Room for a little one?

Pippilongstocking

I'm so with you starnac - glad the trip was good - setting goals - I'm with you on that - here there are things still in boxes - hardly anything up on the walls and storage to be sorted.

I need to follow your example and make some budgets and goals for the next year.

Our food budget for 2 is generally £200 (£300 with other household spends) - so maybe we need to follow your example and make a goal to reduce it by about half. And a frugal february sounds like a plan.

I wish you and yours the best the year can be - filled with love and kindness xx

starnac

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

I wish you and yours the best the year can be - filled with love and kindness xx

Right back at ya. We can make the best of the year no matter what it may bring.

starnac

Happy New Year

Well the kids satyed up to watch the new year in. They were very underwhelmed. I think they thought that something *magical* would happen at midnight :rotfl: They were in bed not long after and did lie in til almost 9am which is very late for my two.

I was up and out for the parkrun double this morning. So an hour's worth of free exercise done. Well not quite free, in the rush to get to the start line of the second parkrun I parked in the nearest car park and it cost me £1 to park there! Still not too bad I suppose.

As I was driving out of the town (it's near the sea) the queue of cars trying to get in was pretty much all the way back to the motorway! Lucky we were there so early as I think a lot of people were going for a NYD "blow the cobwebs away" walk along the beach.

starnac

Morning all. DH has gone back to work today. I'm kind of sad as it's been nice having him home but I'm also kind of glad as it's one step closer to "normality". Kids go back to school on monday and although I will be sad to see them go, again it's nice for all of us to get back into routine.

First spends from the shopping budget yesterday. We needed milk so that's £2 spent. We will need a few bits ready for when the kids go back, for their lunchboxes etc but I won't buy much as they will only be in school 4 days before we go away.

starnac

We've just been to town to the HB bargains shop. DS had some money for Christmas and he remembered that in that shop there was a whole wall with toys. He asked if he could spend some of his money on a new toy. I wasn't particularly keen as he had quite a lot at christmas. But I couldn't comlain really as neither of them ask for much.

Both took £10 and looked at everything before they made a decision about what they wanted. Both were very happy with their choices and both brought change home too :money:

While in there I picked up some bits too. Some toilet roll, bread and fruit. I spent £7.38 so not too bad. Will add that to the shopping total.

Pippilongstocking

Sounds like a nice day all in all - and your two I'm sure were good at the research of what they wanted before they spent it!

Hope you're winds are down a bit - looked a bit crazy on the news down south.

You're doing so much better than me on the spends - I'm already up well into double figures......but I'm back at work tomorrow so here's hoping I have a NSD day or two....

Have a great afternoon!

starnac

They were very good at researching their choice Pippi. I think we drilled it into them the first time we went to D1sneyland. We only had a set budget for treats (toys) so we told them that they could ask to go in any (or every) shop they wanted. If they saw something they wanted to buy they could put it on their list. Then the eve of our last day in the park we went through their lists with them to see which they wanted the most. They were allowed to go back and look at any "contenders" if they wanted, then on the last day we bought them their choice.

It worked for us as they didn't spend all holiday asking for things we couldn't afford, and it worked for them as they both got something they wanted. We repeated it when we went back there a year ago and fair play they were fab. Now whenever they've got money to spend they like to weigh up their options. Even as adults we know how frustrating it is to spend our money impulsively on something then later on see something that would have been much better suited.

So they go and they look at everything, they are aware of the budget and keep to those within that amount. I usually look a bit odd loitering while I keep an eye on two kids who are far enough apart in age to have completely different tastes. Then when they have seen everything, I ask which are their favourites. They show me then we discuss the merits of each one "well this one has two cars for the same price" etc then they choose.

It may sound a long winded way of doing it but I get to hold tight to my budget while they feel that they have complete freedom to choose whatever they want. Both parties come away feeling like they got their way so it can't be a bad thing can it?

Greying_Pilgrim

starnac - you're an inspiration with your 2 children! I hope I can emulate you with BG's spending in the future

Just nipped in to tell you that I was thinking of you today, when I popped into a chazzer and they had an 'all in one' waterproof suit - thing (dunno what they're called) that was the right size for BG! So no more spoilt clothes or curtailed outings if they stray into the only puddle for miles around!.... assuming we've remembered to take the suit and put it on them........... :rotfl:

Have a great day, lovely

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Starnac, I would say that is an example of excellent parenting

starnac

Thank you ladies. You are both too kind.

Greying DS had one of those and we loved it. His was very thick and kept him nice and warm on the school run. BG will love the freedom you give them to splash in puddles. It's an improtant part of childhood.