Christmas Club - February!

This time last month you all thought I was mad. Well this time yesterday you thought I was mad, but this time last month I posted Christmas Club - January and in it detailed a few things that you could do in January to get ready for Christmas.

This month I am going to start getting a little more serious about putting money aside for Christmas. I have already said to Daddy that I want to put 10% of my wages to one side each month, not just for Christmas I hasten to add but for Birthdays and general rainy days!

Daddy and I saved a £1 a week last year with the Tesco Bonus club. Lots of Supermarkets run schemes like this where you save a certain amount and if the card is cashed in at a certain time you get a bonus. It can vary from Supermarket to Supermarket, but some of the deals are very good;

Wilkinsons will give you £1 for every £19 you spend,
Iceland is £1 for £29 and a further £1 if you carry on to £49 on the same card you get a further £1,
Morrisons gives £1 for £49 saved and a further £2 at the £98 mark but you have to cash in December to get this,
and Tesco gives £1 for £49 if cashed in during December.

Of course if the Supermarket goes bankrupt your money is lost and the rate of interest (between 2% and 5%) could be better in a Savings Account where your money would be safer but for us it works.

This year we are buying stamps at the rate of 2 or 3 a week. We don't notice this small amount each week, but when Christmas comes round we will hopefully have saved £150. Along with our Clubcard vouchers (yes we know if we cashed them in for deals we would double or even quadruple our vouchers) we won't have to pay for any food shopping in December including all our extras and we will probably buy several gifts too... ssh don't tell!

I have started to keep note of small items that I am buying in sales, that will end up in Top Ender and Baby Boys stockings... or mine and Daddy's. That way I shouldn't buy too much for the stockings to handle! There are a few sale items from Valentines Day in some stores that might make fun gifts or even make an ordinary evening in a little more special!
Now of course there are several celebrations next month that we are hoping to celebrate with a special meal and just in case you want to join in there is;

St Davids Day
St Patricks day
Greek Independence Day

to name just three. If you want a full list of everything going on in March then just look at this Wikipedia page of General observances! Just remember to make a note of what you get up to for the letter at the end of the year if you do one!

And don't forget that we will also have the start of British Summer Time (where we have to spend an hour putting all our clocks forward and so actually lose two hours, but do get lighter evenings) and there is the First Day of Spring to look forward to and Mothers Day!

I will also be planning some Easter break activities (such as an egg hunt and a treasure hunt and a break to Nanny B's and another sleepover for Top Ender at Granny's) so if you want to be prepared for the Easter Holidays and for Christmas then why not join in with me this month?