Tenner Week Day 6: Sociable Saturday

We’re nearing the end of Tenner Week, but stay alert – the weekend is often the most tempting time for blowing your budget. Today is Sociable Saturday so let’s get stuck in…

When you cut your spending right back, it’s quite normal to worry about the effects this might have upon your social life. Peer pressure, and more the pervasive and subtle effect of peer influence, can be quite hard to resist. What will people think if you can’t afford your usual social activities?

Of course, real friends will understand if you have to cut back a bit, and real friends will be supportive of you. There might even be a collective sigh of relief in your social circle when somebody suggests a cheaper activity than usual, or a price cap on gifts, for example.

All you have to do today is take one small sociable action of some sort, without spending a lot of money. That could be something like:

Sending an email (ideally not from an expensive internet cafe)
Making a phone call using minutes from your tarriff’s allowance
Sending a text message
Writing a letter, card or postcard to a friend or relative
Dropping in on someone who lives nearby
Attending a free event
Signing up for a free /cheap evening class
Doing some volunteering / helping someone
Meeting a friend for a coffee
Going for a stroll with your partner or mates
Having beer and chips with your bestie
Join an interest group on a forum or Facebook

You get the idea, something relatively easy, so you don’t feel like you’re hibernating or ignoring people while you’re cutting back. Getting on top of a debt or getting your finances under control after one of life’s knocks can potentially feel very socially isolating, which is why it’s so good to keep in touch with people.

What’s happening here?

I wasn’t at work on Monday, so I’m working today to make up the time, which is helping to keep me busy and out of the shops. We’ve had some soup for lunch, fruit for snacks, and I’ll be making veggie pizzas for dinner with home grown veggies. My favourite dough recipe makes enough for four nice big pizzas so I’ll freeze up the extra for easy meals in the coming weeks too.

Did my usual pound shop run yesterday, but didn’t buy anything as we are reasonably well stocked up with the essentials at the moment. Then I went into Lidl and picked up a few bits and bobs to put aside for Christmas – some of their festive stuff sold out before the end of October last year so I decided to take the plunge. The bill came to £3.41, and no regrets.

We went out last night to a free preview screening of a film that’s about to go on general release. It was an interesting evening out and very enjoyable indeed. I had a snack beforehand so there were no hunger pangs to worry about, and a small thing to eat in the bar afterwards which cost £4.00. I had a glass of tap water to go with it, which I confess I felt a bit weird about ordering, but it was fine.

Total spent: £9.91

About the ebook

We also have a neat little ebook for anyone who wants to take a Tenner Week challenge. It costs less than a fancy take away coffee, and it’s packed full of even more thrifty ideas and resources to help you eat well and live well on less. Please buy a copy and help support this site.