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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not AIBU, but what would you do with £900?

111 replies

abittoofat · 01/02/2023 23:01

I've just found out I'm getting an unexpected £900😁
What would you do with it?
(Single, 2 grown up DC)

OP posts:
ThisGirlNever · 02/02/2023 08:02

mewkins · 02/02/2023 07:35

Yeah...I don't understand how that works either. If only I could just make money multiply 😄

Show quote history

I started with £8k of debt in 2009. By 2016 I'd played off the debt and saved up £45k. I used that to buy a house in London.

I did that without receiving any lump sums.

If you don't understand the simple concept of small savings building into bigger savings, I'm not sure I, or anybody else, can help you.

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 02/02/2023 08:03

ThisGirlNever · 02/02/2023 07:18

The point I was trying to make is that it is easy to see any amount as 'not worth saving'.

Got £100? Have a meal out.
Got £1000? Weekend away.
£10k? Buy a newer car.

Saving money requires a change in attitude, so that surplus money is saved and not frittered.

I have friends on fairly decent wages that are always skint with credit card debt. Every spare tenner is spent, so they never even get to the stage where they've saved £100, let alone £1k, £10k, etc.

OP has clarified that she's got £7.5k in savings. I'd round that up to £8k and maybe treat myself with the other £300, but only if I already had something I'd been thinking of doing/getting. Otherwise, I'd save the lot.

Show quote history

See this to me is just more patronising wank 😂

I just think OP clearly wants to spend it and a load of bores are telling her to save it, and some are even guilting her into saving it.

OP, I’d buy something extravagant that I wouldn’t normally buy like some designer shoes!

seperatedmum · 02/02/2023 08:05

I'd have to put it towards credit card debts from buying food and petrol coz there was no other money not like that now

BarbaraofSeville · 02/02/2023 08:06

I'd just put it in the bank until I decided I wanted something.

And yes, a lot of the time, the difference between people who have savings and those who don't isn't anything to do with who has the most (disposable) income, but what they think when they receive unexpected money. If they think 'what can I buy' then they'll never have savings.

LeatherSoledShoes · 02/02/2023 08:07

I'd put it towards my kitchen refurb fund.

Greatly · 02/02/2023 08:08

BarbaraofSeville · 02/02/2023 08:06

I'd just put it in the bank until I decided I wanted something.

And yes, a lot of the time, the difference between people who have savings and those who don't isn't anything to do with who has the most (disposable) income, but what they think when they receive unexpected money. If they think 'what can I buy' then they'll never have savings.

She does have savings.

itsgettingweird · 02/02/2023 08:09

With 7k in savings I'd go with the idea of a weekend break with a friend.

Money in a bank when you already have a nest egg doesn't create memories.

KangarooKenny · 02/02/2023 08:09

I’d book a little holiday, or have a bedroom makeover with new bedside cabinets/drawers/curtains.

Lodgerlove · 02/02/2023 08:11

I'd do my usual food shop but choose the nicer version of everything instead of bloody value basics. Stock up on all the things you usually run out of. Buy a dine in deal for everyone in marks. Then pay the rest into my council tax so my monthly payments are lower.

Natsku · 02/02/2023 08:13

This happens every year when I get my tax rebate - goes into my savings account to be used for any extra expenses over the year (like just used some of it to get DD a new bike as she outgrew her old one) and some of it goes towards Christmas.

BridieConvert · 02/02/2023 08:14

antipodeancanary · 02/02/2023 00:11

If I only had 7k in savings I'd save it. Id want at least six months salary in savings.

Only?! 7k IS 6 months salary for me.

Greatly · 02/02/2023 08:17

Actually scrap the botox. Just seen interest rates are going up AGAIN. I'd save it for Christmas.

DottieUncBab · 02/02/2023 08:17

Spa weekend!!!

BarbaraofSeville · 02/02/2023 08:22

A friend once said that they split any unexpected money they received into thirds.

A third on essentials/debt, so in the OPs case, mortgage overpayment.
A third into savings.
A third to spend/buy a treat.

That sounds like a sensible compromise to me, but I still don't understand the idea of deliberately looking for something to spend money on just because you have it. Wouldn't you just spend it next time you want to do something (spa day, weekend away etc) or see something and think 'I want that'?

gggrrrargh · 02/02/2023 08:25

i think seeing as it’s enough to make a proper experience out of it, I’d go a lovely weekend break treating a friend somewhere. You could pick based on whether it’s got a spa, the location, or stay in a castle room!

Rainbowqueeen · 02/02/2023 08:29

2/3 into pension 1/3 on a weekend away

Cornishclio · 02/02/2023 08:31

Depends on your circumstances. Do you have savings or debt? If you are debt free and have savings I would gift some to your DC or treat both of you to a meal or weekend away and save the rest.

Greatly · 02/02/2023 08:40

I still don't understand the idea of deliberately looking for something to spend money on just because you have it

You literally don't understand this? You must be thrown into utter confusion when you see people wandering around the shops at the weekend. I mean, why are they there? What on earth are they doing?

BettyUnderswoob · 02/02/2023 08:45

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 02/02/2023 08:03

See this to me is just more patronising wank 😂

I just think OP clearly wants to spend it and a load of bores are telling her to save it, and some are even guilting her into saving it.

OP, I’d buy something extravagant that I wouldn’t normally buy like some designer shoes!

Show quote history

Actually, OP asked - twice - "what would you do with it?", not "What shall I spend it on?", so there's nothing wrong with suggesting saving.

I also don't think 7.5K is a huge amount of savings; by which I don't mean I have zillions more or that it's not a huge amount for some people to be able to save. Rather, itcould be wiped out quickly. If the boiler permanently conks out, car breaks down, let go from work, or dog gets run over, or any combination of any of these in a short time frame, then that's likely to cost £lotsK and would wipe most of it out.

I'd save mist of that money, too.

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 02/02/2023 08:46

Greatly · 02/02/2023 08:40

I still don't understand the idea of deliberately looking for something to spend money on just because you have it

You literally don't understand this? You must be thrown into utter confusion when you see people wandering around the shops at the weekend. I mean, why are they there? What on earth are they doing?

😂😂😂

What a miserable ice to be alarmed at the thought of treating yourself.

There are no pockets in shrouds after all!

pjparty · 02/02/2023 08:49

I get you @ThisGirlNever. It's the habit and smaller amounts that add up in the long run. Also, savings so kind of multiply with compound interest obviously not to a huge extent but over years it can be pretty significant.
I would save it too as get more joy out of the security than the thing.

ThisGirlNever · 02/02/2023 09:02

@pjparty I used a stocks and shares ISA and bought FTSE100 companies that paid decent dividends. It worked quite well, but due to stock market variations, there were times things went down (but they came back up again).

BertieBotts · 02/02/2023 09:11

Isn't it just a fun escapism exercise to fantasise about having a totally spare £900 to do whatever you want with?

I know what would happen IRL. It would get frittered on little things and be a little bit of a cushion, we'd get maybe 1-2 nice lasting things, there would be some disaster like the washing machine conking out and it would go on that. Or be absorbed into the overdraft clearing fund. IRL there is always something more urgent/sensible than the dreaming.

It is nice to dream though :)

SomersetDreams · 02/02/2023 09:49

Half on - FIll up the tank of my ftype jaguar a few times and have some road trips!
Life's to short!
Half - in the bank

CrazyCorgi · 02/02/2023 09:55

Is this the Cost of Living payment?