By Graham Hiscott
A mum of three says she is saving more than 拢6,000 a year by cutting back on nights out in favour of entertaining friends and family at home. Claire Appleton, 42, estimates she and husband Matthew would typically spend 拢850 a month on eating out, going down the pub and partying. As well as nipping to their local in Skipton , North Yorkshire, for dinner and drinks twice a month, they would travel to Leeds for evenings. That was before the Covid pandemic -triggered lockdowns placed heavy restrictions on socialising. Instead, Claire took the plunge and built, painted and decorated a DIY garden bar herself for 拢370, using materials she bought online. When restrictions lifted, they invited friends and family over for get-togethers. After moving home, they took the bar with them. The time and money needed to renovate their new pad also curtailed their going out. It coincided with what Claire says was a noticeable rise in the c ost of going for a meal . Her revamped garden space has become a focal point, with the couple hosting loved ones twice a month for cocktail parties and other gathering, using her 鈥淧rosecco Palace鈥 and the revamped interior. Claire estimates she and grounds works manager Matthew, 41 – parents to Liam, 23, Jake, 20, and Evie, 16 – save at least 拢550 a month as a result. She says they still go out, but only for special occasions – around seven times a year. Claire said: 鈥淲e used to go out at least once every weekend. If you鈥檙e with a big group of people, a few rounds will set you back quite a bit. hen if we went to our local Italian restaurant, that would be at least another 拢50. 鈥淚 also used to go to Leeds for nights out – which would set me back up to 拢250 for one night. But I can stock our whole bar for 拢150 and have all of our family and friends round instead.鈥 She went on: 鈥淲e have had so many good nights here and I actually prefer them – I think it鈥檚 a nicer atmosphere. Our home has become the centre of our socialising during the summer. 鈥淪ome people find hosting stressful, but I think it鈥檚 more stressful to wake up in the morning knowing you鈥檝e spent more in a few hours than you do on the weekly shop.鈥 Research from price comparison website MoneySuperMarket suggests they are not alone. A survey found rising costs are changing people鈥檚 socialising habits. Three quarters of those asked said they were entertaining at home instead, with one in five throwing more parties than they did two years ago. But the trend is deeply worrying for pubs, restaurants and other hospitality businesses that rely on such trade to survive. Many are struggling to keep their heads above water because of a jump in costs, from business rates and energy bills to April鈥檚 hike in employers鈥 national insurance and the national minimum wage. Industry chiefs warn that if people don鈥檛 support such business, they will disappear. Claire, now an interior designer, said: 鈥淲e will still go out but it is not as frequent. We still want to support local establishments but nowadays we are not going out every weekend. Life just isn鈥檛 as affordable as it was,鈥 she adds.