January...

...is a really hard month.

Now, I'm only speaking for myself but I'm sure there are lots of others who are struggling this month.

Everyone gets paid before Christmas, so extra money is spent a bit earlier than planned; January is generally a 5 week month, so it seems like it's a really, really long time; somehow we've managed to have TWO car taxes at the end of the month and....I still can't find places to put the Christmas presents that the kids received.

I haven't really blogged much so far this year and I think it's just because the month feels like it's dragging me down a little. So I'm doing what others are almost certainly doing -

1. Trying not to spend ANYTHING;
2. Organising EVERYTHING;
3. Going to make SOMETHING.

1. I'm trying really hard not to buy anything extra for the house as money is so tight but I've a few extra pennies for stuff like milk and veg - milk is one of those things that we get through A LOT. Also, I've told the kids to stop growing - at least for this month. Luckily we've already shelled out for new shoes for them so I won't have to worry about that for a while. I've also been going to the library for my fix of books so I don't spend money on any new ones.

2. As well as finding places for the Christmas presents, I'm going through and trying to organise our cluttered home. I've probably mentioned before that we like to collect things and normally this isn't too bad and kept under control (I love boxes) but it seems to be mutating and now it's driving me NUTS. Also, as a crossover with no.1, I'm organising the food that we already have and trying to not buy extra (therefore spending no more money) - I hope the kids like liver as I'm sure there's lots a couple of bags in the freezer.

3. I'm going to be making cakes/biscuits (as no.1) and I want to use up all the fabric/old clothes that I've put to one side; cut them up and make quilt covers with the material. It probably won't be that neat but I think the kids will love their own special covers made with some of their old clothes.

And finally, I really, really, REALLY want to shift this stupid cold that I've had since before Christmas that NO amount of medicine/nose blowing/wrapping up warm will shift. I'm fed up with it now - it definitely has my permission to go. Sam xx