It’s almost the end of January and have
you got all of your Christmas put away yet? Some people who get clothing
on Christmas wear them the next day, so all can see what Santa brought
them. Others piece them out so that everyone doesn’t notice these
things, unless of course it’s a diamond engagement ring, and then you
are waving that left hand around with finger extended so that you can’t
help but notice it and comment on it.
I’m beginning to think it
will be well into February before Christmas boxes get put away. Some
gifts that I received that need thought as to where I am going to use
them. Some need fixtures for hanging, some need to be put away until
spring or summer, while others need to go back to the store to exchange.
I’ve
been having trouble finding replacement bulbs for my Christmas tree
lights, not the tiny ones but the regular size that were once so common.
I finally located and purchased some but not in the colors I would have
liked. Bummer.
Income tax time’s arriving, and it’s time to pay
all those holiday bills. There are also taxes, water bills, perhaps
mortgage payment, car insurance or homeowners that comes due in January
and you feel overloaded with disbursements on the family budget. If you
are efficient and smart you might have already sent in your income tax
and have your refund (if you have one) back so it can help pay some of
these expenses. Good for you. I’m still trying to collect all of the
necessary data to get ready to file a tax with no refund, I guess that
is why I don’t rush to get them done. Some of the information I need
isn’t ready until February, so we can’t be one of the early birds
anyway.
In collecting material for taxes do you run into piles of
old paperwork? How far back should you keep cancelled checks, receipts,
important papers, auto, house, etc. policies? When the auditor came to
the office back when I was working I asked him and he said seven years,
but by the same token one of the other auditors who came I asked the
same question and he looked at me in horror and said “never throw away
anything of importance!” So I have a few more boxes that are ready to be
placed in the attic with all of the others. Will I ever need them? Good
question, but if I do, I will have them, and that eases my mind.
January
is also a good time to get rid of all the magazines, books and other
reading material that you planned to read in 2011 and never got around
to it. Either read it now in these blah days of the month or toss it.
The pile will only get that much bigger if you don’t lower it now.
January is a good time to weed out and start fresh; am I the only one who thinks that?
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