what is a fair amount of fun money?

its_maths_not_magic

I'm curious here to see what people consider to be a good amount of money for fun or entertainment a week? This would be for the average wage earner, and after debts, bills and savings. I think £20 per week per couple would be fairly high. But that's just me. What's a good amount to spend on fun?

lhead123

When we were both earning loads we had £40 per week each! That was for everything we wanted to spend it on (hobbies, hair cuts, clothes ect) and also for trips to the pub.... It was way too much and I wish we had paid debts instead!

We now do £40 a month each if we can afford it, if not we have to start selling things to get our fun money. Right now with oh out of work and me on maternity we have had zero fun money as everything has been needed for food and bills. Oh has just started a new job though so hoping to get debt busting soon and have a bit of fun money again!
X

Monkeyballs

Becoming debt free is fun too!!!!

Depends on your income I guess, but I'd say a tenner for whatever you want each week is ok so £20 for a couple isn't exorbitant...

MB

FireWyrm

We have a discretionary cash fund of £60 a month for all 'fun'. Takeaways, odd purchases, milk etc come out of it. When it's gone, it's gone. I usually try to keep some back and whatever I do manage to keep goes in the terramundi at the end of the month.

19lottie82

its_maths_not_magic wrote: »

This would be for the average wage earner, and after debts, bills and savings. I think £20 per week per couple would be fairly high.

Really???

£20 a week is nothing.

That's not enough for a meal out, a trip to the pictures, or a night out. Even a take away for 2 is usually more than £20.

I would understand if that was for a couple severely financially struggling, or in a lot of debt, but for your average earners (26k pa each) that's nothing IMO.

x_raphael_xx

My idea of fun is to sit in and play video games, so I'm quite cheap to keep happy
When I was paying off my debt I stopped doing everything other than working, I know it's not for everyone but I loved throwing as much money as possible at the loans etc so that was my fun. Now, as long as my bills are covered, everything left is free to use if and when I fancy doing something.

It depends what your hobbies are and if you can make savings on your hobbies. We have 2 cinemas in our town, one is about 3 times as expensive so I usually go to the older, breezier, cheaper one. A mid-week afternoon film for £3.50...yes please!

good_advice

FUN MONEY? what is that?
Going out money for trips...When our 3 children were growing up I just gave them what they needed for organized outings and clubs.
Spending money did not seem to work.

We have never had a pot for just one person, just the usual bank account.
I live a simple life that does not require much money after bills.
Our only debt is a small mortgage.

Meals out, cinema, theatre, payed attractions and pubs just don't happen or are rare.

On_my_way

I think it's nice to do things when you can afford it, it enriches daily life.

hohum

We're low earners and despite trying to keep to £25 per week/ea we're averaging more like £30/week each. That's to cover hobbies, social, food outside home (so including lunches) and tobacco because having a budget category for my boyfriends habit would just irritate me..... Still reducing the debt and for me it's about not feeling deprived. Having flexibility in fun money helps me stay on track and not splurge.

dreamdreamer

It depends so heavily on people's personal situations that it's really hard to say whats reasonable.

When I was debt-busting I gave myself £40 a month of fun money. That got me a trip to the cinema, a takeout with the OH and the odd quid spent here and there. It wasn't fun.

Now I'm debt free we have a lot more fun, but fun often costs! We spend about £70 a week between 2 of us. We have a takeout most weekends. We go to the cinema every month or 2, we buy the odd blu-rays/computer games or bits for the house or garden, OH buys any bits he wants for his car obsession etc etc. We might go to the beach or for a bike ride at the weekend and will have an ice cream, pay for parking etc. It all adds up! If we go to the pub with friends and get a cab home we can spend £50 in one night, though we don't do that very often.

My logic is so long as we've budgeted for it and we're still putting some money in savings and not getting into debt then that's why we work so hard for our salaries, so we can go out and enjoy the money and live our lives!

FYI we're what I'd consider normal earners.

moohound

FireWyrm wrote: »

We have a discretionary cash fund of £60 a month for all 'fun'. Takeaways, odd purchases, milk etc come out of it. When it's gone, it's gone. I usually try to keep some back and whatever I do manage to keep goes in the terramundi at the end of the month.

sorry to be dense but what is a terramundi?

Just googled it, looks great and holds loads of money