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Original poster

how much 'treat money' do you have each month?

74 replies

nearlyfinisheduni · 12/03/2014 20:12

I am trying to pay off my debt by the end of the year which leaves me with not a lot each month for 'treats.' I want to know if this is a good amount to still have some fun as I'd really like everything paid off asap.

OP posts:
angelos02 · 20/03/2014 13:07

About £800 per month. Pays for going out, savings for holidays, lunch at work etc.

monkeyfacegrace · 20/03/2014 13:08

After all bills we have approx £1000 'spare'.

We waste a good chunk of that, eat out a lot, I shop a lot and have my nails/hair done.

We have debts too which we should really start paying off Blush

Feel a bit silly after reading this thread Sad

TheOrchardKeeper · 20/03/2014 13:12

This thread is quite depressing. I usually think I'm lucky if I have the whole £50 left at the end of the month! Blush

Technical · 20/03/2014 13:26

It depends what you define as a treat. Lots of things that are really luxuries are often treated as essentials. Newspapers, better than OK food, hair and face products, Internet/TV/mobile phone, children's activities, anything whose sole purpose is to make you/your house/garden/children look nicer.

My mum was master of treats when I was growing up. Things that were really very cheap were rationed so we only had them rarely and they became massive treats. I had no idea how cheap my favourite "luxury", malt loaf was until I left home. She also did this with swimming in the council pool, crumpets, craft materials bought specifically for that purpose (rather than scrap paper or junk modelling) getting the paddling pool out. It wasn't that we were deprived, far from it but she understood that all these things were appreciated more if they were a rare treat/special occasion. My DCs complain about being made to go swimming Blush

My own favourite at this time of year is a bunch of daffs. I love them and it seems so decadent to waste £1 on flowers.

cheekyfunkymonkey · 20/03/2014 13:32

50 a month but that includes haircuts, meals/ day trips out, clothes etc including for dd. It mostly gets spent on dd.

CambridgeBlue · 20/03/2014 13:40

This thread certainly is an eyeopener, as is writing down everything you spend which is what I've done this month.

I've spent about £200 on 'me' although some of that was things like taking DD and her friend out for the day last weekend. Also includes haircuts for us both, petrol, DD's pocket money and birthdays so not completely frivolous but certainly more than a lot of people have to spend.

In my defence (not sure why I feel the need to defend myself but you know what I mean) I am freelance so my income varies quite a bit from month to month. I don't always have as much as to spend without thinking too hard about it. I've also recently paid off a large debt so I do feel I should be able to treat myself but am wary of doing so too much as that was what caused the debt in the first place!

magicalmrmistoffelees · 20/03/2014 13:42

Technical that actually sounds like a great thing to do, I might try it with my own DD when she's a little older.

TheOrchardKeeper · 20/03/2014 15:25

Btw, I have no issue with what others spend. Id certainly spend more if I had it! Just got used to having little and I wouldn't know what to do with it first if I had more than 200 Shock

If I have spare money then I treat us to food that isn't from the basic/value range and more fresh veg! That feels lovely if we have had a few weeks of frozen veg and cheap meat Smile

LornaGoon · 21/03/2014 10:32

"Btw, I have no issue with what others spend."

Me too. And it's not that I'm jealous of what other people have - I don't want to have stuff at the expense of them not having it.

But if I had extra cash after bills etc it would definitely get spent on some fun stuff, not even material things, more doing stuff, days out with the DC.

Metalgoddess · 21/03/2014 10:35

We have about £850-1000 between me, dh and 2 dcs. We have a separate christmas/holiday/birthday/car insurance and tax account so this is disposable income I guess but any emergencies, repairs or car maintenance comes out of this money. I'm amazed at some of the figures on here, I was worried about only having this amount!

BitchPeas · 21/03/2014 11:08

I have 1300 a month for myself and DS for treats, days out, meals out, holidays, emergency fund.

4 years ago, I had £0 though living hand to mouth and always ending the month in -ve and was massively in debt. So I feel very grateful for what I have now.

purplebaubles · 22/03/2014 13:51

1300 left? Wow. I'm jealous. That's practically our entire household income, and it's gets eaten up on mortgage, bills and food. :( Can't see me ever spending that - I'd be saving 90% of it in a 'just in case' fund!

mcgilly · 23/03/2014 03:49

We have £50 a week each to cover everything personal - clothes, hair, presents, books, Ebay, mags, make-up, hobbies like sport, coffees, meals out, treats for kids and mobile phones.

I love clothes so that is where I can get into trouble ... Otherwise it is quite enough.

mcgilly · 23/03/2014 03:54

I love treats and I indulge regularly, but just make sure they aren't expensive. So ... A coffee out once a week (I make really good coffee at home). A trip to the library alone - luxury. A book or clothing from the local charity shop. A new Rimmel lipstick. A great bar of chocolate. A movie on iTunes for kids.
I color my own hair, do my own nails and don't pay for magazines any more. Spending too much wouldn't be a treat, it would be loaded with guilt.

Supermum222 · 23/03/2014 06:36

About £1000 but I save £600 of it.

Supermum222 · 23/03/2014 06:38

Oh, and we are terrible for eating out. That is where we throw our spare cash!

TwitMcAwesome · 23/03/2014 06:50

None.

TwitMcAwesome · 23/03/2014 07:02

Just to add.....what orchardkeeper and lornagoon said.
I wish we had more, but that's life isn't it?

winkywinkola · 24/03/2014 02:31

None.

PublicEnemyNumeroUno · 24/03/2014 19:06

After bills, food and anything the kids might need i have maybe £50 per week for myself. This usually gets spend on tobacco and clothes off eBay or crap from poundland/homebargains etc, but ive been putting a bit away every week into a sealed jar - its my incase of emergency fund, i have about £600 in there at the min

Blossum123 · 24/04/2014 22:23

£50 - includes absolutely everything we want/need for ourselves. Hair, clothes, make up, socials, presents.

We only go out on special occasions
I colour my own hair
I do not buy magazines
We bring lunch to work
I shop in H & M/ New Look / DP
When going out as a family, we bring snacks and drinks

We have lived like this for five years. It is difficult managing on £50 knowing that some can happily spend this in one night. I have become so frugal and will not pay full price for clothes/shoes.

Wow well done ! How many r in ur family x

FrankCarsonsDressingRoom · 24/04/2014 22:26

Literally nothing. Clothes in sales for all of us, maybe go out once a month w girlfriends, I buy stuff when I have to. And I don't mind as its the only was we can afford to keep me from going back to wrk. Novelty wearing off though, so I'm probably ly going to get a job end of year :(.

Blossum123 · 24/04/2014 22:28

For us there is normally 2-300 spare . When I say spare tho it isn't someone always needs something .i love clothes and makeup .it goes quickly and easy . Lot of expense this month so I'm trying to be good only treated myself to a head band ! I am yet to do the budget but I believe there will be only £50 left . We have a year pass to a local zoo so will do that with the kids x

JessicaMary · 27/04/2014 12:06

I don't really want to spend much and prefer to pay back debt. Dye own hair ( I suppose at £7 that's a treat but otherwise it would be grey). Don't eat out or buy (or like ) coffee. Don't drink. Don't buy clothes much - may be once every 4 or 5 months. Wear clothes until they wear out. Don't really wear makeup and you'd have to pay me to paint my nails so no spending on "nails".

However it's all relative. For one person something like buying a newspaper (which I do do) is a treat and for others not so short of money that's a treat.

Apatite1 · 11/05/2014 11:07

Save as much as possible for house deposit, we try to avoid all unnecessary spending. Haven't bought clothes/shoes/treats since winter sales and don't plan to.