Stuff - how much do you spend on yourself each month?

[toycar]

Obviously I know it depends on income and your expenses each month. I dont want to ask what your situation re your income is, more just how often you pick up "stuff" and your shopping habits.

DH and I are trying to save more and he is adamant that if i stopped buying "all the crap" i do, we would be quids in. I dont think Im excessive. An average month I spend about £150 on eg (excluding things like coffee out with friends, gym or hair appointments if I actually did those things):

• make up

-a woolly jumper from tesco -a book -fashion items like an oversized hair clip

• candles
• neom products

-body shop bath things -a scarf

Are you constantly buying shit you don't need? How do you stop buying?

Thanks!!!

I think once you get into the habit of not spending it does get easier. You do need to critically think about why you are buying something and do you really need it. A lot of the time it is want over need! Nothing necessary wrong with that but if you are trying to save you do need to thing about what you are buying.

@TheClitterati you shouldn't keep your makeup for a year. Mascara needs replacing every 3 months for one

Well I'm fine to keep my mascara for much longer that 3 months.

If the shopping is to make the day to day nicer, it’s probably worth addressing the underlying problems instead of retail therapy.

I find that spending more time on exercise or hobbies keeping me away from browsing or buying things.

Also no browsing or watching youtubers etc makes a difference: I went through a phase of watching a few and suddenly ‘needed’ a lot of things.

Oh I have also unsubscribed to every email relating to retail. I used to get very suckered in when my favourite brands were having sales. They’d send me the emails, i’d click and think ooh what a bargain and buy stuff I didn’t need. Now if I buy something online I always check the box saying I don’t want emails from them.

From reading this thread it would seem that most people on MN shop for clothes in charity shops and always find high quality bargains 🤔

I’d love to find charity shops like that! All our local ones have is clothes from places like Primark or New Look for not much less than it would cost you in the shop itself.

From reading this thread it would seem that most people on MN shop for clothes in charity shops and always find high quality bargains
I said on an earlier post about a great coat and bag that I got from a charity shop but that isn't anyway normal for me. I am so thrilled with them I'v told everyone!! Normally I find an old Jamie Oliver or Hairy Bikers cookbook!

This month I have spent a lot:

New boots - 35
Clothing - 15
Make-up - 60
Hobby items - 50

I normally spend an average of 60 a month on myself. I don't get haircuts, coffees, or magazines. I usually just buy hobby things, makeup or skincare.

@TheClitterati well, enjoy the contamination and possible eye irritation

Thanks

well, enjoy the contamination and possible eye irritation

What an odd, and quite frankly nasty thing to post.

I'd agree with @TheClitterati - I rarely wear make up, so mascara lasts me years. I've never had contamination nor eye irritation in 4 years+ of wearing mascara that is older than 3 months old.
I've got make up that is years old

I've saved a fortune since joining the library. I like to see a book in a bookshop and think, 'that was crap, so thank goodness, I borrowed it in order to find that out.'

We are comfortably off, but I almost never spend money on me.
Don't wear makeup, I'm of an age to not care.
Currently not spending on clothes as I have plenty, ditto shoes although I only have a couple of pairs anyway, I buy quality to last often from a charity shop. Last clothing I bought was 2 scarves for a total of £3.98 in a charity shop. That was in September.
Not spending on snacks/food out unless I am treating someone eg old lady I take shopping, I might treat her to a light lunch and will have a minimal something myself.
I do have a weakness for books but they'll be secondhand. Not been to a secondhand stall/shop since the summer, and I have a lot of books from my Dad still to read that I'm saving for Christmas.
Don't buy candles or any items for the home - what I have is quality and will last, and nothing ornamental as it needs dusting.

I cut my own hair and might change the colour by chucking a packet dye on once a year or so.

I can't think if anything else I might I buy for me. I almost never spend any money on me!
(But I do have plentiful savings)

Yes, it's hard not to spend money.

During the week I buy :

A coffee a day (naice coffee)
Lunch usually once, sometimes twice per week (only £4/5 though)
I usually buy an item of clothing per week, a top in the sale or something.

Usually get a pedicure every 6 weeks, less in winter
Haircut once a year
Don't spend money on nails or makeup
I'm a sucker for new shampoo though, luckily mainstream brands though, not bottles of Aveda every week or anything

I don't feel I spend much on myself but I spend a lot on others: birthdays, get well presents etc. Also bits for the house. Probably £200 month which is far too much

I work from home which helps with the casual spending. I probably buy an average of one item of clothing and one piece of make up per month. Plus maybe some earrings. I don't spend a lot on cosmetics. I try not to buy tat for the house. My money goes on stuff for DD, nice food and meals out. And getting my hair done every two months, but that's pretty cheap where I am.

I am the worse. Love clothes. But also eyelashes , nails (hands and feet) don’t get my hair cut to often but also love facials and massages. But DP smokes and probably equal!

I love these things though , they make me feel good

Wow some of you are so virtuous! And some a bit more profligate like me I find it very easy to spend money. I’ve thankfully managed to get my eBay habit under control and still won’t buy anything new. I do enjoy a lovely new candle or a pair of tights. I always spend money on greetings cards and have a big collection and amazon is a terrible weakness This has prompted me to have another spending review....

I always put this on these threads, my mum told me when I started working to work out how many hours you had to work to buy the thing you wanted Eg. £20 jumper in my current job I'd have to work 2.5 hours. Then think is it really worth it? This probably works best if your a low earner though tbf.

Also, read the Marie Kondo book on decluttering to help change your mindset.

If it's real shops you spend in, avoid them. If it's online shops either put things in your basket and think about it for a 4 days. Do you need it, or want it? And change your habits and spend longer on no spend websites (mumsnet).

enjoy the contamination and possible eye irritation

This made me laugh. I have make up that is 10 + years old that I still wear. Love it! I am sure it happens but maybe not as often as the cosmetic companies like us to think.

If it's online shops either put things in your basket and think about it for a 4 days. Do you need it, or want it?

This works well for me. Or adding things to a wishlist. If I leave it a few days/weeks I've often forgotten about the thing anyway!

I find fritter-spending quite stressful as I have been very poor and have an aversion to clutter. I can afford to buy nice things - so I save and buy far less stuff, but more of the things I actually want.

Your DH is right, OP. Your spending is wasteful. But it sounds as though it is meeting some need in you that you are going to have to address.

In November so far

£25 Flower delivery for a friend whose mother died
£25 lunch out for me and DD
£55 haircut
£12 in charity shop (unnecessary) clothes for DD
£29 perfume (on sale)
£30 house organising items
£13 ebay blouse (already have lots of tops)
£9 vitamins
£9 prescription

Over £200 and we are not even half way through the month. Only the haircut and prescription were really needed. I thought I was fairly restrained in my spending, but the figures tell another story!!!

cheezy
Wow some of you are so virtuous!*

It's not to do with bein virtuous. I don't like "stuff". It gives me no pleaseure to have stacks of stuff, it takes up room and leads to clutter.

It takes zero will power to not buy things.

It doesn't give me pleasure to buy. I like a comfortable life an I do like good food and simple home comforts, but shelves full of expensive shoes or fancy cosmetics just doesn't do it for me. In the same way if someone gave me a pet lizard or a cricket bat. Things I don't need or want.