October Round Up

November seems to have come around very quickly this year.  I thought October might have dragged, especially as I didn't have much spare money, but it literally whizzed past and here we are, a brand new month ahead of us.

October was the month of my birthday and I had a lovely day and evening out to watch some Cuban dance.  I also was given some lovely presents, one of which, my brogues, signalled the start of my wardrobe regeneration project. 

Stoptober, which I also participated in during October, where I was trying to stop any unnecessary spending, wasn't altogether successful.  I had a serious lapse in the last week and bought a new winter coat and a couple of other things, but it's behind me now and I'm still up to date with paying off my overdraft and credit cards, so not too much damage done.  I'm pleased I bought the coat though, as today the weather has suddenly turned much colder and I have a feeling I will be wearing it very soon.

We had a lovely short break in Bruges at the end of the month, courtesy of OH, so I didn't actually spend much of my own money whilst we were away, which I realise is a bit of cheat, especially as we did a mammoth French hypermarket shop in time for Christmas.

I'm grateful that this coming month I am not participating in any no/low spending challenge.  Having said this the amount of available cash I have to spend isn't huge, but with what I do have I'm focussing on starting to purchase the remaining outstanding Christmas presents on my list.  I'm studying the list as I write this and contemplating what I have left to get.  The largest presents left to buy are those for Little Bird and OH, but I know what it is they want, so it is just a question of going out and buying them.  I'm going to hang on until a little later in the month before I do this though, as there is no particular hurry.

Other plans for this month include a visit to the Ideal Home Show at Christmas, for which I managed to get a couple of free tickets.  This will be another day out for my friend and I, which is something to look forward to.  In addition, my local John Lewis store are having a pre-Christmas shopping event for My John Lewis members, which I have put my name down for, so I will probably wait and do a bit of Christmas shopping at this event.  The local Hospice will be having it's Christmas Fair too this month that I always like to attend and Little Bird is participating in a Talent Show at school this month, so there's lots going on.

On a totally different subject, I, along with other plot holders, received an email from the allotment committee this week and I need to get my plot tidied up this month, as they are coming round to check and issuing neglected plot notices if any haven't been tidied, so this will be something else I will have to make sure I find time for.

I am also currently in the midst of some digital housekeeping, trying to edit the photos I have stored on my computer. (More in another post).  It's turning out to be quite time consuming, deleting all those photos I no longer need or wish to keep but I know it will be satisfying when it is finally done.

Finally, I want to do a bit of a spring clean of the reception rooms this month before we put up the tree and other Christmas decorations in December.  I think it's going to be a busy month, especially as I seem to be getting busy business wise too, in the lead up to Christmas.  I'm looking forward to it though and am hoping I can get everything done that I need to.

What have you got planned for November?  Have you started planning for the festive season?