What did you save money for as a child?

It is really odd - my parents wouldn’t buy us comics, but I always longed for School Friend. I never bought it with my pocket money, though. I suppose I felt the disapproval too strongly.

From an earaly age I had to buy the Prince Charles and Princess Anne savings stamps at school. When I was in my teens I used to save up all my sixpences until I had enough to buy an LP - usually Duane Eddy or The Everly Brothers who I adored.
Actually got to see both acts on one night at the Royal Albert Hall, they were fantastic, thought it was going to rock off it's foundations!

When I was junior school age, from about aged 7 onwards, I got 2/6 (half a crown) on Saturdays. It was spent at Saturday morning cinema, sweets and maybe a comic.

I got a Saturday job when I was at senior school it was quite easy to work from early teens. Mine was in a grocery shop up my road. I did save money then, I coveted a very expensive pair of boots that seemed way beyond my reach, but I did get there in the end, even if it took quite a while. A lot of my Saturday earnings went on Mary Quant make up, magazines such as Rave , Petticoat and NME and going out with my friends if I remember rightly.

I used to try and dodge paying mybus fare home from school, avoiding the bus conductor's eye and gazing out of the window. If it worked I would buy the Bunty or sweets.

Oh i am reminded that I used to try and dodge bus and train fares too. ( but I only got 6 old pence a week, sob).

I would save up for holiday spending money, I did quite well and pleaded to be allowed to buy a cuckoo clock, which was refused, probably because the noise would have driven everyone mad!

When I turned 16 I was given an allowance instead, on condition that I bought all my own clothes. I took out a credit agreement on a sewing machine, paying off £1 a month for 16 months. Then I could make all my own clothes and get more for my money!

Enid Blyton books and then later records

I didn't have any pocket money but we all were given 7 shillings when we could swim. My dad's idea as we lived by the sea and he was worried one of us would drown. I swam when I was about 7 and bought a troll horse toy which went everywhere with me. It made up for drinking half the sea learning to swim !!

When I was 4 or 5 I got 3 old pence a week pocket money. In those days you could buy 12 aniseed balls for a penny but a packet of crisps cost 4d. I saved my pocket money for 2 weeks so I could buy crisps - big treat!

I remember savings stamps; I bought one a week and it had a picture of a red squirrel which I thought was beautiful.

My son wanted a television for his bedroom and we said no, so he saved every penny he had, pocket money, birthday and Christmas presents and later paper round earnings, until he had enough to buy one when he was was about fifteen.

From an early age I was given clothing and pocket money. I kept them in Elastoplast tins. I would go away on holiday and come back with more than I went with. Saving was drilled into me and it wasn't until I got married that I learned to spend.

Every winter the local meadow flooded and froze giving lots of opportunities for skating. I saved birthday money and bought a pair of white booted skates. They soon became too small but I crammed my feet into them for as long as I could. One year I skated from my village into Oxford City centre on the canal. Winters are definitely warmer these days, although it is hard to believe with today's short blizzard!

We used to buy those Price Charles/ Princess Anne savings stamps at school on a Monday. They were stuck in a post office saving book to buy Christmas presents for family, if I remember right.

Did anyone else have a Dr Barnardos saving box in the shape of a house? It was to collect for the charity. There was another one which was a blue egg which other children had.

Saving was a big part of our lives.

bonfirebirthday

I saved my pocket money for the pick and mix in Woolworth's and my weekly magazine, 'Jack and Jill' and then 'Jackie'.

I didn’t know anyone who paid for ‘pick & mix’ everyone I knew pinched them ?

I had a friend whose family belonged to a strict religious sect. She wasn’t allowed to go to parties or celebrate Christmas or birthdays and, when she wanted a doll’s cot, she had to earn the money to buy it herself. She was only seven and it took her a long time.
So cruel!

I used to buy PO savings stamps from a lady who called on a Friday night. They were 6p each and I got 5 every week. I’d save to buy my Mum and Gran slippers for Christmas. I also joined a ‘club’ at the local paper shop/tobacconist to pay for chocolates for Christmas and birthdays.

I used to go shopping for a lady in our street and would buy clothes from a neighbours catalogue and pay weekly

Didnt have pocket money, but our parents provided everything we needed. When I was 13 I got a paper round and was paid 7/6d for seven mornings, including collecting the money on Saturdays. Riches!

watermeadow

I had a friend whose family belonged to a strict religious sect. She wasn’t allowed to go to parties or celebrate Christmas or birthdays and, when she wanted a doll’s cot, she had to earn the money to buy it herself. She was only seven and it took her a long time.
So cruel!

But I bet she loved that cot more than any other child who was just given one.

My first pair of trousers. My mother didn’t think it was ladylike to wear trousers, and even when I had saved up for them, and bought them, I wasn’t allowed to wear them on Sundays, even though my parents weren’t religious.

I've always saved since childhood. Started with the stamps, then a Post Office book and later a building society account. First ExDH took it all for house purchase deposit and all my wages for the pub. Built up savings twice again but OH needed it for debts and when his business folded. Finally now have savings in my 60s. Have also learned to lie about how much I have unfortunately as DH is hopeless with money and always has been. But a very good partner in all other ways.

I didn’t save my pocket money I spent it on Saturday morning pictures and Jackie magazine.

I did not get pocket money. The only money I remember getting was when by brothers and I went to see our grandparents after church on a Sunday. As we left my nanna would put a few of those big old pennies in my hand and whisper 'don't tell your granddad'. Not sure if my brothers were given any too but as I was the only GD among her big brood of male offspring I suspect I was the only one. She was a wonderful woman.

To have my ears pierced

First savings stamps then savings certificates, then I opened a trustee savings account when I started work in 1953. No particular aim in mind at that time, but I carried on saving.
I had enough money for when I got married at 21 to pay for the wedding (a very small one) and a lovely honeymoon in Jersey, as my husband had no money whasoever.
The savings habit has always stayed with me. I've always got rainy day money to fall back on.