Even if I spent all day writing about Microsoft Vista and used most of the words that I won’t be using during Lent I don’t think I’d be able to describe it as well as this.

The same goes for my reviews of the Twilight series, the entire four books are more succintly summarised by these two cartoons (here and here, heaped with spoilers).

This post, however, isn’t about cartoons (maybe it should have been) it’s about my finances over the past five weeks (anyone who clicks the continue reading link has way too much free time).

Week commencing 8th December 2008

Incoming: £260 loan from my dad.

Outgoing: £0

End of Week Total: -£6,592

Money Saving Tip: Replace one meal a day with coffee.

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Week commencing 15th December 2008

Incoming: £0

Outgoing: £5 food, £273 grant over calculation replayment (this is different to the loan over calculation and can’t be paid off by a monthly direct debit, even if they tell you it can be, they are lying), £15 insurance monthly direct debit. Total £293.

End of Week Total: -£6,885

Money Saving Tip: Never trust the Student Loan Company, fake your own death, emigrate.

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Week commencing 22nd December 2008

Incoming: £265 in Premium Bonds cashed in (I was meant  to use this to pay off my dad’s loan but this didn’t happen), £90 Christmas money.  Total £355.

Outgoing: £5 food, £5 presents, £70 utilities.  Total £80.

End of Week Total: -£6,610

Money Saving Tip: Friend’s moving out?  Commandeer their frozen veg.  Remember that the true meaning of Christmas is free food, drink and heating.

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Week commencing 29th December 2008

Incoming: £0.

Outgoing: £30 food, £30 drink (?), £5 entertainment, repaid Frosty £30, £55 additional (?) Total £150.

End of Week Total: -£6,820

Money Saving Tip: If a man whose hobbies include playing bongos and staring at the sun asks to borrow money say no.

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Week commencing 5th January 2009

Incoming: £10 from my Gran. Total £10 (that second sentence seems somehow redundant).

Outgoing: £35 food, £20 drink, £6 entertainment, £25 phone contract (yes, Vodafone calculated my £25 a month contract as being £25, go team Vodafone!)  £10 direct debit for Amnesty International, £5 additional. Total £101.

End of Week Total: -£6,851

Money Saving Tip: 99p pints in Wetherspoons, free drinks in a certain special bar, not drinking.

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Week commencing 12th January 2009

Incoming: £0 so far.

Outgoing: £6 food, £20 loan over calculation replayment, £728 rent, £15 insurance monthly direct debit.  £769 so far.

Midweek Total: -£7,620