Small change

It's that time of year when we look at saving pots, this lovey German beer bottle is our small change bottle, we can't put 50p's in there but all other change fits through the slim neck. We have not been out spending much, so very few coins in there, it's not worth counting them, the bottle will be left to next year.

We started saving pound coins as our Co-op in the village closed and we could not save any cash back amounts, this being from the national chain, again we have not been out much and have very little change, even so we had £48. £50 of vouchers came from hubby's pension scheme, which will be used in our local Co-op. Both of these we use to stay local through the busy Christmas times, avoiding the bigger supermarkets. 

In our last savings we have £168.00, but most of that are notes, from gifts we have been given, (last Christmas and wedding anniversary), we always save money along with £2 coins towards short city breaks, but we have not been anywhere for just over a year. We will add any cash given as Christmas gifts, so hopefully a good trip or 2 can be planned for next year.

I am a saver, my parents had no spare money as we were growing up, and it was much the same as our girls were small, we always managed a holiday and a few treats, but we never had savings. I always have some notes tucked away in my purse, it's my just in case money, I can't ever see me stopping. We now save monthly, not huge amounts, but enough to cover any surprises, and I do like to save coins, the only strict saving is £2 coins, we never spend them, all the other coins we sort out once or twice a week.

Its a very early start 5.30am, Will has been on a sleepover, he wakes early most days and wakes baby George up, which unsettles him, so for a break we have Will. Its within the rules as a family with a disabled child under 5 can bubble with another family for support. We have not had this rule for most of the year, but now happy we can help and support and feel blessed we can see more of the boys and our daughter. I have offered to have George on his first sleepover in the coming week, just to see if he's happy then next year we can start to have them both to give mum and dad a break.