Everyone knows kids are bloody expensive. But no one tells you the biggest expense is how much you’ll end up spending on wine (or gin, beer…whatever floats your boat) after another hard day of parenting. I promise I’m not actually an alcoholic, but there’s certain days when a cup of tea just won’t do.
Like today for example. My toddler threw his first tantrum before 8am because I wouldn’t let him hit me on the head with the TV remote. He asked for toast – I burnt the first lot as I was busy trying to stop him throwing said remote down the toilet. Discovered we have no butter so tried to pacify him with Cheerios. This didn’t go down well and they ended up EVERYWHERE.
Next tantrum started because I took the toothbrush away after cleaning his teeth. Headed to the shops for butter and we had our first ever full-blown meltdown in the middle of Sainsbury’s – rolling around on the floor crying (him not me) because he couldn’t be carried AND walk at the same time. Funnily enough we were in the wine aisle at the time…
I got home from shopping to discover I’d had four Cheerios from this morning’s breakfast episode stuck in my mum bun all day… Pass the wine!
So, every now and then I need a bloody drink! But being a stay at home mum means money is tight. Luckily there are tons of ways to get cheap and even free drinks. I’m going to share these which basically makes me the Fairy Godmother of alcohol. You’re welcome ladies.
How to Get Free Wine
Cashback apps
These are basically a way for companies to get people to try their products. They offer you money back for buying certain products. I’ve had tons of free wine, beer and cider using these bad boys. If you haven’t used them before, there’s a full how to guide on my blog but my favourites are Shopmium and CheckoutSmart.
Birthday Bonuses
If you’re lucky enough to go out on your birthday, make the most of restaurant freebies!
Bella Italia, Hungry Horse, Fayre & Square and Loch Fyne are just a few of the many places that give you free drinks when you dine on your birthday!
Loyalty Points
Normally I save my loyalty points for days out because you get a lot more for your money.
However, when Sainsbury’s do their ‘Double Up’ event, their Taste the Difference wine and champagne is usually included. So for every 500 points you have, you get £5 to spend on wine!
Alternatively, both Sainsbury’s and Tesco let you swap your points for restaurant vouchers and you can get up to four times the points value!
Pub Sign-ups
Lots of bars such as Pitcher and Piano regularly give away free drinks as a way to entice you in. You just sign up on their website and get a code emailed to you. Likewise, Cote give you a free bottle of wine when you join their reward scheme.
Supermarket Bulk-buys
A great way to save money on wine is to stock up during supermarket special offers. Before Christmas, Asda did 6 bottles of Prosecco for £24! It just leaves you with the challenge of not drinking it all in one go…
Discount Shops
Try buying from discount shops like Aldi, Lidl and even B&M. Not only can you find bargains on branded products, but some of their own stuff is REALLY good! Aldi Malbec and Prosecco are my personal faves.
So Post Freebies
So Post freebies are AMAZING! They run campaigns where you get free products by sending a link via social media to your mates and get them to send you one back. I sent my other half two pints of beer at a chain pub, he sent me two back. A week later we each got a voucher for another two so eight free pints in a fortnight!
We all know being a mum is bloody hard work and we all deserve a treat every now and again so hopefully these little tips will let you enjoy your wine time without breaking the bank!
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About Jodie
I’m a stay at home mum of one gorgeous but exhausting toddler. I’ve got a passion for money saving and getting the most out of family life without spending too much money! I’ve recently started blogging to share my adventures in parenting on a budget and hopefully help other families make their money go further!
You can follow my blog or find me on Facebook, Instagram and also on Twitter
Image credit: Flickr, Cameron Russell, 28 Dec 2010
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