Something happened to this country not so long ago which led rise to the term Broken Britain.
It began with a financial collapse but what really makes Britain broken is what happened in the years that followed.
I’m not talking about the closure of Woolworths and the scar it left behind on our beloved high streets.
I’m not even referring to our country’s Bond Villain sized deficit.
What really worries me, what keeps me up at night and what makes me fear for my children’s future is free coffee in Waitrose.
We should have seen it coming, the warning signs were there when Waitrose launched their essentials range. Suddenly everyone is a savvy shopper and Waitrose were far too quick to jump on the bandwagon.
But free coffee, that’s a step too far.
Now when I visit my local Waitrose I’m greeted by a gaggle of supposed Waitrose card holders all jostling for their place in what at some point in the day was a line for paper cups. Each with a Lidl plastic bag in one hand and a child in need of a good wash in the other.
I’m told that this is the way of the world now. The way business owners market themselves is to offer something for nothing.
But what this has born is the rise of the serial trialist. AKA the so called frugal mum.
Suddenly being ‘Frugal’ is a good thing, whereas once upon a time a synonym for frugal was Scotch.
In days gone by these people would buy Women’s Own and enter the latest competition for a year’s supply of hand tissues or a term time family holiday in Weston-Super-Mare.
Today these people search out the freebies. No longer do they scourer daily deal sites in search of a five pound facial. Oh no, today’s frugal mum swam across Facebook looking for taster sessions and giveaways.
In a way I don’t mind this too much. There is a place for everyone in this world. The problem is when they enter my world, the world I paid for.
Each week I attend a rather lovely class with my youngest. We play, sing, bond and pay for the privilege. It’s a busy fully subscribed class.
Then along come the freebie hunters. Normally on a day when it’s raining or the schools are having another week off because it’s been a whole month since they last had a half term.
The class we attend is perfect for babies aged up to about 8 months but that doesn’t stop frugal mum from bringing her screaming three year old in with her her one year old. None of them are interested in the class. All they are interested in is getting something for nothing.
You might ask isn’t it the business owner who is really suffering? I might agree with you as I won’t be signing up for another term full of freebie filled classes. Before long half the class will be full of people who have no intention of signing up for a paid class.
The thing is you see the same faces all coming to the different classes. If somewhere has a special deal day you’re guaranteed to see those same people lurking around.
So this is really a passionate plea to anyone who offers a free taster session. Do it in your own time not the time I pay for.
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