Making savings before it's too late

humptydumptybits

I feed the GC quite often, it is amazing what a teenage boy can eat, so I still need some of the fill em up things.


The other thing is to look out for offers, if you aren't buy for "now" you can take advantage of 2f1 offers and such like or even points offers. I've got an offer for a load of nectar points if I spend more than usual this week so I will buy some stuff I will use but will keep and get my points.


I am hoping they are going to do an offer like last summer where you can get 2 cinema tickets or two pizza express meals for £5 worth of points. I've got enough for treats every week for the GC without costing me anything, well drinks and ice creams but I can do that.

lessonlearned

Lol.....entertaining children in the big school holidays can be rather expensive.

When my kids were small they used to do those two for one offers for places like Alton towers or Warwick Castle with Persil. I used to pounce on them when I saw them......I'm not familiar with what offers there are these days. I'll have to get up to speed.

Luckily I needn't think about that for a few years yet. Whilst my soon to born grandson is little he will be happy with a bottle of bubbles, a trip to the park, or playing pooh sticks on the bridge over the river.

Yesterday I was helping my son in the garden and I commented that this time next year we will have a little "helper" with his own miniature watering can.....:rotfl:

I think I am going to enjoy a chance to relive some of the things I did with my own kids with my grandchild.

Puddle jumping and splashing in the rain was huge fun..... I've got me wellies.

humptydumptybits

You still get those 2 for 1 offers but I think they are on chocolate or biscuits now, don't think it is Persil now. I don't tend to do the theme park days, their parents like those. We do the beach, zoo, cinema and out for meals mainly. We did do one big trip and took them to London, they loved that but it was very expensive with a hotel, trains not to mention the cost of places like the Tower of London. For food we did some picnics, had breakfast at the hotel so really it was only the evening meal that broke the bank.


I can't do it now, my husband has been disabled for many years and it is some years since we could do that sort of thing. We stick close to home now so he can join in for part of it and then has to head home.


We are currently looking at a new electric bed, I just can't get him out of bed anymore, it is crippling me.

lessonlearned

Oh god, yes.....that is hard. I remember it well. My poor husband had to have an all singing all dancing hospital bed but it was still a struggle. Hope you find something suitable.

lessonlearned

lessonlearned wrote: »

Oh god, yes.....that is hard. I remember it well. My poor husband had to have an all singing all dancing hospital bed but it was still a struggle. Hope you find something suitable.

Ps...we have a nice zoo near us. You can get family tickets for a year. (Similar idea to National Trust). You can do as many visits as you like. Great for littlies, they can see their favourite animals over and over again.

Actually you can also sponsor an animal as well. Great birthday gift idea, because the chid can visit "their" animal.

humptydumptybits

Yes the GC have the annual tickets, we used to but we don't go often enough to make it worthwhile, my husband can't get round. It does mean I only have to buy a ticket for DH if we go, GC have theirs and I get in as husband's carer. He will end up parked near the restaurant and we make return visits and then all have lunch.

cbsexec

Lesson learned - I tend to to wait for offers rather than stock up as they seem to come around in one shop or another on a regular basis e.g. washing powder/liquid. I also look out for the branded shampoo I like in Home Bargains or Savers - they have good prices.

Blackcatsreturns

Whilst being careful about product sizes, I do find that £ land is a great place for toiletries. My local store is next door to B*ots and the comparisons on price show significant savings. I struggle to not buy the £1 box of Maltese's though but justify that to myself very easily.
Prices on my shopping are creeping up though and petrol prices seem to fluctuate over the course of a few days.

lessonlearned

Yes I think prices have definitely risen which is why I was thinking about stockpiling some non perishables. I am trying to be more minimalist but my new house will have plenty of storage, so my stocks wouldn't be intrusive.

My new home will need a fair bit of work and the budget will be tight for quite a while - a couple of years at least - which is why I thought about stockpiling a bit. Probably not so much food as cleaning stuff and toiletries, although I do try and make some too.

CurlyTop

Good idea LOL

I think if you have the space go for it. I had a flyer through the door from Farm foods ...not somewhere I shop if I'm honest. They had a really good offer of 5l of fairy washing up liquid for £6.99. As Fairy normally works out at approx £2 per litre, I was happy with that so DH swiftly despatched with his bike to get some. It's a big bottle so I'be stored it under the stairs