Better late than never

12th night came and went. Luckily, just before the binmen came this morning I remembered to look through the rubbish leftover from Christmas.

It's amazing what you can glean, wrapping paper; crackers; tinsel scraps; and my most cherished of finds- Christmas cards! All will be carefully stored till next November, when the card making and present wrapping get going in earnest.

Even in the kitchen my scavenging knows no bounds! plastic bowls that the pudding came in, have been set aside, for home made versions. Sweet wrappers are carefully flattened to go in the collage box. Glass pickle jars washed and packed to aid my New Years Resolution of making as much as possible.

Idea's on the back of an envelope

When you are about to start any job, there is always a cost!

The cost in time, skill or money, it is proportionate to each other. We have little money so must use more time and skill. An open cheque book can buy skill but we must learn, it will also buy time but it will take use longer.

The lack of money needs careful planning, there is no room for a mistake.

So if you need to get ready for Christmas, a birthday, decorating project, or just getting through a week, you need to plan!

My life is found on the backs of envelopes. Idea's, Menu planning, Bill's to be paid, are all there. Not tablets of stone but 'aid memoir'. From job's to do' to 'shopping list's', They help you focus, clarify and prioritise.

But most importantly they allow you to get your order of importance!

That small factor of no money means you have to divide things into 3,

what you want,

what you need,

what you have to have to live.

This last section is the one that MUST by met!

Your reduced circumstances (from whatever reason) means each facet of your life must be ruled by this. Feeding a family, keeping a roof over your head, keeping clothed and warm, then paying debts can feel overwhelming, taking control is the key to getting through.

So for the next step, collect used envelopes and a writing implement.

Never Again!

With Christmas over, I get back to the 'same old same old' of life. Now, though, with the added bonus of worrying bills landing on the doorstep (instead of Christmas cards).
A voice inside me is screaming " never again" and I realise that I could never live through a Christmas and New Year like this one. Flat broke doesn't begin to describe it.

So how do I and others like me cope next year! No one should borrow in this financial climate. But are others equipped with the knowledge and skills needed! How do you cope, when all you know is spend and throw!

So, in I dip, to my grand-mothers magical book. Stained, dog eared snippets of wisdom. Wisdom that helped her survive 2 world wars and the depression of the 1930's.
I will bring the tried and tested ways up to date and will welcome readers pearls too!