how much do you all spend on yourselves / keeping house each month?

[bonnie1981]

I've decided (partly due to pressure from DM and partly from own desire) to make more of an effort on myself, to look less scruffy, and on the house, also to look less scruffy. As DM says, I don't drink, smoke or go out to pubs/clubs so should spend money on myself.

I got a cut and dye done at a salon. It was much better than the botched scruffy looking DIY jobs I've done so far but it was £42. I'm feeling a bit "eeeeek" at the prospect of spending that every 2 months or thereabouts.

I like to get acrylics (because I bite my natural nails) and get my eyebrows waxed about every 2 months, by the same girl so that' £25

I try to use proper quality makeup, that's about £20 a month (one thing tends to need renewal each month)

and I spend between £50-£100 on clothes just for myself each month.

I've also gotten a cleaner which is £120 per month because i don't have time to clean and I want to make an effort in all areas really. Also have a gardener and window cleaner which is £60 per month.

And there's the dog groomer - £35 every 2 months

I'm just feeling a bit freaked out at how much I'm spending. never really bothered on myself before or on keeping my house nice (I work full time, out of house 12 hours a day and DH has two jobs so any spare time is spent together or with DD, not cleaning)

Really trying to make a bit more effort but it's costing a lot. I've cancelled my personal trainer as that was costing too much (and not making a difference)

Wondered how much you all spend on personal grooming, clothing, household cleaning etc? and what is your monthly income (sorry to be nosey, I just need reassurance I'm not unreasonable to spend all this)

What is your monthly income? Are you hard pressed to be spending this much?

Hair is £110 PCM, nails about £100, window cleaner £45, dog groomer £90 (two dogs), clothes for me about £300. It's never ending though, do I include the teens allowances and haircuts?
It's all so dependent on income as to what is reasonable.

My monthly income is £2300. DH's is about £3000 but that can depend on his second (self employed) job, the income from that varies.

We have a mortgage, 2 cars, usual household bills too.

Very little really. I have my hair cut at a cheapish local salon, don't colour it, have had nails done only once in my life, don't have a cleaner. I run, walk and do workout dvds, so I don't spend money on exercise. Don't spend much on clothes or make-up either.
But... I work very part time. If I were working full time and earning a lot more, I'd definitely want to spend a bit more on myself! Dh is the main earner and we are fairly frugal.

Oh and I have a dog but he doesn't need grooming. I presume you must have a long-haired breed. It's the nails that get me tbh. I can never quite believe people spend so much on them! I put varnish on mine myself maybe twice a year and that's it!

You can't take it with you so if you can afford it, lose the pointless guilt. You deserve it - good for you xx

I pay around £130 every 6 months for my hair, nothing for nails as I do them myself and I hate clothes shopping, only go when I must! I must be fairly low maintenance though

People spend their money in different ways, cars, horses, holidays etc. You cant really just take 1 aspect of personal spend.

My hair is about £160 for a cut/colour. About every 6 weeks. That said haven't had it done for ages as I am growing it a bit and just touched it up at home.

Make-up. I wear full make up everyday but only have about 7 items and use them until they are gone but all decent brands (primer, foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, brow pencil, 2 lipstick colours) Spend less than £300 a year I would think but never worked it out.

Nails are gel manicures £25 every 10- 14 days.

Dont have a cleaner. Don't have a dog. Dont do spa / facials etc as hate it. Dont belong to a gym. Dont have a window cleaner.

Clothes and shoes. Don't set a budget. Quite a lot.

I pay £60 for a cut and colour every 8 weeks.

I would love to get acrylics but I'm scared once I start I won't be able to stop. My nails are quite good so I paint them myself and use seche vite top coat but still spend £10-15 a month on varnishes.

I spend I would say about £75 a month on clothes, a lot on socialising. My personal budget is supposed to be £450 but it just vanishes.

We earn around £3,700 a month between us - I honestly don't know where it goes because we always feel skint. We like good food and DH smokes.

Don't feel guilty
Dh and I were in a little money trouble for the past year due to house renovation but now we are OK I have started to treat myself.

Last year I literally lived in three asda tops and no treats

This month I bought three pairs of good shoes, lots of tops, coat, today I had a facial and haircut and bought benefit make up and yonka cleanser.

Now- I will cut back until November but it was all stuff I needed and just work put what you can do and don't feel bad.

I suppose I allow 100 roughly for myself. I am a high earner and so is dh but we have a good few outgoings.

I love cleaning so I don't have a cleaner

Oh and I quite like techy stuff. That is quite pricey.

You live within your means. Enjoy, you work hard.
I have hair done free, we exchange our trades. Nails done by myself as I bought a gel machine (saved me so much money). Cleaner is again free as hubby swaps it for his trade. Window cleaner is free as family so again swap trades.
I like nice make up so that's a splurge.
Clothes varies depending on my mood but I tend to use my savings if I want something big. I work out all our incomings and outgoings and then OH and I work out how much we can afford to 'pay' ourselves each month and stick to that budget. This means we have some savings and we have some money to spend on ourselves and the rest is in a joint account. Works for us

Watching this with interest as I am scruffy and live in a messy unfinished house.

We earn money that some could only dream of, but still I run around in leggings and jumpers and my house is an embarrassment. We waste so much money every month. I try to keep a tight reign, but I'm either throwing money away on takeaways and coffees or living on a shoestring when we have to. There never seems to be a happy medium.

I currently pay a friend to do my hair every 6 weeks (£40) and that's it beauty wise.

I have a cleaner to make the shit tip bearable (£30 per week).

I would love to be house proud and well turned out, so why am I living like this?

I am trying to get my head around the idea of getting my nails done/getting regular treatments. For some reason I don't think I'm worth it . My own mither would never have wasted money on such frivolities.

I'm interested in how your mother lives her life OP? What is your relationship like with her?

mither? Mother! (I blame the )

Not sure what our total monthly income is as can't be bothered to add it up but I know dh and I both have £200 each to spend as we wish. I spend very little of that on myself just because at the moment my main "love" is doing up our house, so I spend most of my money buying unnecessary but pretty stuff for that! I get my hair cut maybe every six months and buy a new piece of clothing maybe once a month in primark or new look. I'm a sahm and carer to disabled ds now so the most I ever do is a trip to nursery or tesco and back! I live in skinny jeans and t shirts!

In a previous life (!) I worked as a senior marketing manager and spent a fortune on clothes and hair etc. I once went to the hairdressers twice in a week and spent £80 a go on colouring or something or other and I would think nothing of spending £250 in my lunch break on a dress. I would frequently treat myself to skincare from Chanel or Clinique - one particular day I remember treating myself to the day and night cream and serum and then got a nail polish as well.

I think it all depends on your lifestyle, money and what's important to you. If treating yourself to that kind of stuff matters to you do it!

I get my hair cut twice a year, ish for £30 a time. I don't colour as I'm lucky enough to have a really pleasant natural blonde colour.

Nails are gel nails I do at home with amazon varnishes & lamp. I often buy a new one on payday for £5 ish. Love doing them so don't mind doing it myself.

Clothes.. Probably lucky to spend £200 a year on clothes and shoes. I just get stuff if I need to replace through wear/breakage tbh. Same with shoes.

No hobbies, no PT/Gym but we get reduced price swimming at the local council owned pool so intend to go once a week after payday. £2 a time bargain! Spa once or twice a year at £100 a time. No cleaner - they wouldn't be thorough enough and make up around another £200 a year. I use expensive base but cheaper mascara etc. Often this is funded through advantage card points or gift vouchers. I get bits from lush a few times a year, probably £20 or so each time as I love the bath bombs.

I feel really cheap to run compared to some of you but I don't feel hard done by at all. If I really fancy treating myself I get eyelash extensions done because I absolutely love having them, but I have to know I can commit for a good while as I shed them easily and have to go every 10 days. That's £35 for a full set and then £20 to top up!

I spend a bit money on myself but nothing like what some have described, but that's not necessarily because we're skint. We are on low incomes but have got a bit spare, I now don't feel quite as bad for wanting to get my hair done a bit more etc or buying a few more clothes. I think as long as the money you use on yourself is disposable and your not compromising an essential 'thing' then why not allow yourself a little frivolous enjoyment every now and again.

Wow Fairylea, I can't believe the difference in your former and current life!

I suppose I rushed into getting pregnant, so didn't really get to enjoy my 'career' wage and we wasted money - we never went on holidays, but threw money away on nights out!

What a change it must be for you.

Having said that, I spend fuck loads on random cushions/bedding/bits for the house. I go to IKEA (and spend) for fun and I have a shocking Boden (kids) habit! I'm cheap, but my taste for the house and kids isn't so much!

My relationship with my mother is a bit intense, she's very involved in my life. lives in the same street, and watches DD whilst I work. Her mother was the same, its how my family are. She's my best friend and also worse enemy. When it comes to cleaning, she's worse than aggie and kim, although she hates spending money on beauty/makeup.

On myself? Hardly anything! I get my hair done maybe twice a year tops so £150 a year. I get clothes when I need them but buy cheaper stuff (DP, Matalan etc). Waxing is £40 every 6 weeks but just bought an IPL thingy so hopefully won't need to do that so much anymore.

On the house I spend more as we have been refurbishing and I love making it nice. Maybe £200 or so a month on bits for house or garden. We spent a lot last year on a big extension.

We earn £6000 a month between us but are saving to do a loft conversion - even then I don't think I could afford to spend loads on myself. I have no idea where our money goes but £3300 of it is on mortgage, bills, travel and food and £1000 is saved so we must be pissing it up the wall somewhere .

I feel like I haven't had any spare money for so long. We saved for a deposit, then saved for a new kitchen, then I got a promotion and an £8k pay rise only to get stung by the DVLA (long story) and spent six months paying off the fine (which was almost the exact increase per month of my pay rise!!) No sooner had I paid off the fine, I fell pregnant so now every spare penny goes in the savings!

But I'm fairly low maintenance - £100 a month maybe on clothes and other bits, £10 for eyebrow wax, haircut every six months. That's it!

I spend £30 every 6 weeks on hair - mainly do own nails and don't wear make up
On the other hand I buy far too many clothes, wear expensive jewellery and love high end perfumes

bonnie the important thing is, do you want to put more effort into your own appearance and your home? If your mum is your best friend and worst enemy, then she will want the best for you, but maybe you're feeling unnecessary pressure?