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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you spend money every day?

77 replies

Ace56 · 28/03/2023 16:08

Had this discussion recently with a friend. Excluding direct debits that come out of your account, do you spend money on something every day? This includes shopping online or in store, transport, petrol etc. I definitely do, if not every day then 6 days a week.

For example, yesterday I paid for my commute on the tube, then got a coffee on the way home and picked up some cat food. Today I’ll also spend on the tube, and am then going for a drink tonight with friends so will spend on that. Tomorrow I know I need to buy a birthday present. And on and on…

I suppose if you do a big shop on the weekend then you wouldn’t need to buy as much food during the week, but surely you’ll still need to pick up odds and ends? Just curious really.

OP posts:
Lcb123 · 28/03/2023 16:39

I usually have 1-2 days no spending a week, when I WFH and eat food I have in the house. Even today I’m at the office and haven’t actually spent any money as brought all my food, already had petrol and parking permits.

Desmondo2021 · 28/03/2023 16:42

No, I used to tho. Have made a concerted effort since scaring myself with my festive season spends 🤣

It's crazy how many extra hundreds get saved a month just by watching the pennies. I mean, boggling. I'm not saying that to be insensitive, I know many people can't dream of saving anything at all, even if being frugal, but for myself, I was middle of the road, could afford to live and enjoy life enough, could save a little etc, but so satisfying to save that bit more. And I'm not giving up anything I want to have or do, just being that bit careful as to whether I actually need/want to make that spend.

Threesmycrowd · 28/03/2023 16:45

Yes and always more than I need to e.g. I'll go to buy milk but actually spend £10 ,picking up other bits while I'm there. It's really annoying I need to stop!

cartagenagina · 28/03/2023 16:46

No. I do my grocery shop online once a week. I rarely need to top up.

I might buy coffee out once a week. Train fares but they are all claimed back through expenses.

I go out for dinner/cinema/theatre/lunch roughly once a week.

Watsername · 28/03/2023 16:47

Personally I can go weeks without spending my any money. But that’s because it’s DH who has paid for the food shop / petrol etc. But even he probably only spends money 2-3 times a week.

DashboardConfessional · 28/03/2023 16:49

Pretty much. Today we needed milk and bread, then I took DS to Soft Play and got a coffee. Tomorrow I need some diesel. I don't work from home so usually pop out for some soup or similar for lunch.

It's not necessarily frivolous spending though. I might spend a tenner but it's on socks for DS and dishwasher tabs!

CrystalCoco · 28/03/2023 16:51

I've just looked at last month's credit card bill and there's only about 3 or 4 days in the month that I didn't use my card 😬

Sartre · 28/03/2023 16:51

Pretty much. I work PT now around the DC so on work days I pay for the train and always buy coffee and lunch. Non work days I tend to take DC out and spend money that way.

indecisivewoman81 · 28/03/2023 16:56

No not every day. I do a weekly food shop and by Thursday I usually need to pick up another loaf of bread but that's about it.

I drive to work but it's only in the next town so top up petrol once a month.
I do however normally go out to the shops on a Saturday and buy bits and bobs... the exciting life I lead!

SmallAngryPenguinWoman · 28/03/2023 16:56

No, but money probably comes out of joint account most days.
I make a real effort to have no spend days myself. I try to take lunch into work with me, if I don't that's a least €10 a day so it's expensive. Load up my travel card once a month, and rarely buy takeaway coffees.
Sometimes though it's nice to just buy something for the heck of it!

Hayliebells · 28/03/2023 16:57

No. I take my own lunch/snacks to work, and either walk or drive there. We do a weekly shop so that’s most of our food sorted, but sometimes we’ll do a top up shop if we need to. I order something online if we need it, for example I’ve just ordered some new kids clothes. I could count on one hand how many times I’ve done something like buy a takeaway coffee this year. But then I think homemade coffee is better! Socialising is quite a rare, once a month sort of event. I am happy to accept I may well be unusual though!

SmudgeButt · 28/03/2023 16:58

My FiL, when retired, used to go shopping twice a day and my OH has picked up this habit somewhat. To us it's perfectly normal to shop each day for what we want for dinner or breakfast next day.

WalkAwaySugarbear · 28/03/2023 17:00

No, I have more NSD than spendy ones in a week.

Bobshhh · 28/03/2023 17:00

Yes, I’ve been really bad recently as had a bonus and payrise the same week as some bad news so have been treating myself.

when I’m in my normal routine I do try and have at least one day with no spend.

BramleyAppleHotCrossBun · 28/03/2023 17:06

Not every day, but NSDs are much rarer than I would like. Today, for example, I had to grab myself some lunch as I was unexpectedly out at at that time. That was £7. Then I had to top up DS1s dinner account, £3. Paid for DS2s school trip, £19.
Lastly, took DS2 to Asda to buy a leaving gift for his form tutor at school (and managed to pick up other unneccesary shite because I took a teenage boy to a supermarket) which cost £27. (we're both devastated she's leaving, she's been incredible for him and he thinks the world of her. I'm pleased for her escaping the hell that is teaching though).

Tomorrow, though, it will mostly likely be nothing, except possibly milk.

BertieBotts · 28/03/2023 17:14

No, I only really spend money if I go into town or specifically go to a shop. There is nowhere to spend money within walking distance of home and I only usually buy online if I need something.

I track all our spending so a kind of mini-survey of a random month:

We spent on a total of 15 days, so averaged out would be every other day.

I spent money on the 1st, 9th, 11th, 14th, 17th.

DH spent money on the 3rd, 8th, 15th, 17th, 27th, 28th.

In addition to this we did 4 full food shops and 3 top up shops where I asked DH to stop off after work and get something.

I included things like petrol and tram tickets (though I usually use a monthly ticket there were a couple of days we had single trips) and online/digital purchases, and going out for things like coffee.

Mum23amazingkids · 28/03/2023 17:51

Yes I do , anything from £15 to £30 a day I have autistic child that demands buying something daily so we go out to the shops daily , some days I get a coffee on way to work or petrol or something I feel like having . But I definitely spend daily

Sgtmajormummy · 28/03/2023 17:57

1 or 2 no-spend days a week.
But the bank account is haemorrhaging money constantly.

Chilloutsnow · 28/03/2023 17:58

yeah I love spending money.

PiddleOfPuppies · 28/03/2023 18:10

No, but my options are limited. I can't pop to the shops while I'm at work and there isn't one on the way home. I last used my debit card on Sunday and won't need it again until Friday when I get petrol. I'll always take a packed lunch and coffee, squash and fresh fruit are provided in the office. It hasn't made me noticeably richer though!

stayathomer · 28/03/2023 19:28

I work in town so had to stop myself doing this, especially on my Saturday or Sunday, as I feel hard done by and tend to be tempted by everything 😅 We do a giant shopping and I’ve stopped getting any food (except bread or milk on the day before the next shop), but it means I throw in a multipack of bars or crisps to see me through. On the weeks we can afford it we buy fuel for the week although that’s more at the start of the month. My downfall is buying for the pets- food, treats etc and also buying presents in work for people when we have sales on😅 but there are weeks when eg you need to get workers, as you said get presents etc. I sleepwalk through the following week to spend nothing- it’s like a diet- I will not spend today, I will not spend today!!!

stayathomer · 28/03/2023 19:29

Ps sorry, there’s weeks the school asks for money daily for something or other- there’s no way out!!!!

emmathedilemma · 28/03/2023 19:33

No, I usually get the bus into work on Monday morning (more stuff to carry) but walk home and both ways Tuesday and Wednesday. Don’t often buy anything at lunchtimes as I take lunch, and if I’m organised with a weekly shop I don’t buy top up shops unless there’s something I forgot or couldn’t get with the big shop. Thursday and Friday I work from home and sometimes do a bit of food shopping one of those days to keep me going until doing a bigger shop on Saturday or Sunday, or I call in a different store for certain things. Weekends it would be rare not to spend money on both days.

katepilar · 28/03/2023 19:40

Yes, almost every day.

ClassicLib · 28/03/2023 19:43

No. I WFH, so I frequently have no spend days. I bought a loaf of bread today which was the first money I have spent on anything since Sunday.

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