Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

wildthing01

Lovely day out today as family to woodland/theme park type place - owned by forestry commission I think and sort of an outdoorsy/do it yourself theme park, but you pay to get in. We did it half price via group0n. Day full of building dens, climbing/sliding, adventure playgrounds/activity trails, a barefoot walk through different textures of ground, two mazes, and lots if mud! There's also a fabulous indoor enchanted forest playframe with fairies and trolls!

We bought lunch, which was a planned spend as we had got the tix half-price and it was nice healthy food (no chick nuggets for change!), but took own snacks and drinks, and did Not Buy anything from the shop they make you walk through on the way out, despite a small amount of whinging from DS. As we explained to him, we did not go there to go shopping. Am a bit concerned that even though I am bringing my children up NOT to be consumerist (we don't go out shopping etc as an activity), their first reaction to seeing any shop is one of excitement that we might buy something. Perhaps I've been too mean and they feel deprived?!!

RicardaRacoon

Evening everyone

Concert on Thursday was really good, small venue, but everyone enjoyed it I guess. My friend wanted to go with a friend who was sick, so she needed someone to come with her, which was my luck.

Just had dinner which was lo vegtable soup with rice and lentils and some toast as I was too lazy to cook. Defrostet some plums and made muffins with the recipe for Devon apple cake. I think it works with most fruits instead of the apples and it is so quick and easy to make and a very good way to use up lonely eggs as just one egg is required along with some butter, sugar and flour.

Yesterday morning I went swimming with my sister and in the evening she came to my place and we ordered pizza, ate a whole tub of ice cream as dessert and watched an old tv series... It was fun.
Today I went to my knitting group, had a voucher for a free drink at a certain coffee shop with a naked woman in their logo :-) so only spent some money on a muffin - and on the yarn...

I did splashed out some cash on lovely yarn today... Yarn seems to be my downfall but then it is lovely and soft handdyed Merino from someone in my knitting group and it would make a lovely lace scarf. I did also ordered the yarn for my cardigan last week, my mum ordered some too so that we spent enough to get free postage. Can't wait to get it started, I guess it will be my project for Eastern.

Have a nice evening everyone

Aril

Day 72/366 Last year's lot of elderflower wine has now been bottled and Mr GBT has made up the peach schnapps kit he was bought for Christmas. We needed more vodka which we used our latest set of Tesco vouchers for. Wanting to enjoy the sunshine we pootled over to one of the local Churches Conservation Trust churches which was lovely. Each one I visit has an unexpected historical gem and this was no exception. I forced Mr GBT to partake of a cheeky cider and a packet of crisps at a local hostelry which we've never been to before. I was driving this time so he didn't have any choice in the matter snigger!
Arilx

Lynplatinum

Ahoy there

Been on the Good ship Mega busy for a few days and now returning to me old crew!!! Nothing like good shipmates who come from the same port o' Moneysavin!

Howmuch - well done your DD and First Choice!! Bargains are there to be had!!
wildthing01 - no, your kids are not deprived! try taking photos of the day out and say to them - these will be a good reminder of the day whereas the trash toy will just end up broken! my boys have albums (well scrap books) they made of everywhere (almost) that they went and review them with great affection. Poor kids are just feeling the pull from the clever marketeers!
Aril - I like a good local hostelry - well done for engineering that one!

Wish I could say I ve been NBI but, fact is I havent! However this is due to house renovations and its costing me less as DS2 + his mates are helping out and doing all the labour! (DS2 + mates have worked in v useful trades! ) So new taps on kitchen sink - new skirting board in bathroom - old pine door planed and going up tomorrow - to be done - pointing and sanding of gloss work! Phew!
However, am making full use of YS goods both purchased today and previously to feed DS2 (staying till Sat!) + GF (staying till Tues).
So overall do not feel it is an extravagance but a necessity
Nite all

chirpycheap

Well we had big plans for tidying the garden and having a non spend weekend but then ended up spending Saturday in the hospital with my dad. Who knew that a urinary tract infection could knock someone off their feet quite so badly. My dear old dad is in his eighties but he's usually pretty sprightly.

Unfortunately the result was that I was spending a penny (or two) far more easily than my poor dad. Hospitals are a money pit! First there was the car park and of course we didn't have any change so had to go to the expensive shop to buy something to get change. Then dad needed a drink of water (£1.20, but it was from a special spring in Northumbria!!) and I misread the number on the vending machine and ended up mistakenly buying a bottle of Tango. Then after six hours of hanging around I ended up buying sandwiches and coffee. Oh well, no point worrying. It couldn't be helped but it has made me realise that I need a hospital/emergency contingency plan in the form of a pot of change that we keep in the car.

Saturday night I slept badly as my head was full of the events of the day before and woke up on Sunday with no energy (despite having done nothing but sit on my bum the day before!)
So we went out to a favourite cafe and spent £7 on coffee and cake! We did come home and do a bit of gardening but it's made me realise that when I'm under a bit of stress I am more prone to spend without thinking!
Dad thankfully is on some new, stronger antibiotics and is feeling a lot better. Good health is certainly something that money can't always buy but we are so lucky to have life saving medicines and treatments!

wildthing01

ChirpyCheap, I'm concerned that you had to buy water for your dad while he was at/in hospital. That sounds like pretty poor patient experience. I'd recommend in future asking at Reception for a drink of water for hi,, since he was a patient. In a hospital, they really shouldn't be making patients pay for water (other drinks, yes, but not water). and esp for someone with UTI where it's important to keep fluids up or risk dehydration. They have kitchens and water fountains, although if it was really busy they might say they didn't have time - to which my response would be that a drink of water would go a long way to helping him feel/get better thus reducing the time they have to spend treating him! Glad he's on the mend now!

nursemaggie

wildthing01 Anyone with a urine infection should be having staff pushing fluids not refusing them. Nothing to do with dehydration but to flush the system through and flush out the bacteria. It also dilutes the urine and stops it burning so much.

Tink_04

Well I have my meal plan set up for the week and im wanting to keep on track especially with the food. Was really pleased as last Thursday I stopped at a little tesco for milk on the way home from work and they had loads of bread down to 1p so the freezer is stocked of bread. Im working the next 3 days and have just made all the packed lunches too so no excuses to buy lunch out or spend any money.

Siebrie

My parents have left, and I have not done a single evening of mending. We were chatting away, and I was just too tired with dds' school events and my fulltime work. The AGM is coming up, and that always adds stress.

Tonight, I will mend!

HOWMUCH

Well I renewed the car insurance with the same company but a new policy went via quidco the quote was £15 cheaper than renewal price plus I got £60 quidco. So total saving £75