To be a little shocked that by not going into town every Saturday with the dc we are saving £100 a month even before buying anything!

[PolkadotCircus]

So we're normally pretty tight but since Christmas we have been doing the no spend challenge in Budget.

To boost my no spend days target I rearranged my week so we didn't need to go into town as a family to stock up on milk,a paper,go to the library ,bank etc.

Omg we're really noticing the difference and after a few calculations have realised how much just nipping into town with a family costs.

Weekly cost:-

£5 petrol
£7 parking
£12 on pasties x 5 (always mistime the trip so end up buying lunch which we never do normally,take water from home)
£5 on papers

Never actually buy anything!

Omg when did things get so expensive?As a child we went into town every week to get the papers,a doughnut and go to the library.

Bit sad that this is now a luxury,did I have blinkers on?

OP: "I have changed my habits and no longer spend as much money, also we are finding new and fabulous things to do on the weekend!"
Everyone Else: "I can't believe you were ever as stupid and profligate as to do the things you have stopped doing, also we question your expenditure, because if it only costs me three quid to park, it can't possibly cost you, in a completely different part of the country, seven quid.

Kickassangel I'd have thought I didn't spend much either, but I spend almost every day. Either it's a day out with the (very young) kids and inevitably we all need to stop for coffee/a juice while I feed the baby, or I meet a friend with her kids in the park and I haven't brought enough snacks so I nip to the shop...or it's one of my work days, and since I work near the high street and no-one else in my family does it's oh can you just drop my shirt in the dry cleaners, or I must pick up some new jeans for DD1, or I didn't have time for breakfast again and the baby was up seven times and I NEED coffee...and it all adds up surprisingly!

Not Truro.

No bus season ticket which is why Dp often cycles the miles midweek.

I agree re councils,who is benefitting from parking tariffs(which Dp said he heard at work are going to increase) it surely can't be shop owners?

The thing is petrol is so £ you don't want to nip in for only an hour (if that is possible with 3 kids). You kind of want to let them spend ages in the library,museum,mooch round Waterstones,Apple shop (if you have a son like mine),let the kids spend their pocket money in the sweet shop or buy a comic handling moneyetc alongside chores in order to get value for money.

I guess I'm just shocked that what used to be a basic part of life is now a luxury.

I'm intrigued. Somewhere else in Cornwall then? Newquay? Snozzle?

Devon?

You tease....

Sorry only just name changed due to my Sherlock sister!

I've been doing online food shopping I save a fortune by not being in shop

Sorry

50p for 15 mins to park here.

Its amazing really how much can be saved must stop buying costa coffeeI've come to the conclusion that little thing which used to be run of the mill are now a treat.

yy to shopping online unless lidl. We rarley have a take away/pretty much never eat out unless its one of the dcs birthday.

Ah Polka I think I know where you going by the reference to the excellent free museum. I live 45 miles from there, so I know exactly how much trips there mount up. We have to factor in food because of the time involved - as it's over an hour drive each way we have to make a day of it.

Also, for those saying park in residential streets and walk in, some lovely councils are very fond of on street parking charges and residents permits to prevent this.

We do have a very good village shop for basics, but no bus service so for anything else we have to drive over 10 miles to the nearest crap town and over 20 miles to a reasonable one. Fortunately Tesco have recently started to deliver to our village.

Sorry - phone wouldn't let me scroll.

I can sympathise with OP about how the cost of a quick trip into town quickly mounts up, even if you are doing free things like the library and museum.

I just want to know about Scrotum-free pasties please

Large out of town shopping centres should charge similar rates for parking, that would help city centres hugely. It should go into the planning permission with revenues going to local government. HYMPH.

Large out of town shopping centres should charge similar rates for parking

Why would they want to do that?

HOW MANY PASTIES?!! you lardy chops!