How much do you spend on yourself per month/year?

[beforeihit30]

I know budgets, circumstances and preferences differ but roughly, whether as an amount or a proportion, how much do you spend on yourself on a regular basis? I’m thinking of clothing, accessories and beauty items (make up, skincare).

I’m realising I don’t spend very much at all, and not regularly, so basically I don’t have much!

allison - I think you've just brought my spending down to nil!!!!!! I am really very low maintenance so I do consider it very wild when I replace a dried up mascara, however I consider good running shoes as vital to my health and mental well-being. I don't move in the sort of circles where people get their nails done (we are an outdoorsy, sporty lot) but Braxilian waxing is so convenient for wearing running knickers and swimming gear. My job is "informal office wear" so I pick up cheap tops in charity shops and Primark sales and wear them with my daughter's old school trousers. Sports bras, on the other hand, are a big spend (see M&S sale - I was very pleasantly surprised yesterday - I normally avoid M&S like the plague).

@Undercoverbanana I’m with you too, I’ve been reading this thread thinking that I perhaps need to spend more on my appearance! The only money I spend on myself is running related- I run 50 miles a week, I replace shoes maybe twice a year. No new running clothes/watch etc this year . I have hair cut once a year, and never buy make up etc. I’m about to tell DH I’m going shopping in the New Year after reading this thread haha

Number - standard running shoes need replaced every 300-500 miles. So In your case that’s every 10 weeks, not twice a year.

That’s quite a mileage for someone who is not a professional.

@PollyPerky £200 a month on clothes doesn't equal a bulging wardrobe if you don't spend it all in supermarkets/cheap high street shops. Most people I know who are spending that much will have a month where that £200 goes on a coat, or a pair of boots, or one pair of jeans and 2 tops.

A couple of bras from bravissimo, a multi pack of knickers from M&S and 4 pairs of warm tights from primark - that’s £100 a year before you start. And hardly luxury items / brands .

@ALLIS0N true, I have a number of shoes that I rotate though :). I probably usually buy more than 2 a year but I’ve been pregnant this year so my mileage has suffered! I’m not a professional by any means but my 10k time is 36 mins and marathon 2:57 and 100k 10:25...running is my sanity and head space after a long day with screaming toddlers I can’t wait to get out of the door haha

£500 a month or so. But it's my job : )

ALLIS0N You raise a really good point. One, that I doubt DH tots it all up - to be fair to him, he spends very very little! But when he does want something he doesn’t tend to worry, unless it’s a big shopping trip for lots of stuff, then he will be asking me whether we can afford it or say he’d rather spend on the family but I will always just go ahead and buy when it’s for him and he won’t feel ‘guilty’. And he doesn’t expect me to feel guilty either.

But things like toiletries, meeting expectations etc, you are right, that isn’t exactly a luxury either. I’m going to try and stop seeing things like my cleanser as a luxury, when I buy it because it’s the only thing helps hold my adult acne at bay (and I feel ridiculous at work with acne!).

PNGirl ( can't bear this @ by the way- we aren't on Twitter.)
I don't buy anything in supermarkets (clothes) or cheap high st stores. I don't buy 'designer' but I do buy Jigsaw (in sales), The White Company, Boden and Comptoir.

I'd still struggle to spend £200 every single month and wear it all. I've paid £250+ for a winter coat but that's a one-off buy one month and would last me a couple of years. Recently bought a Rab down jacket for walking, for £200 ish but again, a one-off.

£200 a month is easy. I have admittedly lost weight this year so eg. had to buy new trousers and dresses that fitted.

Admittedly I've not committed to anything in Dec, there may be a pair of shoes bought but I think that will be all. Oh, and a haircut £45.

But for example last month (Nov) I bought a dress for my Christmas party £119 plus ~£50 on alterations and new party shoes £99 in the sale but reduced from £179 so I could have spent even more. Also a pair of cheap jeans £25. And a haircut £45. Admittedly the party dress won't be worn much but the shoes and jeans will. £350 in a month.

Oct I bought a new pair of ankle boots £99 and a jumper £25. Also had my hair cut £45 so just under £200 in a month on things that are basics that are worn all the time, I've worn the boots at least once a week since I bought them and the jumper will keep being worn until it wears out, probably worn it every second week at least since it was bought.

Sept I splurged on the new season since I'm now 2 sizes smaller than I was last winter. So, deep breath: trousers £39.50, belt £19, dress £59, top £59, cardigan £78.40, jumper £84, blouse £56.25, belt £20, skirt £35. £450. Some reduced (there are some cashmere bargains there) but not all. Apart from the skirt which is very much a fashion item for this winter everything was plain neutrals for work and has been worn lots and will be worn until they get worn out or possibly out of fashion (by that I mean in a few years).

You'll be glad to hear August was just £6.50 on a sweatshirt and a haircut £45.

I do think people underestimate what they spend unless they are on a budget or record what they spend, I certainly did. And an increase in budget just means more expensive shops, I'd love to be able to afford some designer stuff but £100 is kind of my limit per item except shoes.

I spend on average £150 a month on my hair -colour cut etc, but don't spend much on clothes.Buy cheap buy twice has always been my motto so good quality but not that often.
I have always been really funny about my hair and it has to be right.
I do like nice skin care products and possibly spend several hundred pounds over a year.
I would never get in to debt for style or beauty items though.

I write down everything I spend on clothes each month and use Pinterest to log purchases. I feel that I don't buy that much compared to many friends and collegues but having read this thread I am probably above average in terms of expenditure and possibly volume. In 2017 I bought 42 items incl. stuff like swimwear, gymwear and underwear and spent on average £225 a month/£2700 in total. 10 items were bought from eBay and those items would have been hugely more expensive if I'd bought them new. I made £900 from selling unwanted clothes – I sell anything that I'm bored of, don't wear regularly or that doesn't work for me any more. I don't buy expensive makeup or skincare or have beauty treatments and ask for perfume for Christmas and birthday presents but I spent c.£900 on my hair. It does sound a lot written down (and some people may be amazed to hear that I think I am a thrifty shopper) but I don't feel guilty – I work hard and I don't have any debt.

I generally have about £300 a month left after bills and I spend it all.. some stuff will be for the house or for meals out so you could consider that 'joint' but otherwise it's hairdressers, laser hair removal, eyebrow wax, clothes. I don't buy a make up regularly - probably about once every 3 months or so.

Not much really. I can do my own nails. I get my hair cut about 4 / 5 times a year as I don't go for complicated cuts - I am too busy with work to be faffing about with it. Clothes I buy as I need.

Sorry, still disagreeing (along with others it seems) that £200 a month = bulging wardrobe.

For one, it's not one mass that grows year on year. Things wear out. I eBay things that don't work out. I donate.

I think I’ve unleashed something I’ve bought even more stuff

For the sake of not seeming like I have just massively let go, it’s all things I always wanted or needed but kept putting it off for one reason or another (some are much more need, others more want). I decided to buy new slippers today, expensive because they have arch support, which I need for muscular problems. I’ve been walking around the house in my trainers and orthotics, which is annoying and also I otherwise wouldn’t normally wear my shoes in my house so it feels weird too. I also ordered new glasses as mine are scratched, but instead of going for the very cheapest I got a nicer frame and invested in blue light and transitions, which I’m supposed to do (again for health reasons) but haven’t done before because of the cost.

I’ve also been looking at a necklace for two years and finally just bought (not massively expensive, just not dirt cheap either).

When I tot this all up, and bearing up in mind I appear to be making up for lost time, it’s not all actually a lot and nothing individually has a particularly high cost. I will stop soon/now but going to make an effort to review my habits every two months and see if I’m falling into the same ways (two months as I’ve now resolved to cut my hair every 2 months and not twice a year...).

I'm a bit of a shit for frittering money away lately, so DH and I agreed today to do no-spend January. I've stocked up on a couple of extra school jumpers the DCs needed and that's the very last bit of spending I'm doing. In December I spent almost £1200 on 'fun' stuff; clothes, boots, bags and beauty stuff.

When I add it all up it's a little terrifying how much I spend on clothes, makeup and 'bits' I don't need. Hopefully a month of cold turkey will help me break some of those impulse buying habits and make sure I need the things I do buy.