At the beginning of the New Year, I always try and put together a bit of a financial plan for the forthcoming year. Some months are inevitably going to be more expensive than others. Unfortunately when I had my children, even though there is a 5 year age gap, their actual birthdays are only a few days apart, so March and April are pretty expensive months. My daughter is always easy to buy for, give her a piece of silver jewellery and she is more than happy. My son is really difficult to buy for and he is really particular about what he does and doesn’t like. He doesn’t like any sort of men’s jewellery, so this is never an option. Last year he turned 18 and we decided to push the boat out and treat him to an hours flying lesson from our local airport. This caused a massive row, but that is another tale to tell!!

Every August we always seem to be desperately short of cash as this is the month we take our holiday. If I had a choice I wouldn’t take my holiday in August, but as my daughter is still at school, it’s pretty hard to take holidays at any other time. It is unfair though as you end up paying double the price for your holiday, just because the travel companies know they have you over a barrel.

September is another costly month for us as it is our wedding anniversary and my other halfs birthday. Last year was our 20th Anniversary and even though I dropped many a hint, the silver earrings I wanted never did materialise. He had better be planning something good for our 21st anniversary, otherwide I can see that will be big arguments ahead.

Once birthdays and anniversaries are out of the way, so the build up to Christmas begins and money just flies out the window. It is so hard just surviving at the moment, having saved all year for this and that, come January it starts all over again.

What needs to occur is a big fat win on the Lottery. Having taken part since it began way back in November 1994, surely it must be my time to win! I have already planned how much jewellery I would treat myself to and then I wouldn’t care when hubby got me the wrong present – AGAIN!!