How much do you plan to budget for clothes & entertainment when debt free ?

ZTD

It depends on how you do things. I know that my "essential spending" is less than my wages, so that if I only buy essential things, my current account balance will go up. So what I do is have a "float" in my current account - if I get near the float, I cut back - if my float gets too much, I transfer some out to a savings account.

Of course at the moment, with me getting another house to move into, I've cut back spending anyway to save for deposit/bond/1st month's rent etc.

It's horses for courses.

newmum1

I dont put anything aside for clothes it just as and when but its not much last month I spent £30 but yet the month before I didnt buy anything. I think that as long as the debts are being paid and all the bills the clothes are taken from what little is left over.

bandraoi

debbycatz wrote: »

I have to say that I am suprised at one or two posters who plan to just buy things as and when they need them once debt free. Not judging at all....but surprised that for some, sticking to a budget seems to be something that only needs to be done to pay debt off, whereas I see sticking to a budget as a lifetime thing really. Otherwise, it can be all too easy to end up back in debt 'cos one didn't realise how much one was spending and before you know it a couple of unexpected bills drop through the door and your back down the slippery slope.
I hope to stick to a budget as a form of self-discipline to avoid this happening. I have twice run up credit cards 'cos I hated saying no to a night out or no to a lovely 'bargain' outfit, but I have paid the price and now want to do it better.
If I have a budget and stick to it, it will teach me that I can have what I require within my means but I can't have everything I want.

My budgets not complicated enough to need much more monitoring. My only fixed outgoings are my rent, my mobile phone and my monthly travel card. All that's really left after those three are food, clothes and socialising.

My bills, council tax and even cleaning products are included in my rent, and the rent I'm paying is low for where I live. In my head I've always taken the lump sum I have and divided it either by the number of days in the month (counting weekends double) or by the number of weeks + weekends in the month.

That gives me a rough guideline of what I've to spend so I know if I buy an expensive top, I should probably suggest a quiet night in to the boy.

The reason I have a credit card debt at the moment is from the working a month before getting paid for the month. I only started work in September, which essentially means I've to save a months salary (+ rent depsoit) before I'm at £0 for the start of the month.

HappySad

clothes is very little... it choose clothes from friends that they don't want anymore or second hand shops. I also keep my best loved clothes in storage and after a year or two go through everything and hay I've found a much loved new (well old) item to wear for free. Underwear M&S or Debinhamns. Mend all clothes to keep them in good nick.DVD, books, CDs, magazines - library.Magazines - 3 for £1 offers or 25p from charity shop.Cinema - free (registered disabled) but hardly go anyway.Socialising with friends - Visit each others homes - free. Mother and toddler groups £5 a week.

clarejoanne

I budget £70 a month for my own personal use - and that has to cover clothes hair and toiletries. Household toiletries come out of the weekly food budget which is £50 (for me and my son). I manage to put away £100 a month and still have about £30 spare a month in 'reserve' for emergencies. I don't have a budget for going out or entertainment as I don't go out much so when I do spend, it just comes out of my own allowance or my savings. I also use a spreadsheet to balance my money so I know exactly what's coming in and going out. Very useful.

Crown

I have set a budget of £10 a week that has to cover all entertainement. If I plan on going out with friends for a meal I know that I have to save for it or cut my budget the over the next few weeks.

Clothes wise I set a yearly budget of no more than £250 and will stick to this until Im debt free. apart from Shoes I am still wearing the same Suits and shirts that I have owned over the last 3 years and will not replace them until the January Sales next year. The only thing that I have brought clothes wise is New Underwear but saying that I actually asked for socks for Xmas so I havent had to replace them.

Is this taking Debt Elimanation too far?? lol

piglet6

I feel guilty (in comparison to others posting here...) but I would like to hope that I can allow between £200-250 per month on clothes/socialising/treats once I am debt free.

I refuse to feel bad about this because I earn a good salary (City of London rates) and have no dependents (we cannot have children, and believe me, I would gladly take my spends back down to £0 if children were an option, but sadly they are not, so I am learning to live with this option - not willingly, I should add - we have explored our options, but the options are not hopeful for us...).

The only query I have is whether I will be able to spend this amount of money after all this time cutting back - every year for my birthday, my parents-in-law send me a cheque for £100 and Mr P's uncle also sends me a cheque (usually for £30) - I find it extremely difficult to spend on myself (habit now, I guess! :rotfl:) and this is a once a year thing, so goodness knows how I will deal with it on a monthly basis. Still, I guess, if I can't find something to spend it on, I can save it for a "big" purchase!! :rolleyes:

I suspect it will take time, but its something I need to work on! :cool:

Piglet

ms_london

Wow. It makes me feel guilty too - as even when I was in debt I had 200-250 pounds a month on myself (groceries, socialising, clothes, "me" money). Maybe I could have cut back a bit more too then? But then I was paying a fair chunk each month (around 900 pounds) towards my debt, so it wasnt as though I was neglecting anything. From memory (it feels like ages ago!!) I also used to save whatever was left over, and I guess it was unusual for me to spend ALL of it - but I would never spend more than that.

I have friends in the UK that spend ALL of their wages (and then some) and dont save a penny. Infact I think it is the norm amongst my friends and very few save and think longer term. I used to be like this, but I am a reformed character so am aloud to judge (quick, where's my halo?) :rolleyes:

Right now I budget $150 a week for food/socialising/clothes etc - again, it probably sounds a lot, but then I am trying to live my life too at the moment.

I think so long as you are repaying your debts (if you have them), paying your bills & thinking somewhat towards the future and saving something, the rest should be spend however you like. Car mats, or whatever (I dont think SS will ever live that one down!!) :rotfl: :rotfl:

I could never imagine not saving anything - and I am pretty depressed that my hard earned savings for my travelling have dwindled so much :mad: !! It doesnt take much!!

One thing I should budget for is my hair (highlights, pretty costly!!) - and should allocate money each month to go towards it, but no that would be too simple, instead I am just very broke on the month I do get it done. :rolleyes:

Maybe I should re-think my budget.....

JET34

Before I was debt free I would spend nearly all the money I had left after rent and bills on rubbish for myself and my sons... infact I spent more than what was left which was why I was in debt. However since having a energy saving lightbulb moment and becoming debt free i really don't enjoy spending money.. (never thought i'd say that) I now won't buy anything unless it is reduced or i'm getting a discount... I have finally for the first time in my adult life have some saving's which I am enjoying watching grow!! so in answer to your question my budget for non essentials is 0.00 well you don't really need them!!!

Jo4

We save £x weekly for our hair cuts, our toileteries come out of our £100 monthly grocery spend (I don't use make up, my nieces or sisters put it on for me if I want it done). Our clothes spend which includes footwear, nightwear, underwear ... is £250 a year and any vouchers we get from pigsback or elsewhere is extra for us to spend or some time we give them as presents.

Should say their is only 2 of us, both adults.