I see you're getting into the Allie Brosh/J Money Paint drawings, hmmm?

I don't personally think there's any value in no spend days - I don't tend to spend during the week anyway, although I know others have issues with small, here and there purchases that add up.

However, I am embarking on a no new clothing/beauty purchase year. I think it's doable. I don't wear much makeup or do much to my skin and should have more than enough to keep me going through 2012. Clothing wise I may need to replace my ballet flats as I wear them through really fast, but again, unless I change jobs which I don't expect, I shouldn't need any wardrobe additions.

Ugh. Pre 2010 we spent $50 on cellphones (prepaid) between us two a month. Now, we both have smartphones. Mine is free, company pays for it, his costs between $40-60 a month. And now we have pay TV, which is at least $50 a month (depending on any movies we buy, or if we put on the film channel package that month).

Big changes indeed! Hope you know I expect a link to the upcoming style blog

Congrats!!!!!

A few thoughts:

- For advice, Dave Ramsey, Gail Oxvlade or Suze Orman might be helpful.

- It seems more than anything you have a cashflow problem. For me, the easiest way hands down to make money has been tutoring or essay editing (high school or uni level, although the latter is more lucrative). Not sure what your degree is in but I'm sure you have skills you could monetise.

- I know cashflow problems. My partner and I just couldn't make it work while I was still studying and he was still unemployed. Once we got our income up a bit and got a little bit ahead and out of that pay to pay rut, it slowly got easier. I know you may not be able to save on your current income but the key is building up that buffer (and not eating into it everytime things get tight). For me, simplifying everything as much as possible was my magic solution - particularly figuring out how much utilities, insurance, vehicle repairs etc were, then putting away a certain amount every week into a subaccount for those, then drawing from it as needed. Before that, every time a bill hit I went into a minor panic.

- Also, do you know exactly where all your money is going, down to the dollar? If not, tracking your spending for a week or month could be really helpful in cutting out any fat - either using old fashioned pen and paper, or online.

I would prefer if my partner made more money than me, because I'm never going to get rich in journalism (and I'm not willing to give it up.) As long as I have enough for the basics and enough on top to save and travel, I'm happy.

I make nearly double what my fiance makes, depending on his hours in any given week. I'm okay with that. I would obviously prefer it if he made more because he has some debt, and he's a natural spender while I'm a saver.

While I was still studying, he made much more than me - probably what I make now - but I have to admit we squandered it as we weren't managing our money, and had lots of dramas with cars and other expensive things.

For me, I think what it comes down to is us both making enough together, and ideally in fairly equal amounts - but the total amount is more important.

I could see myself, in all honesty, turning resentful if we were to split up. I know my faults. But I am 99.99% sure he wouldn't, because he's just not that kind of person (money doesn't mean the same thing to him as it does to me).

But no, we're not planning on a prenup.

Uggg. I like cake. I don't want to pay a wedding premium for cake. I'll be following your quest very closely!

The plan is to buy a 3bed family house in the burbs in around 7 years. Between 300k-400k. I also have travel goals to meet before then, so basically I'm just funneling as much as I can into online savings accounts/term deposits. Travel is the first priority, so once all those funds are full and those trips are done, then I'll mentally direct everything into a downpayment fund.

You just gotta pick yourself up after taking a break and get back on the wagon when you're ready. No matter how bad you think you've been doing, I know it could be a lot worse! And totally agree - bringing your A game is the goal, but sometimes your best has to be good enough.