How do you feel when you spend money?

Saveit

Me too I get very nervous when my current account goes below £1000 and even more worried that I would have to susidise from my Savings account. I buy what we need and buy what we want at the lowest price possible and get really annoyed If I could have got it cheaper else where. I am very concious since joining this thread on the ways to save money and only wish I had joined it earlier. I do have credit cards but I have changed to 0% and I am happy untill its either pay off in full or switch then I get nervous. I look at prices more carefully now and try to buy at the cheapest.

Pucko_2

I usually feel horrible when spending money on myself.. Very guilty.
I have to keep telling myself "this is something I do actually NEED". Buying things I don't actually count as a necessity can make me feel bad for days. I only feel good spending money on myself when I know I'm getting a real bargain, but even then it has to be something I definitely need to get or I end up feeling like a bad person for not lodging that money into the savings account instead.

Am I taking the moneysaving too far? I can't seem to relax and ENJOY money these days - it's all just numbers on receipts and bank statements. Whenever I go shopping I look all over the shop for reduced goods, I never buy anything that's not on the shopping list even though I can be desperate for a little extra something for my tea.

Even though I'm probably better at saving money, I get the feeling that my friends who spend lots on clothes and nights out are actually enjoying life more. Is there a happy medium?

Pucko_2

I usually feel horrible when spending money on myself.. Very guilty.
I have to keep telling myself "this is something I do actually NEED". Buying things I don't actually count as a necessity can make me feel bad for days. I only feel good spending money on myself when I know I'm getting a real bargain, but even then it has to be something I definitely need to get or I end up feeling like a bad person for not lodging that money into the savings account instead.

Am I taking the moneysaving too far? I can't seem to relax and ENJOY money these days - it's all just numbers on receipts and bank statements. Whenever I go shopping I look all over the shop for reduced goods, I never buy anything that's not on the shopping list even though I can be desperate for a little extra something for my tea.

Even though I'm probably better at saving money, I get the feeling that my friends who spend lots on clothes and nights out are actually enjoying life more. Is there a happy medium?

rprinter

Pucko you might be going a bit too far if its making you miserable. Everything in moderation as they say. And remember Martin's tagline for this site is 'cutting costs not cutting back'. I think.

r

mountainofdebt

I must admit I'm with ms_london ...hate spending money.

Hubby used to call we a tight !!!!!! as well but since he's woken up to the fact that I've saved us money and getting more for what I do spend, he's a happy little bunny, although I can embarrass him in the process - got a free breakfast for him on Saturday and then insisted on using my 20% off voucher to pay for the rest of the meal!

WW68

Robert_Sterling_3

I feel spent.

ms_london

mountainofdebt wrote:

I must admit I'm with ms_london ...hate spending money.WW68

My mum is concerned about me, and when she was upset recently she broke down with "...and you're so tight, you dont spend money anymore....".

Right mum!! :0)

This is the same mother that hit the roof when she realised I was getting myself into debt....

I suppose it could be worse I told her, im tight, not into drugs or anything like that :0) Bless her!!!

super41

Pucko wrote:

Even though I'm probably better at saving money, I get the feeling that my friends who spend lots on clothes and nights out are actually enjoying life more. Is there a happy medium?

The grass always appeards to be greener Pucko! Maybe your friends appear to be having a good time now, but if they're overspending they may be heading towards debt misery in the future. We are in a 'live now, pay later' culture which dictates that money is overidingly important and something which makes you happy. Well it aint necessarily so!

Why not see your money saving as investing in your future. My hope is that I can get our debts under control in the next few years by tightening our belts a bit. I'd rather do it now and be more relaxed in the future about money. I try to see money saving as a bit of a laugh and challenge - trying to beat the system etc. This site and chat forums have given me so many hints and tips, I realise just how much I wasted before!

Why not treat yourself to something once a week - doesn't have to be much, just a little something for yourself.

Quasar

I never give it a thought. I spend whatever is required on the things I need first and foremost, then on the things I want. Of course I am always game to save money and will try to get things cheaper, but the need to save save save save does not run my life. My rule is:

First of all, I budget for the more regular necessities: food, toiletries, house bills etc. (car expenses if I had a car)

Second, for the things I will need in time: clothing, appliances, lightbulbs etc.

The trick is to make the budget reasonable, so that I can comfortably keep to it - impossible targets are not achieved and this does make one miserable.

Whatever is left, I split in two: half goes to savings, the other half I spend in those things that make life more than just survival. To me that is books, music, going out, the occasional expensive item of clothing.

I find that I can easily save 10%-15% of my net income in this way.

Today I spent £40 on two chill-out jazz CDs. Do I feel bad? No. The music I am listening to as type this is one of those little spices that make life such an interesting dish.

:j

ChrilleK

It's all in your head, i would say. If you want something bad enough you will convince yourself that you really need it and find all the reasons to buy it. I bought an mp3 player because with it I could listen to self empowering audio books and actually learn something! And when I bought it I wouldn't buy anything else for so and so long time so it was justified for..