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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Where do you spend your money?

132 replies

Margyseries · 02/05/2019 18:14

I always wonder what people spend their money on especially in relation to your salary.

I never buy clothes unless necessary in which case I spend only at ASOS sales or Primark. I am very tight. I try to always take in a packed lunch (I work in London so this is hard!), try not to eat out at restaurants unless it's a birthday, I don't have children just one dog so spend on insurance. Every other penny I try to put towards travelling as this is my favourite thing. I don't have a car but I am about to change this as it's getting a bit annoying.

So where do you spend yours and what would you not go without spending on?

OP posts:
BuzzPeakWankBobbly · 02/05/2019 21:14

Every penny I have spare goes on my mortgage.

By spare I mean after monthly savings pots for about 8 different purposes; plus day to day costs.

This usually ends up being about a 50:50 split.

CharbaLabaDingDong · 02/05/2019 21:25

Lego

twinkledag · 02/05/2019 22:01

Re the packed lunch pint. Maybe OP is saying it's harder to traipse across London on the tube with a soggy sandwich in your back or a soup that could leak?

DENMAN03 · 02/05/2019 22:06

Most of mine goes on my horses and several holidays abroad each year. No kids and live alone and don't really buy clothes very often. I prefer to do things rather than have stuff although I do have a weakness for garden plants!

FrenchBoule · 02/05/2019 22:21

Tesco,Asda,Morrisons,Co-op, local shops

Purpleartichoke · 02/05/2019 22:21

Discretionary income mostly goes to
Kid activities
Food - we eat at restaurants more often than we cook

I spend a bit too much on clothing for someone who works from home. DH buys a few too many electronic gadget.

magimedi · 02/05/2019 22:27

"Sex & drugs & rock & roll".

Grin
BuzzPeakWankBobbly · 03/05/2019 06:01

magimedi Sex & drugs & rock & roll

Presumably you wasted the rest of it? Grin

OneTitWonder · 03/05/2019 06:04

Apart from the usual mortgage, food, insurance etc I spend on clothes, shoes and holidays. Fortunately DH and I have a very decent joint income to enable my rampant consumerism.

TheLastNigel · 03/05/2019 06:27

Two teen DD's. Clothes/beauty stuff/clubs/birthday presents for their ruddy friends ( it seems every two days) /days out or activities with them/their contact lenses.

Counselling for dd2 and for me-a necessary fortune.

Solicitor for divorce at the moment but that will hopefully soon be done.

We try and do a day out once a month which is usually spendier than I'd like-a simple trip to London and a potter around a market seems to end up costing the Earth for example, even when we don't buy anything-just Train and lunch. But they aren't super interested in NT type days out anymore and I feel that's it worth the money to get that bit of quality time with them-just as we are entering the phase of slammed doors and strops the rest of the time Smile

Dog Walker-another necessary fortune. When I got the Dogs I worked from home. Circumstances have changed so they need walking three days a week now whilst I work.£22 a day for the pair of them-soon adds up.

Doing up our house-we live in a Money Pit of an old house that needs a lot of work.

Festivals in summer-try to go one at least-and gigs-not as many as I used to go to just as can't afford it. This is the thing I've cut back on that I miss the most.

I've also just started paying a bit more into my pension (probs a bit late to that but better that than never).

I will never be rich I don't think. But for now I'm ok (touch wood) and I'm ok with that!

orangejuiced · 03/05/2019 06:36

Mortgage
Diesel and car repairs so I can get to work
Kids activities, clubs etc
Tesco
Some work clothes/make up every few months
A bit each month into kids isas
Anything left I save, there isn't much

Littlepond · 03/05/2019 06:43

I spend my money on clothes, make up, Netflix, take aways, holidays (we do a uk break every school hols including half terms), going out with friends, wine, stuff for the house, books. Then there is the money I spend on the kids - clothes, going out with their friends, school trips, extra curricular activities...

TessieVanKendre · 03/05/2019 07:19

I have absolutely no idea. One day I have money, the next day I don't.Confused

Mainly on food though. My kids have hollow legs.

rookiemere · 03/05/2019 07:24

I've cut down on personal expenditure quite a lot over last couple of years. Now bring in my own coffee ( necessitated by new environmentally friendly but smelly plastic mugs at work) , started buying most of my skincare and make up from Superdrug and a lot of my clothes from the naice charity shops near me.

Big expenses are house - recently had to fit new boiler- and holidays- just back from New Zealand. DS is expensive to maintain these days as is ddog with walkers , vets and grooming.

Youngandfree · 03/05/2019 07:27

Per month... we spend...
Life insurances. 70 (approx)
Phone bills. 70 (approx)
Childcare. 220 (average)
Electricity. 80 (average)
Fuel.(2 vehicles) 300 (approx)
Food. 360-400
Then, Kids activities, kids clothing etc incidentals, the rest goes to savings, so it spreads fairly evenly.

Megan2018 · 03/05/2019 07:35

Horse. She costs on average 1/5 of my take home pay and almost all disposable income.
When not pg wine. I love wine.
Now pg and all the money is going on cloth nappy addiction.

Buy as few clothes as possible, mainly work as have to look smart. We do eat very well though.

ChidiAnnaKendrick · 03/05/2019 07:39

Every penny goes on my kids tbh. I know it’s an unpopular way to think on MN, but they are my world, ergo, they get the majority of our cash.

We spend £50 a week alone on clubs/activities. That’s before theme park passes, clothes, toys/magazines etc.

Lungelady · 03/05/2019 07:42

City breaks and nights away in this country...once a month.
Theatre and concerts.
Good food.
Quality clothes.
Facials.
Gym membership.
Retired,, own house and hell bent on having fun.

Shoxfordian · 03/05/2019 07:43

After the household bills, food and rent every month- we do the same amount into a joint account each for this- then commuting, dinner out with friends, clothes, drinks in the pub, my nail extensions.

darkriver19886 · 03/05/2019 07:45

After bills my biggest spend is therapy.
Other than that it's food, gaming and technology. I am also an impulsive shopper. I struggle massively as money seems to evaporate.

This month I am tracking every expense even down to the smallest item. So I can see where it's going.

darkriver19886 · 03/05/2019 07:46

I will clarify I am a single person living alone with no responsibility apart from a cat.

Trebla · 03/05/2019 07:48

Mortgage, bills, food, cars, clubs for kids, renovations, clothes for the kids, trips and holidays,

outvoid · 03/05/2019 07:56

My four DC mainly. The baby doesn’t cost much at all, he’s only just turned six months so still mostly EBF’d with the odd bit of banana/avocado. Also use reusable nappies and wipes.

The older three cost an arm and a leg, however. They’re always hungry and I have no idea why but I just can’t seem to curb that. We get through approx 20 pints of milk a week Shock. Eldest is nine and in adult sized shoes so those cost a lot more than they used to, clothes get more expensive too plus school always seems to want money.

outvoid · 03/05/2019 07:57

Oh and I should have added that I have a major eBay addiction. I buy most of our clothes from there and a lot the DC’s toys and books. I keep saying I’ll delete the app but...

NeverTwerkNaked · 03/05/2019 08:03

Children mainly (feeding them, clothing them, and a host of extra curricular activities etc)

Then, the remaining that I have
-costs of having an abusive ex (cc debt from legal costs, therapy for DS, therapy for me ...)

  • trips away, family activities etc
  • charitable donations
  • occasionally get my nails done and even more occasionally get my hair cut!
I don't buy very much "stuff" - don't really use make up etc