Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Spent so much on a night out - regret.

211 replies

Fullodregret3728 · 16/08/2021 16:50

I'm 26 and trying to save for a deposit. I have £5000 saved so far
I don't usually drink. Haven't been out in 2 years. And only really drink in meals.

Went out with friends last night and I'm not sure if it's because I haven't had drink in a while but it really went to my head and I feel so embarrassed today after realising I was speaking to random people and I even bought a random woman a shot.
I wasn't even going to drink but after someone bought me a shot , I just kept buying more alcohol.
And I bought for other people too.

I just got so happy and jolly.
Checked my bank account, and I've spent £40. £40 that I didn't want to waste on alcohol.
Doesn't help I already have bad money anxiety.

I know I'm unreasonable to regret this but I just feel so much anxiety about how much I've spent after not drinking for 2 years.
I gave up alochol after hating who I become when drunk and I just feel so much regret and like I've reverted backwards.

OP posts:
TheVolturi · 16/08/2021 17:13

£40? It must have been happy hour! I thought you were going to say £400!

EishetChayil · 16/08/2021 17:14

£40? I thought you were going to say you'd spunked thousands.

I think you need to get a grip.

tobedtoMNandfart · 16/08/2021 17:14

Last time I had a night out with the frame of mind you're describing I drank a bottle of Prosecco (never again) and told half the town I loved them. A local photographer happened to be there and it all ended up on FB 😬
So yours sounds quite restrained! Don't forget to make time for the fun, you are still very young xx

Dangernouse5 · 16/08/2021 17:15

It's been a crazy year with COVID lockdowns so I hope you forgive yourself and also enjoy your holiday with Bf. Hope he is paying his share

Well done for saving towards deposit so far- that's great going !!!

judgejudyrocks · 16/08/2021 17:15

£40, lol, that's a cheap night out!

HalzTangz · 16/08/2021 17:16

Tbf £40 for a night out drinking with mates is a fairly low bill. But if you then take into account that's one night over two years, rather than once a week or once a month (which many people do) then your 'night off' is worth its £40.

Sometimes we just need a night out regardless of the expense

LubaLuca · 16/08/2021 17:18

I really don't think £40 is a lot, and I haven't been out out for decades. Granted, the last time I got kaylied it was £1 a pint, so I wouldn't have spent £40, but I know that you don't get much change from a fiver for any drink today.

EmbarrassingMama · 16/08/2021 17:19

I thought you were going to say £200 too. £40 is fine! You've saved loads of money, you've been out drinking once in 2 years and you're TWENTY SIX.

Treat yo'self.

NoProblem123 · 16/08/2021 17:20

I thought you were gonna say a lot more than £40 !!!

I can spend that on one round (and regret it like you are !).

TheYearOfSmallThings · 16/08/2021 17:21

You should be more upset that you are 26 and you haven't had a night out in 2 years! Go out! Have fun! £40 is not much.

I wish I was 26 and hitting the town.

JesusIsAnyNameFree · 16/08/2021 17:22

@Gwenhwyfar

Cocktails can be up to £20 each. When I was about 19, over a decade ago, I spent over 100 quid in one night. Just on myself.

DerAlteMann · 16/08/2021 17:23

We've all done it OP. Chalk it up to experience and move on.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 16/08/2021 17:23

I usually spend around 30 and wouldn't feel bad about 40, but I do wonder how people spend over a hundred.
Cocktails and kebab. And taxi. Clubs usually have shit beer so I end up with double vodka mixers or cocktails if they look nice. We usually bar hop. It adds up because I can put them away when fancing and having fun, like there is no tomorrow.
Pub can be super cheap because beer, even the nice one, isn't usually expensive (not into craft for £6+ personally).

BikeRunSki · 16/08/2021 17:23

Out of interest, how much did you expect to spend? £40 is very reasonable, but I do get where you are coming from.

In my mid twenties I lived on a very low income (£400/month, after £150 rent it to really wasn’t much, even in the 90s!). To manage “the fear” I had different “pots” of money every month. My going out lovey was an actual pot (well, big jam far). My pots were something like rent/food/bills/going out/miscellaneous. As long as rent/food/bills was covered, I didn’t panic too much about the other stuff.

For Lake District trip, decide on a realistic amount of spending money to have a nice time. Are you self catering? Eating out? Be realistic about the price of beans out, drinks, ice creams, trips out, parking etc and give yourself permission to spend. It’ll be a miserable holiday otherwise?

In the Lakes, depending on what you are planning to do, it may be cost effective to join the National Trust. They own an awful lot of car parks in the Lakes - free to members.

grapewine · 16/08/2021 17:25

@TheYearOfSmallThings

You should be more upset that you are 26 and you haven't had a night out in 2 years! Go out! Have fun! £40 is not much.

I wish I was 26 and hitting the town.

Agreed!

I thought you were going to say £400 or something.

SimonJT · 16/08/2021 17:25

May I ask how?
I usually spend around 30 and wouldn't feel bad about 40, but I do wonder how people spend over a hundred. Was it food for multiple people and taxis?

Entry fees can be expensive, where I am a £10-20 entry fee isn’t uncommon, the remaining £20 would buy you 2.5 beers or 1.5 cocktails.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 16/08/2021 17:26

Blimey I wish my 20 year old was as sensible OP, she spent £45 on three bowls of olives in a London bar last week ... said she didn't realise how much they were until the bill came Shock ... said they were very nice though Grin, I should bloody hope so!

Don't beat yourself up about it, it's good to have a night out with friends now and then.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 16/08/2021 17:26

I don't think I ever paid entry fee to the club. One had it and after having drunk hissy fit (but still polite😂) we went to different one

BlackForestCake · 16/08/2021 17:27

Given a G&T can be a tenner these days it's not difficult to spend £40 or £100.

But even if OP had spent £400 instead of £40, the money’s gone so there's no point in worrying about it.

You still have a roof over your head.

You still have food to eat.

You haven't done anything bad, you just have a bit less money in your account.

Just learn from your mistake.

Livpool · 16/08/2021 17:28

I thought you were going to say you had spent a LOT more to be honest - as I'm £100 or more. I did when I was your age 🤷🏼‍♀️

Move on and forget about it

Clydesider · 16/08/2021 17:29

I thought you were going to say you had woken up to find you'd spent £500 or something like that!

Don't be so hard on yourself, OP. Sounds like you had a good night and let your. hair down. After the last 18 months, no-one could blame you for doing exactly that.

hairymorag · 16/08/2021 17:29

i was expecting to read hundreds but 40 quid at the age of 26. My word thats nothing...me and my OH went out one night and spent 600 pounds...had a great night....he was freaked next day and I laughed

HauteGirlSummer · 16/08/2021 17:32

I was expecting your total spend to be around £500 after reading this...

Don't be too hard on yourself, it's £40 more than you wanted to spend on alcohol but it's not that bad in the grand scheme of things 🙂

bloatedandfedup · 16/08/2021 17:32

Omg all this over £40

lanbro · 16/08/2021 17:33

£40?! Don't beat yourself up...I went for brunch recently with 2 friends and we ended up out till 10pm, when we totted it up the next day we'd spent £400 between us! But we don't do it often, it's been a crap 18 months so was worth it