The less money I have the more I want to spend

[KickStartReNeeded]

Why is this?!

I'm trying to stick to a tight budget (for me) after the last two years I just blew what I earnt and some but I'm finally debt free.

However, now I'm obsessing. I feel broke (I'm not). I have £300 to last me until the end of the month. My car has fuel and I have food in the cupboards. I will probably need to refuel maybe in two weeks time which will eat £80 out of that. Food wise I'm usually pretty good but I just feel that if I wanted to pop out with friends I wouldn't be able too. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's how I feel.

I have one DS(4) and occasionally my partner stays and he eats more expensively than I do. However, he does do some shopping here and there. I just want to feel free from money worries.

what is that £300 to cover? I would find that is bloomin tight if i was on my own let alone with a child

what is your income? are you receiving all benefits you’re entitled to?

spare money shove in a savings vehicle for your son. So you’ll “spend” it but on savings!

I wouldn’t be feeding a boyfriend more expensively than myself if money was so tight and I had a 4 year old. ‘Doing some shopping here and there’ doesn’t sound like paying his way tbh. Your disposable income should be for yourself and your son while you’ve so little of it.

I’m in roughly the same position. I really want to buy some new clothes for work! It’s just so boring isn’t it?

occasionally my partner stays and he eats more expensively than I do. However, he does do some shopping here and there.

does the shopping he do counter the expense you make for him? i’d wager… not even close

She can't afford to save for her son! She needs to save for herself.

stop letting a man with expensive tastes take money out of your and your child's purse.

My point is…. spare money spent on the expensive food tastes of a boyfriend is “spare money” and rather than be channeled to him would be better channeled towards her child

don’t you agree?

I get this! I don't know why it is, but prior to the COL - financially I was fine, good even and just saved most of my disposable income. Now things are tight I feel deprived and want to spend on nice things, where before I had no real drive to spend at all!

I think we need a psychologist to explain this one.

To explain a bit more about the expensive meals, I'm not talking crazy expensive but just the little bits that add up. I'm not bothered about meat, but he is for example. However, he is generous and if I asked him for money he'd give it. I'd just feel such shame asking for handouts.

I get UC and I managed to save in the HMRC savings pot thing and I put away my son's CB in a separate account for when he starts school and the cost of trips, uniform etc starts up.

I have budgeted £100 pw for food, social and ongoing fuel. The first tank of the month is "free" as I couldn't then survive on £320 for 4/4.5 weeks.

@PiggieWig it is boring. I keep checking the balance to see if I have miraculously won some money 😂

@Yocal I'd love to know the psychology behind it. I know if I had a couple of hundred more in the bank it wouldn't be burning a hole. Weird isn't it.

Maybe it's a similar thing to going on a diet. The less calories you have to stick to the more calories you want to eat. It might be what is unavailable to us is infinitely more desirable.

Let's all try practice the art of Lagom. Peace ✌️