It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

elsien

Geocaching? 

newlywed

@Bluegreen143 I like old architecture, so often look up listed buildings in a specific area… then I know where the older areas/buildings are.

also I have looked up different parks in my city and visited ones I haven’t been to before, or not since I was school age… think I still have a couple left to do in fact!

also the libraries often have some tourist leaflets of what’s in the town or area that may be worth a visit… some will cost tho.

I love to walk (far) but like to have a goal for going in a particular direction.

London_1

Bluegreen143 said:

@EssexHebridean eeek! I love and always bblock butter. But £2 a block! 

Re the supermarket checkout behaviour, in general I try to assume that most people are doing the best they can with the resources (time, energy, money, skills, health, confidence, how they were brought up etc) available to them. Not sure though that this discussion is going to come to a productive end as it’s clearly polarising.

On another (more relevant?) note, I’d love to hear how those of you feeling the pinch are getting fun into your lives frugally. I’m making a wee list of cheap summer fun (we’re in Scotland so the kids are already off). 

So far I’ve got:

With the children…

- crafting/painting because we have tons of art/craft supplies in

- chilling out in the garden with the paddling pool out

- walking over to local playpark

- having picnics

- going to the library 

- having friends over instead of going out (both in terms of playdates for the kids and our adult friends!)

- was thinking maybe doing a family Lego building team challenge? 

- making a garden treasure hunt?

- board games (though DD is three so not quite there yet with proper games, and the ones aimed at 3yos are dull for everyone else 🤣)

And for adults…

- putting a fire in the chiminea and having a drink with DH and playing cards in the garden 

- last night I had a craft night at my sister’s - my mum and I did our knitting, sister did embroidery and I made a veggie curry from stores and HM naans (instead of getting a takeaway)

- meeting friends at the pub but just having 1-2 soft drinks (saves on alcohol but also taxis)

Any other ideas for summertime frugal fun?

I think you've cracked it, some excellent ideas there for people to get back to simple things in life that cost very little.

The main theme being you are interacting with both your family and friends and making many memories for you all. Back in the 1970s when things were pretty awful and the mortgage rates were through the roof at 17%, my family struggled with very little spare money and the wolf persistanly knocking on the door . My late OH and I had two small children and a mortgage payment that almost was 50% of his take home pay. We went back to doing things I did when I was little and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it as it made them lasting memories Especially when we had the three day week and massive shortages in the shops.

We hadn't long bought our first house, which was a falling down money-pit of a Victorian semi. No central heating ,no double glazing, and virtually apart from an open fire in the through room downstairs, no heating anywhere else. I remember one night it was so cold the four of us all snuggled up to sleep in the sitting room on the sofa as upstairs the windows had ice on the inside of the windows but the children thought it was so exciting to be camping out in the sitting room and I read them stories by the firelight and we cooked toast on a fork as the only cooking facilities I had was electric and when that went off we had no light or apart from candles no lighting at all. Even candles were like gold dust back then as everyone wanted some .You never knew when the lights would go out so cooking food was to say the least a bit of an experience Many a time I would have to scoot down the road to my neighbours house who had a gas cooker to finish off my cooking of the dinner.:) I'm still friends with her to this day over 50 odd years later.I did make a hay box out of my childrens large wooden toy box and some cusions and an old duvet which I would cok rice puddings in or stews.The children thought it was a hoot to see their Mum putting a casserole into their toy box and tucking it in tight to cook but it worked and cost me very littel as well.

Necessity is definitely the mother of inventions, and needs must when the devil, (or in this case the power workers ) drive and we survived. Ok we didn't have perhaps the healthist of diets for a little while but toast on a fork in front of the open fire gave my kids something hot to eat, and some good memories they remember to this day.

So well done on thinking of things for your family to remember when these troubles pass as they will eventually

JackieO xx

dreaming

@Bluegreen143

Youtuber Tess-Frugal Living has recently posted a video along similar lines. One thing I particularly liked was that she emphasised that not every spare minute had to be organised with entertainment/activity - it was ok to just have some sitting round, doing nothing kind of days, which I wholeheartedly agree with. It's been a long time since I had little ones to cater for (even my little one's little ones are growing up and doing their own things these days) but I believe everyone needs some "down time", and even if they complain about being bored that in itself builds self-reliance, and in my experience they usually found something they wanted to do pretty quickly. One always wanted to read, the other wanted to listen to music on their headphones.

maryb

I was interested to see today that Marks and Sparks of all places was the cheapest for butter.  £1.70 instead of £1.75 in Lidl and they had 500g blocks for £3.60.  And their sliced bread is always the cheapest of any of the supermarkets.  I wouldn’t go out of my way for it but I cut through Marks’s food hall to get from the High St to the bus stop

euronorris

Shame to hear that Butter is up to £2 in Morries. It's still £1.75 in aldi as of this morning.

Summer things for us include a day to Warwick castle, using sun tokens for 2 tickets and clubcard points for the other. Managed to get alton towers as well, for September. Visiting my parents, making the most of the beach (we live in a beach town), and the pier (as a local resident we get a free pass so don't have to pay to go on), paddling pool and playdates for the kiddos. 

I get the ice poles that you freeze yourself at home. 20 in a box for a £1 in farmfoods, though I noticed they were almost double the cost in sainsburys! They are various ice poles available at other shops, like home bargains, so have stocked up on them for the heatwave. Cheap tub of soft serve ice cream, box of waffle cones and a bottle of syrup - you could do up to 20 cones for under a fiver! Keeps the kids happy, and cool, in this weather.

Wicked_Lady

maryb said:

I was interested to see today that Marks and Sparks of all places was the cheapest for butter.  £1.70 instead of £1.75 in Lidl and they had 500g blocks for £3.60.  And their sliced bread is always the cheapest of any of the supermarkets.  I wouldn’t go out of my way for it but I cut through Marks’s food hall to get from the High St to the bus stop

Yes, it's strange, isn't it? I bought a sliced wholemeal loaf in M&* last week and it was only 65p, as against £1.10 or so for a branded one. They have some good prices on various things.

Bluegreen143

Thanks for all the lovely ideas, all 🙂

I am also a big believer in children amusing themselves, and while they’re quite young still and can’t yet read they are very very good at playing independently. My stock response to a bored child is “great, you can go tidy the playroom!” 🤣 so they know not to say that to me. But I do want to do nice things together too so these ideas are great! Need to look into geocaching as have heard of it but not sure exactly what it involves. 

Re the cheap ice cream and cones - we do that too 🙂 I’ve been buying rocket lollies from Lidl but must source out ice poles as they are cheaper. Is it bad I do keep nice ice cream in for myself as I don’t like the cheap stuff 🙈😅

euronorris

Oh, and picnics in the garden are very well received by our 6 year old. I just do sandwiches, chopped/sliced Cucumbers, peppers, cherry tomatoes, fruit bits, little cheeses and she's happy as Larry.

Wicked_Lady

Bluegreen143 said:

Thanks for all the lovely ideas, all 🙂

I am also a big believer in children amusing themselves, and while they’re quite young still and can’t yet read they are very very good at playing independently. My stock response to a bored child is “great, you can go tidy the playroom!” 🤣 so they know not to say that to me. But I do want to do nice things together too so these ideas are great! Need to look into geocaching as have heard of it but not sure exactly what it involves. 

Re the cheap ice cream and cones - we do that too 🙂 I’ve been buying rocket lollies from Lidl but must source out ice poles as they are cheaper. Is it bad I do keep nice ice cream in for myself as I don’t like the cheap stuff 🙈😅

Here you are @Bluegreen143: Geocaching – Advanced Search: Find, filter and sort geocaches

I'm a big geocaching fan and will be going out tomorrow to find some more. You do need a smartphone to sign up for the App though.