To think budgeting culture has become joyless?

It's also a pretty crap experience in many cases, queuing up for ages to squint at a menu that only gives a vague indication of what's on offer and how much it costs, only to be met by a barrage of questions designed to extract even more money from you for a lukewarm coffee that drink at a grubby table next to loud people who seem to think everyone wants to hear their conversation.

You could say that about anything though. Why go to the pub with friends when you could invite them round and have the exact same beer and wine for a fraction of the cost, saving yourself £1,000+ a year. After all, it’s the same alcohol and the same friends.

Some people put value on a coffee on the train that they haven’t had to make themselves. Some people prefer the buzz of a pub or bar to someone’s home.

Horses for courses.

I think people mention coffees as shorthand for all manner of unnecessary treats that people often spend more than they realise on, which are fine if you can afford it but worth looking at if you 'don't know where all your money goes' or 'don't understand why you can't afford a holiday/house deposit etc'

Because you can't spend each pound more than once and quite often it's not just coffee, it's also lunches, beauty treatments, phone contracts, car leases tc etc that can add up to hundreds of pounds a month, thousands of pounds a year or a house deposit in under 5 years.

But takeaway coffees are generally pretty awful. I can make much better with my stove top Bialetti which I drink before I leave. It’s not necessary to waste a grand a year on coffee. Fine do it but it doesn’t buy you better coffee.

I find it weird that takeaway coffees are always the thing that get demonised.

I buy a takeaway coffee most days - if I’m commuting it’s nice to have one on the commute in, and if I’m working from home I like getting out of the house, walking into town and buying a coffee.

I’m fully numerate and so know I spend over £1000 a year on coffee. That’s absolutely fine by me. There’s other things I never or hardly ever buy. I rarely drink alcohol so spend very little on that. I get my hair cut once or twice a year, and never get it coloured.

Yet threads like these never focus on the woman who pays over £100 every six weeks for a hair cut, or gets frequent other beauty treatments. It’s always about the bloody takeaway coffee.

We all make choices and I’m lucky in that I can afford a daily takeaway coffee. And no, a Thermos from my house just won’t cut it!

Exactly this! Being in financial control and not in debt is anything but joyless!

They are just so overpriced and feel like a rip off now. I can usually make a better drink at home.

I used to buy one most days but now would be once every few months because of the price hike.

You do you. I’m happy with my spreadsheet and my budget and being able to buy a (small) house without a mortgage.

It feels like there's a new one of these posts every day. The phrasing is such a giveaway.

I worked with a debt management charity and it really opened my eyes to 'poverty'. Families with next to no money buying a shit load of unnecessary stuff on loans, takeaways, coffees. And if I had a pound for every time a woman said " I don't spend any money on myself" then I went through the statements and there was hair/nails/sunbeds. Some people are in poverty through no fault of their own, and others will be in poverty if they have £10k a month. And many of them say they know they shouldn't do it, but they want/deserve/need the things.

We once go ourselves out of a financial pickle years ago by watching every penny and writing down every single thing we bought. We bought essentials only. It wasn't at all joyless, we were excited about taking back control. and we have never been in debt again since.

Some people have no choice.

I'm very fortunate in not having to count the pennies, but with coffees, a pastry, lunch, cold drinks and snacks, I found myself spending nearly 50 quid a day without even thinking about it going to work in London.

I started a little pot in my Monzo account, bought some nice coffee and multi packs of Coke Zero/biscuits/Haribo etc for the office, now every time I have one, I put the equivalent of what I'd have spent going out for it in the pot.

Calling going for a coffee a 'moral failure' is obviously ridiculous. I can see how some people would consider it a waste of money, but it's not a waste if you enjoy it.

When I work a 12 hour shift I treat myself to a hot meal in the canteen as well as bringing in a packup. Having being skint beyond skint I see how this could be viewed as frivolous but I am thankful that I am now in a position to do this, especially in cold weather.

@ByNattyFinch - I think there is nothing wrong with budgeting in a treat now and then - as long as you can afford it. Life can be hard enough - the occasional unnecessary coffee etc cheers things up a bit, and that is a good thing, in my opinion.

It was a silly comparison. Daily coffees do not destroy lives and those around them.

Buying a coffee every day is not the same as being an alcoholic.

Can bots get married?

Every business has overheads. Some of the smaller local coffee shops manage to sell hot drinks at decent prices and still keep a high quality. Not sure why the likes of Starbucks and Costa charge what they do for the shite they serve.

Quite.

@LoveWine123 , they have overheads.

When my hot drink is nearing £5, you bet your hat I’ll be budgeting. And it’s not only because I’m tight on money (I’m not really) but I think some places are taking the piss (lots of chains for example).

Is this your DH @ByNattyFinch ? Is he the 'budgeter' making you feel joyless?

As always there's a middle ground. I make tea/coffee at work because it's cheap.
But on the other hand I would never refuse to go out for a coffee with a friend as that's a treat and a social thing. I'll probably have a cake too.

I am really careful with money. I don't have much and that's a driver.

However I have had several bereavements in the last few years. None if us will be taking anything with us when we go. And we don't know when we are going.
So there is a balance to be had. Money is for the here and now which is all we have. I save in hope for a manageable retirement, but I know from experience not everyone gets a retirement.
So save some but don't be afraid to live and use some funds to do it. We are here for a good time ( whatever that means to each and every person) not a long time x