Pay attention.

Hello. Have you ever thought about how carelessness and familiarization with your surroundings can impact on your bank balance? Can you see the connection with everything in it's place and a place for everything, equals saving money? Or, lacking in organizational skills can lead to more bills, more expenses to pay out?

I have been thinking about how every day activities can be linked with either money spending or money saving. The things we do automatically without thinking may not always be the best way. We can get into sloppy habits because we are not paying attention. Here are some of my ideas.

Where do you keep your car and house keys, any keys for that matter? It's easy to come into the house and sling them in the nearest kitchen drawer. Easy to pick them up again before you leave the house. They will always be there, mostly they are, but not always. Don't tell me that you hang them on a hook on the wall just inside the front door, that is just asking for trouble. Thieves know the most likely places to find keys. Only a few weeks ago a house near here was broken into, they found the keys to three cars on the drive, they were all gone in a matter of minutes. I hide my keys in another room of the house. I know where they are, no one else does. They would have to ransack the place before they find them.

Same with purses, wallets, and handbags. In the kitchen cupboard? In the office? Don't make it easy for thieves, hide things away out of sight, somewhere where they might not think of looking.

There are desperate people out there who are not getting any benefits and will resort to robbery to fund their lifestyle. You think you are safe in your own house, but you are not if you leave a door unlocked. Opportunist thieves will try doors until they find one unlocked, and woe betide anyone who is inside. You don't want that to happen, so lock your doors.

Next, walking about in towns, anywhere, you are carrying money, keys, phone, and cards. Keep them safe in zipped pockets, always check that the zips are fully closed after making a purchase. Do not leave the shop until you have checked your change and have your card stowed away safely. If you have to carry a bag use a small across the body bag with a shoulder strap. Put it on over your clothes but under your coat or jacket. While walking about check that you still have all your valuables in your possession. Pick pocketing is rife, bag snatching is rife, and now we have hoodies riding about on mopeds looking for victims who are yakking into their mobile phones while not taking a bit of notice about what is going on around them. It only takes a split second for a snatch to take place.

You think you are safe while driving about in your metal box, but you are not. When you get in your car what is the first thing you do, chuck your bag on the front passenger seat or in the front footwell, then drive off. That's a no no. At least hide your bag, your purse, but better still, lock all your doors. Bags have been stolen while a car is sat at traffic lights on red. It takes no time at all for someone to come alongside. open the door and make off with your valuables. It happens. They could be on foot or on a bicycle, they will escape through the crowds, and you are stuck in a traffic jam in your car.

As for parking your car, try and leave it in a busy street, not somewhere hidden away. Park near houses if you can, and lock it. Thieves will try car doors in the middle of the night even when your car is on your own driveway, they have been caught on CCTV cameras. Do not leave anything in your car when you lock it and leave it. Last week Humberside police tweeted that a car had been broken into, cards found and a substantial amount of money had been spent on them within hours. Who would be so daft as to leave their cards in their car? I do despair. Do not leave anything in your car.

Yet another case of stolen dogs has come up on my Facebook this morning, it's happening all the time. They are stolen from back gardens on a regular basis. Apart from the mental anguish that follows from a pet disappearing, there is also the monetary loss as well. Six dogs were stolen from the back of a Transit van recently. Only a couple of weeks ago someone left their two dogs in the multistory car park at Manchester which went up in flames, while they went out for a meal. The brave fire brigade went in and got them out before they died. I suppose you could put it down to the owner making a mistake and leaving them for a few minutes, but it shouldn't happen. You have to be aware of why dogs are stolen. People see dog breeding as an easy way of making money. They will steal a dog, impregnate it, or use it (male) for stud, keep it in squalid conditions until it gives birth and then kick it out. Often a stolen dog will be sold on to an unsuspecting buyer. Some of them are finding their way back to the original owner because of chipping, but not all are chipped. So my message here is, do not let your dogs out of your sight, make sure they are in a safe place at all times.

And the connection to money saving? Every little mishap, every mistake, every time complacency takes over and you are not watching what you are doing, you walk zombie like into disaster. Your purse is gone, the cash is gone, you have to phone the bank and cancel the cards and order new ones. Your car is stolen, or damaged, you have to contact your insurance to claim, your premium goes up the following year. You have to replace the car or get it repaired. Your mobile phone is gone, all your details are in there, your contact numbers, you are in danger of someone stealing your identity, the repercussions could be horrendous.

And losing a beloved pet has to be the most painful of the lot. Nothing is as bad as that. Material things can be replaced, but finding that your best friend has been taken by strangers, who will probably not treat it very well, is enough to make you say, why did I not take more care of it.

Something to think about. Pay attention, take care of your possessions, and I don't mean become paranoid about it. Just get into the habit of taking simple precautions.

I'm off. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip