Adult 'pocket money'

paulineb_2

hgotsparkle wrote: »

I wish I saw Sky TV, new clothes every month and gadgets as a need!
I'm currently saving up for a Tesco Hudl which is only £119 but its something I can't afford to pay out in one lump.
Though, I am very happy with my lot. A nice house, good social life and we eat well. And our household income after tax is £1900 a month.

Everyone has differing incomes obviously. Im single, but I used to earn anything between £700 a month and £1500 a month when I worked in my last full time job. I dont earn as much as that now by a mile, Im a freelance fitness instructor. But I am ten times happier doing what Im doing now than I was in the work I used to do.

Ive not bought new clothes, apart from fitness ones for years. I dont have a TV. I eat out at cheap places or with groupon or wowcher.

Im happy to buy second hand clothes and shop at places such as aldi and home bargains. For people who have it and want to splash out, fine. I know people who do similar work to me who earn lots of money, one girl has been on 12 foreign holidays this year, I had a very cheap weekend in Majorca.

paulineb_2

Any wrote: »

£50 a month?
What is counted in that? Do you go out, whether for day shopping and luch with girlfriends or to a wine bar, do you pop into town and have to pay a fare, then get yourself a drink/cake/chocolate...go to hairdresser? Clothes?
Without sounding cheeky that really is low...

There are no such things as wine bars where I live. I have a bus ticket that costs me between 38 and 52 pounds a month, but sometimes I do without that.

Hairdressers, costs me £20 every few months for a cut and colour.

Ive probably spent about £300 this year on my social life and Ive been out far more this year than I have in the previous few.

The thing is, its ok if you have excess money to spend, lots of people dont.

So new clothes arent a priority for me. I have clothes that I bought 20 years ago that Ive worn once that still fit. Ive got a dress that I bought about ten years ago that cost 15 quid but looks fine. My other favourite dress cost me £25 around 6 years ago. I dont wear dresses every day so they arent worn.

During the day I wear causal stuff. Who knows what Id spend my money on if I had more, but I dont and I still get by ok and thats all that matters to me.

OrkneyStar

Any wrote: »

£50 a month?
What is counted in that? Do you go out, whether for day shopping and luch with girlfriends or to a wine bar, do you pop into town and have to pay a fare, then get yourself a drink/cake/chocolate...go to hairdresser? Clothes?
Without sounding cheeky that really is low...

I see some other posters have replied with their opinions on all this, but here is my reply.
What is counted? Most of my clothes/shoes (though we do buy a few things when on the mainland in the summer- we live on an island!), any CD's/DVD's, any lunches/food out, hairdresser if needed (though currently growing hair so that will be a lot lot lot less hopefully). I do go out, but a day shopping would not interest me in the slightest, we do meet for coffee/lunch every so often in a cafe or at each others houses (but it is not a posh cafe!), already said I don't drink (and not sure there are wine bars as such here!). I walk down into the local town and any trips into the bigger town are in conjunction with other business (eg supermarket trips) so diesel paid for in that and not another added expense (hubby walks to work as 5 mins away, I am a SAHM so we have a small diesel allowance to cover shopping trips, DS related travel, the odd family journey etc). I spend a lot of my time walking, knitting (my other main expense, luckily I have built up a stash over time and also get knitting related things as gifts, buy second hand when I can and so on- sadly it doesn't have it's own budget!). I honestly don't feel that I do without, though sometimes I need to save for certain things. DH and DS also have own budgets, we have quite a few categories (eg car, presents, household, holidays and so on and all those pots are fed each month too). I also have no debts, neither does DH, which is partly good planning, and no doubt partly luck too!
And I don't think you sound cheeky we just are all different and enjoy different things. I have had more more and less money at times, but I have never really spent loads, perhaps I am lucky I have cheap hobbies! I suppose the main thing is being within your own/family budget and being happy with what you have, including the small things!

paulineb_2

The wine Im currently drinking, costs me 49p for a 250 ml can from home bargains. Actually Ive been off wine lately because Ive been losing weight and I do and have had other more expensive wines, but really from my point of view, going from someone who could take out 20 quid from the cashpoint and not think about it, to a lifestyle where every single penny counted, yes, sometimes I get fed up. Not because I cant spend loads, but because Im always skint.

But Im happy and when I was earning more I was miserable, not the money, but my job was horrible. I have friends who are on benefits and they dont have much either and when we go out for a night like we are tonight we might spend £5-10 each.

But thats ok. Because no one ever died from not spending 100 quid on a night out or not having a tv or not being able to afford a 6 quid glass of wine in a wine bar.

Ive actually spent the last couple of years looking for ways to save more money. I used to get my hair cut and coloured for 35 quid, thought that was cheap, now ive found somewhere that will do it for 20 (home dye kits and my hair colour do not mix well).

Some people might look at me and think, god her lifestyle is terrible, shes skint and yes I am, but compared to millions of people, I have a lot and thats something I dont forget.

Its possible to do a lot of things cheaply and if you do have the cash to do all of that and pay more, then no problems, you cut your coat according to your cloth as the old saying goes.

paulineb_2

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

^ I cant believe you go empty handed to a friends dinner night!!!. I wouldnt dream of going empty handed, and I've not known this unless its just a sandwich/biscuit type nibble at lunch time.
Everyone I know would bring either something to eat or some form of drinks.
You will probably get really talked about for being tight.
My friends sister in law did this for years, calling round for sunday dinner and never bringing anything.They family used to call her tight fisted etc and thats being polite.
You need to do the decent thing and show your friends some respect by taking a small gift.

Im assuming when someone comes to their house they dont bring anything and get fed and when they go to their friends house, its likewise.

Like if I cook someone a meal, they wont bring anything, but they'll cook me a meal another time, thats perfectly acceptable I think.

Person_one

paulineb wrote: »

The wine Im currently drinking, costs me 49p for a 250 ml can from home bargains.

Well you learn something every day!

paulineb_2

Also, re clothes. Ive had some amazing bargains, used to volunteer for the red cross and so did my mum. Recently got two pairs of jeans, one next, one M and S, both new with tags. £3 each.

And plenty more as well, same as my mum. The barnardos in my home town sells everything for 99p. I got a lovely jumper there for 99p and a pair of jeans for 99p.

If people think being on a budget means you miss out, you dont have to.

I got to prague once for 30 quid each way. 10 quid down to London from Glasgow and 20 quid over to Prague.

Nothing wrong with some bargain hunting. You dont need to spend a grand a month to enjoy life. If you have that grand, fair enough.

If you dont, you can still enjoy life. And no matter how skint Ive ever been, Ive always made it my point to give something back to charity, because as I said before, I appreciate what I have.

paulineb_2

Person_one wrote: »

Well you learn something every day!

Well, only if you are lucky enough to have a home bargains in your town.
Surprisingly enough, its not rank. Its British wine, which wouldnt be my favourite choice, but I really dont like californian wine, same with hungarian or bulgarian, so its drinkable enough to me.

As I said, Ive been off the wine lately as Ive lost about 2.5 stones and I cut down on wine massively to get there (way to make myself look like a total wine drinker)

But the odd can now and then is ok and Id rather pay 49p when theres a shop that sells it for that price, when the next cheapest is £1.49 for the everyday value stuff at tesco.

Person_one

I do have a home bargains nearby, I go for the cheap toiletries and cleaning products. I had no idea you could even get wine in a can though!

I rarely drink, I think I'd rather not bother than drink 49p wine, to be honest. Each to their own though.

paulineb_2

Person_one wrote: »

I do have a home bargains nearby, I go for the cheap toiletries and cleaning products. I had no idea you could even get wine in a can though!

I rarely drink, I think I'd rather not bother than drink 49p wine, to be honest. Each to their own though.

Yeah, they sell wine in a can, they sell perry in a can, they also sell a wine cooler by banrock station for 99p and theres another shop in my home town that sells the banrock station stuff for 49p.

I only started drinking the 49p wine because I was sick of the gin and slimline tonic. Im not a big drinker either and because Ive been on a fitness kick, Ive cut down a lot on alcohol, no nutritional value etc

But as the 49p wine goes, its ok, definitely far from the worst wine Ive ever tasted in my life.

Home bargains is a great shop.