In terms of savings, my husband and I have a cash Isa which currently has £2,500 in it. We mainly use the money in the Isa for big purchases and holidays. At some point we want to set up an investing or savings account that we can’t dip into, but this just isn’t feasible at present.
We are generally frugal, but I do enjoy spending money on clothes, going out with friends and getting beauty treatments. I am an avid reader too and books cost money. I mainly shop at Aldi and get my petrol from Morrisons, where I can collect points and build up rewards. We only get a takeaway once a month and if we’re going somewhere, we take a picnic. I buy multi-pack clothes for the girls, and they get hand me downs from their cousins.
I used to feel a lot of pressure to do something or go away somewhere at the weekend with my family, and it cost a lot of money. Since last year, however, I have learnt to let that mindset go and now we stay at home and do things locally. When we spend big, it’s for worthwhile family trips like going to Legoland, staying with friends in London or going on a big holiday abroad.We used my husband’s former house as a £55,000 deposit.
Another key financial goal we have is to start putting the children’s child benefit into a savings account for them. I don’t think there is any point in saving for the sake of it or just to be able to say you have thousands in the bank. We want to save for a rainy day, to live life to the full and for our children’s futures.