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

@torkstork

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'm sure there are things you spend your money on that we'd find excessive too.

Having said that, clearly our economic system is fucked up when some hedge fund managers are awarded $1 billion a year salary while others have to scrape by on food banks. But on ghe rare occasion when a politician comes along who wants to do it something about it, the billionaire press barons tell the people “he’s too left wing! he’s an extremist!” and so on it goes.

I find the censoriousness about what other people spend their money on more worrying than people going on the occasional spending binge tbh.

I can't see unless you're being expected to subsidise her why you would give a shiny shite what she spends her money on.

My family are frugal, each to their own.
The more you spend the more you need to work.
Most people love to work to pay for stuff, allowing us frugal type to not have to work so hard, for less stuff.

Most people love to work to pay for stuff, allowing us frugal type to not have to work so hard, for less stuff
It doesn't go unnoticed, I'd rather work longer than spending my life skimming how I can save a few pound at the expense of others.
The type who take an age finding their purse on a lunch meet up or in a taxi while bragging about savings/investments.
It is very obvious and embarrassing.

@Emeraldshamrock

Most people love to work to pay for stuff, allowing us frugal type to not have to work so hard, for less stuff It doesn't go unnoticed, I'd rather work longer than spending my life skimming how I can save a few pound at the expense of others. The type who take an age finding their purse on a lunch meet up or in a taxi while bragging about savings/investments. It is very obvious and embarrassing.

I wouldn't be on a lunch meet up or in a taxi and don't invest anything. Just frugal, it's my families preference. That would involve spending money and would bore me rigid. Friends round for lunch or tea, that's different.

It depends really. I like shopping in charity shops and vintage markets for cheap but quality clothes. I wouldn't enjoy a full day shopping on the high street - too expensive for items I'm not particularly enamoured of. I don't particularly enjoy clothes shopping; a day charity shop shopping would include nosing into other places/doing other activities, too.

That said, I will happily spend on quality items like shoes and underwear when I need them. But I buy them to last (shoes) or do the job (underwear). Same with a good haircut. I also don't mind splashing out on an expensive dress once in a blue moon if the occasion arises.

DH and I used to probably spend a bit much on days out/going for a drink before lockdown. We realised how much we saved through the year though and have discovered other things we like doing/places we like going instead, so we've figured that out going forwards.

I think it's really about balance. I don't want to save and save and never do anything/have anything nice, but neither would I ever dream of spending money I don't have when there are bills to pay or whatever. I love Christmas so we do go a bit mad then, but that's fine because it's once a year and we've saved for it. Same with birthdays.

@Emeraldshamrock

Most people love to work to pay for stuff, allowing us frugal type to not have to work so hard, for less stuff It doesn't go unnoticed, I'd rather work longer than spending my life skimming how I can save a few pound at the expense of others. The type who take an age finding their purse on a lunch meet up or in a taxi while bragging about savings/investments. It is very obvious and embarrassing.

This.

Also I find it bizarre that you would relish the idea of working as little as possible, living off nothing and saving. It seems such a dull and puritanical existence.

I'd much rather work hard in a rewarding job, save some money but be able to enjoy the fruits of my labour in the here and now on things every now and then to make myself and my loved ones happy.

Why do people assume that all "spendy" people will have a terrible retirement?
A lot of people have decent pension plans with employees. Between me and my employer I pay in an amount equal 25% of monthly salary. (Approx £1.2k a month in to pension). Someone with a scheme like that can conceivably be "spendy" and have a decent retirement.

Also, we never know how long we have left on this earth so I don't see extreme miserliness as a virtue. I prefer to spend on experiences personally but I have no truck with people enjoying their money now rather than squirreling every last penny away for a future they (we) have no guarantee of.

*Also I find it bizarre that you would relish the idea of working as little as possible, living off nothing and saving. It seems such a dull and puritanical existence.

I'd much rather work hard in a rewarding job, save some money but be able to enjoy the fruits of my labour in the here and now on things every now and then to make myself and my loved ones happy.*

Good for you, working and money to buy stuff obviously makes you happy. We aren't all the same. You can have a wonderful fulfilling life without spending lots of money.

I’m just here to see the jumper.

@thepeopleversuswork who said my life was dull?? I live off plenty, my rental properties bring in more than enough. I work two days to keep busy and to keep my foot in the door I suppose. My dh runs his own company also. Nothing dull here, my days are full...even with Covid.

And just because I'm good with money doesn't automatically mean I'm mean with money I will go for dinner, weekends away and always pay my share...And pay for lunches/coffees for friends etc

You have a similar set up to us OP, but differences too.
Foot in the door is brilliant. Is there anything you can do within the business to gain new skills or qualifications.
I went to Uni quite late and the quals I got gave me the theory to really move the business forward.
He just gave me a bonus from the business because during covid I saved us by diversifying.
Being frugal though have no idea how to spend it, so please join the style and beauty bonus thread.
Oh, sorry, this is what made me feel useful, didn't plan for it.

I can’t get too worked up about people spending money.

However, what really gets my goat is friends who claim they’ll never afford to buy a house (while making me feel guilty for being about to buy one) when actually they don’t earn significantly less than I do, they just choose to spend it rather than save. Of course it’s entirely up to them how they choose to spend their money, but you can’t moan saving is impossible when you’re spending it all instead. And these are friends who will have 2-3 takeaways a week, 4 holidays a year, expensive clothes, £20 bottles of wine three times a week etc.

You’re frightened of people spending money? How odd

I live off plenty, my rental properties bring in more than enough. I work two days to keep busy and to keep my foot in the door I suppose. My dh runs his own company also. Nothing dull here, my days are full...even with Covid.

And just because I'm good with money doesn't automatically mean I'm mean with money
It is very easy to be good with money when you have plenty. You must have worked 24/7 in your 20's to own several properties and be mortgage free, plus a well earning husband.
If 5 jumpers is breaking the bank for Dsis you're obviously in very different financial positions.

@Emeraldshamrock yes I did, I worked abroad nursing from the age 20 and earned a lot tax free with expenses/rent paid. These types of contracts are available to a lot of professions all over the world. So It's quite common for lots of ppl to do this. I bought the two rentals at a low price too.

You will faint if you saw my make up collection 😂😱 - why I need about 50 types of lipsticks/liquid lips is beyond me 🤦🏻‍♀️

[quote torkstork]@thepeopleversuswork who said my life was dull?? I live off plenty, my rental properties bring in more than enough. I work two days to keep busy and to keep my foot in the door I suppose. My dh runs his own company also. Nothing dull here, my days are full...even with Covid.

And just because I'm good with money doesn't automatically mean I'm mean with money I will go for dinner, weekends away and always pay my share...And pay for lunches/coffees for friends etc [/quote]
Fair enough... I wasn't particularly talking about you.

But there's a certain sort of person who turns frugality into an artform and the guiding principle to their life seems to be finding ever more innovative ways to avoid spending money. I'm not talking about people who are hard up or saving for a goal like a deposit but just saving and discount chasing for its own sake.

People who will go way out of their way to get a few pennies knocked off something worth multiple pounds or hold up supermarket queues for hours to argue the toss over small amounts of money or buy large numbers of an item they don't need because they get the extra one free.

Obviously saving is important for all sorts of reasons. But saving as a leisure activity I find depressing.