This is usually about the time when people have spent up and need another installment of dosh. But in the meantime have no funds to do anything. This made me wonder why do most things cost money and what can we use in our own homes as substitute entertainment?
Don't get me wrong if we had a bit more money we would love more meals out rather than planning them in advance, lazy weekend coffee's and cake, cinema trips and a spot of shopping. But why do these things make us happy when we have a home, which we are paying for, full of so many things to do!
1) Cinema - I just about have a heart attack every time (albeit rare time) I go to the cinema. We went to our local Cinema De Lux wanting to watch Man of Steel. The only available showing was in 3D which came to £10.50 each! Then we had to buy our 3D glasses totalling £12 each. A lovely £24 was spent before we even considered buying a drink and/or food. Oh and parking was £1.80. Although we had a lovely evening on our last date night, we sort of felt deflated when we came home and realised we had a huge pile of DVD's in our cabinet that we hadn't seen for a long while. We could have bought a bar of chocolate, snuggled under the duvet and watched a film we probably couldn't remember much of for about a £1.
2) Friday night take aways - In our defence we rarely get take aways however we do occasionally think, sod it, let's not bother cooking and order something. I know it's all been said before but if you cook a curry or Chinese at home the cost of it goes down dramatically. I know the most part of the take away is not having to cook, but the positives out way the negatives. Healthier, probably tastier, cheaper food that you can tailor to just how you like. Even with the constant Pizza hut vouchers I get through my door, it doesn't make for a cheap pizza. For example, the other Friday night me and Luke cooked our own Pizza's for less than a fiver.
We did kind of cheat by using packet dough where you basically just add water. They are super cheap and you can get them from all supermarkets. We topped them with a mixture of passata and tom puree. We then added mini mozzarella balls, parma ham, basil and mushrooms. I added cherry tomato's as I didn't have sun dried!
I suppose the cheapest take away meal, if you have to, is Fish and Chips. I'm not saying its the healthiest but if you share a large chips and fish it doesn't cost the earth.
3) Meeting friends for coffee and cake - this is one of my main guilty pleasures. Forget the chain coffee shops, give me a one of a kind deli/artisan coffee shop and that is my weakness! I don't know if you know but I can't stand tea, it makes me feel sick at the smell but I do love coffee. But buying a nice coffee and piece of cake can set you back over £5 easily. I know that doesn't sound a lot but this doesn't include petrol, car park fees and treats you buy along the way to the coffee shop (or is that just me?) it all adds up. And considering you could make a whole cake from ingredients in your cupboard or buying a few things from the shop, you wouldn't be paying for one measly cake but a whole cake which could feed all your friends and family in your own home!
I love nothing more than in the evening having a warm bath, painting my nails, having a steaming hot cup of coffee and reading my book. At the weekends I make tasty, treat meals and watch film box sets or go out for an evening walk. If I have a day with no particular aim, usually I would fancy going to a shop, but now I like to clean the house or do a job which I have been meaning to do e.g. sewing and mending, cleaning the fridge or tackling the ironing pile. It makes me feel like I have had a productive day. I can bake cakes for next to nothing, visit the library for free, take Benjamin to the park and visit friends at their house.
I know this is making me sound boring and trust me, I used to be out most nights of the week/weekend if I could. But now I'm appreciating being in my own home and relishing what I have here and can use for free.
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I love having visitors over. It's a fantastic excuse to bake something yummy and drink tea (or coffee)! xx
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