Would £50 be enough monthly for…

[pinkponie]

If you had a few Starbucks/Costas a week, makeup / skincare top ups and clothes?

I started another thread about doing hardcore saving with my dh for two years for a bigger deposit for a house. I’ve crunched the numbers and this would leave me with X amount, once I’ve taken out paying for my nails and paying for my baby’s music groups, this is what I’d have monthly for coffees/makeup and clothes. I’d say that I don’t really need any more clothes, maybe a few skirts/tops off Vinted when we hit summery months but that’s all, not a new wardrobe or anything. I’m fine for shoes. The only makeup I replace monthly is concealer and mascara which costs about £16 for both a month. I have a surplus of brow, lipstick and foundation products. The only socialising I do nowadays is mum and baby related, hence the costas and baby groups. I don’t know, is it just unrealistic? I’ve already covered my nails, baby groups and gym membership separately.

If you use the Starbucks app or Costa app they both eventually add up to a coffee, and I thinkyou still get an extra bean if you take your own cup to Costa.

I'm not going to suggest cutting it, because obviously you can make a coffee for ha'penny at home but if you have a baby (note, not sarcasm) I fully get the need to grab a coffee with a baby/baby group.

One thing you can try is sometimes they have offers if you buy their gift card for £20, you get an extra £5 - essentially a free coffee, it also works to "keep" that budget just for ☕☕☕

It really depends to be honest but probably not.

Even if you just said Costa/Starbucks, I would get a latte which is about £4.20 (I think?) for just the standard size. If you did that 3 times a week, 4 week month that would be £50.40, 5 week month that’s £63. So when you factor in that and your makeup you’re already over the £50 a month. There are other more expensive drinks too, depends what you drink.

Also on the make up two thoughts. One- could you/ would you get a lash tint at a beauty college, to save on mascara? Or two- only buy mascara on boots points or Tesco points? Or three - downshift a brand? I found i quite liked a boots 17 one (bought in a forgot-make-up-bag emergency) but surprisingly volumey and not drying, it was maybe £3 ish

Honestly I’d cut out the nails and just paint your own at home - completely get not wanting to cut the coffee budget if that’s where you get out the house and spend time with other adults, seems much more valuable than the nails to me!

A tube of mascara a month??????!!!!

So if you pay £16 a month for make-up, that leaves around £35 for coffee and clothes. Thats less than ten pounds a week.

if you’re used to going to Costa when meeting up with friends, then basically there’s no new (or new secondhand ) clothes. Or you’re buying vlothes and no coffees. Only you can decide whether this trade off is doable.

Another thought coffee wise..if you have mothers day and or a birthday up coming you could ask for coffee vouchers for your gift really showing my Starbucks addiction now

Do you genuinely go through a concealer and a mascara every month? I wear make up daily and go through about three of each a year.

I prefer my local independent coffee shop and my order is £3.70. For every 9 I purchase I get a 10th free. I currently have about 3 a week with friends then a family coffee at the weekend but we could definitely cut back.

Well only you can answer that really. You can either stick to it or you can’t.

I do go through a tube every 4/5 weeks. It’s a tubing mascara from ELF (£8), can’t wear normal ones) but it doesn’t last anywhere near as long as normal ones.

It’s very tight for any disposable income. A coffee is like £4.50 these days, if you run out of face cream or mascara it adds up. If you needed new jeans you would probably have to save for 2-3 months.

Is this permanent or on mat leav?

I would scrap the nails.

I think it’s manageable, even more so if you do your own nails. I agree with what others have said about the amount of makeup you’re using - I’ve been using the same mascara, almost daily, for over six months.

Nowhere near enough.

That’s how much I have per month for myself after bills and groceries, it’s not fun and you will often find yourself cutting back, so doable depends how dedicated to the savings you are, like if you’re over budget one month are you fine getting a cheaper mascara or skipping out type thing

Plus things like new underwear.

No I don’t think it’s enough if you want it to cover a few coffees a week plus make up and clothes, especially not for 2 years. Your make up is £16 a month, so that leaves £34. That’s not enough. I’d cut out nails and add that to the budget, or cut out make up.

Could you cut the concealer or swap for a dot of foundation, if you have loads of that leftover?

Just trying to think outside the box. Also want to know what the concealer is and is it any good (off topic sorry!) x

I don't think it's realistic for 2 years to only leave yourself £34 (once you've bought your make up) per month to buy everything else you might need. I read your other thread so I know you have a target but if you go over your budget by just £5 one month that cuts it down to even less the following month. I think it would be really hard and probably pretty miserable to stick to for much longer than a couple of months.

I don’t do nails or make up and I’d invite people round for coffee to save more cash

£50 is roughly £10 a week / 2 to 3 coffees?

@Ifonlyitwasthe90sits Maybelline fit me. It’s good for the price, I don’t like heavy/full coverage base makeup. Would give it a 8/10.

I was hoping things like that could be joint but with some relationships who knows!

OP, I’m wondering will your partner be on as tight of a budget too?

Also wondering this. Are the baby groups coming out of your budget or a joint one. If you shared this expense would it give you some extra room?

Honestly paint your own nails! Why do all women these days pay £££ for horrid fake looking nails??

Easier said than done though, paying for a coffee out with a baby isn’t quite as frivolous as just making it at home for your commute to work. It’s usually done out of social need, in an effort to build a network of women who often you don’t know before so can’t just have them over at yours!