Do you treat yourself on pay-day?

[Workyticket]

We were chatting in the office today and a few of my work pals were talking about the things they'd ordered on payday / what's arrived

Shoes, make-up, headphones, books...

I feel like I've ot bought myself anything in ages (not goady - I'm not rich but not skint. Both have decent ish jobs and we live in a cheap area of the North east so low mortgage etc)

I was definitely the odd one out at not pay day splurging! I mean I'm browsing now but nothing has caught me eye!

No, spending because you have money is why people end up not having money until the next payday. Whether or not something is affordable isn’t just about how much money is in your account at any given moment.

i remember being a student and my friends thinking I wouldn’t be able to pay rent in a house share because I never had money for partying. It was like something out of the twilight zone. I was by far the most reliable at paying my bills because I was careful with my fun money.

@Doublevision5

@Workyticket no, I never have I'm the same as Doublevision.

when I was first working & in a flat share I lived in NZ and clothes were expensive. I worked for a big company at the top of town where we were expected to wear good quality professional clothing (read: expensive) I I'd save up for a suit, or top quality shoes etc, so 'payday' might give me the last but I needed.

but just splurging for the sake if it, no, never.

im an accountant though 🤣🤣

but I'd never splurge on something just because it was payday or even buy something I didn't need but had to wait until payday. If I coukdnt afford it befire osyday, then to me, I couldn't afford it in pay day either or you'd be continually chasing your tail.

if I felt I had to treat myself every pay day, id be looking for a new job!

Not anymore.

Thanks to our Government.

No. I have noticed the shops are busier on pay day however

I did when I was younger, now I will wait and see what I have left at the end of the month. But I prefer to put it into savings and then I can buy what I want/need whenever. God I’m old.

I think a 6pack every fortnight would count aa 'drinking generally'!!

No, I buy what I want, when I want, it's all paid for on credit card for ease and financial protection, paid off in full every month, so not linked to pay day anyway.

Fortunately I don't want very much, so money tends to last longer than the wants. There are a lot of things that some people spend a lot of money on that I just don't buy or spend very little on (eg personal grooming, tech, daily lunches and coffees).

I don't really see buying (mostly non essential) things for me as 'treating myself' though. I don't wear make up, but I'd buy shoes, books, alcohol, tech etc because I needed it, saw it for a good price or wanted it and could afford it.

But I suppose it's different if you're a spender and a PP who says that it's 'spending because you have money is why people end up not having money until the next payday' is probably right.

Yeah @meatballsoup 6 beers a fortnight and you're practically an alcoholic on MN.

It's a treat to be out of the overdraft for a few days does that count 😂

I don’t but we are in the fortunate position of not being skint before payday

I pay everything that needs to be paid, then I do get some treats. I then have no money for three weeks of the month

No. I’d be hard pushed to know when it was. Money paid directly into bank. We have to log in to clunky site for payslips, so I’d not usually bother. My husband and I get paid at different times plus we have other regular payments going in from additional work/business/royalties so it’s not something we’d think about doing.

Me too.

No because payday is irrelevant to my general spending. I buy stuff on a credit card as I need it then pay it off in full every month, on payday. It helps me keep spending down paying it all in one go, as I don't like it going over a certain amount.

Yeah probably. Around payday we'd probably have a takeaway. I'm also inclined to buy a couple of bits of clothes, usually from vinted. Since we are saving for a deposit I'm always quite excited on paydays,(I have 2 but they are close together) so I can figure out how much I can move into my savings account and I try to do that before anything else.

@housemaus

Your record purchases sound fun - are you buying from a record shop or online?

Nope because I have to pay my bills and buy food. Lovely for everyone in a position to have regular treats for themselves but not here.

Not usually although I do have a standing order going out on payday to a separate savings account which I use for holidays. So that is a treat of sorts because I love going on trips with the family.

This week though I bought some new very nice shoes from NEXT and some soft long sleeved tshirts. That is pretty unusual for me and felt a bit treaty.

No but work give me a £25 Amazon voucher every month and I splurge then. I save my basket up until I get the voucher.

I do my personal accounts monthly, but I'm not actually sure when exactly pay day is.

So no, I don't treat myself on payday. I don't think I have done since I had weekend jobs as a student.

I boringly pay into savings and give DH my share of the nursery fees on payday.

I haven't bought myself a treat in ages but that's also partly because I like to see things/try them on in real life and I usually have a small distracting child with me if I go shopping!

yes i’m planning to buy a new book or two. I used to buy most of my books from charity shops but the town I live in now has a pitiful selection. I’ll see what deals hmv and whsmith have. Not buying clothes rn as I’m determined to get back into my pre baby clothes.

I used to but know if I do now I will suffer for it later on in the month so don't.

I've always found this approach odd. To me the money that is available to spend is what is left the day before the next pay day. On pay day itself you have no idea if the car will need a new tyre or the boiler will need repaired.

I think thinking you have money at the beginning of the cycle is what puts so many a pay cheque away from disaster.

And yes, I know having anything left at the moment is tough for everyone but I think this is a fundamental flaw in an approach to money that makes life harder for many, many people.

In the same position here, my payday "treat" to myself is a couple of new pieces of workwear monthly until I have enough.

I do enjoy style and clothes shopping, so kind of fun, but also cheesed off about having to spend on something I see as a work expense, much like commuting costs.

I run a monthly budget, and I spend after pay day, and after all bills paid / funds for "needs" moved to the relevant pots, because then I know it's definitely available money for "wants" and can spend without worry.

My budget is tight enough that after buying bits and bobs throughout the month for kids clothes, school initiatives, clubs etc there won't be any "spare" discretionary funds left at the month. So if I want something for myself I have to get in early!