Host a Girls Night In...

One aspect of this budgeting malarkey which I find particularly difficult is socializing. I've never been the kind of person to be able to have 'just the one', or to be able to have a girlie shopping day without Starbucks and a fancy lunch somewhere.

The majority of my student loan was blown on boozy nights out at Gods Kitchen! While a lot of my London salary was spent on drinks after work, which turned into food after work, and progressed to even more drinks and some dancing!

These days I simply can't afford that lifestyle. But that doesn't mean I want to be a hermit!

Hence, the girls night in is our social saviour! It's so simple and it's also so much fun.

Last night Love of my Life kindly took himself off to his Dad's (I think the thought of a house full of drunken girls was a bit scary for him!) and I invited three of my closest friends over for drinks and nibbles. I think it went really well. In fact, I meant to take some piccies but we were too busy chatting for scatty ole me to remember! Testament that we definitely need to get together more often, especially as we now have our own signature cocktail - The Fallen Madonna with the Big Bogies (hey - I never said we were classy chicks!)

OK, it's not rocket science, but here's how to work the Girls Night In (GNI)...pick someones house, and the date you're going to have the GNI, kindly ask blokes to leave the premises for a few hours of that evening (don't want them eavesdropping on your waxing that went wrong stories!). Pick a cocktail and get everyone to bring an ingredient, plus whatever else they fancy glugging that evening. Lay on some food, dig out some old embarrassing photos, or even better some videos (sorry Emma!!), put on the cheesy music and away you go!

As for cost - well I spent about £15 on mixers and nibbles and I seem to have a lot of food and drink left over from last night, so I'm thinking of laying on something similar again perhaps in the summer when we can sit out on a balmy evening and pick up where we left off. Whaddya reckon girlies?

OK, if you're one of these people that knows when to stop then that might sound a bit expensive. Granted a couple of drinks down your local won't set you back £15. But if you're a bit, er extravagant like me and before you know it you've blown your wages on Sambucca and Kebabs - it's definitely a good option, especially as it's so much fun!!