How much do you spend on hair, beauty and clothes?

[chumbler]

Per year? Per month? I have been through my statements and on average spending £180 a month, so around £2000 a year. Am I average in this? Dh is horrified!! Anyone else want to share their beauty £ stats!

[Nabootique]

I would say mine varies a lot due to quarterly commission, but pre and post Christmas, so say from mid-December to today, I think it must have been close to £600, which is pretty scary. I got around that given to me for Christmas though, so was a real splurge. Most other months probably around the same as you.

[chumbler]

My excuse is having a baby - so post pregnancy bigger clothes. Then some smaller clothes as I lost weight (as obviously my old clothes wouldn't do! )

[ForeverLivingMyArse]

Very little up until recently. Now I'm allowing myself about £40 a month for hair and make up. Clothes I'm a bit funny about, can go months with buying nothing new.

I'm starting to take more care of my appearance and really enjoying it.

[ChristmasCabbage]

Clothes
I hardly spend anything on clothes because DM and MIL always get me £150 worth of vouchers for my birthday so I use that for clothes. Last year I probably spent about £100 topping up what they'd got me.

Hair
Last year I had my hair cut about 5 times at £40 per time, so £200. Plus, I had my colour done once which cost an extra £60. So, £260 in total.

Beauty
I don't have any treatments like nails or eyebrows done. My beauty spend I would call things like creams, bath shit, nail varnish. I'm a bit of an Avon-junkie and I probably spend about £30 a month on Avon and other bits and bobs. So, about £360 all year.

Actually, that looks a lot less than I thought when I've just spelled it all out.
I need to treat myself more!

[Likeaninjanow]

I spend about £540 per year on hair (cut & colour), and ~£1200 on clothes. £120 on eyebrows and £180 on nail. Total of approx £2040. I didn't think that was too bad!

[MNetter15]

About £1000.00 per year.

Haircuts and highlights
Eyebrow shapes and tints
I hardly ever buy makeup, maybe at Christmas and it lasts the year.
I spent a lot of money on clothes after my last baby, a whole new wardrobe for each season so really don't need to buy anything new this year. Just little bits and pieces here and there.

[IkeaGoddess]

About £100-£200 a month. Mainly clothes.

Enjoy it a lot - live in a big city and socialise and am "out" lots (next month will include opera, art exhibition opening, piano performance by me, and probably some additional nights out and things to be decided).
I hate women being "shamed" or having to "apologise" or make excuses for something they enjoy.

I mean of course we all have to budget at times (I may have to in the future and have had to in the past) but as long as the broader financial goals are being met then it should be a personal choice.

[Nabootique]

Oh, I also don't have any treatments, dye my own hair, and have my hair cut about once every 6 months, which makes it worse, really!

[ChristmasCabbage]

Ikea I agree. I'm aware that I make excuses for treating myself. It was the way I was brought up; my mum rarely bought anything nice for herself and it was always my dad, grandad (he lived with us) and me first, then her last when it came to literally everything. Whenever she did spend money on herself it was always because it was needed or it was a very special treat. It was never just because she wanted to and why the fuck not. I'm aware I do this and I'm trying really hard to get out of it but it is challenging.

I'm eyeing up some CK Eternity now just because...

[ivejusthadacake]

Sahm, around £80 average pcm. At christmas and birthday i spent my extra money from my parents (at 35,they still give me a card with a too generous amount of cash) I wear collection 2000/rimmel make up, have a posh salon colour every 10 weeks and buy sale clothes from asos, boden for leather pumps, h and m and tesco. Skincare is whatever loreal/ ganier etc is on offer at supermarket. My clothes get so worn out looking after the kids. I hate how much i spend and want to pay off our mortgage but i keep seeing lovely things. I think i go for too many coffees in town and see nice things.

[happygoluckylady]

Hmmm, nothing on hair at the moment (don't have much thanks to chemo). Normally I'd spend 100 every eight weeks on highlights and probably 60 twice a year on a cut.
Clothes - probably about 250 to 300 a month.
Beauty - not that much, maybe 40 a month averaged out.

[Methenyouplus4]

Hard to say as I go through peaks/troughs. I'd say about £500 on clothes/shoes and £200 on make-up etc. I have to have smart/professional for work and casual for days with kids so effectively have X2 wardrobes.

That said, I tend to keep the stuff I have for years and still have loads from when I had a much higher wage. That stuff is just starting to be past it's best so at the moment it's been more spending than usual.

[IkeaGoddess]

It's odd because I think sometimes mums think they are doing the best for their children/families by showing how self-sacrificing they are

(look! I never buy anything new and have worn the same holey pants for 15 years so you could get the best education absolutely no fucking pressure then )

But I think it actually is healthier for children (both boys AND girls) to see what a woman with healthy self-esteem who enjoys life and has things she genuinely likes and isn't doormatty looks like.

Does anyone remember the character in "Our Friends In the North" where her (adult) son says all he wanted was for her to be happy, but she would always sigh and go on about how "others were more important" and how much he hated this?

I mean obviously debt isn't cool (and I recognise I don't live in an expensive part of the UK so my mortgage is peanuts) and some women (people) just aren't interested in clothes which is fine

but if it increases ones confidence and self-esteem then it should be "essential costs". And there are so many sources for clothes (ebay, amazon, Primark - you can get loads of variety) that it doesn't even have to cost a lot.

[ivejusthadacake]

Ikea - totally agree.
Sahm is my job for the next few years and in a roundabout way,im buying work clothes!

[toffeeboffin]

God that much eh OP.

I need to go through my statements really.

I reckon I'm as much as you.

[toffeeboffin]

Does this question include contact lenses?

I spend around 300 a year on daily disposables.

Makeup I'm not too bad but clothes I'm a total shopaholic.

[Hopefully]

It varies hugely as I'm self employed and my income fluctuates a lot (mine pays the 'fun' stuff like clothes, DH has the real job and pays for the crucial stuff!). But when I'm earning comfortably I spend c. £200 per month, and find I can comfortably refresh my wardrobe for that, with a handful of cheaper stuff and the odd splash out designer/investment purchase (nice handbag/leather jacket etc). At times it's been

[toffeeboffin]

FWIW I don't dye my hair and only go to the hairdressers once a year. My bill will go up once I'm grey.

I did just pay £200 for the dentist too, another cosmetic but preventative health cost too.

[Floowho]

I hate to think how much I spend. £38 every 5 weeks on my haircut. £30 every 3 weeks on my nails. Probably £20 - £40 a month on products that I don't really need. This month on clothes I have spent about £150 on clothes which I also didn't really need. I used to spend more on my hair when I was peroxide blonde, so I am making some savings

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

No actual set amount. If I see something I like I just buy it.
I suppose if I tallied up everything. Such as jewellery, make up shoes, nail varnish dresses jackets hair accessories and beauty treatments over 12 months it would certainly exceed the £1,000 mark.

[LoadsaBlusher]

I don't have an average spend as each month is different , depending what I have on.
If I know I have a night out coming up or works do then I'll buy something new to wear .
If my make up runs out I will replace it.
In the last month Ive spent around £30 on make up ( MAC lipstick , Rimmel bronzer, Barry M nail polish , £1 shop highlighter), £10 on Birchbox ,£ 5 hair dye

Clothes - new boots , new skinny jeans, about 5 tops / blouses for wearing over Christmas nights out,

So around £60 on clothes for myself.

I am a total bargain hunter so Although it's only £60 I can get loads for that as I scour ASOS sales, EBay , outlets etc to get trendy things at Rock bottom prices.

[BuggersMuddle]

A fair bit OP. Probably at least £500pcm, although that fluctuates widely.

Not much inhale, but that is about to change as I think I need a bit more effort now I'm mid-30s (albeit not greying particularly).

Beauty- MAC make-up and Clinique products. Occasional Jo Malone perfume. Brows and lashes every 6-8 weeks.

Main expense is clothes and shoes. I don't buy much but I do tend to shop at the top end of the high street.

[mercifulTehlu]

Not much at all. Supermarket shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser etc, don't spend much on make-up. Don't buy clothes often, and not expensive ones when I do -often find bargains. Never ever have manicures or beauty treatments. I used to spend quite a lot on these things but not really since I had the dc.

[PennyPants]

Hair and make-up around £150 a year.
Clothes down from £££££ to around £4-500.
I buy a lot less than I used to but think about it more and end up wearing everything loads.
My favourite items are boots and jackets.
I don't go shopping that often as my wardrobes are full enough of lovely things.
But when I see something I love I will get it and I never hang on to old tatty stuff.

[AmberNectarine]

Hair, not much - cut it maybe twice a year which costs me about £80 a throw at Aveda.

Make-up/skincare - maybe £50 a month? Sometimes more, sometimes less. Rarely more than £100 in a month.

Clothes - lots. Probably close to five figures last year, if not over, though that did include a Chanel bag.

We can afford it and I've recently returned to work, so why not?