Do you still have your treats?

jubilee14

I agree a fewtreats are essential and i probably could pay off debt a bit quicker if upped my payments but there is also the incidentals that occur. By no means a lavish lifestyle but kids can be expensive darn them!

PlymouthMaid

I am not on any official debt paying scheme but haven't had money for treats like outings and meals for years now. If we eat out it has to be when we have Tesco vouchers. I have sort of got used to it now so if/when we have money again it will seem very odd to be able to go to the cinema or buy lunch.

twiggy86

I've seriously cut back but not completely. For example I used to buy a bottle of coke/fanta probably everyday - I know buy a pack of own brand and 8 cans if almost the same as one bottle! I don't drink (or very rarely) so this is my treat.
I also allow myself £40 per week to spend on tobacco, going out etc. last night I had a takeaway as had some left over (only had one dish for £4.90 and then stole some of my OHs!) any that is left at the end of the month I'll probably put into my hen do pot as two friends both getting married in 2016. Maybe not MSE but I won't allow my debt to make them feel they're not close to me as I've been to all other hen dos out of my group of friends.
I think if I didn't treat myself then I would definitely splurge with worse consequences!

northerner999

Shouldn't "entertainment" be part of any budget anyway?

It's a personal choice, but surely there has to be a balance: what's the point of living if your only aim in life is to pay off your debt and that supersedes EVERYTHING else? I am lucky in that I have modest tastes and live in a cheapish part of the country, but I'd much rather be able to make memories with my friends and family than overpay by a further £30 a month then find in a few years I am debt free but have lost those personal relationships - especially knowing some family members won't be around forever. I understand this may not be so easy when only just getting to grips with debts.

As much as the whole point of this site is saving money, and this thread about sorting debt, I think there needs to be an appreciation too of why we are doing those things - for me it is to spend as much good quality time with friends and family as possible while I can. I think most people can do this without breaking the bank.

dazla

northerner999 wrote: »

Shouldn't "entertainment" be part of any budget anyway?

It's a personal choice, but surely there has to be a balance: what's the point of living if your only aim in life is to pay off your debt and that supersedes EVERYTHING else? I am lucky in that I have modest tastes and live in a cheapish part of the country, but I'd much rather be able to make memories with my friends and family than overpay by a further £30 a month then find in a few years I am debt free but have lost those personal relationships - especially knowing some family members won't be around forever. I understand this may not be so easy when only just getting to grips with debts.

As much as the whole point of this site is saving money, and this thread about sorting debt, I think there needs to be an appreciation too of why we are doing those things - for me it is to spend as much good quality time with friends and family as possible while I can. I think most people can do this without breaking the bank.

When I signed up with Payplan a few years ago they went through my finances and said £650 a month would be a reasonable repayment amount but its crippling. At the end of every month I have nothing left and have to resort to selling my old clothes and cd's on ebay to get some money. I have halved the amount I pay to payplan this month as I need new tyres on the car. They said they can accept reduced payments for 3 months but my creditors might get stroppy as I signed up to paying £650 a month.

Muser1

We rarely eat out. We try and do what others have said and get a nice meal in. M&S pizzas or the dine in offer is always yummy. We use Orange Wednesday's for the cinema. I do think treats are essential but you have to be clever about it.

DawnW

dazla wrote: »

When I signed up with Payplan a few years ago they went through my finances and said £650 a month would be a reasonable repayment amount but its crippling. At the end of every month I have nothing left and have to resort to selling my old clothes and cd's on ebay to get some money. I have halved the amount I pay to payplan this month as I need new tyres on the car. They said they can accept reduced payments for 3 months but my creditors might get stroppy as I signed up to paying £650 a month.

Have your circumstances changed since you signed up to your DMP? For example, have you had a child, lost your job and had to take a lower paying one, had your hours reduced or had a huge hike in your rent? If so it would seem perfectly reasonable to phone Payplan and discuss options. I haven't had a DMP personally, but have read on here of others renegotiating due to changes in circumstances. It couldn't hurt to phone to ask?

As for creditors getting stroppy, well, that is up to them. You can only pay what you can afford.

dresdendave

Different people will have different approaches, some will obsess to throw every penny at the debt, while for others the lack of the occasional treat could mean they get frustrated and give up and resort to their bad spending habits.


One way might be to reward yourself with a sensible treat whenever you hit a milestone in tackling your debt, either when you pay off a particular card or reduce the total by a certain amount.


Obviously any treat needs to be proportional, not much point spending £50 every time you pay off £100 for example.

Giraffeseeker

I have treats. I am with Stepchange and was a smoker when I signed up for my DMP and, although I quit the next month and have stayed off cigs, I have not removed the "smoking" allowance from my DMP budget in my annual reviews. With half of this I pay for a club I am a member of, have a monthly take-away (or cheap meal out) with kids, and other treats like that. I save the other half for xmas.

It is less "treats" than previously though. I bought a breadmaker so I make pizza for kids on a Saturday instead of ordering in, I have a quick recipe for special fried rice which I use to satisfy Chinese cravings when home alone when kids are at their Dad's. I buy the £3.29 wine from Aldi - 6 bottles on payday and when its gone, it's gone (one a week to drink and two spare for taking to friend's houses - I rarely go "out" with friends like before).

I have a "Gift" category in ynab and when it gets above a certain amount (twice a year I have 3 months with no birthdays to buy for) then I treat myself and/or kids to an item of clothing. I also use quidco for insurance renewals, etc and the cashback is treat money - got a £99 pair of leather boots this winter from M&S totally paid for by Quidco cashback and reward vouchers from renewing insurance. Ebay earnings are also treat money - got a new TV completely from ebay sales earlier this year - although that has dried up as nothing left to sell!

I think you have to be creative and not deny yourself completely. I haven't spent on myself for months and yesterday bought a jumper for £35 - waaaaaay above what I would normally spend on one item of clothes - and it is because I had a "sod it" moment. Have spent the afternoon shaving amounts off other categories in YNAB to pay for it. Not like me at all!

MrsSave

I think we're going to stick with our personal spends budget. It's up to us how we spend our own pennies then. For example I have bought chestnuts today for £1.75. I love them, have had some roasted this afternoon and will have more tonight. It means I'm having a little of what I really enjoy, but not spending a massive amount. I do like the idea of M&S meals or something similar instead of eating out.