AIBU?
To spend money every day?
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 20:46
NC’d for this as I’m prepared to get hounded.
I spend money every day. It’s driving me mad. I’m keep a book with all my purchases in as I’ve been trying to figure out why we’re struggling. I don’t buy anything nice for myself, no house bits, no make up, no clothes (last was a charity shop jumper for £4). Everything seems to be essential. Bread and milk one day, nappies the next. Cleaning things we’ve run out like washing up liquid. It just seems to be constant. I have little DC, so maybe that’s why?
is it just me? Am I going wrong somewhere or is this how everyone lives?
Am I being unreasonable?
AIBUYou have one vote. All votes are anonymous.
Chickenpeppers · 29/10/2022 20:50
Why are you buying things separately every day? Just do one monthly large shop or even weekly. Appears bonkers that you're spending money every single day. I often go 2/3 weeks without spending a penny. Just for clarity I have two children under 5 so having kids isn't an excuse
AperolWhore · 29/10/2022 20:52
I was like this until I went to online food shopping, I meal plan and do a full shop for the week. We don’t do any top up shops now and it’s much cheaper doing an online shop than going to the supermarket.
I also buy nappies and wipes in bulk so I never run out.
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 20:52
Chickenpeppers · 29/10/2022 20:50
Why are you buying things separately every day? Just do one monthly large shop or even weekly. Appears bonkers that you're spending money every single day. I often go 2/3 weeks without spending a penny. Just for clarity I have two children under 5 so having kids isn't an excuse
Because I’m a single parent and have no one to look after my kids. Dragging them round the e supermarket is a nightmare for an hour trying to buy it all, so I always forget loads of stuff I guess. Plus I buy things from different places to keep the prices down. And they go through milk, nappies and bread very quickly.
Hugasauras · 29/10/2022 20:53
Eh we spend money most days too. Picking up something on Amazon, getting myself a coffee when out with the pram, something we've forgotten to get in the big shop, something I've seen that will be good for a Xmas or birthday gift, booking something for the kids. It is what it is.
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 20:53
AperolWhore · 29/10/2022 20:52
I was like this until I went to online food shopping, I meal plan and do a full shop for the week. We don’t do any top up shops now and it’s much cheaper doing an online shop than going to the supermarket.
I also buy nappies and wipes in bulk so I never run out.
online shopping might be the game changer for me.
)luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 20:56
What’s the difference between spending £10 a day or £70 a week though?
The problem isn’t really that you are spending money every day, which is obvious since you are choosing to do small shops. But if you are regularly buying things like nappies from the corner shop you will be spending a lot more per item.
Is there a reason you don’t just sit down and do an online shop if you want more control over your spending?
BrightYellowDaffodil · 29/10/2022 20:59
I don’t see why this is a problem?
I often shop several times a week because I split my shopping between different stores depending on who is cheaper.
On top of that there’s a coffee here, drinks in the pub there, an Amazon order when I need it. Unless your bank is charging you per transaction (which I don’t think any do!) then what does it matter if you spend your money in one go or dribs and drabs?
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 21:00
luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 20:56
What’s the difference between spending £10 a day or £70 a week though?
The problem isn’t really that you are spending money every day, which is obvious since you are choosing to do small shops. But if you are regularly buying things like nappies from the corner shop you will be spending a lot more per item.
Is there a reason you don’t just sit down and do an online shop if you want more control over your spending?
Just hadn’t thought of it. Don’t buy them from the corner shop, buy things from Lidl and Tesco. Lidl is best for nappies etc.
I guess that’s the issue though isn’t it, you say ‘control your spending’ but if it’s all essentials, I’m not impulse buying crap at all, then it doesn’t really matter at which point I spend the money?
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 21:01
BrightYellowDaffodil · 29/10/2022 20:59
I don’t see why this is a problem?
I often shop several times a week because I split my shopping between different stores depending on who is cheaper.
On top of that there’s a coffee here, drinks in the pub there, an Amazon order when I need it. Unless your bank is charging you per transaction (which I don’t think any do!) then what does it matter if you spend your money in one go or dribs and drabs?
Yes I guess you’re right. The problem isn’t how often I spend, it’s that our outgoings are a lot in comparison to our incomings and that is just the current situation!
luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 21:04
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 21:00
Just hadn’t thought of it. Don’t buy them from the corner shop, buy things from Lidl and Tesco. Lidl is best for nappies etc.
I guess that’s the issue though isn’t it, you say ‘control your spending’ but if it’s all essentials, I’m not impulse buying crap at all, then it doesn’t really matter at which point I spend the money?
luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 20:56
What’s the difference between spending £10 a day or £70 a week though?
The problem isn’t really that you are spending money every day, which is obvious since you are choosing to do small shops. But if you are regularly buying things like nappies from the corner shop you will be spending a lot more per item.
Is there a reason you don’t just sit down and do an online shop if you want more control over your spending?
It’s very easy to just say it’s all essentials though but there is a huge range of what you can spend on households items and food.
Until you actually know what you’re spending in total you can’t say it’s all essential spending and couldn’t be reduced.
VioletCharlotte · 29/10/2022 21:04
I think how much you spend and what you spend it on is what matters. So long as you're not wasting money and you're sticking to your budget, it doesn't really matter if you buy a few bits every day or do a big shop once a week. I spend money most days but I don't feel like I waste it
DoubleBuggyDriver · 29/10/2022 21:06
I have two kids under 18 months and I’m the same tbh. I do online shopping monthly and it still seems as if things always run out. I take the kids out for a daily walk or I’ll take my daughter to her toddler group and I ALWAYS return home with something that’s been bought. It’s never anything extravagant so I get exactly what you mean. I have no clue how to stop it
Luredbyapomegranate · 29/10/2022 21:24
Chickenpeppers · 29/10/2022 20:50
Why are you buying things separately every day? Just do one monthly large shop or even weekly. Appears bonkers that you're spending money every single day. I often go 2/3 weeks without spending a penny. Just for clarity I have two children under 5 so having kids isn't an excuse
It’s a lot more unusual to not spend money for 2 weeks than spend money every day. Congrats tho.
Online shopping as everyone says OP. Put the app on your phone so you can note stuff down as you need it, and maybe have a list of the things you always need to have in to jog your thoughts.
Online shopping is 💫 saves time and money because you buy less random shit.
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 21:24
luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 21:04
It’s very easy to just say it’s all essentials though but there is a huge range of what you can spend on households items and food.
Until you actually know what you’re spending in total you can’t say it’s all essential spending and couldn’t be reduced.
Moneymoneymoneyisntfunny · 29/10/2022 21:00
Just hadn’t thought of it. Don’t buy them from the corner shop, buy things from Lidl and Tesco. Lidl is best for nappies etc.
I guess that’s the issue though isn’t it, you say ‘control your spending’ but if it’s all essentials, I’m not impulse buying crap at all, then it doesn’t really matter at which point I spend the money?
luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 20:56
What’s the difference between spending £10 a day or £70 a week though?
The problem isn’t really that you are spending money every day, which is obvious since you are choosing to do small shops. But if you are regularly buying things like nappies from the corner shop you will be spending a lot more per item.
Is there a reason you don’t just sit down and do an online shop if you want more control over your spending?
It I do, as I say I am keeping a written record of everything I buy and it’s all essentials. I’ve been highlighting anything that isn’t and in a few weeks of stuff there’s only one or two bits that have been non-essential!
absoluteshower · 29/10/2022 21:29
I agree with weekly rather than monthly online shop. Saves you dragging kids round the supermarket and it allows you to have a lot more control over your spend. You can book your order as a kind of placeholder, say about 5 days before you want it to arrive (you have until the night before) but refine it over the week until you know exactly what you need and how much you want to spend.
It made an absolutely massive difference to our spend when we started doing this.
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