a simply good (cheap) day

Today I did some of my favourite (cheap) things:

1. Took my son to the playground and met up with some other Mums and Bubs.  This is my favourite FREE activity because it is great exercise for both myself and the little man (we walk there and back and run around a lot while we're there) and I get to catch up with other adults!
2. I went to the local op-shop.  This is my favourite way to shop, it is amazing what wonders you can pick up, all great quality and cheaper than chips.  Today I picked up a new pair of PJs for my better half, 2 cookbooks for myself (including a Weight Watchers cookbook and  "Good Housekeeping" Budget Cookbook I will make good use of these!), a storybook for my son and a wedding present for a friend all for only $13!!!!!! And I garantee that my friend will never guess that her pewter goblets only cost $5... well she will if she's read this!  Don't worry I intend to have them engraved and packaged beautifully with a nice bottle of something too (I'm not that cheap!).
   Ebay is also great for this but I love shopping because I find you get a rush from snapping up a bargain and having it to take home then and there.
3. Surfed the net for free competitions.  I enter anything that I can answer, whether I want the prize or not, I usually find that someone close to me will like it even if I don't and it always makes me feel good to give somebody some thing just because I can.  If nobody wants it it can always be given to charity or sold on Ebay.
4. Now here is something that I probably shouldn't mention on a budgeting site but I can justify it... today I bought a lotto ticket.  I play the same numbers every week because if I don't my family will die... well that's not true, but I do believe in Murphy's Law, when I don't play those numbers they will come up!  I do limit myself to just the one ticket a week and that $7-$8 is budgeted for in the weekly accounts.  I really must point out that you shouldn't buy your tickets expecting that one day you WILL win and all your problems will be solved.  That's like assuming that liposuction will mean that you will always be thin and continue to eat junk every day.  If you take the quick solution without changing your habits you will not have a long term solution.  If you answer the question "what would you do if you won the lotto?" with "spend it." even if it is disguised as "buy a new house, car, boat etc etc." you should think a little harder.  My answer is "Invest it in high interest account and live off the interest for a year or two at least then spend it sensibly".

I'll leave you with that for now
xx