A Year in the Life of...

girlatplay

EssexHebridean said:

You really are sounding organised! I need to use some time over the next few days to get the online portions of my present shopping planned and bought, I think. With the postal service being a bit uncertain round here it’s not wise to leave things too much to the last minute. 

I like the idea of your CC holding account - and am now trying to decide if that would be a good way of working things for us. Hmmm. It may be made too complicated for us by having stuff spread across two different banks now, but the “spare” account ai have which could be used for it is at least with the same institution as the CC, so that’s something… 

It works so very well for me.  I have a savings account (well, actually, five 😳) with my current account bank so it shows up on my banking app.  It means I always have the funds to pay off the cards at any given moment and I don't need to rely on payday to clear them.  If I do spend more than I have and need to wait for payday, I know exactly how much I'm short by, and because I put each budget into a different account when I get paid, this very rarely happens.  I've never been so much over so I've miscalculated something.
Gone are the days I had to use my wages to pay off the cc.  It took a while to get to this stage though.

girlatplay

astrocytic_kitten said:

I’ve done things the wrong way round this year - bought all my presents, wrapped most of them…but I haven’t written any Christmas cards yet. Have a stack of them sitting on the side table and a massive mental block about starting them. And it’s not like I write anything particularly in depth or thoughtful in them either 😂

I usually buy my cards and wrapping first, before I even know what I'm going to buy for gifts 🤦🏼‍♀️  Then I start buying gifts and leave cards until the last minute.  Last minute except wrapping which is usually left until Christmas Eve 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️  Last year I did my wrapping early and honestly, it was a dream not having to do it at 3am on Christmas morning because I ran out of time.  My Christmas resolution was to be more organised.  I thought I was failing this year but it's all coming together.  Just have to make sure I get the paper within the next week.

girlatplay

LMG is at work and I am sitting here by myself thinking if I had only picked up paper when I was out earlier I could be wrapping right now!  Didn't think that one through.

astrocytic_kitten

There’s loads of time yet! I know what you mean about being organised, I used to try to do a big wrapping session in front of Elf with mulled wines and always ended up exhausted and sore. Wrapping is surprisingly tiring! Last year I did a little bit each week and it made a huge difference. I had the benefit of living alone and only having to hide wrapping from the cats though 😂

girlatplay

astrocytic_kitten said:

There’s loads of time yet! I know what you mean about being organised, I used to try to do a big wrapping session in front of Elf with mulled wines and always ended up exhausted and sore. Wrapping is surprisingly tiring! Last year I did a little bit each week and it made a huge difference. I had the benefit of living alone and only having to hide wrapping from the cats though 😂

Yes mine was a similar scenario but swap mulled wine for Baileys and Elf for The Holiday.  It is exhausting!  A little at a time seems to work.  I actually quite like wrapping but not on Christmas Eve (note to self - re-read that last sentence).

girlatplay

I've been through my cc transfers and I've managed to account for £75 of the £98.  Still £23 too much though.  I might have to pause the online shopping until everything catches up.

savingholmes

astrocytic_kitten said:

There’s loads of time yet! I know what you mean about being organised, I used to try to do a big wrapping session in front of Elf with mulled wines and always ended up exhausted and sore. Wrapping is surprisingly tiring! Last year I did a little bit each week and it made a huge difference. I had the benefit of living alone and only having to hide wrapping from the cats though 😂

I can so related to this. LOL at your last sentence. I have far less to wrap this year so hopefully it won't be such a chore. 

Well done GAP on your pots and being so organised. 

I might have enough gift wrap to start a market stall... Well not quite but probably at least 10 rolls of cellophane and wrapping paper - plus tissue paper etc etc etc. If I added in all may card making stuff I'd be getting close to a small stall!! Ah well - just call it stores and it's all fine. Or inflation hedging....

girlatplay

savingholmes said:

astrocytic_kitten said:

There’s loads of time yet! I know what you mean about being organised, I used to try to do a big wrapping session in front of Elf with mulled wines and always ended up exhausted and sore. Wrapping is surprisingly tiring! Last year I did a little bit each week and it made a huge difference. I had the benefit of living alone and only having to hide wrapping from the cats though 😂

I can so related to this. LOL at your last sentence. I have far less to wrap this year so hopefully it won't be such a chore. 

Well done GAP on your pots and being so organised. 

I might have enough gift wrap to start a market stall... Well not quite but probably at least 10 rolls of cellophane and wrapping paper - plus tissue paper etc etc etc. If I added in all may card making stuff I'd be getting close to a small stall!! Ah well - just call it stores and it's all fine. Or inflation hedging....

I did actually save myself some cash the past couple of years, not having to buy paper or cards.  I keep saying to my family not to buy any cards (not just Christmas) but to come and check in my Clinton Cupboard first.  

savingholmes

girlatplay said:

 I keep saying to my family not to buy any cards (not just Christmas) but to come and check in my Clinton Cupboard first.  

  Some of mine got used up as I hardly went out in 2020. Still have lots left though.

girlatplay

savingholmes said:

girlatplay said:

 I keep saying to my family not to buy any cards (not just Christmas) but to come and check in my Clinton Cupboard first.  

  Some of mine got used up as I hardly went out in 2020. Still have lots left though.

Do you have thousands of gift bags too? Honestly they fall out when I open the cupboard 🙈