Day Three brings a Confession!

Having recorded today’s spending and filed the receipts in the box for financial paperwork I have a confession to make. 

The main spending today was food so that’s okay, the second stop I made was for yarn.... I know, only a couple of days into the plan and I’ve been seduced by craft!

Actually it’s all the fault of this particular yarn....

I got this a while ago as I thought it would make a comfortable jumper for my niece’s oldest, which it has. The only problem is that it sort of looks like pink flowers, which isn’t quite in keeping with his usual Fortnite/Superhero type choice of clothing. Although his sister rather likes it and is happy to receive the jumper when it’s finished, she had already chosen some pink yarn for her jumper. That leaves her with two jumpers and him with none (other than the fetching sparkly red and green number I’ve shown before that meant I had to do a sparkly lilac one for her in the interests of balance).

We had a conversation about this recently and he asked for a grey, blue and white mix. Having found some grey there was the small matter of finding the blue and white as well as the yarn for something to give him when the pink one reaches his sister!

Luckily I found what I needed, hence the spend, but it meant that I couldn’t wedge any more into the craft cupboard I’ve been filling up so I had to empty it all and tidy up!  Good thing today’s ‘bite’ was another quick and simple one.

At this moment in time I'm just bearing in mind the fact that my other niece's girls in Italy will need to be treated to something too ... I think I might just have the yarn for that.

Month 1 - Day 3

Check bank account.

Since I’ve put my banking app on my phone it’s proving to be easy to check. When money is an issue it’s often easier to ignore this, but it’s not a good idea!

First to check how many accounts are held with any providers and whether they are all active. Ensuring you know the available balances as well as when any next payments (either in or out) are due is crucial to avoiding charges or unpleasant surprises.

Taking a look at all the direct debits or other regular automated payments that go out means I’ll know if they are all relevant and correct.

By finding any unused subscriptions or payments that are no longer relevant it should be easy to see if any action is needed. I’m happy to keep the tennis club subscription - I was only there this morning so it’s well used....

But I have seen a sports channel that neither of us has watched in a while so it seems a good idea to cancel hat.. No point in money going out for no reason!

Job done!

So Far, So Good!

My plans are always fine in principle, but often fall apart somewhat due to lots of factors.

This last Christmas I was going to scale back on what I made and start early, but then..

My neighbour kindly passed on a whole pile of dolls for my two nieces' girls. They were great dolls - however they were clothes-less... So the whole Christmas making couldn't start till I'd got them dressed and ready, especially with the little clan from Italy due over in November. 

I was quite pleased with the finished articles (I'll only bore you with one photo as there were 6 dolls all with endless wardrobes to be created obviously!) as I didn't have any patterns and so made all their collections from odds and ends and creative thinking!

Cards were next on the agenda and so I did get on pretty well with those until.....

                            

I was asked to help out by doing a craft stall at a local event. As I hadn't got much made because I'd promised myself no more craft fairs it meant a mass production of decorations, gift bags and bunting.

Sadly, due to Covid happenings and the venue not being ready, the fair didn't go ahead - still if I'm asked next Christmas I've got some stock!

That meant that I needed to crack on with presents - coasters, socks, jumpers - you name it.. Thankfully all but one pair of socks got finished, wrapped and given. The final pair of socks got to its new owner on Friday!

Perhaps this year I need to start even earlier. You'll forgive me, I'm sure, if Christmas and making stuff interrupts my elephant parade here and there. I'm determined to get ahead....

All this demonstrates how my best laid plans can go astray, but I have made it to the laptop for my second 'bite' of the new project.

Month 1 - Day 2

First Task - record spending!

Now I've got my app I've been able to do this - a very onerous task as it consists of recording 50p for inflating the car tyres!!

Now to find a box. 

Yes, I know that's two, but I haven't decided which one to use...and just like the app for recording spending they cost nothing as I found them lurking in the study; even if they'd been some random shoe boxes that would have been okay as they didn't incur any extra cost.

I have a sort of system for keeping all financial paperwork together, but it's time to restart and refine it.

The final system may not end up looking like the box I start with as it will be added to and fine-tuned as time progresses. The important thing is to have one definite home for all those bits and pieces relating to money and bills so that when the time comes to go through them they are all in the same place.

Mind you, this isn't an excuse not to open any envelopes or avoid dealing with them. If they need dealing with or paying that needs to be done as we go along and a note added to each to say how it was dealt with and when. This then gets 'filed' in the box. 

It may be that the initial box needs to be replaced with a larger (or maybe smaller) one in time or a file, but that's for later.

Now each time a piece of financial paperwork arrives there's a home for it.

 

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!

Here I go again....

 Once again I've failed miserably to keep up with my plans! Was it last November that I last concentrated enough to sit down at the laptop and kick myself into writing gear? 

Still, it's autumn, and that's usually the time I get my head round my plans and targets. Is that odd when so many people seem to prefer January the 1st for their resolutions and new habits? 

Possibly, but I guess after so many years in the classroom either as part of a class or in front of one, it seems to have ingrained itself in my psyche as the time for new starts!

Perhaps it's also the drawing in of the nights, the changes in weather and the pull of the indoors that do it for me.. although that having said I did get back to running today in an effort to restart my Parkrun fix so not all about the indoors then!

Anyhow, I digress - no change there then.. SO, it's time to settle down and attack this writing itch properly. I've taken the plunge and sent off a short story to a magazine based on the murderous feelings I had by the time our new drive was completed.

The whole thing was quite a drama - it was supposed to be a four week job - it overran by two months!!

 It feels like this 'little' episode happened a lifetime ago.

Then, just to keep us amused during lockdown we had the entertainment of further works on the garden wall and patio so the digger returned (but with a different crew of workers).

  

That then just left us the job of finishing off - lugging large rocks around, taking out shrubs, painting new walls - lots of that!! At last that bit of the work seems under control, so it's back to the blog.

I'm going to try and pick up from where I left off - in the middle of planning for Christmas...

Last year I began writing about how I (and the rest of my family) try to get ready for the festive season so you might want to take a look at those few posts as I'm sure you don't want me to witter on about finding boxes, making lists and so on if you've read it all before..... I only got as far as four posts so it's not a lot if you want to pop back in the archive and get up to the experiences bit.

Having explained all that it's back to the train of thought that got me here - my run... it just reminded me that the hedgerows are looking rather full so it must be time to consider the next bit of festive planning - the edible (and drinkable) bit. 

Excuse me while I just go and check on the empty bottles and jars I've been amassing.. I promise I'll be back soon to expand.

Promises and Experiences

 

I mentioned experiences and memorable presents last time, so here's my take on that.

You probably find as time goes on that you've got lots of 'stuff' and when asked what you'd like as a present it's not always easy to know what to say. 

Yes there are things that are useful or desirable that might come to mind, but sometimes you end up suggesting a gift just to provide the giver with something to wrap, alternatively you guess at a present for someone so you have a wrapped gift to hand over. It might be that ramping up the 'stuff' that may end up as clutter isn't the best idea!

It was my sister's 60th this year. When we get to a zero ending birthday our family tends to create that many gifts. Imagine how much fun that was the year before last when 30 presents had to be delivered to my niece in Italy (and guess who was going there to deliver them). Now this might seem to be the ultimate in clutter busting and waste, but when the gifts are anything from a pair of socks to a bar of favourite chocolate it's actually much more pragmatic! It's also a great deal of fun discovering what we've all been accumulating for the special day. There may not be one HUGE present to mark the occasion, but the experience and fun on the day make it memorable - and the presents are always useful and wanted.

This year for Christmas my sister and I doing the same sort of thing on a smaller scale by making each other a hamper of presents. Our favourite shower stuff, small chocolate treats, etc. Nothing costing the earth, but everything wanted or needed.

For my Mum's birthday it was the same problem. She didn't want anything big, but couldn't really think of anything in particular. So we made vouchers - my sister's were for things like the take-aways they enjoy together, while mine was for her and any 'responsible adults' that she could find to have cake and coffee or snacks from a local cafe that we've been using as a meeting spot during the latter part of the first lockdown when meeting up was allowed. The 'spending' of the vouchers provided us with lovely experiences to photograph and remember. Oh how easy computers and printers make things!

So vouchers are in the pipeline for Christmas! What might you give some homemade vouchers for? Of course there's nothing wrong with shops' own vouchers or cash, but these are specially made for us to share and enjoy together and are particularly personal.

Be inventive in presenting them too! A card in an envelope is nice, but what about making a mini envelope from old wrapping paper or a printed photograph of where it can be spent, or making a mini bag or using one of those photograph holders where the picture is held by a crocodile clip. 

You could even stitch a small purse to hold them. This is one I made for one of my nieces.

Experiences - they're a great way to extend the present giving into something to look forward to after the main event is done and dusted.

The Best Laid Plans....

 

It was all going so well with my plans for the blog when I managed to sabotage my own efforts. Yes reader, I put myself out of commission with a momentary lapse of concentration.. I shut my thumb in the car door! It's only a little car, it's only one digit, but wow what an effect! I never really acknowledged quite what an impact such a simple injury would have. The making had to stop and I couldn't even write for a while, still enough! I won't bore you with a photo of the offending thumb - it's made quite enough people turn seedy looking when I've shown them - so onwards and upwards...

One thing I could do while incapacitated was search out what I already had. I've shown you my stash of mini presents in a previous post and some of the kits I found awaiting completion. This time I raided my craft stock to find what was lurking, in particular in the yarn and fabric line. These are some of my treasures:

We've also been switching the contents of the kitchen cupboards around after finding the one nearest the oven wasn't a good idea for some of the tins in there (don't ask about the curdled rice pudding or the rancid anchovies - just don't). One or two spice packs were a bit out of date - no good for eating, but possibly for a pot pourri? Well I've put them in my Christmas storage box (I think I may need a second or a bigger box).

What have you got lurking around that you could utilise?

The process made me think about the type of presents that have been most memorable over the years. We all know the stories of small children who happily unpack their presents and then spend ages playing with the boxes. In fact, my great-nephew enjoys unwrapping so much that one year he re-wrapped all his presents so that he could open them all over again!

The presents I remember more than any others come from when I was little. One birthday I came down to find, not only a copy of Cliff Richard's L.P. 'Summer Holiday' (okay age showing), but also some bunk beds for my dolls. Dad had made the bunk beds, mum had sewn sheets from an old pillowcase and my Nan had crocheted bedcovers. It stands out, even now almost 60 years later, as one of the best presents I've ever had.

So with the yarn there are doll's blankets to be made ready for the Italian littlies who spend hours dressing, undressing and putting their 'babies' to bed along with some new outfits. (If you want to try these and haven't knitted or crocheted before I can recommend the internet for great 'how to do it' videos - blankets in particular are ideal starters as they can be really simple and quick to produce.)

And the fabric stash has already begun to yield items - bags for all of the children to collect their Christmas stashes! These are just rectangles of fabric stitched together on three sides. The tops are turned over and stitched to give a neat edge. For the handles fold strips of fabric in half lengthways and press. Open these out and fold them back towards the centre fold and press again before stitching along the open side (this will give you a nice, neat edge). Then finally sew them, evenly spaced to the top of your bag. (I always stitch an 'x' shape over the join for strength.)

That's probably enough from me for now. I want to talk about memorable experiences too and how to parcel them up as presents, but perhaps next time?

Stay safe.....

Christmas Lists....

 My family are great on lists - well for one of my nieces, B, it's spreadsheets, but that's just a refined list really, isn't it?

Mine are a mass of crosses and squiggles, but they work for me!

My Mum has always got her notebook on the go - she used to have small pocket sized books, but I've noticed of late how they've grown in size! Dad was a great one for lists too. Before he retired he brought home a stock of tiny notepads that were to be scrapped as they had the wrong contact details for his company and we used them for years. For my wedding day one of them held a list of 'to-dos' which Dad opened up at speech time, referred to the fact that the last thing on the list was 'leave for church' and pretended to sit down - his list being done.. only pretended though - there was a speech....

Anyway I digress. Last time I started on a list of lists to make... Now you can begin to add to them to make them more helpful. You can expand the list of who you're buying for by adding in suggestions. You may have already started, but where there are blanks you could ask some of them what they might like, or list things they enjoy to prompt further ideas or even begin to note how to source them. (This is beginning to sound like one of B's spreadsheets!)

While chatting at this early stage try, if you don't already do so, to set a limit on what's to be spent. We do, although there are some of us in the family who regularly break the rules (you know who you are Mum...). But generally it does create a bit of a sense of balance.

I know it's early, but it's really useful, especially when you can save cash too. My sister and I tend to take photos of things we like and send them back and forth by mobile. My nieces take it one step further by sending links ready to click on and order. It means that there's no mistake or getting the wrong thing for a start. And if you have someone like B who is a whizz with flash sales and bargains you can get what you want quickly and at sale price too. Too close to Christmas and the problem of low stock, higher prices and postage issues intervene.

By casting an eye over the stuff beginning to appear ready for the festive season I've already found these at reduced price. They're fine date-wise for Christmas and just the right size for the crackers I want to make AND I know that keeping them in my storage box for Christmas will discourage me from nibbling away before I've used them for their proper purpose.

I've been chasing down some mini gifts and freebies. There's lots of things you can send off for - although I keep a separate email account for it so my regular inbox doesn't get flooded with later advertising! These sample perfumes will be perfect for one of our traditions. My sister has also begun her stash for it too.

We've always had a little extra at Christmas that we open when we're all together - usually on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. It used to be a tree present each. There were always rules about them. One year we weren't allowed to spend more that £1 each, another the gifts had to come from a charity shop and yet another they had to be free! It was almost as much fun tracking down the presents as it was getting them.

A few years ago after I'd moved to Devon we were able to get all our diaries aligning and got together on Christmas Day. It was a bit last minute and I wanted to take something, but my sister had already got everything sorted out. The only thing I could think of was a Lucky Dip'. I amassed a number of small items, wrapped them randomly and we spent a long and enjoyable time picking our Lucky Dip items out and swapping any inappropriate ones with anyone else who'd appreciate them more.

It sort of grew from there. The year my younger niece, who lives in Italy, got married in England she even took a mini Lucky Dip for her household back with her, as they were having an Italian Christmas and wouldn't be with us.

This year it's a bit different, obviously. She and her family are in Italy and the rest of us can't plan to gather en masse as we don't know what the rules on numbers will be in December. We're going for a Christmas Tombola anyway! The only difference to an ordinary one is that every ticket will win a prize. More about how we'll manage that another time...

Next time it's onto the fun stuff - making things.............