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How do you keep life fun when you're on a budget?

53 replies

Clumsyandshy · 15/05/2022 09:49

How do you keep life fun when you're on a budget?

With Covid feeling like a thing of the past I can sense old feelings creeping back noticing how everyone seems to be going abroad, having fancy date nights and going to gigs. I know Instagram is a highlights reel but when I found myself looking forward to going to a slightly bigger LIDL than usual this morning I thought that maybe it's time to inject a little more excitement in my life 😆

Ideas on a postcard please ❤️

OP posts:
mummoneysaver · 18/05/2022 17:43

I think its all about spending where you really want / need to and avoiding overpaying where you can, i.e. making the pennies count! As far as little day to day things you can do that help save I would suggest some of these:

Have 1 or 2 no spend days a week (i.e. no coffees, minimise travel costs etc)

Download a discount code browser extension like cheapskate: https//cheapskate.io/ it instantly applies discounts to your shopping basket when you're shopping online

Follow martin lewis (money saving expert) for money saving tips!

Banks like Monzo, Starling etc also have a 'round up' feature that round up each transaction you make to the nearest £1 and put the pennies into a savings account. A friend of mine just paid for a holiday on all her 'round ups' money!

Hopefully this helps x

fizzyfood · 18/05/2022 17:46

Join the national trust, family membership £10.50 a month.

NoEffingWay · 23/05/2022 21:39

I have just hopped in the shower, used all my best toiletries, dried and straightened my hair, did a mini-facial and mosturised. Total cost-£0. Felt amazing!

SweetSakura · 24/05/2022 21:24

With an 18 month old /up to preschool some of the things I remember doing (on a v tight budget)- trips on the bus, just a couple of stops on the bus, and a play in a new playpark /trip to a different library felt very exciting for them.
"Adventure walks" - they got to pick which way to go at every corner , so we were basically wandering aimlessly around the local roads but we treated it as an adventure.
Teddy bear picnics -make a normal meal more of an event by having it on the floor with teddies etc. (I did this a lot when I left xh , to disguise the fact all I had energy for was random stuff from the freezer!)

Treasure hunts to find a prize - we started off very simply (warmer /colder type games) but they evolved into complex maps and clues.

Decorating cakes/biscuits. You can do some baking or just buy a pack of Rich tea and let them go to town with icing and decorations.

I also second following local arts venues and community groups and looking out for free events , village fetes etc

For myself, on a budget I enjoy- a trip to the charity shop to choose new books, a trip to the beach for a swim in the sea, a mooch around a different city (ideally with bookshops !), A walk somewhere new -maybe setting a challenge like to walk between two locations/catching the train and walking back from somewhere. Trying new activities, either free or as a one off. Anything a bit new and different! Again, following local groups and pages for ideas of things happening is really good.

Or get volunteering. I have always loved the adventure of getting stuck into helping to run an event or an activity.

BarbaraofSeville · 25/05/2022 08:41

Firstly really look at your budget to make sure you're getting the best price for all your essentials and that you need/use all the things you pay for.

A few little savings can add up to a noticeable improvement in your disposable income, so you can spend a bit more freely on the things that are fun but not essential.

Also look for little ways to make extra money. I have a spare bank account with 2 direct debits coming out of it that I switch regularly for the introductory offers - in the last 6 months, I've switched it to Lloyds and now Natwest and picked up £250 cash and 6 free cinema tickets on the way, for probably less than a hour's admin. Get the Moneysaving Expert weekly email to find out when these are available, and also other offers and discounts.

Evaluate the cost of everything to make sure that you've got the best price and it's worth the money. Don't sign up to endless subscriptions for streaming services etc. You probably can't watch more than one or two at a time, so cycle round if there's things you want to watch on different platforms. Plus Now TV always have offers so it's rare you have to pay full price. I'm currently on £2.99 for the entertainment package for 6 months.

Eating out and takeaways (plus coffee and bought lunches) are getting more and more expensive and add up to a huge spend if you do it regularly. If you're getting takeaways because you don't want to cook, keep nice supermarket pizzas, curries or whatever in the freezer instead, or look for supermarket meal deals. Costs about a third of similar food from a takeaway and with restaurants, the saving is often even more, because you're also paying high prices for drinks.

For days out etc, always look for offers, big attractions often do free child places or similar, its rare that you have to pay the full price for everyone. Or if there's somewhere nearby that you could go regularly, buy annual passes (I believe that sometimes you can get deals on these at certain times of year eg, Black Friday, the beginning of the summer is probably not a good time to buy these for theme parks or similar). Many Mumsnetters suggest National Trust membership as a good way of regular cheap days out, it's also often useful for free parking on certain beaches.

Of course, take a picnic rather than eating in the cafe at the attraction, or perhaps just have an ice cream (if you really want to save on ice creams, buy a multipack in a supermarket or convenience store instead, but that doesn't work if you want it while you are actually at the attraction). In many places the food is expensive, poor quality and at the end of a long queue so it's no great hardship to avoid it anyway.

Some great ideas there too @SweetSakura . If you can go for walks exploring your local area, that's free and obviously better than going to the shops 'for something to do and get out of the house' if you end up paying for parking, buying coffee/cake or fast food and also things you don't really need.

Look out for free things to do in your local area or not too far away. Galleries and arts spaces are often free and could have craft activities for children.

My city has loads of 'Little Free Libraries' which are mini libraries that you can just go and choose a book to borrow, or donate some of your old books.

francesfrankenfurter · 25/05/2022 08:57

There is nothing wrong with being excited at getting fresh bread and Brie or going to a larger LIDL. The happiest people are those who can take joy in small things.

We are not totally skintight but what we do is have friends round to watch a film with everyone bringing food to share. BBQ in your garden. Visiting a special ice cream parlour.
We also use atlas obscure to find interesting and unusual things to see locally.
You could take up a new hobby or look at groups you could go to. For example there is one local to me for people tracing their family history. Go to pubs and see local bands for free. You only need to pay for one cheap drink.

francesfrankenfurter · 25/05/2022 08:59

If you have a university near you look at their talks and events for the public. Ours run free talks,a few films and some events, some for families.

Antarcticant · 25/05/2022 09:03

Lots of English heritage sites are free to enter even if you're not a member. If you put your postcode into their website it will list sites starting with the nearest.

francesfrankenfurter · 25/05/2022 09:05

fizzyfood · 18/05/2022 17:46

Join the national trust, family membership £10.50 a month.

This is always recommended and I don't think it is that cheap activity. It always involves a reasonable amount of petrol, and we haven't that many places near us. So after you have been around yet another stately home for the eighth time, you get fed up and end up paying to drive and park somewhere with lots of green and trees.
And for anything new you always have to pay extra.

BarbaraofSeville · 25/05/2022 09:11

But National Trust isn't just 'stately homes'. Plus many NT properties of all types are within extensive wooded parkland, so you can walk for miles with no more driving.

Obviously it depends on what's close to you, but say a tenner's worth of petrol probably gets you a round trip to whatever's in a 30 mile radius, so while it's not free, it could well be cheaper than the cinema or soft play for a family.

OversBo · 25/05/2022 09:12

Picnics are good in the summer. I buy good coffee beans and take a flask everywhere. Saves a fortune in takeaway coffees.

francesfrankenfurter · 25/05/2022 09:13

We also enjoy going to college art shows. These are free and are where the students are trying to sell their work to the public. You have the thrill of imaging you might spot the next big artist before they are famous. They often provide free tea and instant coffee as well.
We have also had days out where we set ourselves a challenge of going to lots of free things. For example a small museum, then a DSL sale with a free glass of bubbly (we just sat on the sofa and drank the bubbly), etc. we enjoy the challenge,although it does depend where you live.

francesfrankenfurter · 25/05/2022 09:17

@BarbaraofSeville I don't need to pay to walk miles. There are lots of public footpaths, some start a few miles from my house.
If you are comparing it to a family going to the cinema it is cheaper. But there are good reasons NT is basically for the middle class. I am not paying over £10 a month plus £10 petrol every time we want a walk in woods or fields.

OversBo · 25/05/2022 09:58

I was a National Trust member when mine were little, but it’s not really a low cost option. The children’s area attracted an extra charge at the nearest property, and most were a reasonable drive away. Also if you need to eat or drink under cover on a wet day, paying for a cuppa in the cafe was the only option other than sitting in the car. Your local library is a good option for free activities if you have one nearby. Also look for holiday and food (HAF) activites in school holidays for your area.

ConfusedByDesign · 25/05/2022 10:22

Invite people over for a takeaway. Everyone contributes a bit of money and brings a bottle.

Meet friends for a walk somewhere interesting. Take coffee or picnic.

Save as much money as you can every week, even if it's £2, sell things and see if you can afford a cheap night away in a few months time.

Join a walking or cycling group or arrange something with friends.

Antarcticant · 25/05/2022 12:34

A wander round local garden centres is pleasant on a sunny day, as long as you don't end up buying loads of plants or succumbing to the cafe on a whim!

LaBellina · 25/05/2022 12:39

We enjoy going to the park on sunny days and having a picnic, it’s often much more fun then going out for lunch.

Treasure hunting in second hand/ charity shops is fun and I’ve bought lovely good quality things over the years.

Join the library to enjoy nearly unlimited books for nearly nothing.

A Netflix subscription doesn’t cost much and you can have a lovely evening with just a bag of cheap crips and some wine

LaBellina · 25/05/2022 12:41

Antarcticant · 25/05/2022 12:34

A wander round local garden centres is pleasant on a sunny day, as long as you don't end up buying loads of plants or succumbing to the cafe on a whim!

Definitely this! I used to do this a lot with my grandmother as a child and I’m still very fond of garden centres despite not being a gardener at all.

Antarcticant · 25/05/2022 12:41

If there is a heritage railway near you, see if they offer platform tickets (or even allow you on the platform for nothing) - our nearby one does platform tickets for a £1. You can have a picnic on the platform and watch steam trains puff by - great opportunity for photographs.

Antarcticant · 25/05/2022 13:01

Another idea is to consider whether any local places you'd normally drive to are feasible for a walk. DH and I realised we could walk to a nearby country park in about an hour rather than driving and paying to park. Take your own food and drink in a rucksack = free day out!

RomeoOscarXrayIndigoEcho · 25/05/2022 20:24

I can't claim this as an idea but I saw in a Facebook group I'm on that one woman's little boy had made up a 2022 resolution of visiting all the play parks in his local area.

What a great idea! Cheap, fun and keeps you local while discovering new play spaces

My offerings are use the local library more (music, magazines, Lego clubs, book big clubs and much more) and picnics.

You were probably planning to eat anyway so why not pack a picnic and take it somewhere else.

Visit the local train station, bus station, airport (if any near by).

Definitely ask around near you for people to recommend local and affordable ideas.

It's a while away but find out who the local schools are - so they have Summer or winter fairs you can go along to?

Antarcticant · 25/05/2022 20:30

Another we occasionally do - watch some 'grass roots' sport. Local football teams play regularly in a park that's 10 minutes from us; anyone can spectate on the sidelines.

Sconebutterjamcream · 25/05/2022 20:54

You could teach yourself something new from YouTube?

I recently learnt how to make a proper coffee from a barista on YouTube. We'd had a French coffee press that had been hanging around for years and I didn't know how to use it. Now my coffee is delicious! And I can even froth hot milk with the press and make a tree shape on the top of the coffee. Very satisfying!

HairyScaryMonster · 25/05/2022 21:16

I read something (probably on here but I can't remember) that said plan:

a tiny thing to look forward to every day (chapter of your book, nice bit of choc, cuppa in the garden)

A small thing to look forward to every week (lunch or a walk with a friend, new book from the library)

A medium thing to look forward to every month (dinner out, day trip etc)

And a big thing every season (holiday, theatre trip etc)

I love it and plan to aim for it.

ConfusedByDesign · 25/05/2022 22:10

For the little one, find animals. My dc think anywhere with animals is a fab time out.
We've visited local stables to say hello to the horses, found deer that you can feed carrots to, ducks and geese galore, local city farm to feed goats and hold rabbits, fed grass to a field of cows, a local park has tame squirrels that will take monkey nuts out of your hands.
Beach is a great day out. I've accumulated a bag of beach toys that I can just throw in the car with a picnic for a great day out. Bucket and spade is hours of fun for dcs. Invite friends to join you.
Swimming at the local pool.
Bike rides with a seat for the little one.

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