Debt free social life?????

What's a social life?????

I like my nights out too, so does OH. Before baby we were out 4 nights a week. I can sympathise. I have found I am not bothered for going out as much now, but still like to go at least once a week.
DVDs from the library are as little as 50p for a week rental, depending on how recent the release is.
When I go out, try every alternate drink as tap water, helps with headache as well as the purse.
Go to cinema on 2 for 1 tickets (check the freebies board on here, orange wednesdays is a good one) I am disabled and have a pass allowing me to take a carer for free.
Concerts - depending on who the band is of course, but if they are up and coming, contact them on myspace and ask if you can do anything at the gig and get in free. I have watched the tshirt stand, collected email addresses, handed flyers out etc in return for getting in free and usually they buy me a drink too.
babysitters - we do our best to get one for free, could you swap with a friend and take turns to babysit? My partner often goes out on different nights to me to save on babysitting costs.
I have friends that go out far more than me, every concert going, usually with hotel etc if its in a different town. they have mountains of debt, last time I saw one of them he was getting phone calls from all his credit companies and was ignoring them. There is nothing wrong with not keeping up with the Jones.

You have an evening out with the kids? How about arranging a midnight walk sort of thing? Like a treasure trial to do in the dark, or a ghost walk?

Nothing wrong with being "judgemental" in my opinion - a bit of straight-talking and commonsense never did anyone any harm.

Only boring people get bored - life is interesting, fascinating and full of fun. I am retired and still can't fit everything I want to do into my life, let alone go to bed at 9pm because I am "bored". I virtually never watch tv and never go to the cinema (not enough time).

As others have said, read books (I know there is not enough time left for me to read all the books that I would like to read), listen to music, take up a hobby, take up a sport, vounteer to help others, TALK to one another (what a novel idea). As for days out - a walk in the park costs nothing, bike rides, all sorts of things. Kids don't need money spent on them to have fun - kicking up the leaves in the street is fun for any kid under 12. Don't let your children grow up to have a lack of imagination and interest in the world around them, believing that the only way to "have fun" is to spend a lot of money going out with horrible people (calling someone a "boring cow" because she does not want to go out and spend a lot of money - this is a "friend"??!!)

Yes, this is a rant, and not because I am having a bad day, either, but because I am appalled at the very idea that you have to spend loads of money on a social life in order not to be "bored"

Ooh that reminds me!

Last December I did a few shifts on reception during the Christmas rush at my favourite Salon and they paid me in treatment credits which kept us in haircuts etc until about two months ago.

I just answered the phone, made tea and coffee, took the money, marshalled the juniors, "flannelled" the people who had been squeezed in and were having some kind of delay and told people they looked bloody fabulous before they left!

What I got paid equated to about £15 an hour but they'd never have paid me that much for basically being a dogsbody. But by paying me in treatments we all benefitted. (plus I enjoyed myself!)

Maybe your OH could try and sort out something similar at her favourite salon this Christmas?

Cos I agree with you that we women often do need some degree of grooming in order to feel " their normal selves" and most men don't really understand that!

Love Jacks xxx