What do you do for pleasure now?

[peebles32]

Like everyone else our bills have gone up along with food etc.
This means we have no spare income for holidays, days out etc.
It feels like we are working just to exist so I am after some ideas on what little pleasures I can look forward to. Kids are teenagers so that's a difficult one as it normally involves money when going out.
I am lucky as always had a holiday every year but next year is a not a possibility. (Unless it goes on a credit card).
I feel like although we are in a good position been able to pay the bills the money for extras has gone. Paying for Xmas is worrying me and I feel so guilty that we can't go for days out anymore.
Throw me some ideas on what makes you happy that does not cost much! Please...

I'm getting quite into cooking and baking now that we can't afford to go out for meals as much. We also staycation instead of holidays abroad, but that's always been our preference 🤓. We like walking holidays and the like. We might try camping next summer as that seems to work out to be quite cheap

When the weather is nice walking and picnics are cheap days out. In winter it’s harder though, I’ve taken up language learning as a hobby with free apps like Duolingo.

Get a dog or cat if you can give it a healthy and loving home

@anythinginapinch I know you mean well but dogs cost a fortune. We've had our dog for 6 weeks and so far it's been more expensive than we had imagined- the insurance, the vets, buying his bed, food and everything, flea and worm treatments, I could go on! It's easily £100 a month.

We spent £150 in one go at the vet a few days ago because our dog is scared of fireworks and needs anti anxiety medication.

Op can you treat yourself at home - pamper evenings. I love Superdrug's 99p face masks or make my own from banana and avocado, a nice bath and some chocolate, painting my nails.

Do you have any nice walk routes in your area? I like woodland walks.

Can you make your trip to the hair dresser cheaper? I arrive with wet hair so they don't need to wash it, literally just trim and quick blow dry £20.

We live opposite the beach and me and DH regularly get a portion of chips and sit by the sea after a long walk.
I've also started reading a lot more, cooking and even though I'm not very good I've been trying to teach myself to draw.

Anti-anxiety dog medication for fireworks is nuts. Surely just stay inside and put Classic FM on loud??

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I find economising on the small stuff means I can afford to go out to restaurants or go on holiday. Lots of people drip feed all their money away on hundreds of avoidable purchases— brand name goods, haircuts, new clothes etc.

@mossylog there's no need to be rude. We obviously tried other stuff like music first and it didn't work. It's a lot of money for us so we didn't spend it for fun!

Sorry, I didn't express that well. I've got a dog too and it's a nightmare when they're upset, I get that you'd be willing to try anything.

Run

I thought I was useless at all kinds of sport, and that the people who said C25K worked were secretly the cool girls who were sporty at school and onwards, But then I gave it a try, and it was utterly transformative!!

Getting out, ideally somewhere that’s green, physical activity, time to let your mind wander (or meditatively - just feeling how your body moves) has done me a power of good.

Only real ongoing cost is replacing trainers from time to time (though it’s easy to spend more if you start covering better kit and things like race entries)

The DC’s school PE gear is probably OK to run in, and you could do parkrun together (walking it to start with, and building up)

Don’t do this if you are struggling financially. Pets are expensive as well as hard work

We like to try out different play areas when we get fed up with the local ones.

Also I spend a lot of time googling free/cheap days out, we went to the tank museum this half term and it was brilliant.

Audible audiobooks, I get the longest ones to make my monthly credit last, and listen in headphones on local walks, or while washing up etc. It transports me out of my boring life!

Candle lit baths.

Meeting friends for walks.

Putting music on and dancing at home (back pain preventing this one at the mo though).

It's a nice idea, but pets cost ££££ to look after, even if you don't pay much to acquire them. Much more expensive than few days out for a family.

Walk, fields, beach.

I look at shopping sites and add what I would like to buy to the basket, then click off.

Reading and audiobooks from the library are my everyday treats. We enjoy exploring local walks together as a family with a picnic (hotdogs in a flask and hot choclate on cold days).

Volunteering. It’s free, brings joy to others and feels incredibly rewarding and worthwhile.

Owning a pet is expensive! Maybe short term fostering for a rescue would be better?

Board & card games. Teenagers might groan, but once you've peeled them off their screens they enjoy themselves.

same with days out for hikes & picnics.

teach yourself crochet from YouTubers.(you could do that as a family too)

have a baking afternoon - divide into teams, have a bake off.

bike ride??

I recently picked up my childhood instrument (violin) again and started playing regularly. The skill has atrophied but it’s a lot more fun as an adult. My baby loves to listen - not so transferable to teenagers! Unless you can all play. Have an old recorder around?

We do Nice Food and Telly / Film evenings - the food is budget dependant so is anything from chippy tea, cheapie take away pizza, selection from Greggs... to a fake away, cute sandwiches and mini cakes, oven pizza, normal dinner followed by home made cake... Basically anything we can get away with labelling Nice Food 😂 And we either watch an episode of a programme we have on the go all together or we choose a film.
The kids love it and it's nice to do something all together that can come out of the grocery budget if necessary. We try and do it once a week.

Charity shop for board games and jigsaw puzzles

I read library books spring summer but don't enjoy reading in the winter. Bored with you tube. More LBC radio and radio 4 it will have to be.

I have zero treats except for four skincare products that are pricey but b uy them on Ebay. I cut my own hair. Oh and Estee Laude r foundation.r

No days out no holidays no meals out. Takeaway birthdays only.

Cats aren't expensive