And a final round up..

 Happy New Year!

As it happens I haven't quite finished with the old one - yes, even over a week into 2023. Lots happened at the close of 2022 which rather got in the way of me catching up with all the missing posts for the year.

So, this post and the one or two following will need to rely on that notebook of mine and the photos taken at the time to race me back up to speed.

To Month 11 then - here's a random mix of the final Bites for the month.

Month 11 - Bite 23

Having passed on and sold a lot of books and DVDs earlier in the year I've now found a small stash of more. Not enough to warrant posting them off to a buying website I came across this just round the corner from where I live,,,

Sorted!

Month 11 - Bite 24

A friend has decided to raise some money from gifts that she might have received for Christmas and her birthday by asking for cash instead to be donated to her chosen cause.. Great idea - she's using JustGiving, but other sites are out there too.. another idea to consider.

Month 11 - Bite 25

A regular email arrived recently from a charity shop I often drop stuff off to as well as a newsletter from a local charity. Both reminded sponsors/contributors about registering the fact that they are taxpayers when donating. This is a great way of bumping up any donation by a comfortable percentage as an additional amount can be claimed back by the charities concerned. I need to double check I've ticked that box so they don't miss out.

Month 11 - Bite 26

Knitting carries on apace ready for Christmas, but I have had time to add in some extra hats and scarves for the library warm rail so I must find time to drop them down as the temperature plunges.

Month 11 - Bite 27

It's nearly time for the Advent Calendars to make an appearance. Each year my sister's church does a reverse Advent Calendar. Instead of receiving something each day - a chocolate or far more extravagant gifts in some cases (!) - you put an item from a wish list into a box to be delivered before Christmas to make someone festive period a little easier. The list contents range from foodstuffs to essential household items - a tin of soup or a toothbrush for example. It's a really simple way to countdown to Christmas without adding to the more 'grabby' side of it.

Month 11 - Bite 28

One or two of our neighbours live alone and are generally fine, but just recently one has had a long drawn out bug and another a trip to hospital for planned surgery. Time to pop in or message them to make sure they've got the provisions they need or to have a chat to break up their time at home until they are fit and well enough to get back to normal.

Month 11 - Bite 29

While I was in the charity shop the other day I started browsing the Christmas card selection. Many of my cards I make, but when I run out of time (or inspiration) it's the charity versions I turn to. Why not use something I need to get into something that helps others too?!

Month 11 - Bite 30

Planning time now. The festive season is fast approaching and I need to start looking at the gifts I need to buy. Out with that list I made earlier in the year of Christmas card recipients so I know how many I need and a new list for presents to buy is about to be made.

By pooling out thoughts on who wants what we can make sure that the money we spend as a family goes into exactly what's required with no waste or doubling up... We've also still got time to get the requested items before panic buying and lack of time intervene...

Phew! - Sorry about the whistle stop trawl through the notebook, but I'm now only a month short on my blogging target...

Buying where it helps...

I'm aware that I do quite a lot of my shopping on the Internet for a variety of reasons. This next little group of ideas from my scribbled notes that I've been trying to implement look at how I've been using my purchasing power!

Month 11 - Bite 18

First of all I needed to move on some more of my clearing out so this first isn't so much shopping as going into a shop!

I've been into town with my bags of rather nice bits and pieces that need new homes. I deposited them in one of our many charity shops around here ready for others to pick up and use for their Christmas lists.

Month 11 - Bite 19

While I was there I took a good look round. I can see that I've only been doing half the job. It's no good just restocking the shelves there with my decluttering, however good the items are. I need to be shopping there too and I've already bought some yarn odds and ends (yes, I know I need more yarn like a hole in the head) ready for the dolls' clothes I've been asked for.

Month 11 - Bite 20

I've also noticed some flyers for local artists and makers so I'm looking out for exhibitions events so that I can support buying direct from the originators, especially where they are start-ups that need to get off the ground. There's some in our indoor market as well as around the galleries hereabouts. 

One of our local galleries/coffee shops also donates a percentage back to community art projects too so a double whammy from them (and some really nice Christmas cards too.

Month 11 - Bite 21

I'm also checking the local press and social media pages for other craft and art fairs many of which are being held in aid of schools and charities. Good place to invest some time - even if there's not anything directly on my wish list I can always support the tea and cakes!

Month 11 - Bite 22

The last place for this section is back to online. Not a national organisation this time, but the local neighbourhood pages where people around here list things they are passing on and where I can also put some free and cheap bits and pieces to help spread the cost of Christmas for others - some of my handmade decorations, for example, can be donated using this route.

 

Points mean Prizes

I forget the TV show with that as a slogan - seems to fit with the last few bites and one or two that follow here!

Month 11 - Bite 15

I've found that I've got some loyalty points for small amounts that need using up - I've discovered I can donate these too as they won't really buy anything I want .. that's next on the list.

Month 11 - Bite 16

I've also got cards or accounts that I buy things physically of online that will donate automatically as a reward for buying with them as long as I nominate a charity. No cost to me and a benefit to a good cause - win-win I'd say.

Month 11 - Bite 16

I did download a couple of apps that are supposed to reward you when reaching a certain number of steps. Most of those I've tried don't seem to provide any vouchers or rewards that I want or can accrue enough points to get - even if I do the whole South West Coast Path in the next few days! Again these provide the option of donating the points to charity so before I delete the apps that's what I'll do..

Month 11 - Bite 17

and finally (for this frantic catch-up) 

Some coffee shops also make it easy for you to 'buy' a coffee to be left for someone who needs it. You just donate the amount at the pay desk or from your app and they gift it to the ext person they identify as being in need of a hot drink!

Phew!

I'll get back with the next round up soon - just got some 'paid for' writing to catch up with - watch this space...

Giving without spending!

Okay, ready for some more quick catch-ups from my notes?

Here goes, then.

Month 11 - Bite 10

I questioned myself last time about donating stuff I didn't need while buying two for one items. The donation bins at the supermarket were for food so I did have some toiletries on two for one along with some perfectly good items, still in their wrappings from my sort out last month.

I noticed while in town that one of the shops is taking toiletries for their hygiene bank to pass on to those who need them, so no prizes where I'm heading today with my little collection.

Month 11 - Bite 11

The task in hand today is defrosting the freezer and checking my food cupboards. While I know that the freezer stuff can't be passed on, there are some tins and packs in the cupboard that I bought, thinking we'd try them and we didn't! Rather than trek up to the supermarket I'm off to the local community larder that takes surplus food and gives it away to try and stem the food waste that otherwise goes in the bin.

Month 11 - Bite 12

Finding out day next. After volunteering for years it's somehow gone by the wayside a bit so this is a bit of a prompt for me to start again. I could volunteer to help with ParkRun, but as I tend to decide whether I'm going or not on a fairly ad hoc basis that's not really helpful when planning dates. There are, however, other opportunities so I'm going to research a bit more and then dive in.

One easy activity is down at the beach. There's a supply of litter picking equipment by the cafe there so it looks like that'll be first on my list... and a good excuse to walk along the seafront too!

Month 11 - Bite 13

I was scrolling through some of the surveys that I signed up for earlier in the year. Some have been pretty fruitful while others seemed to want loads of time for very little in the way of points. I want to settle down today and go through all the sites I signed up for, check how economic it is in terms of time doing the surveys and then leave those that aren't really worth it. That leaves the question of what to do about the points that I've earned so far. It'll take me a month of Sundays to earn enough points for anything, however I noticed a while back that there are much lower points thresholds for giving to charity.

As I decide which survey sites I'm not going to continue with I can sift through and donate any spare or random points I've accrued. That way I'll have tidied up my inbox and made sure that the charities they support get something too.

Month 11 - Bite 14

As well as signing up for a pile of surveys way back I also started sending for freebies. So far I've only registered for those I'll use or know someone who'll want the items. From today I'm going to start sending for other things that can then be passed on or donated when they arrive.

 

Topping up the stocks

Another day, another attempt to catch up!

So, the cost of living is a huge issue for so many people. There are loads of ways to help without finding too much extra cash so here's my plans to try and find ways to add to the donations within my means!

Month 11 - Bite 7

Most supermarkets have donation bins like these...

 For a while I've popped the odd thing in, but it's not really been at the forefront of my mind. From today (and yes, I'm off shopping - who does eat the food in this house? why does it disappear so fast?) I'm going to put buying an extra or two to go in the donating points on every shop.

Month 11 - Bite 8

I noticed on today's shop that the self-service till is offering me the option of rounding my bill up to the nearest pound for a charity donation. I thought the odd few pence wouldn't make too much difference until I stop and began working out what would happen if everyone going through the tills added 10p in this way. Then I started looking at the numbers of customers through our local supermarket in one hour and it was mind-blowing. So, if I do this every time I shop and so do a significant number of others, it's got to help, hasn't it?

Month 11 - Bite 9

I had to pop in for one or two items that weren't available the other day. One of them was a buy one get one free and another '4 for the price of 3'. I don't necessarily like these as, with only two of us, we just tend to cause a storage problem - and don't get me started on the size of pre-packed vegetables where it's sometimes the only way to buy them and then it's just too much for the two of us!

It was a no-brainer, and I should have thought of it before - all I had to do was donate the spare 'free' item into the food box.

Hmmm.... I wonder if there are any other easy ways to donate stuff I don't need... watch this space.

Playing Catch-Up

I've got a bit behind with all my good intentions!

I don't know why that is.. I've made notes, taken photos (some of which I've managed to lose - don't know how I've done that either!!!

Anyway, the next few posts will need to contain a number of bites written from the notes I made. These may well read a bit like the Strictly Sunday show - with me referring to today or yesterday when it's obviously not - be that as it may it's all in the panicked catch-up of someone who feels the oncoming approach of Christmas and all that entails....

So...

Month 11 - Bite 3

In the sorting out I did last month I did put aside a number of items to pass on to others. I mentioned the tile cutters last time and once they'd gone I took a look at what I'd stashed away in the garage.

There's supposed to be a great photo of empty paint tins here - but it's one of the photos that's gone awol.. and I can't retake it as I've carted the tins off to a repair/art place locally that make good use of odds and ends of decorating materials to help spruce up homes and surroundings at no cost.

Month 11 - Bite 4

I did track down this picture though.

It's the home for retired tennis balls at our local club. People can then help themselves for practice sessions with the worn-out balls if they feel like torture or take them for dog chasing.

I found two or three tubes of balls that haven't been used in a while and added them to the club's collection.

Month 11 - Bite 5

A search in the loft for some fleece uncovered more towels that I must have stored up there a while ago. Perhaps when I was exploring the airing cupboard, who knows?

I've bundled them all up and they're off to a local pet/animal rescue centre where they'll be put to good use.

Month 11 - Bite 6

Time to open the coat cupboard and have another hunt through for coats I haven't used in a while. I know I did this earlier in the year, but there one or two that I thought might be useful until I realised that I already had plenty without them.

Our local libraries have warm rails where they put out donated outer layers for anyone who needs one to take. No prizes for guessing where my surplus is off to!

First rapid-fire selection over.. more soon!

 

Paying it Forwards and Giving it Back

 So that’s another month done and dusted.

As we fast approach the season of giving and getting why not get ahead with the giving bit?

I’ve not forgotten Month 10 and its extra mouthful, but I’ll catch up with that later - more photos needed...

Anyway, here’s Month 11’s elephant to start on.

Month 11 - Bite 1

I remember a story from Richard Carlson’s ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff’ about motorists on a toll bridge. The driver at the beginning of the queue paid his toll and that of the following car. When the next driver found his toll had been paid, he paid for the car behind and so it continued. Everyone gave and all but that first driver received. One small act that made a whole lot of people’s day better.

In the spirit of that this month will be a whole heap of stuff I can do to contribute to others, while not breaking the bank myself!

Here’s the first...

I mentioned last minute month about how the neighbours round here tend to help each other out... well, I got a chance today. Often my next-door neighbours on either side go away. Today one of them popped in to say that they’ve got the chance of a quick break before Christmas. The only problem is that, being Christmas, they’ve ordered a number of things for gifts that would be delivered while they’re away and they are reluctant to go with so much due for delivery. So it was easy to agree to collect up their parcels and pop them indoors while they are away. First pay it forwards achieved.

Month 11 - Bite 2

While chatting to my neighbour I remembered her telling me about some friends of hers that had started mosaic work. I had a brush with it a number of years ago and made a fish ornament for the garden.

Somehow I haven't got around to doing any more, but still have some of the tiles and the tile cutter I used so they are gathering dust and spiders in the shed.

Time for me to pull them out and see if the friends want them - giving something away to someone who will use it has got to be better than it languishing round at mine!