Claire Appleton and her husband, Matthew, have turned their North Yorkshire garden into a party venue on a budget.
Before bringing their social lives in-house, the family would spend hundreds of pounds a month on going out and partying, with a calendar jam-packed with pricey dinners, drinks trips and jaunts to Leeds.
The couple would, for example, go to Skipton for dinner and drinks twice a month, setting them back around £180, and also travel to and from Leeds for social events twice a month, costing £250 each time for transport, food and drinks.
Claire told This is Money: ‘We used to go out at least once every weekend, and could easily spend around £100 on drinks in our local pub in Skipton.
‘If you’re with a big group of people, a few rounds will set you back quite a bit.’
Mum-of-three Claire, 42, has been renovating the family’s 1920s detached house in North Yorkshire for five years.
In a bid to tackle the ever-rising cost of going out, Claire and Matthew, parents to Liam, 23, Jake, 20, and Evie, 16, built their own bar called ‘Prosecco Palace’ in their garden at home.
Bottoms up: A couple in Yorkshire created their own Prosecco Palace bar at home
Claire went viral on social media after posting about her DIY garden bar, which she built, painted and decorated herself for £370 after sourcing materials on Amazon.
Claire said: ‘I can stock our whole bar for £150 and have all our family and friends round.
‘I normally buy big bottles of gin and vodka, whichever brand is on offer, and then Passoa, lime juice, sugar syrup and Prosecco, so I can make Porn Star martinis.’
She added: ‘I’ll also buy other cocktail ingredients and Kahlua and Baileys so we can make Baby Guinness shots. But some of those supplies will last for ages. We usually only do a restock once or twice a month.
‘For food, I normally just do nibbles – if we are hosting a barbecue I’ll ask people to bring their own food and say we’ll supply all the booze.’
She is also a member of the MoneySuperMarket SuperSaveClub, which offers cashback and rewards on certain purchases.
Since renovating their garden and home, the couple now only go out for special occasions around seven times a year.
Claire told This is Money: ‘We have had so many good nights here and I prefer it to going out now. I think it’s a nicer atmosphere and out home has become central to our socialising during the summer.’
Party people: Claire and Matthew Appleton love socialising with family and friends
Savvy: Claire Appleton spent just £370 creating her Prosecco Palace at home
Saving money: The couple said they save £850 a month by taking their social life in-house
Creative: Claire Appleton has added an informal dining space to the property’s garden
Ready to party: The Appleton’s garden is packed with seating and dining areas
Before: The Appleton family has been sprucing up a 1920s house in Yorkshire for five years
Before: A photo showing the property’s garden before the Appleton family transformed it
She added: ‘Some people find hosting stressful, but I think it’s more stressful to go out and then wake up in the morning knowing you’ve spent more in a few hours than you do on the weekly shop.’
As well as creating a bar, Claire has made further updates to her home’s garden space, buying £200 worth of rattan furniture from Aldi.
It is not just the garden the pair have rejuvenated on a budget.
In the kitchen, the couple used DC-Fix film to give a new look to the worktops, painted the cupboards and replaced the handles.
For the living room, the couple managed to put together a fireplace for £150, using a reject surround from B&Q and a small electric heater from B&M. They also used a Primark tanning mitt to apply polish when sprucing up the bannisters.
Claire said: ‘Our home is now more welcoming to guests and we’ve proved that you don’t need loads of money to create a warm and comfortable environment.’
Claire reckons she saves more than £6,000 a year by socialising at home rather than going out.
She also said being part of MoneySuperMarket’s SuperSaveClub had helped her save money and earn rewards when buying things for her home.
MoneySuperMarket’s latest research found that 75 per cent of Britons are hosting more at home rather than going out, with one in five throwing more parties than two years ago.
For many households, the cost of going out for a bite to eat or drink has become prohibitively expensive, with even basic meals often costing a small fortune.
Kara Gammell, MoneySuperMarket’s personal finance expert, said: ‘There has been a real shift among our customers towards hosting at home in recent months.
‘Not only is it cheaper, but it creates a relaxed feel and allows people to give their night the personal touch, making it more special for their guests.’
