Is frugality just being miserable?

[Gardeningworld]

Hi all
I am in my mid 20s and have a professional job (office job) and so make a monthly salary. With my partner we make £100k into the household.

we are both quiet introverted people who enjoy hobbies around the natural world - think gardening, hiking with our dogs, camping etc

so we prioritise spending money on our dogs food insurance etc

but otherwise we don’t spend much money. We follow zero based budgeting and are prioritising paying down our mortgage before kids whilst we have money spare.

i do worry that we are ‘wasting’ our 20s when we see others spending so much every weekend when we just potter at home or go out for a days hiking which just costs petrol.

i don’t really want to spend more money on eating out or weekend activities but we would like to travel more as at the moment just holiday in the uk.

are we being too frugal and should experience more now? What would you do? I don’t want to regret my choices!

we would like to travel more

Surely this is the only part that matters. Start a savings pot for a holiday and just go.

If you end up not thinking it was worth the cost, take a cheaper holiday next time. If that wasn’t worth it, don’t go again.

If you earn well and want to travel, why don't you? What are you waiting for? No future is guaranteed, it's all very well saying you want to be fiscally responsible / retire early, blah blah... but things change. If you want to see the world, go now.

It depends what your priorities are. Some people are happy to potter around and focus on their family. In my 20s I was going to lots of festivals, parties, gigs and travelling. That would be hell for some. If you're happy then carry on as you are.

You’re making a lot more than the average wage. Frugality isn’t making you miserable, your choices are. Are you actually miserable though? you’re doing things that make you happy. And why do you care what anyone else is doing? Do you want to be going out every weekend like them? If you have the money then go travelling but I wouldnt be spending money on things I don’t enjoy.

An annual holiday in your 20s when you both earn a good wage won’t ruin your finances going forward. As someone who now has a toddler in her 30s I’m glad I travelled to all the places I did in my 20s as it would be completely impossible right now.
You don’t have to go mad with it, it’s still important to save and I’m also glad I was able to put money away, invest and buy a property. But you should also live life a little :)

think gardening, hiking with our dogs, camping etc

Why don't you just tell us what the hobbies are so we don't have to think about it?

we prioritise spending money on our dogs food insurance

Why are you insuring your dogs' food? 🤔

Only you know what makes you happy and what your long term priorities are. No one here can tell you whether you will regret your choices but you can only regret the fantasy of the life you think you might have lived if you had made other choices, the reality of those choices could be very different.

Live your life the way you want to, not the way you think other people might think you should.

What do you do that makes you so much money at a young age?

As someone who now has a toddler in her 30s

Your daughter is way past toddler!

If I were you, I’d google ‘Rebel Finance’ and join their recent 10 week course. You can catch up the ones you’ve missed on you tube. All free. No catch. No dodgy advice etc.

i wish I’d done this in my 20’s at your point in life. Great ideas for the future re future finances etc. Personally I don’t 100% adhere to their plans re focusing on future retirement, but their ideas for savings/ investments are worth listening too

@Isittimeformynapyet are you bored?!

OP, it’s sensible to pay into pensions regularly, and you could overpay your mortgage while you have spare cash, and save up an emergency fund and a childcare pot if you want to have children in the future and invest.

But otherwise, enjoy your money. Do what you want to do. And if you happen to not want to do things that cost money, don’t worry. Be grateful that you like a frugal life!

@FloraBotticelli yeah, little bit (hangs head in shame)

It all depends what you want to do!

Obviously it's really sensible and a good idea to pay down your mortgage, pay into pensions etc but if you’d like to travel more, it’s a good idea to do it before kids.

Sounds like you could spare some money to travel a bit and still do a lot of the sensible stuff!

Wow thank you so much incredible advice! Thanks everyone I think we are very happy in our choices - obviously we are making some sacrifices but to set ourselves up in a stable financial situation but honestly have a lovely little life. Reality check to just focus on our life and not compare to social media etc thanks all!!

If you want to travel, now is the time.

Depending on your idea of travel, kids could restrict you for the best part of 20 years, and who knows what will happen in that time?

100k between two working professionals would be standard enough.

Its all about balance. But omg travel now! I travelled loads before kids but still would have liked to go more looking back.

If you dont go out at weekends thats fine but please travel! Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. Best of luck x