Frivolous things you used to spend money on?

[Lemon221]

What did you used to spend your money on that your now seems completely extravagant and frivolous? I’ll go first, jo malone candles ridiculous how much I spent on wax!

Sorry to go off topic but @EmilyEmmabob can I ask how/where I could go about educating myself better on skin care? I have tricky skin for a number of reasons and have recently been tempted by some of these skin care systems which promise to solve all my problems. I haven’t invested yet and would rather not as I need to preserve my cash for the rising cost of living (as most of us do!) Any tips or info gratefully received.

@waterlego

Sorry to go off topic but *@EmilyEmmabob* can I ask how/where I could go about educating myself better on skin care? I have tricky skin for a number of reasons and have recently been tempted by some of these skin care systems which promise to solve all my problems. I haven’t invested yet and would rather not as I need to preserve my cash for the rising cost of living (as most of us do!) Any tips or info gratefully received.

This!

@ShareLove

Designer clothes , now that I am older I could not give 2 f*s what I’m wearing

Haha me too. So much money on clothes and shoes in my younger days and now I wear a ‘uniform’ of (decent) leggings, long top and sketchers. Every single day!😁😬

Coffees and breakfast and lunch from Prêt every day.
Nine West heels that needed reheeling every bloody month.
Nail extensions, eyebrow shaping and eyelash tinting
Taxis ( see heels above!)
Ready meals from M&S
A new work wardrobe for every new contract.

I could honestly weep now. If I’d lived through my 20’s and 30’s as I do now I’d be mortgage free.

Handbags
So many of them just sat in the wardrobe

I agree that some of these things seem frivolous now but at the time they served a purpose. I spent loads of money on magazines and CDS years ago. But then we didn't have phones, Facebook or Netflix to distract yourself. When i was younger my father had complete control over the telly in eves and weekends, you only got to watch what you wanted when he wasnt there. Magazines, listening to CDs or reading books was my way of passing time, we lived in the country so no where to go see friends etc. Helped with the car journeys too. Nowadays everything is online, You have Spotify or You tube for music, can watch tv on any device. Though now i do blak that that i spent 5e on CD singles at the time aswell as about 20e or more a week on magazines :) One thing covid has taught me is buying better quality clothes, it may only be leggings and a hoody, but they are better quality warm jot see through leggings and a hoody that doesn't loose shape or go bobbly after two washes

If we are talking ' back in the day ' then nights out. just cutting down from 4 nights out a week to 2 would have meant I could have had a great holiday every year. Thanks to FOMO, all my money went on poor quality lager.

If we are talking pre Covid or even pre cost of living crisis, then it has to be Takeaways. Seriously, we might have had 3 or 4 a month, now that has to be one maximum, but I reckon we can easily save £60 -£70 pcm by doing that.

No point cancelling a £6.99 Viewing subscription if you can save £25 by not having a takeaway.

We are in a position now where every spending decision has to be discussed and justified , if it's not a general living expense like work travel, food shop etc.

Holidays may need to be forgone, which is difficult when you have a 9 year old, but house maintenance and bill payments have to come first .

Magazines and facials, pre kids I used to drop over £50 a month on a facial. Now I just use a sheet mask at home weekly.

Spa treatments. I still buy premium products but I don't bother with facials and any massage I have is done by a local lady who beats me up good and proper for half the price of a spa massage.

Magazines i think nothing of buying 4 or 5 at a time, I haven't brought one for at least 3 years.

I own way too many high-end eyeshadow palettes.

If you have a library card you can read most magazines online for free anyway.

Nails
Eyebrows (do at home now)
Blow dry (use the hair curler now)
Taxis/ Ubers (don’t go out now - ha!)
Pilates classes (don on line YouTube ones now)
Gym membership

@LuckySantangelo35

Bit surprised at so many saying they no longer spend any money on makeup…why?

Maybe because they don't use it, ergo, don't need to buy it. I don't wear any, except a bit of eye-liner and eye shadow. It enhances my eyes. I have quite large eyes anyway, and they're my best feature, so I do like them to look nice IYSWIM. I spend a tenner every 3-4 years on make up now. Used to spend LOADS more.

@WhiteJellycat

Covid has ended all of my drinks and meals out. Even if I wanted to go out my friends have turned into hermits since covid. I don't regret any money spent on booze in the past. It's all good memories.

I do regret spending so much on shoes and clothes. Mind you I had places to wear them at the time. I'm definitely trying really hard to wear things to rags this year. I want to get to one pair of boots, one pair of trainers and one pair of converse. All of my converse was from NYC so if cut back maybe I can justify going back for the new pair.

I think what I regret is filling my life and home with excess stuff and I want to only really buy what I need going forward.

I have to admit, although I have squandered OODLES of cash on frivolous stuff over the years, (including 10s of 1000s of holidays,) I don't regret a single penny spent. I did smoke for 7 or 8 years but stopped in my late 20s. I don't regret that, but I think I would have if I had carried on and had wasted 10s of 1000s of tobacco. JMO. That is the only thing I would regret. Like you, I don't regret the booze, and the pub spending, as I had an amazing social life with friends from my mid teens to my mid 30s... Also don't regret the meals out, the clothes, the shoes, the jewellry, perfume, make-up. Nothing.

I would have spent the money on something. I mean, should I have put more into my pension(s) ? I could die when I'm 63! My pension(s) will keep me comfortable. I don't need a lot. (And neither does DH.) We have already done everything we want/bought everything we want/travelled where we want.

I think the ones who 'retire' at 55, 58, or 60, and then get 'equity release,' (or release their pension early) to travel, are people who have done nothing in their life except work and/or raise a family. Me and DH did it all some years ago when we were younger (when DC were at home) and have had several holidays abroad before they were born, and since they left.

Couldn't honestly be fucked with international travel at age 60+. I'm in my mid 50s now and get tired easily! Also, been there, done that. Don't need to do, or go to, or buy anything else. Just chilling now, and enjoying our quiet, and peaceful lives...

Those interested on the eyebrows, I use the lightest colour on the "just for men" beard dye. I know strange huh! there's a YouTube video on this, It takes 5 minutes, use vaseline above and under brows, brush it in and remove. I've been using this for over a year and it has saved me a fortune rather than £10 every 6 weeks!

I like seeing a mean wear a shirt and tie, @PigletJohn

man no mean

man not mean

When I was making good money in my 20s, on holidays, eating out, and two much rubbish I didn't really need like video rentals. In later years, perhaps too many clothes...

Highlights. Once every 8 weeks from the age of 18-34. It was about £100 every time by the time I stopped. When we went into lockdown I dyed my hair close as I could to my natural colour and let it grow out. I actually like my natural colour now and it seems crazy I spent so much for so long covering it up.

@Ohfgsnotagain

Black cabs to get me around London. Pret porridge/lunches/salad pots Pub lunches After work drinks Theatre tickets

God I miss my working life before children. I miss my salary!

Theatre tickets aren't frivolous! Granted they are vv expensive, they cost me a small fortune nowadays but worth every single penny.

@littlefirecar

This post is so depressing :( Yes most of these things aren't necessary but we enjoyed them. How has it come to be that everything not soley essential is now frivolous?

Agreed. That was my point when I mentioned theatre tickets nor being frivolous. I think a lot of posters are just now listing activities they can no longer afford to do due to money or children etc. Theatre and other nice things are experiences and make us feel good. How is that frivolous?

My dh and I used to have all day shopping trips the day after pay day. We would get up early, go for breakfast in town, then spend a good few hours shopping in central London.
We did that almost every month.

This was when we were much younger, had a disposable income and hadn’t started saving yet!

Kids' toys. It seems like they really want and need a particular (pricey) toys, only to lose interest as soon as they got it. Then off to a charity shop.