One a Week Project.
With Christmas packed up and back in a box in the garage until next December we are left with the bits of tinsel in the carpet and the odd forgotten ornament surprising us from where it rolled under the sofa. We are also left with the financial drain on the bank account that was hit pretty heavy last month. Added to the back to school costs of new uniforms and school shoes in the next couple of weeks and financially things feel a bit challenged. Not really the time to be reaching into our pockets for a charity donation even though for many families on lower incomes than ours this must be the time they need it most. And so I have decided every week in 2012 to try to follow the inspiration of this great idea I read about here.
It's a simple idea. Put one extra item in your trolley each week (something with a long expiry date) and by December 2012 there should be a sizable hamper to donate to a local charity. In my case it will be our St Vincent De Paul who I know will put it to good use in my immediate area. The items can be food, tins of tomatoes, dried pasta, long life milk etc or they can be household, toothpaste, cleaning products, cloths etc. The website suggests buying things that are already on special or are on a buy one get one free deal so it really does have a minimal impact on our shopping bill.
I have put a box under our spare bed so that the items are "out of sight, out of mind" and don't get in my way or get in danger of being used up. I hope that this idea is something that I follow through on. By blogging about it I am trying to make myself accountable and hope to be able to proudly show you what I have achieved 11 months from now...
