How much do you put aside a month for fun?

azkaban420

I don't have a set budget for fun, and since being a DFW I've seriously started thinking about what I can do for fun on the cheap. Before, a cinema trip would end up costing about £20 for two, after tickets and popcorn/drinks. Needless to say, I won't be doing that too often now!! I think since my thoughts have been kinda revolutionised, I'll just think twice about spending on fun, and see if it's really necessary, or if I can have just as much fun staying in/watching a dvd/meeting friends for lunch at home etc. But everyone is different so I guess whatever floats one's boat

Az

snowqueen555

I calculated wrong, its £100, not £120.

No, I don't like going out too much into town because most of the nights are a waste of money, but I'm bored at home and don't have many close friends that I could go visit or cook for.

I was tempted to have a nice takeaway tonight but I resisted, life just seems so boring when I cannot spend anything, thats how boring my life is

--

I might go clubbing 3-4 times amonth, and eat out a lot but I've cut that out. This past month I went out twice into town and spent about £100 altogether, this makes me feel a little guilty considering how much less some of you have, but this is a 'typical' spent for partygoers these days

I just need to social interaction, i can't stay at home and watch movies all day or surf the internet without getting depressed

niccatw

I have a "spending account" which is for evertyhing that isn't house/insuarance/utility prof registration/phone related, including food.

It's £250 about £150 of which is for me to do with as I pleaseafter food. In reality, at the moment this is actually my "debt overpayment" account. Some months I know I've lots of social events (weddings, birthdays, babies being born) and that's fine, but most of the time, it all goes to overpayements. I'd rather get rid of the debt (but then, if you look at my signature, you'll see I'm paying off a lot more than you are).

For me, it would depend on the timescales. If I could pay off my overdraft in a couple of months, than I'd have a couple of unsocialbe, frugal months then all my money could be mine. If it was going to take a longer period of time, I'd probably budget in more things I liked to do to help keep me sane!

josephine82

Hi snowqueen!

I allow myself about £20-30 a week depending on what plans I have.
I used to spend a lot of money on going out but after having to pay off my debts I could no longer spend £50 on a night out, it just seemed too much.

I spend my money on going out for dinner (with a voucher), cinema, bowling, pub for a few quiet drinks, pub quiz etc. There are loads of social things you can do that don't involve going clubbing.

It is difficult though, I appreciate, if you are used to going out etc and I have to say I found it difficult to give up- I was helped by having to give up alcohol for health reasons so I either stopped going on the nights out with friends who thought it was impossible not to drink, or went out and had soft drinks. Actually, I have more fun now than before when I used to drink too much.

Why don't you start with £120, and see how you go, and see if you can shave any money off this, month by month?

Bloomberg

snowqueen555 wrote: »

I have an overdraft, and realistically if I want to make headway I need to spend £120 this month on entertainment, is this a lot or a little? I am just used to spending a lot more than this, I just want an idea of what everyone else spends on pubs, eating out etc per month..

Thanks

I think that as long as your bills are all paid then you can let your hair down a bit. Now that we are a bit older my OH and I tend to go to more expensive palces but drink and spend far less. When I was in my twenties (In the 90s) I would think nothing of spending £100 on a night out.

Nowadays if my wife drives I will drink two pints of strong ale and she will have one glass of wine and some sparkling water and we do not even spend £15. We tend to have people to our house more than we go out. We do not have an entertainment budget as such but I doubt we even spend £100 per month. All the best

Ames

snowqueen, if you don't like that lifestyle why not find other things to do? take a night class, join a book club, go to the cinema (I used to go on my own loads), whatever you're into. Now that the weather's good you could go for walks, or visit museums etc. a social life doesn't have to be about going out and getting drunk, especially if you don't like that or the friends you're doing it with.

Little_Miss_Uni-Debt

I totally understand how if you're bored, doing something to keep yourself occupied often costs money.

I have been exactly the same! My best friends are spread out across the UK - 3 hour drive in any direction before I can visit one of them!

I do save up to go and visit them but that is few and far between currently.

However one good thing Uni did teach me is how to have good nights out on very few £'s!!! Drinks at home first, drinking in bars with cheaper offers first, just £1 shots all night, NOT paying to get in places (free bars only!) Having a designated driver for free ride home and buy their soft drinks, Or even just not drinking at all!

If you're with good friends you can have a good time just dancing even if you're only drinking a 50p soda & blackcurrant!!

I remember having to stay in one friday night with friends at uni and one friend found an unexpected £10 note in their pocket! We all looked at each other with glee and he said 'oh my god, this is gona buy us so much food, we're gona have spots for a week!!'

Also don't forget, whenever you're at the bar waiting to be served. Always look down at the floor! People drop SO many notes as they're paying for their drinks, many times I've gone home with more money than I went out with! (Obviously looking around first to see if anyone is visibly looking for their cash!! I'm not that mean)

Best thing I ever did was join a martial arts class, it's amazing how your outlook on 'fun' changes when you're fitter and more active. You get to make loads of friends, learn self defence, keep fit and stop yourself from shopping/drinking/other costly activities.

Maybe make a list of the things you class as entertainment and the normal costs and then spend a bit of time researching the cheapest ways/days to do those things and see how much you can save!!!

londoner1998

snowqueen555 wrote: »

I calculated wrong, its £100, not £120.

No, I don't like going out too much into town because most of the nights are a waste of money, but I'm bored at home and don't have many close friends that I could go visit or cook for.

I was tempted to have a nice takeaway tonight but I resisted, life just seems so boring when I cannot spend anything, thats how boring my life is

--

I might go clubbing 3-4 times amonth, and eat out a lot but I've cut that out. This past month I went out twice into town and spent about £100 altogether, this makes me feel a little guilty considering how much less some of you have, but this is a 'typical' spent for partygoers these days

I just need to social interaction, i can't stay at home and watch movies all day or surf the internet without getting depressed

Hello Snowqueen

I knwo how you feel- I don't have debts but we moved to a bigger flat two years ago and we had to seriously economize. I give myself 35-40 a month for cinema/meals out/coffee with friends.. after everything else has been paid for (including food). I used to go clubbing a lot, so I know what is like.
Now that the weather is improving, how about spending time outdoors? You can have a picnic in the park for next to nothing- I did that this weekend with my OH and his daughter and it was fab! I spend a lot of time in my local park, watching the peacocks during the courtship ritual, walking around, reading the paper or a book... rises your spirit and is free!!
It helps my OH is very easy to please and love the simple things in life- we often just go for a walk. YOu can also go to free exhibitions, and allow yourslef a take-away a month, but cook at home the rest of the time.
I subscribe to the idea of joining a class of something physical you enjoy- I do my yoga and that is a fantastic investment and also social, I share the class with a lot of very different people...

gonzo127

snowqueen555 wrote: »

I calculated wrong, its £100, not £120.

No, I don't like going out too much into town because most of the nights are a waste of money, but I'm bored at home and don't have many close friends that I could go visit or cook for.

I was tempted to have a nice takeaway tonight but I resisted, life just seems so boring when I cannot spend anything, thats how boring my life is

--

I might go clubbing 3-4 times amonth, and eat out a lot but I've cut that out. This past month I went out twice into town and spent about £100 altogether, this makes me feel a little guilty considering how much less some of you have, but this is a 'typical' spent for partygoers these days

I just need to social interaction, i can't stay at home and watch movies all day or surf the internet without getting depressed

oohhh bordom one of the biggest expense's there can be, i hate to think how much money i have spent because i was bored - i even went as far as getting my tounge and nipple pierced (on different days) because i was bored

ok now a question and a suggestion, is there anything, and i mean anything that you are interested in i.e. football, hockey, archery, animals is there any 'clubs' you could join or charities you can help out at so you have something to go to once a week? i personally used to help out at the local RSPCA just used to go over for a few hours once a week and help out, cleaning the animals out, taking them for a walk and playing with them, all the others who 'worked' there where really nice and we had a good giggle whilst doing it

maybe look into your local college for a evening class to learn a new skill, all of the above will cost less than £100 a month and still get you out of the house and mixing with others.

i think the thing is moving away from the thoughts that socialising is only going to pubs, clubs and resturaunts onces you can do that and can find a couple of friends who are happy to join you things will become easier,

silly question if you dont have many close friends who do you actually go out with? surely these same people might be up for a party at one of your places instead of in town?

NualaBuala

It sounds a lot to me, but then we all live differently.

I have about €20 - €30 per month for treats/entertainment unless something pressing takes priority. But I also alllow up to another €50 for miscellaneous spending; that could be necessary extras like house repairs, or luxuries like gardening, hobby-related stuff, gifts and I guess some of that could be counted as entertainment. Edit: this also includes charity donations.

I have a night out probably once every 4 - 6 weeks; the pub, a cheap meal or the cinema. I tend to enjoy days out for nice walks, visiting friends or having a friend over much more - and it's cheaper!