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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that £500 is substantial to most people? Or is it just a drop in the ocean these days?

75 replies

ThisCheekyLemur · 11/04/2025 20:21

It seems like in some circles, £500 can be a lot of money but in others, it’s just pocket change. Curious to hear other people’s thoughts on this - whether it feels like a significant amount or if it’s really not that much anymore, especially with rising living costs and other factors.

What do you think?

OP posts:
Duckcake · 11/04/2025 20:22

It's obviously relative to income but to me that would be substantial, half my monthly earnings. I do 2 days a week. Will be doing 5 days in a new job soon but will still be almost half my wage.

Redhairandhottubs · 11/04/2025 20:23

It depends on the context really! £500 for a hotel room for 1 night is a substantial amount of money. £500 on food shopping for the month os average.

Whatsitreallylike · 11/04/2025 20:23

We frequently have to spend that on things like new appliances, tyres, furniture etc…. It’s annoying, and noticed, but not something we fret over.

Anotherdayanothernameagain · 11/04/2025 20:23

A lot for what? Surely it’s all relative? £500 for a weekend away, clothes shopping, replacing a window.

If we needed to spwnd £500 tomorrow then yes we could but it doesn’t mean we would spend £500 tomorrow on a want.

Dunnocantthinkofone · 11/04/2025 20:23

I think it depends on what it is for

As a very extreme example..
£500 for a house - hardly anything
For a packet of sweeets? Loads

Flutterbyby · 11/04/2025 20:24

It's obviously all relative. A few years ago it would have felt like a give amount to me, but not anymore.

frogpigdonkey · 11/04/2025 20:24

I’d be happy to get £500 and pissed at having to spend an unexpected £500 but it isn’t a big deal either way.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 11/04/2025 20:24

Well it will be to some people and not so much to others.. isn’t that always the case?

edwinbear · 11/04/2025 20:25

frogpigdonkey · 11/04/2025 20:24

I’d be happy to get £500 and pissed at having to spend an unexpected £500 but it isn’t a big deal either way.

This.

singlewhitetrashheap · 11/04/2025 20:25

It's a lot of money to me.

Evolutionarygoals · 11/04/2025 20:26

I agree with everyone else. £500 on a new washing machine: bit painful but doable. £500 for a new dress: unthinkable. £500 as a gift: jaw dropping.

bettydavieseyes · 11/04/2025 20:26

It's a nice amount of money if you're not expecting it and a normal amount of money to waste on a few things. I'm spending £300 on hippobag removal, £600 on 2 small sheds...it soon goes!

BCBird · 11/04/2025 20:27

If j had to spend 500 pound tomorrow, even though I have it I'd be a annoyed. It probably a month's shopping😬 Live alone

bettydavieseyes · 11/04/2025 20:27

Sorry I shouldn't hsve said waste-these are vital things I need. I hate wasting money!

CozyCoupe · 11/04/2025 20:35

frogpigdonkey · 11/04/2025 20:24

I’d be happy to get £500 and pissed at having to spend an unexpected £500 but it isn’t a big deal either way.

Exactly this for me.

Octavia64 · 11/04/2025 20:38

I mean if that was how much it cost to get my car through it’s MOT I’d be very happy because I’d be expecting more.

if someone have it as a gift I’d also be very happy,

if I had it as a monthly gas bill less happy.

Redheadedstepchild · 11/04/2025 20:45

€553 per month is the RSA - unemployment benefit - in France for a single person, living alone, so more or less £500. Can you live on it? Yes - but with difficulty because food/general grocery prices are quite a bit higher than in the UK.

ACynicalDad · 11/04/2025 20:49

I wouldn't spend that without consulting my partner, so It's not trivial, but if we get a bill for that we can ride it out, so it's not hideous, a few years ago I'd probably have lost sleep thinking about it but now we don't pay childcare and have had some pay rises it seems manageable, most months we could absorb it in our spending. But this will be different for everyone.

cakeandteaandcake · 11/04/2025 21:00

Really depends what it’s for. I could find it without missing it though, if that’s what you mean.

GoatCatTaco · 11/04/2025 21:04

If I needed to find 500 tomorrow (see the new washing machine example above), we are fortunate enough to be able to do it.

If you told me to spend 500 tomorrow (frivolous spending), I'd probably struggle.

FondantFancyFan · 11/04/2025 21:05

It is a quarter of my monthly earnings so still a substantial amount of money.

Soonenough · 11/04/2025 21:15

@redheadedstepchild Firstly, love the outrageous user name and secondly , you need to move to a different EU country . Unemployment double that figure in Ireland for example.

B1indEye · 11/04/2025 21:18

What do I think?

I think like everyone else it's a nonsensical question and the way you've posted I bet you don't come back to the thread

Doolallies · 11/04/2025 21:18

For a holiday? Or for a pair or shoes? Or for your isa? What

Backagainformorepunishment · 11/04/2025 22:02

Yes £500 is a lot of money to me.

I must say the obvious wealth of a lot of posters on MN always takes me by surprise. I know there are substantial regional differences in income but the number of posters whose incomes and savings and life styles are in a bracket I could only dream about are quite astounding.