What’s an “unpopular” spending or money decision that actually works well for you?

We do this too!

Bills from joint account split 50/50 despite my earning a third more than my husband does however I pay for all holidays and most entertainment.

I put everything on credit cards and pay it off in full at the end of the month. This gives me a companion voucher for Virgin and British Airways each year.

This year I booked a Upper class flight to NYC and premium economy on the way back using my voucher and £770 with Virgin. And return flights to Geneva for two people and this cost £4.

I have two kids in private school (well, DD about to start). And yes I knew about and even supported the VAT on school fees; given the kids' ages, we've never NOT paid VAT on school fees.

So that's an INSANE financial decision and I hate myself for making it. I didn't go to private school and I have a good job!

But DS's primary school was not a good year (it's a good school but sometimes you just get a year-group who are toxic) and I didn't want to send him to the local state secondary with the exact same kids. On his first few weeks in Y7, he kept saying to us how wonderful it was to be in a class full of "nice boys" where people actually want to learn... and he still talks about it today as being such a great school compared to his primary. I am getting what I am paying for, but good Lord it's outrageous.

I park at the station sometimes because it's more convenient, I buy coffees if I feel like it and lunch out if I feel like it. I never worry about it or wish I'd saved that £15 as it was worth it at the time.

Unlike my parents who used to be booking holidays whilst on holiday we chose to spend money on a house which is bigger than needed.

This came after living attached to arsehole neighbours for 5yrs who made our lives a misery and we've subsequently spent the last 4 yrs in total calm.

Sacrificing better holidays for more space and years of happiness has been worth every single penny

I'm going to go the opposite of @Beebopwasthebest and say I spend a lot on coffee because it is literally my favourite thing to do. I plan a trip to a cafe with a book alone or a friend and think it's the best money I could spend. I love coffee and love the cafe culture. It genuinely makes me happy! I do it once a day when I'm off, I have a regular weekly date with my teen DS and go with DD maybe once a week too.

I almost never eat takeaway though, i don't see the point. Either eat out and enjoy it or cook at home, get pre made if you are exhausted. Paying almost restaurant prices to eat at home seems madness to me!

Same. It works for us. I can’t imagine sharing ‘my’ money with DH. I also don’t budget really. But I think both of those things are made possible by the fact that we both earn well and, mortgage aside, have no other major outgoings - no car, DS goes to a state primary school, we have access to a family property abroad for holidays.

I know that... And I still do it. I realise it's unpopular in some quarters but I am more interested in my quality of life and family time now than future quality of life because 'i saved thousands in interest'. I should possibly add some disclaimers that I know I have enough pension etc. so future me is fine and I am happy to forgo having even more money in my 60s

I'm in the office twice a week and DON'T take a packed lunch to work.

• I cycle in and don't have room in my bag for work, laptop, clothes, lunch and breakfast.
• I cycle in so save £8.20 a day on train fare.
• I can economise on cheaper meals at home like dahl if I'm running a bit skint.
• I live alone and unless I'm eating out, (rare), I cook every single meal I eat. So twice a week it's nice to eat a M&S salad or a bagel or something from the street food stall precisely because someone else has made it.

We do the same. And the spending one gets the same amount in every month. We make sure not to go over it. Ensures we don't overspend on too many cafe trips etc.

yes there isn't much on here that is unpopular. Some of them are extremely common

(and if you are not budgeting but spending "naturally" and aren't in debt, it just means you earn enough to cover your "normal" way of spending so don't need to continually have to track it. It's implicit budgeting really ...)

For me it is splashing out on certain things that I love. If I really like something I will get more use out of it and look after it better. For example we have a sage coffee machine. We could have bought a cheaper one that does a similar job. But I love this one and it has been used everyday for the last 3 years.

I own my house outright and have an okay amount of savings (5 figures). Since reaching that point I've given up on further wealth building besides paying a normal amount into a pension. I'm not a high earner but I spend everything I earn. I won't retire early but I had a couple of friends die at young ages and having reached this level of security I want to live for now. So I do it all - the takeaway coffees, the meals out, the theatre tickets, I enjoy my life.

lol I think that’s shockingly quite popular! 😂

I have about a quarter of my S&S holding in a dividend experiment. My general investment approach is "monkey at a dartboard", and I consistently significantly outperform my husband, who researches carefully and makes choices based on advice etc.

I also don't budget any more. I chuck most of my money in savings and just work with what I have for the rest.

Lastly I hate shopping around for deals. I make more money investing than I ever could by saving. I use cashback sites and basic price comparison sites, but I CBA doing the hunting around for a fiver off here and there.

Why not? Got plenty of money in ISA’s, investments and pensions.

All depends on what your monthly outgoing are.

We spend 1k a month on drugs and prostitutes.
Hows that?

Why do you need £15,000 in a current account "just in case"? In case your yacht needs an emergency repair or something? 🤔Why not just put it into instant access savings?

When we have all our picnics and snacks packed for a day out we’ll often buy a nice drink to go with it so we feel good. Cheaper than a whole meal out and we don’t end up feeling miserable and deprived

ha yeah whats next, "I pay money in to a pension each month" as a wacky financial idea that doesnt work for everyone but works for me.

You’ll pay so much in extra interest doing this though. That’s why people overpay. To save on interest.

Taking public transport.
My family are car snobs. According to them:
the city bus is “smelly and claustrophobic”
the coach makes you travel sick (OK but pills exist)
and the train wastes time on connections.

But for £3 a day local bus fare and no parking, the £2.50 unlimited bus tickets offered recently (I did a holiday with those instead of renting a car!) and Flixbus prices it’s not worth getting the car out. The train price is still shocking, however.

We've gone from 2 cars to one now DH has retired. Loads of money saved.

I encourage my DH to buy us all breakfast from Greggs on a day out using my app so I get all the free stuff.

I think OP is looking for UNPOPULAR money decisions.

Not spending on coffee is hardly unpopular…

I have a bad Uber habit!