How much do you spend on self care and treats every month?

[SadWildebeest]

I'm struggling a bit (a lot) after a bereavement, and know I need to really up my self care and do some nice things for myself. It's all so expensive though. I am fortunate to be in a position where I can afford to do a bit, but wondering what other people are spending nowadays?

So far, I have managed to get a good deal with a yoga studio pass for a month to somewhere really nice. And making a list of extra vitamins I need, as am low in lots of these on blood test and feeling completely washed out.

I also should get my hair done, it has not been cut for over a year and looks a bit rubbish as it's ragged at the ends and lost shape.

Not bought any clothes (apart from pants and socks and tshirts) for years, and no idea what I like anymore, but I need to go clothes shopping at some point.

What things do you do for self care and how much does it cost? Have you adjusted things to save money over the last year?

In terms of self care I think it is a mindset really. Sometimes I just lie on the floor and do yoga breathing, it is amazing and costs nothing.

I spend very little personally.

Maybe I don't consider myself high maintenance because I don't look it.

I don't wear makeup day to day, I'm not glam and the hair is a box dye, done by my long suffering husband. As I said, the legs/bikini is only waxed out of pure laziness on my part. If I get my hair cut (rarely) it's a £10 job by the mobile hairdresser when she comes to trim the toddler and 8yo.

I suppose I consider the made up, fake tanned, big lashes, hair extension people as "high maintenance".

Willing to accept I am though. Just never really put myself in the HM box.

I have my hair cut every five weeks - but have a deal with my hairdresser where I do the salon social media in exchange for cuts. (He owns the salon)

Eyebrows waxed every three weeks, but otherwise do my own nails, shave rather than get waxing etc.

I like nice candles, love long baths but am happy with cheap bubbles, and probably buy too many clothes. My colleague and I do “Pret Friday” which always feels like a bit of a treat.

My biggest self-care - and most expensive I suppose - was dropping down to a four day week a few years ago. I don’t work a Wednesday and it is so good for me. Today I was just at home and had a long lie, did a workout on YT, long bath, and did my nails, but often I will go out for solo coffee and cake, go to the cinema, or just stuff like the dentist. I am very lucky that we can afford for me to do this, I know.

A leisure centre fairly near me has a fantastic spa. It’s under £20 for an hour - it’s not got lots to do, but plenty for an hour (or two), but it feels so luxurious.

Each week we set aside £25 for a takeaway.
Each month we set aside £100 for hobbies, and clothes (this is saved/accumulated until needed and covers a family of 4)

We don't have the budget for hairdressers, barbers, nails, or general other "niceties".

Definitely more money than me !

I fully appreciate this self reflection. I have £50 a week "pocket money" which usually save up and spend on makeup, skincare and clothes. I also only get my hair cut like once a year. I have 2 hairstyles. Grow it out and embrace natural waves and then cut it back to a bob until it grows back again. Out of that money though I have to buy my own razors/home waxing stuff, box hair dye, shower gel and shampoo. I used to have to buy my own Sanitary products out of this personal budget but talked my way out of this eventually. My husband has the same "pocket money" but doesn't have to use a penny of it on hygiene products as his £1 shower gel/shampoo comes out of the joint grocery budget, as do his Disposable razors where mine cost £13 a time for decent razor heads which I have to buy myself.

I am paying

£350 per month for a language class at SOAS (1.5 hrs per week);
£250 per month for gym membership;
personal trainer and private pilates instructor
£650 for a facial (once a month);
On average around £1k a month on clothes
£200 a month on skincare products
£10 on makeup (I only wear lipbalm)

I also attend cooking classes sporadically.

Oh and I get my hair cut every 9 months £60 ish each time.

Oh I forgot peloton, £40pm and the best thing I spend money on!

😂😂 Men can be sooo frustrating.

I have a personal trainer twice a week s that's £60/week. I get a facial every other month,£75. Pedi also can't remember how much £30? Hair three or four times a year £60 each. I probably spend £100 on face and body moisturisers/year.

Knitting group $20Au per month
Lunch on the same days at least $100 a month (must stop having a cake as well as toastie and coffee).

That’s my weekly day out and it’s the only one I have; I’m my mother’s full-time carer. I do indulge myself with biscuits in the weekly shop and yarn when I want to make a new jumper.

£8 in Superdrug to do my eyebrows (when they are ready bad).
£45 every six months to trim my hair (get rid of dry ends).
That's it.

I have had mild mental health challenges in the past and so my self-care tends to be what I can do to calm my fizzy brain rather than enhance my body. So I go out for a lengthy walk, or take my bike out for a ride, or go to the park and read in peace, or visit an art gallery or museum. These things calm me, de-stress me. I have also suffered a recent bereavement and so know that taking time out for yourself to reflect and make sense of things is important.

What others spend is irrelevant, you have to work with your own budget.

Just make sure you get the best price for the things you like to do, and make sure the things you choose are important to you. Different people like different things.

I spend almost nothing on beauty/grooming. I get my hair cut every couple of months in a local salon, which costs £30 and I use a box dye a few times a year, I don't wear make up or have my nails, eyebrows or salon hair removal etc.

I don't spend a huge amount on clothes, maybe £500 a year in 3/4 shopping trips and wear what I buy until it falls apart.

I go to a spa for the day about 2 or 3 times a year, but I don't have treatments and I just enjoy sitting around in hot bubbly water and a nice lunch or afternoon tea.

I do a weekly casual synchonised swimming class but most of my exercise/time for me is walking in the countryside, which I do at least once a week and try to do an hours walk most days (I live on the edge of green belt so can walk out of the door into hilly woods/farmland).

I have the OS maps app subscription which is £20 or so per year. I like walking alone, listening to podcasts and sometimes treat myself to fish and chips or a pub lunch.

I sometimes get the craft gin club subscription and I buy far too many 99 p kindle books.

DH and I each have £200pm spending money. I spend about half of this every month. Hairdresser for roots and blow dry. Bikini wax. Brows and lash lift. I have a massage every few months. I do my own nails once a week, (quick dry top coat has it done in 5mins)

A couple of bank switches available now from Natwest and HSBC would net you £400 for splurging on self care at little effort.

I always think of hair/waxing as the biggest cost so I get my hair done in winter, eyebrows and bikinis in summer. I buy moisturiser, spf, cc cream and mascara probably twice a year and am embarrassed by how few clothes I have but am trying to fix that! I don’t get nails done but I do paint them sometimes, I use homemade body scrubs (sugar and olive oil!) um … I think that’s it! I do buy a lot of books for my kindle, walk and jog and am going to try to get back swimming and as above will try to go back horse riding a few times a year. Best of luck op, sorry it’s been tough x

We're the opposite way round. We have a similar system and I spend about half mine and save the rest. DP spends all his in no time.

Which top coat do you use @OhSmitty ? I’ve been doing my own gel nails at home but after the recent news reports about allergy risks I’ve stopped - really miss having my nails done though and it definitely makes me feel better when they’re painted so I’m going to try normal varnish for the first time in years…

I have zero interest in make up, nails, beauty, hair, meditation (yoga) or clothes. I don't have any hobbies right now. Meals out are purely social occasions and unpleasant in being terrible value for money. Best endured rarely.

My self care involves getting outside & getting exercise. Those are what boost my mental health. So my expenses are:

£25/month : swim membership
£60/year : British canoeing membership, waterways license
untold amounts on cycling & paddling gear
costs to travel to exercise places (+parking), sometimes AirBnB to stay nearby
£32/month : skating for me & DS (I'm too shy to go by myself)

I do yoga daily at home from Youtube videos, dog walk daily.

Cut my own hair which is almost to my waist. I do like skincare and buy when on offer or i get try me kits.

Apart from that nothing, no nails, no waxing i shave. Do buy clothes occasionally but dont have the money really to spend, theres always something else to pay out for which takes priority

Hair is my only indulgence; I rarely buy clothes or make-up or spendy toiletries and have maybe 1-2 beauty treatments a year. Leftover cash is prioritised for nights out & holidays rather than regular self-care
I’d definitely spend more on clothes if I could but haven’t got it atm due to cost of living increases

I like to have fresh flowers, a bunch of vibrant tulips at this time of year is not expensive.
Scented candles; fig, mint, thyme.. anything herby not sickly sweet. St Eval are lovely and mid price range.
I love knitting but with a good quality yarn as that is more pleasing to use than budget yarn.
I do like houseplants and learning to care for them is a good distraction.
Finally, a cat for company.

I spend around $40 every 3 months on a haircut. Other than that I buy myself a lot of good quality chocolate and I don't even want to think about how much that adds up to. I honestly can't think of anything else.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

In terms of spending, I spend about £20 every 4-6 weeks on eyebrow, chin, and lip waxing

I spend between £20 and £45 per month on bath products from my favourite small business. It sounds like a lot but it's my "thing".

I got my nails done for my wedding and I really liked it so I'm also considering adding that to my self care which would be £30. The only thing putting me off is that it feels like I'm being really frivolous to get them done.

I get my hair cut every six months for around £70.

And I spend £25 a month on my online rebound trampoline class

I don't really buy clothes as I just wear things until they fall apart. I really hate shopping!