Happy New Year! A New Project and welcoming an elephant.....

 And so that was 2021 then!

As I've so woefully failed at my attempts to get this blog rolling properly on a number of occasions this is an almighty push to get some ideas I've played with over time onto the (web)page.

I'm aiming at getting 365 thoughts down, but not necessarily as 365 regular posts. I'm just going to start and see where it takes me.

I toyed with all sorts of titles and headings and pictures and introductions and... well, I was in danger of turning the whole process into another unfinished project before I even got started. I kept coming back to that saying - you know the one..

How do you eat an elephant?  

One bite at a time!

Say hello to my first elephant of the year....

Here's the 'why' bit....

It's been an expensive time - new drive, paths, wall, fence, car, lawn, electrics, bits of decoration, and on and on. So it's time to recoup a bit, well a lot really. I've lots of tips and hints and ideas that I've pondered, researched, read about, bookmarked and so on over time, but now's the chance to put them into practice in a more organised and orderly way. 

And the 'how' ...

In order to make myself a bit more focused and accountable I'm going to record my steps, one day at a time and see where it gets me. I wasn't meaning to start this on January 1st as I was hoping it was a timeless scheme that I could return to at any point and pick up again. However here I am with time to type so why wait?

My plan is to set a task for every day to tidy up and improve my financial elephant. I'm aiming for 12 months of 30 days with some 'bonus' days of ideas or activities - making something as a present for example - to create 365 (or perhaps I should make it 366  so I can return to the plan in a Leap Year?) daily 'bites'.

Of course, I'm sure that my easily distracted brain will lead me to photograph fabric finds or yarn I just had to knit or some craft project I won't be able to turn down, so no doubt those will invade from time to time too. Making 'stuff' is just too close to my heart after all.

I'm going to write this like instructions to myself so it might sound a bit strange - I'll change it if it doesn't work, but well - nothing ventured eh?

Anyway here's Month 1 - How big is the elephant?

Here's where we start the finding out. Before really getting to grips with saving, spending, budgeting - anything - we all need to know where we are and the size of the elephant waiting for us.

This first month is all about finding out exactly what the situation is as regards to finances, assets and opportunities. Along the way there may be some instant 'fixes' that are thrown up by the research tasks, but the main purpose of the tasks this month is to full paint the picture of what spending is going on, what's available for use already in terms of resources and to provide plenty of information for planning the next moves forwards.

With no further ado today's task is both quick and long term too! Today is a day to start recording ALL expenditure. It doesn't matter if it's on paper or an app or listed on the phone. There is just one rule - no buying a pretty notebook or paying for a flashy app. Just record what's been spent and give it a category - food, entertainment, utilities - whatever. This will need to happen EVERY day for EVERY spend so it needs to be quick, simple and easy or it'll never happen past the first week! 

Right, research that app or find some paper and start NOW.

As it's a quick and easy task - aided by the fact that I've been busy and not spending anything so will only take the time it needs to download an app I've been looking at I'm adding Bonus Day 1 too!

Christmas 2021 is now all packed up and sorted out.

This careful wrapping an packing helps me to make sure the decorations are all ready for next time with new makes...

and old favourites safely stored.

Any breakages can be extracted for surgery ..

While the cards can be re-read, enjoyed and sorted.

First I make sure to list who's sent cards this time to make sure I don't leave anyone out in 2022. Then I just date those I'm keeping for posterity, cut the backs from any I'm holding onto for inspiration, ideas or reusing. Then I detach any bits - like the stocking and star here- that I might use on cards next year, cut up blank sections for shopping lists or notes and only get left with a small pile for recycling.

All saves time and money for next Christmas.

Howzat I've actually done my first two steps.. Let's see how long I keep it up!