Even though I tell you this on my blog, day to day, I like to make the best of what I have and have a good time with what little money we do have.
Benjamin has been attending playgroup for almost 8 months now which offers him entertainment and time with friends which he really needs. He get's bored very quickly and so needs this form of stimulation. The only downside with playgroup is that every time there is a half term it means he is off too so already at 2 and a half years old I am having to plan things for the holidays. The next big one is the 6 weeks holidays starting the 23rd July.
So what do I plan to do?
My first step was by using an old jam jar I decided to put any spare pound coins/50p's that were left floating in my purse were put in the jam jar even if it was one or two a week. If you start early enough in the year you can have a good amount stashed up. This means rather than getting to August and having to put £50 worth of activities in your monthly budget, it saves you the grief and you feel you can treat yourself and your kids.
It's always best to plan ahead and write a list of activities you know will be happening locally. For example, living in Derby we have an online website which tells you all the local events going on. You can see what takes your fancy, pop it in your diary and then you have something to look forward to. That's the thing with me, I like to have things to look forward to and I dread a week where I don't have much going on.
You'll also find during the summer holidays, local places will put on events and special days to attract the youngsters.
Remember the best memories to create don't have to cost the earth. Cast your mind back to when you were a child. What do you remember more? The family picnics, the water fights? Exactly - that's where the memories will be born. One of my fondest memories was one day a week out of the holidays I spent it with my nana and she used to take me on the double decker bus to town. Naturally, we sat on the top deck right at the front and looked down the view hole to the driver - it was the best part! Then we used to wander round town whilst she did her jobs and she would always buy me a Birds Iced Bun. Then we would walk along the river gardens, feed the ducks and return back to the bus station. So simple but always stuck in my mind with fondness.
If you are on a budget you tend to think more creatively and I can honestly say it is more fun. Rather than podding out for an afternoon at the cinema, which by the way I just refuse to go lately with how expensive it is, there are so many other things to do too.
Oh and I'm not saying cut out all treats like the cinema but I think it's about balance. So here I am discussing the budget balanced bit.
I have all sorts of things planned.
- Picnics at local parks - we have a park about a 5 minute walk from our house so if we pack a few sandwiches, cakes and drinks we can go and laze about for half a day for FREE. I say free because the food is budgeted into my weekly shop so I'm not buying anything extra. Even if it rains you can eat your picnic indoors.
- Local Farmer's Market - Our local Farmer's Market is every third Thursday so I am planning to take Benjamin on the bus (he is fascinated whenever he see's one and I haven't actually taken him on one yet!) get a few bits of local food and get him a cake or some strawberries. The food I buy will be incorporated into my weekly food budget so all I would be paying for extra is the return bus fair.
- Library - Not only will we be going regularly to get our supply of books (FREE) we will also be attending the Rhyming Sessions they offer. For half an hour every Thursday afternoon, our local library puts on a session where we read books and sing songs. It's really lovely and also FREE.
- Derby QUAD - We have an arts centre in Derby called the Quad and they are always offering free activities for every age group. I had a look online and every Saturday they are holding FREE lego play sessions for children. Basically Benjamin's heaven.
- Whitepost Farm Centre - In Nottingham there is a lovely petting farm called Whitepost Farm and it is fantastic. You can feed and stroke the animals, play on the huge play area, run around, eat picnics and ice cream, see lots of mini beast and play on old tractors. This is an expensive day out however my mum has been doing the 'couple of pound a week in a pot' so that she could take us for a day trip out in the summer and this is where we have chosen. So I understand it isn't technically free however technically I'm not paying for it - hoorah!
- Bluebells Farm - literally about a 5 minute drive away from us (no we can't walk as it is down a treacherous road) there is a farm called Bluebells, who are famous for their amazing ice cream which is distributed throughout Derbyshire. Free parking, very little petrol. You can pay £1 for a bag of food to feed the animals; ducks, pigs, goats, rabbits etc. and then they have a lovely play area and huge sand pit. As a treat we will both be having some ice cream. Real daredevils, us!
- For rainy days we have painting/craft mornings, indoor dens, megablock tower building, book corner, smoothie making, cake making.
- Luke has a week off in August so we plan to spend our most of our days locally but we've said as we're not going on a holiday this year we must go to the beach for the day! This excites me!
Oh and my last tip is use PINTEREST. There is a fountain of inspiration on there especially if you are having a day when you aren't sure what to do and your toddler is looking at you with hopeful eyes.
Linds xx
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