Until recently, my husband and I have always been guilty of spending a little more than we earn. I am not sure how we got into this habit but I do know that it didn’t do us any favours and we are now paying for our careless ways.
When I realised our mistake something clicked in me. I changed from a spend thrift into someone who questioned every penny. Did we actual need the item? Could we get it cheaper elsewhere? I became obsessed with how to save money.
Since we moved to Skipton I have fallen in love with charity shops. There are so many of them and you can find some great bargains. Although I am 23 weeks pregnant I am refusing to buy maternity clothes. It seems like a lot of money to spend on things that I will only wear for a few months. Luckily I still have some of the clothes that were a bit big for me before I got pregnant. These now accommodate a bump. I have also found some lovely bits in charity shops. Normal clothes, 1 or 2 sizes bigger, that don’t fit at the waist work well as maternity clothes
I think Bob takes after me too. She loves going to car boot sales! We give her a few pounds each time we go and she is able to buy some wonderful toys. We also found some great bargains for our new addition. I managed to buy 28 sleep suits, 15 pairs of trousers, 6 tops, some dungarees, a body warmer, a fluffy outdoor suit, a few hats and a little suit with a waistcoat which were all good makes, such as Next, Gap and John Lewis, for £20. Some of these items still have their tags on!
I have also recently discovered the NCT Nearly New Sales. We went to one in Clitheroe on Saturday. I bought a bouncer and a play mat for a third of their original price.
Bob had a wonderful time too! She found a lovely wooden iron and ironing board for £2 and some wooden bunk beds for her dolls for £6.
There are some things that I won’t compromise on. I am going to buy a new Moses basket and bedding and I wouldn’t want to use a second hand steriliser, bottles or breast pump! I wouldn’t even want to use the ones that I bought for Bob, if I still had them. I would worry that a tiny drop of milk had been left in them and I would panic!
I am really pleased with the bargains we have found though. They looked clean when I bought them and now I have washed them they look like new. The cost of having a baby is huge! When Bob was born we spent a fortune! It feels great to be able to get things cheaper!
Money can cause many problems and it is good to be able to cut costs! If you are struggling with money problems there is help out there! You can get free and impartial advice from the Money Advice Service, a scheme set up by the government.
