I quit my £90k job and STILL saved £24k in a year – here’s how to have a free Easter with the kids
A WOMAN who quit her cushy 9-5 job with a £90k salary has opened up on how she’s been able to save £24k and what she has planned for her no-spend Easter break with the kids…
I’m Kel, 43, a money mindset coach and author of Mindful Money. I run my own successful business, but had you told me that a few years ago… I’d never have believed you.
I worked in a pharmaceutical firm for 16 years but left that job in August 2018 because I felt that my children’s childhood was passing me by and I wasn’t around to see it.
I loved my career, but the hours were long, and I was often away from home. I was increasingly conscious the children would be grown up before I knew it, and I would have missed out on so much of their childhood.
I remember one week when I hadn’t seen my kids awake. I was gone early in the morning before they woke up and back after they were in bed. This was not the life I wanted.
I thought, ‘I could always find a way to earn money, but I could never turn back time’.
I discussed with my husband about taking some time off, and he was relieved because I was away so much for my job, which put a lot of pressure on him. We worked out the numbers and figured that we could survive on just his salary, which I know makes us very lucky, but it didn’t come without sacrifices.
That sacrifice turned out to be the No Spend Year of 2019. We only spent money on essentials. I devised a plan that the whole family bought into, the kids kept their activities, and we held a small budget for clothes and things they needed.
I quit my £90k 9 to 5 job… but it didn’t come without sacrifices
Kel Galavan
It wasn’t all plain sailing though. I struggled during the first few months as my identity was wrapped up in my job title. I’d worked all my life, and I didn’t know how to not have a full-time job. But as the year went on, a whole new world came to light.
One of the biggest things I learned was to do my best with money every day and celebrate the small wins, even if it is only a couple of pounds.
Rather than expensive days out to the cinema, we would invite friends and family over for a movie night. The library and local tourist office as well as free events became our best friends for finding fun new things to do without spending a penny.
A huge way I was able to save money was through my clothes. Despite loving them, I found that all of my fast-fashion stuff just fell apart. Now I buy fewer things but better quality, things that will last me for years. Thrift stores are great, too. You’d be amazed at some of the lovely gems you can find there.
Beauty is a great place to make savings as well. Changing my beauty regime was a shock, I admit. I switched out my expensive cream and potions for shampoo bars and homemade face masks – all you have to do is mash avocados with yogurt and honey. It’s worked out, too, because I get told I look younger now.
I also used to spend £140 per hairdresser appointment thanks to dying my grey tresses. But I soon realised I’d never be able to recreate that at home. I bit the bullet and let myself go grey. Not only have I saved a fortune, but my mane has never been healthier.
Kel's top tips to cut down expenses
- Entertain guests at home rather than going out
- Invest in quality clothes over fast fashion
- Try homemade alternatives to high end beauty products
- Embrace natural hair
- Meal plan and cut out unnecessary expenditures like takeaway
During the No Spend Year, I learned how to cook properly. I kept a tight budget and focused on meal planning, batch cooking and had a no waste policy in place. This change allowed us to cut our food spend in half from over £9,000 to £4,200. We never ate so well, and no one had a trip to the doctor for the entire year, which saved us even more. Takeaways, daily coffees, alcohol and eating out all went out the window, too.
Looking back now, I never could have dreamed how walking away from my 16 year career could have changed my life so much in many positive ways.
It’s very much a less but better lifestyle.
Overall, we managed to cut back spending £24k in total.
We now only have one car, which is electric, with running costs of less than £35 a month.
But the biggest saving at the time came from childcare. When both my husband and I worked, we spent about £9,000 a year on the kids. We had no choice. But once I could be at home, that expense disappeared. It’s been a win-win.
In just one year, we saved more than £5,000 on food plus another £19,000 on clothes, takeaway coffees, meals out, car, childcare and holidays. It was the best thing I ever did.
The No Spend Year is long over now, but I am still keen to keep a hold on the purse strings so that I never have money trouble again.
For Easter, I will be watching the pennies, but I’m still determined to have a great time.
We spent £9k a year on kids… but once I could be at home, that expense disappeared
Kel Galavan
Some of the things that I plan on doing with my kids over the next few weeks include movie marathons, egg games, baking days and more.
If the rain decides to make an entry, we can still have fun for free. A memorable day can still be spent indoors watching classic Easter movies like “Hop,” “Rise of the Guardians,” or “It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!” with some homemade snacks.
We have two egg-related games we like to play as a family, too. The Egg Drop Challenge, which is a big favourite of ours, is where each one of us tries to build the best contraption to stop the eggs from cracking when dropped from a certain height. Any materials can be used, such as cardboard, tape, and plastic.
Then there’s the Egg Toss, which you must play outside. Divide the group into pairs and give each one a raw egg. Have them toss the egg back and forth, taking a step back after each successful catch. The pair who can toss the egg the farthest without breaking it wins.
One fun game, which we’ve dubbed Bunny Bowling, is where you create a DIY bowling alley in your hallway or garden with the use of empty plastic bottles and a ball. Decorate the bottles to look like Easter bunnies, and get rolling.
You can also try creating an Easter Egg Trivia game with questions only related to the holiday, including its history, traditions and symbols.
And who could forget charades? It’s a noisy one, but it’s so much fun. Write Easter-related words or phrases on slips of paper, and have players take turns acting them out while the other players try to guess.
If games aren’t doing the trick, go for a nice nature walk. I’m a huge fan of the outdoors and hiking. It was something that I fell in love with during the No Spend Year. Slowing down and getting away from the bustle of everyday life by hiking in a forest or a park is a great way to spend time without dipping into your bank account. Spring is the perfect time to watch the young lambs and birds flitting about and see the flowers and plants coming to life.
And finally, a great activity to do with the kids is to bake some sweet treats. We just find a recipe we’ll love, like cookies or buns. Using ingredients we already have at home, we get to work together. To give them an Easter feel, we’ll top them with pastel icing and a chocolate egg for decoration.