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)

OP I would say we earn the same as you and your DH

Nails - £30 month
Cleaner - £80 a month
Clothes - £100 a month
Window cleaner - £20 a month
Hair - £30 a month
Holidays - £200 a month (two holidays a year)

Don't smoke, or drink much so the rest is spent eating out, the odd takeaway and bills mortgage, childcare etc.

I always think save 10% of your salary, pay your bills and spend the rest on what makes you happy. I don't want to be the richest person in the graveyard!

High earners (6 figures plus rental income from four properties) and I spend about 1500 a month on myself.
However it's horses for courses. They was a time where I lived in poverty without a pot to piss in, always late on bills,struggling with debt and we both at one point earned barely over 18,000 after tax (jointly). I spent nothing on myself then.
Don't feel guilty about spending if it means you're not in difficulty financially but don't look to us to reassure you as guaranteed my circumstances are different from lots of people, even those in similar incomes may have higher outgoings for example.

As much as it takes, within reason. I live well within my means and am a high earner in a professional role, so I need to look the part That entails cut every 4 to 6 weeks, highlights every 6 months or so, smart clothes and shoes. I rarely wear make-up so no real spend on that and I don't do nails, just a file every now and then to keep them trim.
I used to belong to a gym, but have moved and now travel a lot for work, so just make sure I stay at hotels with good facilities like a pool, gym and beauty salon. That way I can exercise and book any treatments I feel I need.

Personal grooming $0.
Dog grooming $150 (2 dogs) every 8-12 weeks.
House cleaning $75 per week.
Clothes - varies. Months will go by when I don't need new clothes and then I'll spend $1000 or so on some new bits as the old ones are worn through.
Fitness $1200 a year on martial arts membership.

Income is enough 🙂

Makeup £0 (dont wear it)
Hair ..not had it cut for 10 months but before then had it done by students at the college studing hairdressing which was £0 and the best hair cut you can get. However no time at mo so splashed out £20 to have it cut. That last 6 months now!
Nail £0 ( prefer natural and in my job..nhs..i couldnt have any plastic nails as it effect how i wash my hands)
Clothes £0 for the last two years but suspect i might need to buy some soon. This happens every couple of years i have to buy alot of clothes then nothing till they need replacing. I seriously cant remember when i last bought clothes.

Chocolate...£2-3 per month (my treat)

I'm a complete tight arse. God. I buy from sales/eBay bnwt only, get hair cut twice a year, swing by the reduced section daily, and never bother with nails. However! I look well turned out, plan my outfits, am ruthless on binning scruffy stuff and am blessed with good hair, skin and eyebrows. I spend a lot on vitamins etc though, gadgets, books etc.

I spend £35 every two months on my hair. I now colour it myself.
I do my own nails & spend about £20 a month.
I spend about £50 a month on cosmetics & toiletries.
I spend about £70 in clothes.
£45 cat groomer every few months.

I used to spend a lot more. I earn much less now. I miss being able to spend what I wanted but we now have a house in a nice area as opposed to a flat in a grim area.

I spend very little on myself. Had my haircut last week for the first time in a year. I wear very basic make up. I do my own nails too. I maybe spend about £100 on clothes a year? If I don't need it, I don't buy it. Yet I always feel presentable - well, most of the time!

I've had times where I earned minimum wage, times when I earned a decent full time salary pre kids and now where my decent salary has been reduced by part time hours.

I could afford to have many luxuries still but I choose not to as I don't enjoy my job and so I always think about how long it took me to earn it when considering buying something.

About 6 months ago I got asked to go on a girlie luxurious trip abroad to Dubai very last minute. I thought nothing of splurging £1000 on that!

My DH keeps saying we should put money away for the future and we haven't yet. I'm going to start keeping better track of income and expenditure - does anyone know any good websites etc with spreadsheets or similar I can use?

I used to spend a lot on me, because we could afford it. Now I have changed jobs I spend very little. I colour my hair at home and have a cut at the local salon, so my hair costs £25 a month. Have my nails done every 3 weeks or so £16.50. So my only other spend on me is make up, which isn't expensive as I buy it rarely maybe every few months at most.

As for the house, it costs nothing as my dh and I do all the cleaning so the only cost is some cleaning products.

I think both myself and the house are as well presented now as when I used to spend lots of money on up keep

Hair £13 month

Nails 0

Makeup £3 month

Clothes £10 month (charity shop finds)

No cleaner, no gardener

Windows £5

Exercise classes £20 month

House Every year we do a project for £2000 ish (gradual renovation of an old house)

Coffee out £24 month

Kindle £2 week

We are high earners- but have a lot of dcs and are natural tightwads

It's very difficult to work out
120 cleaner - very big house, but in a state, really needs redecorating etc, however I keep things at bay by having the cleaners. I work full time 6 days a week, DH 5 days a week. ( he is lazy & does not clean)

For me
Hair £50 a month approx
Nails . 0, well maybe once every 2 years I get them done ( don't think that counts)
Clothes £150 a month (ish) including work clothes that get worn very hard.
Make up. Not much £100 a year maximum
Toiletries, depends if we are going on holiday & I get sun stuff etc. I guess £250 a year?
Books lots
Actually, I think I fancy a spending spree.
I'll let you know what I buy

Clothes - I just buy things I really like when I see it, don't have a budget.
Make-up- Stick mostly to mid range which I think is good enough, after that I think it's packaging/advertising you are paying for £20 at most p/m.
Regular hair cut £20 a go.
House- loads I love my house and interested in interior design.
Lots on going out £400 p/m+
Spend quite a bit on teenage DD - we go to cinema, meals out, then she buys perfume and make-up, goes out for Costa etc when out with friends.

£80 every months on hair
About £15 a month on toiletries - usually less
Maybe £30 a month on clothes if averaged out
£0 on salon treatments but the odd £30 on a massage every few months

Sorry - hair is every 3 months

Slimming world £5 a week

I don't have a cleaner, I have 5 kids and just about manage to keep it ok and now I'm at college were all out the house 3 days a week and it stays much tidier than when we were all at home!

I'm doing beauty therapy so we're not allowed false nails and lashes even though I love them! I spend quite a bit on make up, maybe £100 a month, probably the same in clothes maybe more, I dye my hair at home and get it cut about twice a year as I just never get round to going, but I do use clip in extensions and have a quite a few sets, probably buy a new et every month or so at about 80-100.

My dog doesn't need special grooming and I don't go to the gym( I'd like to though)

If you can afford what your spending the. I wouldn't worry about it tbh.

I disagree about mid range being the same as high end, I actually think make up is the same as most things, either buy the best you can afford or the cheapest, the mid range and budget stuff are all the same, when you I wear designer make up there is such a huge difference. Especially with foundation.

I spent a lot more on cosmetics and clothes when I went out to work. Now I work from home my spend has dropped dramatically.

Think I had my hair cut a year ago I know it needs restyling!!

Hair 70 pounds every 2-3 months. Nails 0. Can't do them for work. Clothes no set budget. I should have one. It works be better. Same with books and music and fripperies. Make up 100-150 pounds a year. I rarely wear it and tend to buy just for events as the mascara has all dried up etc I'll need a new one. Powders last longer.

Cleaner 0 but I want one

Gardener 40 per month with a but extra for hedge trimming when needed

Why do you feel those are your costs though? They are family costs unless your family doesn't live with you. You both work. You both share home making costs. Hair make up etc just for you? Fine (as long as you don't work in an industry eg airline hostess where it is absolutely essential for work, in which case it is prioritised above other non essential costs like cleaner)

Hair - £25 with mobile hair dresser every 6 weeks
Hair - £10 on home hair colour/month
Nails - £0 - don't really like painted nails except for toes
Clothes - don't really know - probably averages £75/mth but I would like to spend more - I don't because I don't like the size I am but that has been going on for ages now...
Makeup - £100-£150/yr
Cleaner - £0 - have had cleaners but decided I would rather do it myself (I only work 30 hrs/wk and DC at secondary now so I have the time)
Window cleaner - £0 - use ecloths and do it myself
Gardener - £75/mth - varies but I'll put this down as an average

This is quite frugal compared to our household income but we do spend a lot on home improvements and we don't do any of that ourselves (with the exception of the simplest of jobs). We now spend a lot more than we used to on furniture and soft furnishing etc.

The above isn't due to what we can afford it is more to do with what I feel comfortable paying/want to have done and quite often time I am prepared to spend on it. e.g. I don't really enjoy the 'salon experience' so I'm not prepared to spend the extra time and £20 to get my hair cut in one. I definitely don't want to sit in one for ages whilst my hair is coloured when I can do it at home and get on with stuff.

my husband and I have separate accounts.

Some of the things I pay for are mortgage, food, groceries, my own car expenses, clothes for me and DD, rail travel, cleaner, gardener, paper delivery, milk delivery, groomer, hairdresser (me and DD), pet insurance

DH pays for other things like electricity, gas, council tax, his own clothes, turkish shave/haircut, gym membership, holidays

I'm trying to remember everything and entering it in a spreadsheet I'm doing now. Just need to ensure I'm not over spending more than anything

DH has his own spreadsheet for his expenses, he's very good at managing money (he used to be in debt, hence why he's now so careful and why we have separate accounts) but he thinks I spend money like water.

Hair - £70 every 3 months
Nails - zilch do them myself
The odd wax or spray tan or eyelashes - £20 every few months
Make up - nothing for ages, just use what I've got
Skincare - cheap and cheerful
Toiletries and perfume - 0 loads as presents
Clothes - not much any more, been living in leggings and flip flops all summer and I've got lots of lovely dresses for the odd night out and loads of shoes I don't wear
Cleaner - 0
Holidays - 0
Coffees and lunches out occasionally - £25 pm
Books and magazines - 0 just going through what I've got
Wine - 0 given it up more or less
Occasional night out - £100 with drinks, meal, taxis, babysitter, sometimes even more. That's where my money goes!
Also spent hundreds on the dentist in the last two years and hundreds on technology eg iPads and iPhone etc and I bought three designer bags two years ago which I see as an investment
People obviously have different needs and priorities.

I was interested in the comment above about needing to look good in professional role. I am the same. I am self-employed, people pay a lot of money for 2 days of my time and they expect me to look like they are getting value for money. That means always being the smartest person in the building (dress tends to be smart for the executives that I work with anyway)

I dont spend a lot relative to income.

But I do spend a lot on holidays- in excess of £30k a year. 3 long haul and 1 mid range. Spend up to 200 days a year on hotels with work and travel.

Also spending almost £70k on the house this year which is a killer. 2 children at Uni at £20k each a year as well.