I've come a long way since I first went out on my own into the world. I didn't know the first thing about saving, never mind what a stock or a share was. I was broke, totally penniless and a teenaged Mum. As many of you with kids will know, that is not a great situation to be in. I had two choices, continue to be broke and penniless or do something to make my everyday life easier and become frugal! Needless to say I chose the latter! I bought a piggy bank (well, it was one of those sealed cans actually) and every time I made a saving of any kind, be it cutting out a coupon or multibuying for an offer I put the money I would have spent anyway into my homemade savings account.
After a while, it added up and the pot was full. There was over £100 inside when I bust the first ever pot open and from then on, I have been hooked. As you know, I'm a comper, it's a wonderful and rewarding hobby and it's even better when I win something that saves me my valuable cash because the money I would have spent on Birthday and Christmas gifts all go into my little bank, you would not believe how much it is possible to save this way. Each time the pot is filled it allows me to have something extra that we want or to cover those nasty unexpected emergencies that you just can't afford! It's my own way of saving when what we don't really have much to save. It is currently helping us save for K's high school uniform for starting in September, it's going to cost a small fortune and there is not really another way to be able to buy him what he needs, I honestly didn't think it would be that expensive. I was so very wrong...
The way I fill the pot has grown over time and I have become so addicted to dropping the pennies and pounds (and notes too sometimes) into the pots that I always pick up roadkill pennies in the street, well, you know, find a penny pick it up and all that! I have started bulk buying essential house items like toilet roll and wash powder from the wholesalers as it saves us more money. It's a big amount to find in one go but it's well worth it for the savings in the long run. Let's face it, sometimes saving can be a very long run! It's so addictive that even K has started to save too, he has a pot of his own and he has started to ask to put some of his pocket money in the pot to help him save for things. I feel like he is learning one of the most valuable life lessons there is. I wish someone had taught me how to save up when I was younger and taught me the value of things I just took for granted. I'm kinda proud!
I suppose the secret of having a successful piggy bank tale of your own is that if you're saving by becoming a coupon queen or a savvy sale shopper then you're not going to miss what you would have spent anyway. It's not about going without things to get what you want, it's about changing your lifestyle to help you get there! It's amazing what a little saving can really do so go on, buy a piggy bank of your own and see what you can do with it!
This is my entry for the BritMums Piggy Bank Tales competition, sponsored by Virgin Money.
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