Personal spending money

Lara44

I have £30 per week for everything and I usually go out twice a week. I don't drink anymore and we don't really go to places where you have to pay an entry fee, but I am only 24 and also you get really lonely in London if you don't see your friends... that's my excuse!

vics_1982

I give myself £80 a week, that includes £40 petrol, and £30 food, so i guess £10 spends a week.

Does me fine,

Vics

mikeywills

What I have found that works for us is this. To start with cash, at the beginning of each week we get £20 cash each, as spending money for foods snacks etc, We have a slush fund of £10 at home for takeaways. (Agree not to take money out of the hole in the wall). When we go shopping to get something new clothing wise, you have to answer yes to the following questions before you can buy it.
1. Do I really need it?
2. Am I sure I really need it?
3. Am I going to use/wear it a lot?
4. Is it something I have not got already?

Then you have to have a picture of your wardrobe in your head, and say to yourself what am I going to give away to charity for this to go into my wardrobe.
If you can do this and justify it to yourself then you are a better person than I.
If not then, I would recommend you review your spending over the last three months and work out how much you have spent on each of your catergories, then take that figure and half it. There you have two options from here the low tech approach which is to have jars where you keep your receipts in for each catergory and total them each week so you know how much you have left. The high tech is to database your spending and categorise it, (I check our accounts daily and amend our database), every week print it off and put it somewhere you can both see it. Try your best to keep to the half rule there will be times that you wont manage it, but you will be unlikely to be as bad as before you started.
The main aim of all of this is to get into the habit of watching the pennies, when you find yourself overspending one week you will know it so can be more careful in following weeks.

Bells&Whistles

I give myself £100.00 per month but this includes petrol and food for work, I'm trying to free up as much as possible to throw at my debt so I try to make it work even when it feels like a bit of a stretch

Dolly_Smith

To be honest, if you give yourself a limit you're likely to spend it regardless of whether you need the stuff or not.

I don't give myself any budget, but try and really minimise my spending day to day. I've cut down so much on the cigarettes that I only buy a pack of ten a week now (woo-hoo), we have the occasional takeaway aswell but I find it works pretty well

lisa_75

Emmzi wrote:

I'd say if petrol, food etc all paid, maybe £100 each a month BUT it depends how big your debt is, and how much 'spare' you have after all minimum payments made.

I figure £100 is a haircut, a new t shirt, a dvd, a meal out, and a pub quiz, if you are careful, and use discount vouchers where you can. If you have an 'event' eg wedding, £100 can just about cover it if you forego the rest for the month.

I reckon a hundred, if you are on a long haul to repay, makes it bearable. BUT if you don't have this much spare - you can't have it!

£100 each sounds bearable (just!). At the moment we are spending about £500 between us. My biggest downfall is smoking, nights out and clothes/shoes. I have just got a job, so after all the minimum payments/food/bills/petrol are paid we have £800 left over. We now owe around £7000, so I want to throw a lot of this at the debt, but my husband wants to put £200 towards the debt, £200 each spending money and £200 for Christmas / birthdays /emergencies.

lil'H

I have £45 a week, but that includes presents (brithday and christmas) and activities etc for my son. Don't know where it goes as I never have enough for any clothes etc, though I know I tend to go over on my food budget which does then creep into my spends. Also don't forget the little bits, stamps, newspapers (I do try and read onlien though). I have to say though the more you try and pay your debts the more I've found myself untempted by clothes etc. Just seems pointless as I'd rather shift the debts.

Lil'H

CoD_2

probably about £50 each, but we rarely go out, I haven't bought clothes for about six months, i get my hair cut twice a year and we don't go out oodles. so its spent on ermmmm bits and bobs and bits for the business.

CoD_2

certainly doesn't include fuel though, we have a 350 mile commute a week just to get to work so diesel costs lots!

Headintheclouds_3

oakdale_minx wrote:

Spending money on all this kind of thing is how I got into a mess in the first place.

I hear you!!

I subscribe to an online DVD rental place, plus have broadband internet - which are my luxuries and keep me sane :rotfl: ...then £10/week for other odds and ends.

As some other posters have pointed out, you have to find a workable middle ground when you're a DFW.