Thrifty Tips and Trips Mum

12/02/2025

Saved a small fortune on West End theatre tickets by playing it VERY late but VERY smart! 🎭

Our first time trying this was pure fluke about two years ago — rocked up to the box office 15 mins before the start of ‘Only Fools and Horses’ started and scored seats just four rows from the front for £50 each!!!!

Now, we’ve learned to skip prebooking and just show up! 👀

Did it again for ‘Back to the Future’ last week and nabbed amazing seats for £75 each (the online price for these was £115 plus)! It’s a bit of a gamble sure, but if you’re flexible and not picky on what you see, it’s a total win 💸

Next time you’re in London, try it out, especially if you’re a couple or small group, no fuss and BIG savings to be had! 🙌

23/01/2025

This is the £5 Entry deal for Tattershall Farm Park when you book online - Promo Code is WINTERFIVE 🙏🏼

It’s £5 winter entry until 14th February. The wacky and wonderful Kirsty from Rhubarb Theatre is back in her 11am interactive storytelling session tomorrow.

We’re lucky to host these sessions virtually every Monday, and you’re lucky that these sessions are included in your normal farm park entry. Even luckier that entry is just £5 when you book online with the promo code WINTERFIVE

https://bookings.tattershallfarmpark.co.uk/book

19/01/2025

£5 ENTRY for all at when you book online until mid-February‼️

We LOVE it here because it has the best of everything - a good size indoor soft play, complete with a baby soft play too, the cafe within the soft play also serves lovely food 😍

Buy some animal food and feed the meerkats, goats and sheep, after looking at the lizards and snakes inside the reptile hut (Chase’s personal fave! We learnt the word chameleon last time we went and played ‘karma chameleon’ all the way home 😂)🦎

There’s awesome outdoor play areas for kids of all ages and multiple themed indoor rooms, offering a number of different activities, including a toddler toy room, a sand room (literally like walking into a massive sand pit) and even a straw room complete with a swing 👀🫶🏻 We ran out of time to pay those a visit on our last trip but usually we make sure we do these too! I’ve included one or two pics from visits a few years ago so you can see 😊

Last but not least, don’t forget the animals you can see outside like pigs, emus, alpacas and birds of prey and they do fun activities throughout the day, included in your ticket price, like goat walking, falconry shows and even reindeer feeding! The kids REALLY took to walking a little goat that we called Mipsy 😂

The main restaurant (which does incredible pizzas) is closed at the moment but the cafe certainly does the job 🙏🏼 In the Winter the park is currently open 10am - 3pm in the week, perhaps a little longer at the weekend, but for just £5 (and you could take your own food if you wanted, so that’s all you’re really spending) there is plenty to do in that time and it really is such good value for money!

We will definitely be back to utilise the online offer price again and would highly recommend as a fab activity for all ages, in all weathers 🫶🏻

17/01/2025

PR Invite 🙏🏼❤️ | Is there anything better than putting the world to rights with one of your best mates over food that neither of you have cooked 👀🙏🏼😂

Big thanks to for inviting us to join them for a delicious meal to celebrate their £1 pizza deal throughout January! Yep, that’s right….buy one pizza, get another for just £1 until 30th January 🫶🏻 *ts and cs apply, no obligation to post but the food was too good not to 😍

08/01/2025

I don’t gatekeep guys! The scent I’ve been complimented on the most, EVER, is this body mist from 👀 for just £3.99!

Still on my first bottle which has lasted me over two months and I’ve been wearing it pretty much every day, - honestly, the amount of people who’ve said I smell nice for how much this cost is ridic 🙌🏻😝😂

Might make this my signature scent 🤪

05/01/2025

Helloooooo 2025, hello everyone and a big hello to anyone who may be new here 👋🏼❤️

If you’re looking for activities to do with the kids, day trip inspiration and how to get more bang for your buck in your day to day life (as a general rule, I’m by no means perfect) you’re in the right place! ✌🏼

For me, being ‘thrifty’ doesn’t necessarily mean not spending money, it’s more about thinking HOW and WHAT we spend it on, so we can get the most from it! And that will of course be different for everyone.

As someone who was always overdrawn in her twenties, regularly succumbed to the pressure of saying yes to everything (even if my bank balance said no), being an impulse spender by nature and finally breaking free from a relationship which contributed to the toxic way I came to view money, its only in the last few years I have finally managed to get my finances in order and begin living the life I’ve worked hard for and truly want - in the meantime I had to get creative with what I had, make my money stretch and learn to sift out a bargain! And I started to kinda enjoy it 😊 Hence where the thrifty in my username comes from 😝

On this page you’ll also find random hacks for making a little side income and it’s no secret that I like to champion preloved, second hand and cheap deals! 🙏🏼

Finally, even if you take nothing from my account in terms of practical money stretching advice or places to take the kids…..I do hope you find authenticity here. And I hope you see that if I can leave a three month marriage (aged 27) and learn to embrace the lessons that come with that - the main one being it’s never too late to start over, then whatever you’re going through, you can overcome too 🫶🏻

This page is random but it’s always real, a bit like me 😂 We’ve barely scratched the surface! 😝

Welcome to the community, it’s awesome to have you here 🙌🏻

30/12/2024

Getting it in a day early cus hopefully I’ll be too busy drinking and eating tomorrow to post 😝

Thank you SO much for the support throughout 2024 and I hope you all have a fabulous one celebrating with your loved ones ❤️

Happy New Year Gang ✌🏼

10/12/2024

‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’ 💫🎄🎅🏼

02/12/2024

December is definitely the hardest month to capture in a paragraph – so much happens in such a short time, and I’m not sure I even remembered it all! 🤯 Well I know I didn’t, I forgot wreath making for one and I only bloody did it yesterday 😂😂😂

It’s a month full to the brim both of magic and memories, but can also be stressful and exhausting. Between creating special moments for kids and loved ones, wrapping up work deadlines and the whirlwind of school Christmas events (nativity plays, carol services, fairs… the list goes on! It will be me next year!! 🤪) it can be a lot to juggle.

I’m wrapping up work on Friday 20th December and taking a needed two-week break – a rarity when you’re self-employed, but after six months of working for myself, I’ve learnt that it’s essential! It’s been a tough push getting to the finish line as I’ve started to feel a little burnt out, but on the flip side I really do love the hustle, festive catch ups with friends and the magic of Santa and the excitement which surrounds it with my son. He’s four this year, and let me tell you, this is THE YEAR where the magic truly starts to feel real!!! 😍

I’m even hosting a DIY ‘Sip & Paint’ tonight and a little New Year’s gathering with our tribe too (because why not, right)? Next week I’ll probably be crying over how much I’ve got on 😂😂 but isn’t that just life and motherhood?

December is a nostalgic time to reflect and make sure the people you love know just how special they are to you. I also know this can be a tough time for some, and I’m sending extra love to those who might be struggling ❤️ Family really is everything at Christmas, and I’m grateful for mine 🙏🏼🥹

18/11/2024

No reel tonight guys, life takes over sometimes 🤪 So here, have a photo of me in my natural habitat, doing what I do best 😂🙏🏼

Seriously though, this was a random Thursday evening the other week, popped to my local with the bezzo for a child free mooch! Went in my comfies and crocs, no make up, strolled casually down every aisle, only to be told the store closed at 9pm instead of 10pm (it’s now 10 on the run up to Christmas) and we weren’t even two thirds of the way round 😫😫😫 you should have seen our faces!

Of course we went back a few weeks later and finished what we started! 🙏🏼

This is what makes me happy you know - just chatting rubbish, not having to pretend to be someone you’re not, with your mate, buying some bargains, in your comfiest clothes! may be bad for your bank balance, but man, is it good for the soul 🙏🏼❤️😉

11/11/2024

🎉 10K x CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!!!! 🎉

I promised when I hit 10k that I’d do an awesome Giveaway – and with Christmas just around the corner, what better time than now to give away none other than a bloody **AIRFRYER**!!!!

You all know how much I LOVE mine, and it’s perfect for helping out with the Christmas dinner if you’re hosting, or as a fab gift for someone special! 🎁

To Enter:

1. Make sure you’re following me on Insta & Facebook
2. Like this post
3. Tag 3 friends in the comments (each tag = one entry!)
4. Share to your story and of course tag me!

This Giveaway will start NOW until the evening of Monday 18th November! 🙏🏼🤩

T&Cs:
- Open to UK residents only (England)
- I’ll cover shipping costs – no refunds or receipts
- I can’t be responsible for any manufacturing issues
- The prize will be sent via rec delivery by the end of Nov
- It’s up to the winner to ensure someone is home to accept the delivery or to collect from the post office

Good Luck and thank you all SO much for your support with the growth of the account this last year ❤️

03/11/2024

And by the ‘C’ word I mean Christmas of course 😜

This month is all about getting organised for December and those Christmas festivities! 🎅🏼 I’ve tried not to commit to ‘too many’ plans this month (although my version of too many and others will vary greatly I’m sure 😂 ) ahead of the socialising we always do at the end of year! It’s also a very busy work month for me with plenty of ad hoc work scheduled in, so making that a priority as really starting to learn that I can’t keep burning the candle at both ends 🤪

Of course we’ve got Bonfire Night before we really start thinking about Christmas too!! I’d guess there’s plenty of you who have already attended fireworks displays over the weekend 🎆 This year we’re excited to be spending it at one of our fave local spots 💫

02/11/2024

Took in my kitchen at midnight with the messiest bun, not a scrap of makeup on, but needed it here for the mems - 10k Goals ✅💫

And no I didn’t buy these myself, they were bought for me I promise 😂😂😂

23/10/2024

2022 ➡️ 2024

So much can change in just a short space of time. I actually have the energy to draw my eyebrows on most days now for one 😂 I laugh but at this point in time I really was running on empty both mentally and physically.

I can literally see the sadness behind my eyes in Photo 1 vs the glimmer and excitement for life in Photo 2 🥹 Sometimes you don’t realise quite how low you were until you look back ❤️

Thank you SO much for 10k 🙏🏼 This was always my ultimate goal for the page. I said in the beginning ‘If I only ever hit 10k and it takes ten years, I’ll be happy’….so to have achieved it in just over a year feels pretty bloody awesome! Special thanks to legends and .andme for getting me over that line, I’ll never forget it 💫❤️

Remember, the next time you’re aimlessly scrolling, that like, comment, share or follow could quite literally help someone achieve a goal, realise their dreams, dare I say it, even change their life 🙌🏻 Thank you ten times over, you’ll never know how much it means to me!

04/10/2024

Wow - this song. I used to love listening to this song as a kid, this whole album in fact. What a voice 🍁

I’ve been debating in my head (not that it really matters) which is my favourite month 😂 Sometimes I’m inclined to say Spring as I like the hope it brings but I’m starting to wonder if it’s actually Autumn, for several reasons really. I love the sunny days when that cool, crisp feel is in the air and you get to stick a cosy jumper on for a nice woodland walk after a banging roast dinner. I actually also love the quite dreary days when it rains heavily but you’re snug and cosy at home on the sofa or in bed ❤️

It’s my son’s birthday in October - October 13th, he’ll be 4. This was not only my Great Aunt’s birthday but also the day before my Grandma’s AND the day before my son was actually due, so these few days I’m usually all in my feels. I also got married on August 13th (should have known how it would end, right 😂) so I believe he was born on the 13th to rewrite how I feel about the number 13 in my head. You can call it coincidence. I call it meant to be.

Lastly, as a family we absolutely love Halloween 👻 Last year, I was lucky enough to spend Halloween in Salem, MA, a bucket list destination of mine. What an experience. We dress up as a family every year for trick or treating and I love taking our son to lots of little Halloween parties, picking pumpkins and carving them - it really does feel like such a wholesome, family orientated time of year for me 🎃

Do you ever think which month is your fave or are you not as weird as me? 😂😂😂

26/09/2024

So here it is - the reason I’m here, why this account exists and how life as I currently know it came to be….but the condensed and toned down version (I’m trying to share so you guys can understand and relate to my story more, but also want to try and be as mindful as I can if possible). Otherwise known as my butterfly effect! 💫

What’s a butterfly effect? It’s the idea that everything that’s happened to us, every heartbreak, every chance meeting, every decision we’ve ever made leads us to where we are now. Not to be confused with ‘everything happens for a reason’ which I think can be very triggering and traumatic to hear when you’re experiencing horrific pain or a great loss. But it IS the notion that there is something to be taken or learnt from every experience and situation we find ourselves in and that everything we endure in our lives shapes who we are, what we value, the paths we choose and eventually where we are in life.

If you’ve never thought about yours before, I would really encourage you to look back and think about it, your own butterfly effect will soon become clear ✨

21/09/2024

*Trigger Warning - Child Birth*

Wow. What a story. SERIOUS book recommendation if you LOVE an incredible comeback story, are keen to delve more into the depths of mental health or you’re a sucker for an autobiography which focuses on real life, featuring real people experiencing REAL, life changing events. Yes, celebrities are still human and they are not immune to tragic situations or circumstances!

I managed half of this book on the plane with a toddler in tow (that’s how much I loved it!) and I’d finished it by the time our holiday was through - such a gripping and emotional yet ‘easy to read’ book with an inspiring message.

I was 21 and in my last year at Leeds Uni when Louise appeared on our TV screens, I watched her on MIC like a many of us did back then and I’ve followed her on social media ever since. Her birth story and how open and brutally honest she’s been with her experience of motherhood has had me in a chokehold since she first began to reveal snippets of what she’e endured, so the minute she released her book, I knew it would be this year’s holiday read!

The fact that she basically almost died (the first as a result of child birth) like three times and is beginning to view what she’s been through as lucky, as opposed to unlucky (for the sheer fact that she managed to survive it all) now she’s finally emerging out the other side, shows character, strength and true resilience. But perhaps what stuck with me the most is what her doctors said to her post op regarding her fitness and health. In effect, it was down to the health of her organs and how fit she was as a woman in her early thirties that ensured her survival. I shed tears as I read that. Louise was healthier and fitter than the average 30 something woman at that point in her life, which meant that a lot of us would most likely have died had that happened to us…which really did blow my mind. The fact that I know I likely couldn’t have survived that then and am fairly certain I couldn’t survive it now, was the reality check I needed to begin looking after myself more.

I smiled, I cried, I reflected and I really THOUGHT.

Thank you .thompson for bearing your soul ❤️