My Savings Bullet Journal Spread (AKA: How I’m Staying In Australia)

Hello, my gorgeous blog family – how are all of your pretty faces doing today? Oh, me? Why, I’m fine, thank you for asking. Actually, I’m slightly better than fine; I’m feeling productive. Rare for me these days, I agree, so we’re really going to rinse it for all it’s worth.

If you guys read my post on Setting Up July In My Bullet Journal, you will already know that my focus for July is financial – but today I’m going to be taking you through why I’m setting these goals . . . and how I plan to actually achieve them.

First of all, the why.

You guys are already aware of the fact that I’m currently living abroad in Australia, but I’m actually coming up to the end of my first year here (crazy!). Now, to extend your working holiday visa, you have to do three solid months or 88 days of farmwork. I actually did try to leave Melbourne to do my farmwork with three friends of mine, but we ended up being seriously screwed over in a situation that left us living? Out? Of? Our? Car?

Anyways, moving swiftly on.

At that point, the whole farmwork gig was not on the cards for me. I was over Australia, ready to follow the Canadians to the mountains at the end of my year and that was that. However, after a month’s cooldown period in Brisbane, I realised that I didn’t actually want to go to Canada yet. My boyfriend’s in Australia, I want to travel it properly before I leave and I wouldn’t actually have enough time to save to go anyway.

Now, as I’ve mentioned, your girl didn’t do her farmwork – so my second year visa wasn’t an option. Short of getting sponsored (which is not really an option), the only thing I could do was a student visa.

On first glance, this was a no go. You have to pay your costs upfront, there aren’t loans available because you’re foreign . . . and, on top of that, there are working restrictions which mean that you can’t work more than 20 hours a week on a student visa.

However, after a little more research, it got a teensy bit more achievable. While there are upfront costs, they aren’t completely unbearable (just a bit eye-watering) and there are definite ways around everything else.

My main limitation is that I need to raise a set amount of money before my current visa expires – which is in less than two months. So to help me at least try to meet this goal, I’ve made myself a savings roadmap. Let’s take a look at how this baby works.

WHAT I USED:

Pink Floral Stickers – Aliexpress – £0.51 (free worldwide shipping!)

Because I’m obsessed with flowers and vines, I naturally used that as my doodle inspiration. I drew a twisting vine in a kind of roadmap/journey style, with each leaf being $150 AUD.

I essentially sat down, broke up all of my costs and laid them out on a map by when they were due.

• So first up is my monthly rent, which is $600 AUD. – 22nd July
• Student Insurance $600 AUD
• Enrolment Fee $150 AUD
• First Term Deposit $1650 AUD – these three costs need to be paid before I can apply for my student visa
• Student Visa $600 AUD (actually only $575, but I’m over calculating most things a little to give me wiggle room.) – 4th of September
• I didn’t write it on the map, but I added in an additional $1400 for a bond, in case my next rental place needs one
• Term 2 Tuition $1650 AUD – Jan
• Term 3 Tuition $1650 AUD – April
• Term 4 Tuition $1650 AUD – August

My eyes are actually watering just looking at those horrific numbers, but anyway! The small consolotation is that you can pretty much half everything – £1 is pretty much $2 AUD, so I’m just trying to think of it in terms of pounds.

Anyways! There are lots of things I’m planning on doing to raise the money, but one thing I’ve already started is launched my Etsy store. I currently have a few things available to purchase, so feel free to bookmark and share.

Large Tub Floral Bath Salts – £9.75

His & Her’s Bath Salts Set –  £11.47

Jar Of Dried Flowers – £6.88

It’s all cute, handmade stuff, so do check it out! I’m also going to be writing more affiliate posts (although I do have a big guide to affiliate links and how to earn with them coming up, so I’m sharing the love), freelancing and so on and so forth. I’m actually going to write another post about how to earn extra cash on the side, so you guys have some ideas for if you want to boost your incomes too – but that’s pretty much what I’m saving for!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. If you are a fellow stationery junkie like myself, make sure you’re following my Bullet Journalling Pinterest board.

Alright, kiddies, I think we can end it there! Did you like my style of savings tracker? Do you use your bullet journal to help meet your financial goals? Did you like my Etsy store? And does anyone have suggestions for good ways to earn that extra cash? Let me know your thoughts down below!

Peace,

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