frugal fun with children when on budget

karren

Thanks to all on this site we've managed on 2 part time wages,
Kept head above water so to speak
Paid mortgage
We,ve been part time for years so I've home with my 2 as much as can and although money was tight we have had a ball,
we had no family we could rely on so we juggled shifts round the children so no childcare but we do have superb friends who helped out when really really stuck, which was rare,

Holidays were mostly camping and traded car in for ancient bongo people carrier/campervan so the adventures continue but my asthmatic son is in the warm and dry

Forest school days in woods (Google it as its free and fun)

They made a cardboard cement box into loads one year and that box was their castle, cafe, shop you name it!!!

We used to buy videos for 50p and have movie days when it rained

We baked and cooked from scratch and froze it so we had menus to have home made takeaways

We recycled clothes to friends and vice versa

The library was our friend as whole mornings spent there and free

When they joined brownies and scouts we helped out so shared the adventures
They are older now so different adventures advice had to go full time as loads of big bills came in last year and car died Tec but I'll hopefully still do potty adventures,
Parenting is hard but it's also the most rewarding brilliant Thu g ever and children are a gift and privilege as I never thought I'd gave them so thanks all for advice keep it coming as new set if challenges to come xxx

WantAnOrange

It sounds like your children have had a wonderful childhood, and just goes to show it's not money that buys that. My children are 7 years old and 15 months old, and I'm a childminder too. The best times are free. They love digging for worms in the garden and making mud pies, hiking, playing on the beach and actually just pottering about at home!

Sure Start has been a missive benefit to us with loads of free activities and we use the library too.

My childhood didn't involve any expensive holidays or lots of days out but I remember afternoons playing in my friends garden, blackberry picking and walking the dog.

The weather doesn't matter either. I'd rather spend a bit of money on some decent wet weather gear and get countless days out regardless of the rain, than spend the same amount on one afternoon in soft play hell. (not that we don't go to soft play hell of course...)

karren

If your on Facebook, look up family days the woman on there is superb at free fun with the children I wish I'd seen it when they were small
She did this post in week about going to beach looking for pearls in shells it was fab,
I run a brownie group so I'm inspired by her ideas a lot x xxx