How much 'treat' money do you allow yourself?

ms_london

Makes me realise that I waste a lot of money & spend a lot on myself!!

In the early stages of being in debt I remember I had a fiver to do my weeks shopping with, and spent little else - basically didnt have any money spare, so just worked @ my 2 jobs and stayed at home.

But for the latter I had at least £50 a week for food & other bits, which sounds like loads in comparison to what others spend, so I apologise :0( - I am spending the same at the moment, but must admit that this week I have wasted that on food - lunch, food for evening meal, snacks - not even proper grocery shopping & I'm discusted (not to mention a bit fatter!!)

I do get as many freebies as I can & have just received a voucher for a free haircut (courtesy of Herbal Essences) - for the ladies out there, The Sun are doing a free beauty treatment for every reader as from tomorrow - not sure of the T&C, but it might be worth buying the paper!

I must cut back on what I am spending & not be so wasteful!! Its not as though I've bought anything concrete with the money, just frittered it away!!

xx

Catseyez

ms_london wrote:

I must cut back on what I am spending & not be so wasteful!! Its not as though I've bought anything concrete with the money, just frittered it away!!

That's what annoys me most about how I used to be. The money was just frittered away on useless cr*p! Can't bear to think how much I could've saved if I'd been more restrained. :mad:

wigginsmum

Mmm I know what you're saying about collecting clutter. I reckon I must have an obssessive personality - if I saw a film with an actor I liked, I'd buy the DVDs for all their films. Like an author? Buy all their books. Decided I liked MAC cosmetics and accumulated 1500+ items! Fortunately I'm now obssessed with moneysaving so it could be worse.

louise30_2

I give myself £10 pocket money on a Sunday and that's the lot. If there is any of it left at the end of the week it goes in a money box - that can then be used for treats, extras and anything I haven't budgetted for.

Last week I spent nearly £20 on plants for my front garden and completely re-did my little plot! (back garden is a whole different ball game - it's massive- and a mess!)
This week I need to buy a friend a 30th birthday pressie (anyone got any ideas of goo freebies of cheapbies?)

dinkylou

I 'allow' myself about £80 per month on going out/entertainment, £30 on clothes and £40 on other things (which arent clothes)

I know this is alot for some people but I dont want to be unhappy and feel that I can't live for the next 3 years.

And considering I used to spend at least double this, its an improvement for me.

ms_london

I think I've said it before but a friend of mine spends all of her wages on random stuff, basically on herself, getting her hair highlighted (which she does monthly) etc etc.

I know I used to be like that (and worse) but I just couldnt imagine doing it now.

:eek:

Dead_Eye_Jones

I tend to treat myself to whatever I want, the key though is that my wants are very little. Biggest expenditures are prob on music, maybe a few cds a month (cdwow!), the odd cinema trip, maybe eat out a cple times a month too. Dunno, thats about it tbh. Materialism aint all that, life is much better if you concentrate on other rewarding activities, whether career success, building relations, simple hobbies, etc.

dirtyepic

..... I could be more disciplined like you all seem to be.

You'd think I would learn. I am a discharged bankrupt (declared myself 28.02.00) and have just got myself in a good financial state, thanks to very loving and caring husband (just coming up to our first wedding anniversary - wedding MSE style of course!).

I love to go out and socialise with friends and I love to 'treat' myself. But I just fritter away my money. Every month I allow myself £10 per week for any treats/toiletries I may need, I take a packed lunch to work every day, I use public transport now instead of taking the car to work, I shop at Primark most of the time for work/going out clothes.

I had a really hard time prior to and following from bankruptcy due to stress, leaving a really good paying job because of an awful sexist, drunken boss, health reasons and realising the enormous backlash of my exciting youth! There was no help for me after bankruptcy, I couldn't open a bank account in my name even though I had a job (started right at the bottom on minimum wage just to get my confidence back - and it worked a treat and I made some really good friends too) there was no MSE people like yourselves to support and advise. But I got through it. Now I have my certificate of discharge, a clear credit rating which I am slowing building to my advantage through a credit card which I pay in full every month.

But still I have no money at the end of the month!!! Although I do not borrow anymore.

I will keep reading about how careful you all are and keep being inspired but it's hard.

I go on other threads and keep getting tempted with the 'bargains', 'boots glitches', etc but that isn't really saving me money - its making me spend - thinking that I am really getting a bargain, when most of the time I don't really need the item just yet!

So fingers crossed, next pay day I will stick to my £10 treat money per week.

I am so scared of my money now, I am so scared that I will let my husband down again with my fruitless spending. God I even felt guilty last week when I had to get new work outfits and I got 2xoutfits for work, 1xdress (lush!), enough knickers to last me till Christmas 2007, vests x 4, hair twangies and I spent £48 - first spend on work clothes this year!

Oh I am so confused. I still have sleepless nights just thinking of what I've done and what I am capable of doing. I wish I had been told how to take care of money and the consequences when I was at school.

Anyway, thanks for listening, probably put this on the wrong post, but once I started to type I just had to get it all off my chest!

Regards to you all

Terri
aka dirtyepc

GardenMillie

Hi, I allocate £25 per week socialising money - this pays for my dance class, the odd take away, new make up etc. Some weeks spend it all other times - not much. Wine comes out of the food budget if I'm having any. Clothes and household purchases etc are extras which I buy as I need.

I feel quite decadent having looked at some of the posts!

suzyp1982

[QUOTE=dirtyepic. I wish I had been told how to take care of money and the consequences when I was at school.

[/QUOTE]


Here here, i couldnt agree more!! Fortunatly i was brought up with the saying "if you cant buy it in cash, you cant have it at all" the only borrowing my parents did was the mortgage and for a car, no credit cards nothing, they saved for everything they needed/wanted.

I think schoold should teach the REAL value of money!, i remember going on a school business studies trip and we all had our own chalets so we had to cook for ourselves. We had a budget of £60 for 4 people for 5 days. we came in perfectly on budget, ALL the other groups we way over!


Erm anyway, im not in debt (well i have £100 overdraft at moment but get paid on Mon) but i allow myself £30 per week (usually spent on a night out and treats like chocolate or occasionally clothes from Primark.
All my other money goes on the house or in savings for our wedding next year