How much "mad money" do you have?

DecemberGoneWild · 2025-12-19T13:38:40+00:00

Assuming that you are comfortable-ish. I know there are plenty of people who dont have anything. This is for people who are fortunate enough to have some. By "mad money" I mean "pocket money" or "selfish money" ie money that is set aside for you to blow on whatever you like and doesn't have to be accounted for. And what do you spend it on? I get £400 a month. It's meant for haurcits, clothes, nights out etc but I currently fritter it away on crap and then have no money to buy things I need (I *need* new trainers but spent it all so am currently wearing trainers that are worn and give me blisters). Sadly I also ran up £3000 on my credit card (mostly non-essentials) so most of my £400 going forward will have to go towards paying that off next year. So I'll still be (relatively) broke!

OllysArmyRidesAgain · 20/12/2025 08:00

Currently from my salary around £1200 pm to spend as I want after household bills, in the last year I have used it for a long haul holiday, home improvement, WLI and then new smaller clothes. I am planning on retiring this summer and then my fun money ‘goes’ as my pension covers the bills only.

However, I have planned for my retirement, and have a reasonable savings pot, just need the government not to tank the economy completely.

xmasstress12 · 19/12/2025 23:18

I miss the days years ago when I swanned around Soho on lunch eating wonderful meals. Now I’m like a student having soup & jackets! Food is just so expensive, our grocery bill is where my spare money goes!

xmasstress12 · 19/12/2025 23:13

It's sad how this place always turns into a lecture instead of a chat between women.

Particularly when money is involved, it’s so boring.

Anyway OP mine is around £400 but I struggle to stretch that to purchases and socialising now.

Backtorealityerr · 19/12/2025 23:04

HNRTFT but I used to have about £800/a month for fun money but am now redundant 🤦‍♀️Not sure what I am going to do for money. Cannot face working in NHS or Carehomes . The feedback from ex colleagues have been bloody shocking,robots expecting residents being neglected,
Care staff being timed to check they don’t spend too much time with a resident,nurses not allowed any interaction with their patients.

If an emergency resident staff not allowed to intervene …wait for crisis team .
Beyond my comprehension and professional responsibilities.
Am looking at certain corporate homes B and H springs to mind.!

MsVisual · 19/12/2025 22:51

I generally have £5k - £10k spare each month. Mostly spend it on wine, art and going out for dinner.

RosesAndHellebores · 19/12/2025 22:49

@DecemberGoneWild I don't like going to the supermarket or making my lunch either. But I meal plan to avoid burning through £40 uber deliveries. Sainsbury and Tesco deliver for £4 if you book in advance.

HorsesDuvets · 19/12/2025 22:12

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 21:25

Shoving a top on a cc because it's pretty or getting a take away delivered c/o the cc because I cant be bothered to cook does not make me an addict.

I just need to be more conscious of what I am spending. It's a "oh I fancy a coffee" or "I cant be bothered" rather than "I need a buzz" eg buying lunches instead of bringing my own. I dont like going to the supermarket, I dont enjoy it so Im not getting a high from spending there.

I've been spending about £650 a month. A scary amount of that is on crap food eg buying work lumches take up aboit half my budget. Add in a £40 weekly Uber delivery and that leaves me with £40ish of my original £400 budget without anything else.

Add a hair cut (£50), a required replacement work bag (£70), concert tickets (£60), tea with friends (£30), a pair of required winter boots (£80), new shampoo/deodorant etc and a taxi ride and that's the extra £250 each momth of the banks money.

Obviously it's excessive because I've got into debt but it's not actually excessive dopamime chasing if you see what I mean? I'm not running into TK Maxx every day looking to buy anything I can.

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I'm sorry but that's just stupid.

You're spending money you can't afford on crap such as "coffees", lunches because you can't be bothered and £40 Uber food deliveries, and it has to go on credit cards?

You need your head looking at. "Mad money" indeed...

Original poster

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 22:07

jannier · 19/12/2025 21:52

I think someone has tried to tell you its a problem so your here for reassurance. Your list of excesses doesnt help

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You what?

Actually, never mind. I dont care.

I asked what people spend their spare money on out of nosiness and clarified at the outset that I wont have much going forward and now Im somehow being accussed of being a shopping addict because I'm lazy and buy a meal deal at work everyday instead of making my own sandwiches? OK then.

I am very comfortable that I am addressing the short term debt that has never been of any concern and will be gone by this time next year.

OP posts:

Hdpr · 19/12/2025 22:05

£500 a month each here, rest is joint

jannier · 19/12/2025 21:52

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 21:25

Shoving a top on a cc because it's pretty or getting a take away delivered c/o the cc because I cant be bothered to cook does not make me an addict.

I just need to be more conscious of what I am spending. It's a "oh I fancy a coffee" or "I cant be bothered" rather than "I need a buzz" eg buying lunches instead of bringing my own. I dont like going to the supermarket, I dont enjoy it so Im not getting a high from spending there.

I've been spending about £650 a month. A scary amount of that is on crap food eg buying work lumches take up aboit half my budget. Add in a £40 weekly Uber delivery and that leaves me with £40ish of my original £400 budget without anything else.

Add a hair cut (£50), a required replacement work bag (£70), concert tickets (£60), tea with friends (£30), a pair of required winter boots (£80), new shampoo/deodorant etc and a taxi ride and that's the extra £250 each momth of the banks money.

Obviously it's excessive because I've got into debt but it's not actually excessive dopamime chasing if you see what I mean? I'm not running into TK Maxx every day looking to buy anything I can.

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I think someone has tried to tell you its a problem so your here for reassurance. Your list of excesses doesnt help

InveterateWineDrinker · 19/12/2025 21:46

Sorry, that should read exculpating.

InveterateWineDrinker · 19/12/2025 21:38

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 21:25

Shoving a top on a cc because it's pretty or getting a take away delivered c/o the cc because I cant be bothered to cook does not make me an addict.

I just need to be more conscious of what I am spending. It's a "oh I fancy a coffee" or "I cant be bothered" rather than "I need a buzz" eg buying lunches instead of bringing my own. I dont like going to the supermarket, I dont enjoy it so Im not getting a high from spending there.

I've been spending about £650 a month. A scary amount of that is on crap food eg buying work lumches take up aboit half my budget. Add in a £40 weekly Uber delivery and that leaves me with £40ish of my original £400 budget without anything else.

Add a hair cut (£50), a required replacement work bag (£70), concert tickets (£60), tea with friends (£30), a pair of required winter boots (£80), new shampoo/deodorant etc and a taxi ride and that's the extra £250 each momth of the banks money.

Obviously it's excessive because I've got into debt but it's not actually excessive dopamime chasing if you see what I mean? I'm not running into TK Maxx every day looking to buy anything I can.

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It is this post that, above all, confirms you are addicted to spending what you cannot afford. You're a 'functioning' addict, but you're still excpulating yourself rather than admitting it.

Original poster

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 21:25

jannier · 19/12/2025 20:26

Unfortunately its typical for addicts to seek validation and ressurance would you say to an alcholic one wont hurt? The op recognises she has a problem does she need someone to encourage it?

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Shoving a top on a cc because it's pretty or getting a take away delivered c/o the cc because I cant be bothered to cook does not make me an addict.

I just need to be more conscious of what I am spending. It's a "oh I fancy a coffee" or "I cant be bothered" rather than "I need a buzz" eg buying lunches instead of bringing my own. I dont like going to the supermarket, I dont enjoy it so Im not getting a high from spending there.

I've been spending about £650 a month. A scary amount of that is on crap food eg buying work lumches take up aboit half my budget. Add in a £40 weekly Uber delivery and that leaves me with £40ish of my original £400 budget without anything else.

Add a hair cut (£50), a required replacement work bag (£70), concert tickets (£60), tea with friends (£30), a pair of required winter boots (£80), new shampoo/deodorant etc and a taxi ride and that's the extra £250 each momth of the banks money.

Obviously it's excessive because I've got into debt but it's not actually excessive dopamime chasing if you see what I mean? I'm not running into TK Maxx every day looking to buy anything I can.

OP posts:

Tryingatleast · 19/12/2025 21:06

jannier

Thats a very extreme take imo! I’d think she’s been cornered into overanalysing and so damning herself- I personally wouldn’t see it to be in addict territory but I suppose everyone sees things differently

jannier · 19/12/2025 20:26

Tryingatleast · 19/12/2025 19:56

I'm not saying I dont have a problem. I clearly do. There is absolutely no reason for that debt other than my recklessness.

ah who cares op?! I’d rather enjoy life and have a bit of debt (which is what you have, you’re not saying you owe everyone around you money!!) I’ve done years of living within means, cutting cloth etc- it’s a pretty miserable existence!! And thank you for this thread, new goal is to have this fun money, you’ve cheered me up tonight!!

Unfortunately its typical for addicts to seek validation and ressurance would you say to an alcholic one wont hurt? The op recognises she has a problem does she need someone to encourage it?

C0rner · 19/12/2025 20:02

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 14:39

My boyfriend and I both have £400 a momth to spend on what we want. It avoids the "how much did you spend on that?!" discussions. Everything else goes into joint bills, savings etc.

Yes I work bloody hard thank you and I earn that money.

So much judgement

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I think you went wrong calling it "mad money". Don't get all the hate.

DH and I are the same as you. We have £200 "pocket money" to spend on what we want to avoid moaning about buying lunch at work etc. Used to be £400 but then we had three kids 😅

Red125 · 19/12/2025 19:57

Strangequinoaconcoction · 19/12/2025 14:22

A lot of people have tens or hundreds of thousands in savings so the concept of just having a few hundred a month to indulge themselves doesn’t really apply.

Why not both? We have plenty of savings partly because we budget/restrict what we spend on unnecessary/fun things.

Tryingatleast · 19/12/2025 19:56

I'm not saying I dont have a problem. I clearly do. There is absolutely no reason for that debt other than my recklessness.

ah who cares op?! I’d rather enjoy life and have a bit of debt (which is what you have, you’re not saying you owe everyone around you money!!) I’ve done years of living within means, cutting cloth etc- it’s a pretty miserable existence!! And thank you for this thread, new goal is to have this fun money, you’ve cheered me up tonight!!

RosesAndHellebores · 19/12/2025 19:55

I don't have mad money and don't fritter. However, nominally, I allow myself about £100pw which covers a couple of coffees (tenner), parking (tenner), couple of top up shops (£20), car valet once a month (£30), lunch with a friend, twice a month (£40), supper out with a friend or dd once a month (£80), drinks once a month (£30), cinema/theatre once a month (£60), trip up to London once a month (£16.00).

All nice to haves, all things that could be stopped, mostly, if necessary.

There's no shortage of money here but that's the limit I'd allow myself on incidental spending. Of course if a special dinner came up or a fab play, I'd spend but usually I don't spend all of the nominal £100 so there's always spare.

I take a flask and packed lunch on the days I work

CoralOP · 19/12/2025 19:41

jannier · 19/12/2025 19:11

Is it lighthearted to encourage debt or to normalise spending to the point of getting into debt? When someone runs out of "mad" money doesnt know where it went and carries on spending something is wrong and its a fine line before it becomes as problem no matter how much spare you have.

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You might have some kind of point if OP was Martin Lewis giving out financial advice but she's not, she's some random lady asking other random ladies how much they spend on unnecessary things on a Friday night.
No one is encouraging anyone. OP has clearly said that's she's on a better path and paying down debt so why do you feel the need to turn it into telling off lecture?

Original poster

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 19:36

jannier · 19/12/2025 19:33

But despite paying your cc its now at £3000 and your having to take control of it...thats a problem overspend especially if you have nothing to show for it, people often try to say they dont have a problem to make it seem better you must have spent a lot more than your mad money to get this much on your card. I dont think its right for people to encourage anyone to crack on or to normalise it.

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I'm not saying I dont have a problem. I clearly do. There is absolutely no reason for that debt other than my recklessness.

OP posts:

jannier · 19/12/2025 19:33

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 19:26

I clearly said that's stopped and I'm addressing it. I only mentioned it to start with , because I was asking other people about their spending money.

I think we all know most unpayable debt is bad. No one on here has said otherwise.

Also, FYI I have an excellent credit rating because I pay my credit card each month and the debt is less than whatever % of the total amount I have access to is. That's one of the reasons I am taking strong action now though before it gets carried away.

I also have zero other debt (other than a shared mortgage) and I never use Klarna or any pay later options (apart from the cc obviously!).

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But despite paying your cc its now at £3000 and your having to take control of it...thats a problem overspend especially if you have nothing to show for it, people often try to say they dont have a problem to make it seem better you must have spent a lot more than your mad money to get this much on your card. I dont think its right for people to encourage anyone to crack on or to normalise it.

Original poster

DecemberGoneWild · 19/12/2025 19:31

honeylulu · 19/12/2025 19:25

I don't have mad money as such as I hate the idea of frittering for the sake of it. Some months I spend hardly anything. Some months I'll spend a lot depending what's going on. But always within my means (I'm very boring and debt terrifies me).

Meanwhile my husband is a fritterer. He has tried not to be but he's actually really unhappy if he can't fritter a bit here and there every day. He's shocked every month when it adds up to a lot. Then he might see me blowing a large sum on a trip to Paris for me and daughter and get all sad faced because he can't afford it.

We have semi separate finances because of our different spending habits.

You may be able to change your mindset and enjoy your 400 a month differently but it may be harder than you think if you're set in your ways.

It will be hard. I'm under no illusion it wont be. I'm hoping that seeing the cc come down will be the dopamine hit instead.

I'm also going to plan what I spend in advance eg rather than saying "I'll allocate some money to get cake", Im going to say "I will have £5 to spend on cake".

OP posts:

cinquanta · 19/12/2025 19:30

Within reason, whatever I want. No debt. No mortgage.

FletchFan · 19/12/2025 19:30

£500 a month or so to spend on whatever.