I've spent a relaxed day, today, the last day of 2014.
This evening, daughter and I have been invited by friends to dinner and spend New Year's Eve and greet the New Year with them.
I wish us all a happy, healthy, peaceful, blessed New Year.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Holiday Budgets
Now that the holidays are drawing to a close, it's time to review my holiday spending and decide on next year's holiday budget.
I used to budget $25 per month for holiday gifts, which resulted in a budget of $300 per year. Then, after an initial round of income reduction due to salary cuts, I reduced the budget to $20 per month, which meant a holiday budget of $240 per year. Yet another round of salary cuts a few years ago and an increase in other expenses led to further budget adjustments. Currently, my holiday budget is set at $120 for friends and family other than daughter, and I allocate $10 per month for holiday gifts, cards, postage, etc.
Once the budget is set, I make a list of people to whom I'll give gifts. I have my list organized by Family, Friends, Office, Neighbors, daughter's teachers (when she was still in school), etc. Over the years, I've reduced my gift list until now, I have 40 recipients (couples often count as 1).
I have a budget of $120 for holiday spending. $20 of that is for cards and postage (some of my cards are sent to family living abroad and airmail postage cost $1.15 per card, this year); leaving $100 for gifts for 40 people. Every year, I wrack my brain to come up with low cost gifts, since, I have an average of just $2.50 to spend on each person. I decide how much I want to spend per person and write it down next to their names; I vary from it ONLY if I know I can make adjustments, elsewhere.
I make the majority of my gifts from items I have on hand - jars of jam with fruit from my garden, items I sew with fabric in my stash, etc. I shop the discount stores and sales. I don't even go into department stores and I won't buy anything unless it is on sale. I also have a $ limit on what I will pay for an item.
Finally, I keep track of the spending. I write down the amounts I spent against each person's name on my list. And I keep a running total.
I guess I could have more to spend on each person if I was willing to cut down on my gift list, but I am not willing to do that. So, I will continue to give homemade and "bargain basement" gifts to the extent that I am able. For the most part, I am going with the "it's the thought that counts" premise of gift giving, and giving token gifts.
And yes, I was able to keep to my budget this year.
Do you have a holiday budget? If so, were you able to keep to the budget you set for holiday gifts and entertaining? If you stayed under budget, do share your secrets and tell us how you do it.
I used to budget $25 per month for holiday gifts, which resulted in a budget of $300 per year. Then, after an initial round of income reduction due to salary cuts, I reduced the budget to $20 per month, which meant a holiday budget of $240 per year. Yet another round of salary cuts a few years ago and an increase in other expenses led to further budget adjustments. Currently, my holiday budget is set at $120 for friends and family other than daughter, and I allocate $10 per month for holiday gifts, cards, postage, etc.
Once the budget is set, I make a list of people to whom I'll give gifts. I have my list organized by Family, Friends, Office, Neighbors, daughter's teachers (when she was still in school), etc. Over the years, I've reduced my gift list until now, I have 40 recipients (couples often count as 1).
I have a budget of $120 for holiday spending. $20 of that is for cards and postage (some of my cards are sent to family living abroad and airmail postage cost $1.15 per card, this year); leaving $100 for gifts for 40 people. Every year, I wrack my brain to come up with low cost gifts, since, I have an average of just $2.50 to spend on each person. I decide how much I want to spend per person and write it down next to their names; I vary from it ONLY if I know I can make adjustments, elsewhere.
I make the majority of my gifts from items I have on hand - jars of jam with fruit from my garden, items I sew with fabric in my stash, etc. I shop the discount stores and sales. I don't even go into department stores and I won't buy anything unless it is on sale. I also have a $ limit on what I will pay for an item.
Finally, I keep track of the spending. I write down the amounts I spent against each person's name on my list. And I keep a running total.
I guess I could have more to spend on each person if I was willing to cut down on my gift list, but I am not willing to do that. So, I will continue to give homemade and "bargain basement" gifts to the extent that I am able. For the most part, I am going with the "it's the thought that counts" premise of gift giving, and giving token gifts.
And yes, I was able to keep to my budget this year.
Do you have a holiday budget? If so, were you able to keep to the budget you set for holiday gifts and entertaining? If you stayed under budget, do share your secrets and tell us how you do it.
Monday, December 29, 2014
On the Fourth Day of Christmas
I made myself a To Do list for the day:
- Put away laundry which was hung up to dry overnight - DONE
- 15 minutes of paperwork - DONE
- Pay home and earthquake insurance - DONE
- Grocery shop - DONE
- Water the front garden - DONE
- Take daughter to her friends' home - DONE
- Call cousin - DONE
- Write to my friend - DONE
- Renew library books - DONE
- Do dishes (not done yet)
- Take trash cans to curb - DONE
In addition, my friend called and I was able to have a nice chat with her.
It has been a productive day, today. How was your day, today?
- Put away laundry which was hung up to dry overnight - DONE
- 15 minutes of paperwork - DONE
- Pay home and earthquake insurance - DONE
- Grocery shop - DONE
- Water the front garden - DONE
- Take daughter to her friends' home - DONE
- Call cousin - DONE
- Write to my friend - DONE
- Renew library books - DONE
- Do dishes (not done yet)
- Take trash cans to curb - DONE
In addition, my friend called and I was able to have a nice chat with her.
It has been a productive day, today. How was your day, today?
House Cleaning Cycles
For several years, now, I've followed a cyclic house cleaning system that broke up the house into different areas and focused on one particular area per week for deep cleaning purposes, in addition to the regular daily/weekly cleaning.
Over the years, I've adapted the original suggested areas to suit my particular house. For example, the original cleaning schedule had listed the entry and living room for week 1 and the dining room and laundry room for week 2. I have no entry area (the front door opens directly in to the living room) and the dining room is at one end of the living room, so, for me, it makes sense to do the living room and dining area in one go. Also, my laundry room is off my family room, so I like to combine those two areas and I've listed them for week 2, instead of the dining room and laundry room. This makes for better progression through my house, as one moves from the living room to the dining room to the family room.
Some weeks, there are more deep cleaning type tasks to be done in these areas; other weeks, things are already in fairly good shape and only the minimal cleaning needs to be done. Sometimes, I have a long list of cleaning tasks and not enough time or energy to do them all; when that happens, the undone tasks get put off until the next time that particular area comes up. Or, I do them the following week, in addition to that week's area (provided I have enough time and energy).
The cycle ends with a week of "whole house" cleaning, which is what I did for the past two weeks, over the holidays. With the new year starting this week, it makes sense to start the whole cycle of cleaning from the beginning. Below is my house cleaning schedule:
Week 1: Living Room/Dining Room
Week 2: Family Room/Laundry Room
Week 3: Bathrooms
Week 4: Kitchen
Week 5: Daughter's Room/Guest Room + Closets for those rooms
Week 6: Front Porch/Back Porch/Garage
Week 7: Master Bedroom & Closet
Week 8: Whole House Cleaning
This week is Week 1 and I am starting with the living room and dining area. I have already tidied and dusted both these areas as part of last week's "whole house" cleaning. So, all I plan to do this week will be:
- Put fresh flowers
- Polish brass decorative items
- Vacuum
- Look through shelves and drawers to see if there are any items to be decluttered
Do you have a house cleaning schedule? Do you follow a similar cyclic cleaning system? If not, how do you deep clean the various rooms and areas of your home?
Over the years, I've adapted the original suggested areas to suit my particular house. For example, the original cleaning schedule had listed the entry and living room for week 1 and the dining room and laundry room for week 2. I have no entry area (the front door opens directly in to the living room) and the dining room is at one end of the living room, so, for me, it makes sense to do the living room and dining area in one go. Also, my laundry room is off my family room, so I like to combine those two areas and I've listed them for week 2, instead of the dining room and laundry room. This makes for better progression through my house, as one moves from the living room to the dining room to the family room.
Some weeks, there are more deep cleaning type tasks to be done in these areas; other weeks, things are already in fairly good shape and only the minimal cleaning needs to be done. Sometimes, I have a long list of cleaning tasks and not enough time or energy to do them all; when that happens, the undone tasks get put off until the next time that particular area comes up. Or, I do them the following week, in addition to that week's area (provided I have enough time and energy).
The cycle ends with a week of "whole house" cleaning, which is what I did for the past two weeks, over the holidays. With the new year starting this week, it makes sense to start the whole cycle of cleaning from the beginning. Below is my house cleaning schedule:
Week 1: Living Room/Dining Room
Week 2: Family Room/Laundry Room
Week 3: Bathrooms
Week 4: Kitchen
Week 5: Daughter's Room/Guest Room + Closets for those rooms
Week 6: Front Porch/Back Porch/Garage
Week 7: Master Bedroom & Closet
Week 8: Whole House Cleaning
This week is Week 1 and I am starting with the living room and dining area. I have already tidied and dusted both these areas as part of last week's "whole house" cleaning. So, all I plan to do this week will be:
- Put fresh flowers
- Polish brass decorative items
- Vacuum
- Look through shelves and drawers to see if there are any items to be decluttered
Do you have a house cleaning schedule? Do you follow a similar cyclic cleaning system? If not, how do you deep clean the various rooms and areas of your home?
Sunday, December 28, 2014
On the Third Day of Christmas
A relaxed morning, chatting with friends on the internet, playing on-line games and three phone calls from cousins and friends.
In the afternoon, daughter and I went to a friend's house for a prayer meeting.
After we came home in the evening, I did two loads of laundry and wrote to a friend. Now we are watching some news on TV and just relaxing.
How was your day?
In the afternoon, daughter and I went to a friend's house for a prayer meeting.
After we came home in the evening, I did two loads of laundry and wrote to a friend. Now we are watching some news on TV and just relaxing.
How was your day?
On The Second Day of Christmas
No partridges in pear trees or turtle doves, but, there was a ripe persimmon which I shared with daughter, followed by two oranges I picked fresh from the tree in the back garden. Very sweet and full of vitamin C!
Later in the afternoon, we did the last of our holiday gift shopping. Well, daughter's gift is not bought yet. We shopped for it, today, but the exact item she wants was not available in the store and the next shipment is expected next week. But that's OK, because I had already told her that this year, she'll be getting New Year's gifts from me.
In addition to gift shopping, I also bought a couple of items for myself, today: some of my favorite cologne spray (on 50% off sale) and a package of socks! The 6 pairs of socks cost more than the cologne! :D
In the evening, daughter put final touches to two of the gifts she's making for her friends while I did a load of laundry and wrapped gifts and the cat pounced on tissue paper and batted at the curling ribbons! :) Then, I tidied up the living room and dusted the furniture.
Tomorrow, I need to tidy up the family room a bit. In the afternoon, daughter and I will go to a friend's house for a prayer meeting.
How was your second day of Christmas?
Later in the afternoon, we did the last of our holiday gift shopping. Well, daughter's gift is not bought yet. We shopped for it, today, but the exact item she wants was not available in the store and the next shipment is expected next week. But that's OK, because I had already told her that this year, she'll be getting New Year's gifts from me.
In addition to gift shopping, I also bought a couple of items for myself, today: some of my favorite cologne spray (on 50% off sale) and a package of socks! The 6 pairs of socks cost more than the cologne! :D
In the evening, daughter put final touches to two of the gifts she's making for her friends while I did a load of laundry and wrapped gifts and the cat pounced on tissue paper and batted at the curling ribbons! :) Then, I tidied up the living room and dusted the furniture.
Tomorrow, I need to tidy up the family room a bit. In the afternoon, daughter and I will go to a friend's house for a prayer meeting.
How was your second day of Christmas?
Saturday, December 27, 2014
On The First Day of Christmas
My true love gave to me...
It seems that hardly anyone celebrates the 12 days of Christmas any more. It's the period from December 26 to January 6; it's the time it took for the Three Kings (or the Three Wise Men) from first seeing the Star to travel to the Manger in Bethlehem.
I like to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, keeping the tree and the decorations up until January 6. I didn't put up a tree and have minimal decorations this year, but I shall keep those decorations up for the duration. We all spend so much time and energy planning and getting ready for the holidays that is seems a pity to have it over in just one day. Why not extend the celebrations for the full 12 days?
Daughter and I had a lovely Christmas Day, yesterday. We spent the morning relaxing at home. In the afternoon, I baked a cake and wrapped gifts. Then, we went to dinner at my cousin's house and celebrated Christmas with an aunt, cousins, and their families.
Today, on the first day of Christmas, I made us waffles for breakfast, did a load of laundry, and then, went shopping with daughter for another gift or two. Later in the evening, we went to dinner at a friend's house.
What did you do on the first day of Christmas?
It seems that hardly anyone celebrates the 12 days of Christmas any more. It's the period from December 26 to January 6; it's the time it took for the Three Kings (or the Three Wise Men) from first seeing the Star to travel to the Manger in Bethlehem.
I like to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, keeping the tree and the decorations up until January 6. I didn't put up a tree and have minimal decorations this year, but I shall keep those decorations up for the duration. We all spend so much time and energy planning and getting ready for the holidays that is seems a pity to have it over in just one day. Why not extend the celebrations for the full 12 days?
Daughter and I had a lovely Christmas Day, yesterday. We spent the morning relaxing at home. In the afternoon, I baked a cake and wrapped gifts. Then, we went to dinner at my cousin's house and celebrated Christmas with an aunt, cousins, and their families.
Today, on the first day of Christmas, I made us waffles for breakfast, did a load of laundry, and then, went shopping with daughter for another gift or two. Later in the evening, we went to dinner at a friend's house.
What did you do on the first day of Christmas?
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