Nicola, this is your journey and budget. You do this to show people what you do. No one should be judging you. You're not telling them how they should do it and they shouldn't be telling you either. Carry on. You are an inspiration to a lot of people. Xx

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

26 күн бұрын

Thank you 💜

When I was a child my parents didn't spend extra on myself and my sister on days out and activities in the summer holidays, we just played with each other or friends and that was it. I never felt that I missed out on anything. My daughter didn't get extra days out etc either as I simply had no room in the budget as a single parent and she doesn't feel she missed out on anything either. Forget what you have done before or what others spend on their children and just go with the flow and spend time in your new home and garden, you won't regret it honestly

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

26 күн бұрын

Thank you for sharing that 💜

@jessieb7290

26 күн бұрын

Same. My mum even saved vouchers when we went to restaurants, it was a little embarrassing as kids because other parents didn’t seem to use them. But as an adult now I’m glad she used them, because it meant we could go out to restaurants in the first place.

Hi there, as always your doing the best you can with what you’ve got. It’s too late for this year but you have a garden and two energetic little boys. Make some raised beds and get a cold frame or plastic green house. The boys can plant potatoes, carrots and turnips into the ground and grow more sensitive fruit and veg in the frame. Plant raspberry and other fruit canes along the fence. They will love watering them and watching them grow. Your not going to yield a green grocery haul but it is an ongoing project that overall is very cheap. P/S get them to plant a rose bush. They can give you flowers without spending more money 🤣

re the blueberries - they are super easy to grow - maybe you could ask for a couple of bushes as a Xmas gift? When I was in your position, and also had no money for going out during the holiday, what I did was to create a large wall calender type thing, and every couple of days there was a surprise activity - some days it might be baking together, some days it might be a movie day, complete with a small tray of mixed treats, it might be a treasure hunt, craft activities etc. My kids loved the surprise of opening each activity, even though they were all normal activities that we did anyway.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

23 күн бұрын

I love this, thank you for sharing 💜

Thanks for sharing, I like to see other people's budgets. How they break down their spending. Also love a sticker and a bit of washi, brightness up a plain white page and brings me joy👍 As others have mentioned lots of cheap options for activities over the summer. It's just trying to find them before the event, I normally find out the day after🤣🤣 Take care and you're doing great IMO❤️

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

Thank you 💜

Hi I will buy your yearly one when it becomes available. The current one is very helpful for me ❤

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

26 күн бұрын

💜

You are doing fantastic, I love all things budgeting and could watch all day long 😊

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

15 күн бұрын

Thank you 💜

Nicola your channel is truly inspiring & thanks for sharing.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

23 күн бұрын

Thank you 💜

Thanks

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

26 күн бұрын

Thnk you so much 💜

Good Morning, watching. Happy Monday.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

23 күн бұрын

Morning ☺️

Summer holidays…. You could teach them the old ways. Like my mum was worried one year that we were going to a place to fly kites without one, so I used an old Tesco bag with string on, worked just as well. And it was a funny memory. You could do a picnic in a public garden for free (check for free entrance), and also take photographs of nature. Teach them what you take out you give back and that we are all responsible for our own rubbish etc. or learn about some butterflies that you might see and ask which ones are which? You could take them for a bike ride; if you all have bikes. Strawberry or other fruit or veg picking can be reasonably priced, especially if it’s a working farm or something cause your contributing to the farm and local area and sometimes they have things to entertain people as well. Things indoors; painting/craft day, at home spa day, board games afternoon, movie night, cleaning bedrooms?; who can be more organised 😂, baking days or meal prep together, you could make ice lollies at home.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

Some great ideas, thank you!

Nicola,you can add cooked rice,oatmeal and some veg to your cat food.Even if you replaced a third of a can of cat food like this it would mean that after every 3 days you would have a free can of cat food.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

I did not know this - thank you for sharing!

@barbarahughes6009

25 күн бұрын

@@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage I just looked it up and it seems cats should only have small amounts of rice but larger amounts of veg to bulk out their food.

In my country fuel prices increase at weekends and holidays. The exception to that is unfortunately rare. At least we can plan around it though! Perhaps you could fill a jerry can with fuel when the price is lower and keep it in the shed to use when prices are high. Keep going, Nicola. You're doing a great job.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

Thank you 💜

Have you thought about growing your own strawberries and raspberries. I was given one strawberry plant last year, and I’ve already got 9 new baby plants from the runners so should have an abundance of fruit in a few weeks. Also I got a raspberry bush from Morrisons for about £3, I think they sell blackberry and blackcurrant bushes too.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

15 күн бұрын

I really need to do this!

More than anything, your boys will remember the time spent together, so give yourself grace for not being able to spend a small fortune on daytrips. Your local library should have all sorts of free activities for the boys. a packed lunch to enjoy on a picnic doesn't need to break the bank - make the most of your local parks and beaches. Lots of supermarkets will probably have their kids eat free / eat for £1 offer to help stretch you budget. Turn cooking tea into an activity by getting them to help. Could you print off some activity sheets at work (puzzles / colouring) as a stand by for rainy afternoons? Use and enjoy the board games that you have. Enjoy a movie day in your pjs. have a massive lego building day. if you have or could borrow a tent, go camping in your garden. lots of paid activities (soft play, trampoline park, cinema etc) near us offer heavily discounted early bird offers - is there similar in your area?

@zoedodd3748

26 күн бұрын

Plus if the kids are around at home they will meet more of the other kids in the area! There is. National reading agency challenge where kids read 6 books over the holidays, literally anything and they can get medals, stickers and a certificate. 100% free.

@jessieb7290

26 күн бұрын

Memories last forever. Cash doesn’t. It comes and goes, mostly goes in my case.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

Thank you for these ideas 💜

@jessieb7290

25 күн бұрын

@@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage your welcome, thanks for your ideas on budgeting. 🥰💐 I just think of my childhood when I want to give my niece’s some good memories. The ideas start flooding back 😂

@irianweber9949

25 күн бұрын

Oh I used to LOVE camping in the backyard as a child!

Hi there Nicola. Just realised that your 3 month budget books would complement the 12 week year idea that is being promoted a lot lately. One book would cover "a year". I also follow Kate Kaden who has been working and promoting those ideas this year on KZread.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

I haven’t heard of that! Will have a look ☺️

I learned to grow these free (I get free manure) 2 varieties of potatoes, Bush & pole beans (green beans) Garlic & Onions. It shocked me at the Produce Swap that people weren't growing these. This saves us about $125 a month and it's healthier to get locally grown produce to buy/swap. Maybe you could do the same? We actually save more as the garlic we used to buy in abundance. We juice as our son has schizophrenia and we aren't that healthy, organic juicing veges and fruit is quite expensive.

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

15 күн бұрын

I need to look at growing more. It’s just that I don’t really know where to start and I’m not that good at gardening 🙈

@DanaLuvsNature

14 күн бұрын

@@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage Neither am I but I am sure that's just temporary. Have w wonderful week, thanks for your videos!

Yeah how did july get here so fast. Ours isnt to bad but just got a load of school uniform and thats been a bit if shock how much all thats come to, luckily i made some money on vinted so used that. Summer holiday ideas as ours us defo a low spend. Making a den or fort the kids can spend the day in with food and colouring or playing. Parks parks and more parks with a picnic (and i always do an icecream when we got some). Possibly low spend swimming! A nature walk and have to find things butterfly/certain trees ect. Libary, any local free museums sometimes have free or cheap activities. (Sorry a bit long) . Like others have said its been with the kids and just being happy. My kids love it when i make a new games up! Oh car boots a good idea as well (sometimes a little stressful) but if its makes a bit to pop in ur sinking funds that would be fab.

@lilt3937

24 күн бұрын

That was meant to say ice creams when we get HOME not some

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

23 күн бұрын

Great ideas, thank you for sharing 💜

Hi is this £30 a month for cat food for two. Im only asking because ive got two i spend that on a week thats food and treats and cat litter. You are doing well if thats the case. Its hard trying to feed animals and humans these days . Take care and keep doing what you do x

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

It is - thank you for sharing that spend more! I’m finding it expensive to feed them and have the cat litter too…

@Nwladylaura369

25 күн бұрын

Add cooked rice to their food to make it last longer.

@Joesmomma2011

23 күн бұрын

@@NicolaatTheFrugalCottagewhich litter do you use? I find wood pellet from Asda and it works out not too bad xx

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

15 күн бұрын

Sainsburys own one - it’s the cheapest I can get here ☺️

Hi do you get any financial help from the government. Or does your pay take you over the threshold. Sorry for being nosey. Take care xx

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

25 күн бұрын

I get child benefit which then goes towards their childcare costs ☺️

@decluttering-queen1898

25 күн бұрын

Remember when I got my child benefit I use to use the money on the kids and get electric or gas if I was running out. It was tough. Thank you for taking your time to answer. ❤❤🥰🥰

Hi Nicola,does your ex husband contribute to the children's costs?

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

26 күн бұрын

He does.

@zoedodd3748

26 күн бұрын

​@@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage Hope that that is contributing. If he sees them that will take pressure off a few days too.

Nicola, thank you. We're 57 & 65 yrs old in Northern Calif. Bought a major fixer Cabin to live in on 9 acres. It's nice now, we did all the work *Monthly Income- $1700 Social Security +$410 Food Stamps= $2110 a month* *Monthly Expenses*- $84 Property Tax, $16 KZread, $25 Garbage, $75 Clothing/Grooming, $100 WIFI/Cell, $350 Transport, $150 MacBooks Wear & Tear, $75 E-Bikes Wear & Tear, $700 Groceries/Eat out, $50 Pets, $150 Misc, $150 Donation, $50 Gardening= $1975 a month expenses. Our son lives with us 50% of the year reflected in monthly expenses. He has schizophrenia. We usually have $150 or so leftover to go into the Emergency fund. We grow, for free, about 4 veges for free in abundance and hers we swap at the Produce Swap so earn about $125 a month doing that for about 7 months a year. This is not reflected above in numbers since it goes to the Emergency Fund. We also make about $200 during Xmas at the Craft Faire but it's used for gifts and food for family. We have a fenced backyard with 4 ducks, 15 hens, a small pond w/waterfall and a few dogs. Do not have these bills- Healthcare, Homeowners Insurance or Water

@NicolaatTheFrugalCottage

15 күн бұрын

It sounds like you’re doing fab 💜