Social Hibernation

Hands up who's on a budget?

It currently seems that whilst many people proclaim their need to save money and how skint they are, it seems that in my social circle I'm one of the few that is truly attempting to stick by their goals.

I am turning down most invitations for social engagements in favour of staying in. The boy and I are attempting to combat the inevitable frustration that being housebound brings by playing on the Wii, making up stupid games and working our way through 1001 movies you must see before you die. We've also become mildly addicted to playing Castleville via Facebook.
But then the weekend is over, the boy goes off to work and I am left to amuse myself for four days. This usually involves dinner with girlfriends, a spot of shopping and treating myself to the odd magazine. Now it involves watching re-runs of friends, going to the gym and eating homemade soup for the third day in a row. A not wholy unpleasant existence, but a slightly monotonous one all the same. 

Even attempting to socialise on the cheap is difficult as free fun turns out to not really be free, as by the time you throw in a drink and something to eat £20 quid has all but gone.

I keep telling myself that the end goal is worth the current social hibernation - but is it enough? The bank accounts is marginally going up (or at least not going down), however I'm still worried I've not saved enough for my three week unpaid holiday to Australia in October - already worried about the cost of Christmas, all the while attempting to save for that ellusive goal - the house deposit. 

But all I can really do is suck it up - and bring a packed lunch.