer shoes that was less than this or they don't have my size. *Sigh*

So yeah I need to pay back in my credit card.

323.33 - 90.29$ = 233.04$

Nooo.. My future digital camera =(

Here what I will put the money in...

Digital camera: 200$
Japan trip: 30$
The 3.40$ will stay in my bank xD.

Digital camera:
Old amount: 0$
New amount: 200$

Japan trip:
Old amount: 220$
New amount: 250$

Paycheck should come tomorrow

May 22nd, 2008 at 01:39 am

Guess what I also have tomorrow? A French writting exam!

Technically, my first paycheck at Tim Hortons and my final French exam are both coming tomorrow. With the money that I get in my paycheck, I hope to get at least 300$ so I can put a mass amount in my digital camera and a little bit on my Japan or other savings. If I get more hours in the weekdays starting next week, I will earn at least 1000$ before I go to Morocco.

I add conservative clothes option because when I go to Morocco, I will need conservative shirts. The ones that I have are too revealing for them. I'll probably won't spend all 200$ because most of them will be shirts and one/two skirts. The clothes are not only for Morocco, they are for other conservative countries that I might visit someday.

I have yet to decide how much I receive as allowance per week. My boyfriend agrees on taking care of giving me the allowance because well... He will get to see me at least once a week. Hehe! It's a good deal. I get to control my spending money and he gets to see me once a week. I'll probably get 30$/week. Not sure yet. It is a lot but I want to pay some things such as laser hair treatment for the armpits and for outings with friends in the summer.

The reason why I get a laser hair treatment is my personal choice. My armpits are really sensible to razors, I dislike chemical lotion a lot and I always hurt myself when I pluck it with a twiser. With laser hair treatment, I won't have any armpits hair forever. It is expensive though, around 370$ for 8 treatments. I have to go to the salon every 6 weeks to get it done. I am at my fifth one tomorrow and my hair is almost gone. It is growing less and less each treatment and I am super happy. It is worth the money.

If I get 30$/week... That makes 120$/month for the summer. If I start my allowance in June. Let see...

120$ monthly allowance that I have estimate that I will spend:

Expense:
- Laser hair treatment: 45$
- Going out with my boyfriend: 40$
- Going out with friends: 20$

Total: 105$
Left over: 15$

Thank god I have an easy going boyfriend. We barely spend on anything in school days. For summer, I am sure we will spend 40$ per month because we will be going clubbing for the first time together on my birthday. We will split our taxi cost with another couple and we are planning to sleep in a tent near GuiGui house. The taxi might cost 10$/each because we will be about 4-5 riding the taxi together. It will surely cut the cost by a lot, probably by 5-6$ not sure yet.

My summer vacation will probably be a spendy time since I'm not in school and I want to enjoy my first summer in college while I can.

Well I'm done rambling. Thanks for reading this. xD

Miscalculation in my challenge money

May 21st, 2008 at 09:15 pm

I recount my challenge money for Japan and there's only 220$ in it!! OMG... I totally miscalculated the amount. Darn it!

Hitting another hundred

May 18th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

This weekend, I received 58$ tips from work. I work double shifts yesterday (13 hours) because I was covering part of my friend work so she could go out with her boyfriend. I was really tired today at work and I was half asleep. It was a bad idea to work 7am to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm yesterday. I was literally dead when I work from 7 am to 3pm today. I didn't get enought sleep and I made a lot of little mistakes.

I count the hours that I work so far, I did 40 hours of work in two weeks. This thursday, I'm expecting a paycheck around 300$. When the paycheck arrive in my bank account, I will put part of the money in my digital camera and part of it in my challenge money. I'm still thinking about the allowance I will be giving myself each week and have my boyfriend give it to me instead. I trust him on holding my bank card and my credit card for awhile.

Let's take a look at my challenge money:

Old amount: 230$
New amount: 320$

I add 50$ from my tips to my challenge money, another 30$ from my bank (I have around 90$ in my bank account right now) and 10$ from my piggy bank.

Also, I took out my France trip and my Cuba trip. I don't think I will have enought money for France by next year because of my Japan trip and I prefer to see my friends in London and in the north of France 2009 for two weeks (Still not sure yet).As for Cuba, my boyfriend suggested me a beach place in the US last Friday which it will be way less expensive than Cuba. He said it's an unknown destination between Florida and Walt-Disney where we can go by car. I might go there with two other couple if they are available next winter. If not, then there's always another destination to choose from. I have to make sure it is something my boyfriend can afford, he is not crazy like me who wants to go everywhere and he might not work when school starts again.

By the way, some people are concern about me traveling alone but I prefer to travel at my own ease. I don't want to feel restrain by anyone. If I want to go somewhere and nobody want to go I don't care, I'm going to travel to that destination anyways. Of course I will take precaution and I will make sure that the destination I go to is safe for me.

Weekly income

May 12th, 2008 at 12:38 am

I started working yesterday for the first time in five months at Tim Hortons. I started out at the sandwich counter which was stressing for me because it has been awhile I haven't went through that much stress but I kept my cool all day and today too. I was surprise that I remember many things at work. I really look like I haven't left at all.

Let's see how much tips I got in these two days. Yesterday, tip was 31$ and today, it was 29$. In total, I got 60$ of tip. The 1$ went into my piggy bank and the 30$ went in my personal spending money for Morocco (I was missing 100$). My 25$ today will go to the Japan trip saving.

Old amount: 205$
New Amount: 230$

The 4$ left will also go to my piggy bank.

From now on, I'll be getting a weekly income which is the tips and bi-weekly another income. I hope to be able to save at least 2000$ this summer by working a lot before and after my Morocco trip and before school start.

Getting my job back

May 8th, 2008 at 04:00 am

I'm going to start working this weekend at Tim Hortons. Aaah yes, I'm taking my job back because I want to earn money and it's the job that I see myself doing for the moment. I figure that I need a job with good pay and time can pass really fast. Since I don't want to work too many days but many hours in one day, Tim Hortons is the best choice so far.

I'll be able to contribute to my challenge money from now on.

One week and a half left of school

May 4th, 2008 at 10:57 pm

Starting tomorrow, I will have a week and a half left of school which is great. I will get to work a little to contribute in my 20$ challenge money. Not to mention... It's almost my trip to Morocco! Yes!!

I count my piggy bank and my allowance money from my parents. I have accumulates 100$ for my challenge money.

Old amount: 105$
New amount: 205$