To find the amount of Monty that some ppl spend bloody frightening and pointless?

[torkstork]

I have to start by saying I'm a saver so naturally it goes against the grain for me to spend too much/too often. And I am aware that my "thrill" is in saving but for others this is no the case. BUT what I have noticed with a lot of friends and family lately is the constant spending that is so unnecessary and just almost automated and not needed. For instance my sister found a jumper she liked so bought it in 5 colours!!! She has about 20 million jumpers already and is working from home. It's not my business...I know I know. But she followed up the zoom call (where she showed me said jumpers) with " oh my car is sounding funny these days, I really need to get it sorted but I'm scared because...I'm broke!!" WTAF

It's not just her though all of my friends are at it...it's so unnecessary

I used to be a spender until I sat down and saw how much money I was spending on crap. I can afford it, but I'm hoping to retire at 60 in 10 years time. I've given myself a strict budget and have the Spendee app which keeps me on track. Nobody needs 5 jumpers in different colours.

@user2021

No point in being the richest person in the graveyard.

I'm a spender. Couldn't imagine spending my life saving and watching the money sit in the bank.

I actually agree with this, to a degree!

DH and I try to have a balance... some months we’re frivolous and other months we’re quite frugal. We’re fortunate enough to be able to put away a decent chunk into pensions and other investments and still have money left over to spend.

Life’s short, and we’ve watched so many of our friends forgo holidays and other little pleasures in order to save every penny they can. Each to their own, but I’d rather treat myself now, because tomorrow’s never promised. I appreciate that we’re very lucky to be able to make this choice.

I don't really have a problem with how or what people spend their money on.

What I do have a problem with is those who plead poverty whilst getting a brand new car on loan, going on holiday multiple times a year and spending a grand on clothes for said holidays. That is not being on the bones of your arse!!

If we're talking Mr Don, there's no amount of Monty that's too much IMO

I've got clothes that I've bought more than one of/in multiple colours. Admittedly not as many as five, but I do have jeans in three colours, the same jumper twice because I knew I'd want to wear it all the time, etc.

@torkstork

We have saved thousands during lockdown! It's wonderful!

An ex colleague of mine had debt problems, and she was always alternating between complaining about being broke and showing off new purchases.

But she had the audacity to snipe at anyone better off than her with the comment "that's how the rich stay rich". As if the financially prudent are somehow cheating by not spending all their money.

Meh different strokes for different folks.
Sometimes frugal folk who are extra tight are a pain too they know the price of everything the value of little.
There is a happy medium.

I agree. I cringe for some of my family & friends. Sadly they’ll be working til they’re 70+ as they just spend on crap & have little to no savings/pension etc.

Meh, I can't get worked up by what other people spend their money on.

If nobody spent on anything except essentials, the economy would grind to a halt.

I don’t get it either. DH and I are both in top 1% of earners and are only in early thirties, but we save most of it for houses and holidays. I don’t understand constant buying of stuff. Even now, I’m still getting furniture and maternity clothes off Facebook marketplace. I also feel crazy consumerism is wrong from an environmental perspective but I’m no saint from that perspective either. I think for some people it’s a personality thing - my sister has never been a saver and despite my parents best efforts still spends way way more than my brother and I. She’s a lot better than she would have been if my parents hadn’t spent a lot of time educating her financially, plus she has an accountability system set up so a family member can see her bank account, but she’ll still happily spend spend spend on crap all the time.

Of course social media has contributed, the concept of keeping up with the Joneses has been taken to a whole new level now everyone in the world on your Instagram is the Joneses, not just your direct friends and neighbours.

People are just wired differently. I love spending money. It would be better for my long term prospects if I didn’t.

well, we are all different aren't we! its a bad habit and you're lucky you don't have the spending habit.

i'm like this, i go on spending frenzies and then get annoyed that i have very little in my savings account.

i dont think its outrageous spending, it not like dropping £800 on a "little pick me up" watch or pair of shoes.

Sadly they’ll be working til they’re 70+
Or dead. It might appear there is many elderly people, they're a lucky bunch.
Many of the long-term residents around here are early 70's out of 16houses on my DM's cul de sac 12 are dead.
They all bought in 1971 around age 20 putting them a similar same age.
Lots of my friends including me lost a parent recently we're average age 40.
I'll continue to save a little and enjoy spending.

I've only ever been the wrong side of comfortable, so I've spent all my life never being able to spend, having to be careful. So I don't know what my natural disposition would be if I had any money at all to spend on things other than necessities.

Right now though, I'd love to be able to treat myself.

Being a spender doesn't mean that people have saved for retirement. My husband will have a full military pension, I've got similar that I've paid. When we retire(at 55) we will continue to travel the world, have a nice hone and go out.
Life is for living, not dying.

I'm always staggered why people care how other people spend their money.

@maddy68

I'm always staggered why people care how other people spend their money.

If someone overspends, which means taxpayers have to bail them out, I think it's reasonable to be frustrated

Otherwise, not really our business

But, my family were fortunate to buy flats young, only because our parents had scrimped and saved. So, I am a saver

I'm probably slightly more of a saver overall, sort of, but I do notice spendy types tend to be more generous and savey types can be less so. Generosity is a pleasant attribute, so I tend to prefer spendy types a bit

@maddy68

I'm always staggered why people care how other people spend their money.

I don’t actually care what other people spend their money on. What does annoy me is when they bleat on about how hard up they are and can’t afford something necessary but the previous week they were spending money on rubbish.

Life is for living. I’d buy a jumper I loved in five colours but hate spending on boring things. But I have a home, savings and pay a pension.
Really, it’s none of your business what other people spend their money on. It’s not like she’s asking you for any

@Emeraldshamrock

Meh different strokes for different folks. Sometimes frugal folk who are extra tight are a pain too they know the price of everything the value of little. There is a happy medium.

They always spring up on the food spend threads being all parsimonious and joy sucking.

I think some people are addicted to shopping, it verges on an illness. There are also some people who cannot manage money, even though it's not a lack of maths skills.

I'm certainly not tight I just like to invest wisely and I would rather my money work for me than me working for my money. I worked all hours in my 20's and I am now mid 30's I only work 2 days a week and I'm mortgage free. I am certainly not rolling in it but I make my money work. I don't deny myself either. But 5 jumpers in the same shape (bar the colour) is bloody excessive to be honest.

I hear you OP. It's the shortsightedness that gets me. I have similar conversations with a relative whose life is a constant stress of low level money worries but because of this they reward themselves because 'its just a meal out' or 'just a jumper'. They seek instant gratification where as I'd rather go without in order to have the reassurance that if the car/boiler go wrong it isn't a financial disaster. I feel their life would be better if they had a financial cushion rather than an actual cushion but they don't agree!

As long as people use and take pleasure in what they buy - and hopefully sell on, donate or recycle when said item stops being desired - I don’t see the problem.