What do you spend more on now you're older?

doing what I want when I want, routine is out the window.

Clothes, cosmetics, WINE!!! trips out and eating out - lovely XXX

I echo what Mumsy said! Also eating out, especially lunch!

Strangely, because I have more time and am out and about when I would have normally been working, I have picked up some amazing bargains and reductions on quite high priced things.

Same here- what we want when we want- fabulous. And here too- going out for lunch about twice a week - nothing fancy most of the time but the 'menu du jour' at one of out many excellent French restaurants nearby.

Short hôtel/spa stays- again not too far from home- and visit to friends and family.

And as J52 says, time = time to pick up some amayzing bargains.

Travel : and we always upgrade for the comfort. I'm too long in the tooth for having my knees round my neck .

Anything to save me time and effort.

Crafting things : it's my hobby.

Grandchildren : we like to treat them

Spend more on than when I was working? Apart from travel insurance, because I have to, nothing at all. Which is just as well, considering our much reduced income!

We've been pleasantly surprised by how little we spend now compared to when we were working. Less on petrol, much less on clothes and shoes (we've got loads), I borrow books from our local pub book corner or buy from charity shops (or get them free from Gransnet ). Concessions at the theatre and cinema. Free prescriptions. Free food from the allotment because we've the time now to grow and cook our own. Plenty of Groupon travel deals, and trips at cheaper fares because we can travel during off peak periods.

And the family are settled, so we get treated by them now sometimes instead of us treating them

Clothes - but not really as I buy more expensive ones, but less of them.

Haircut - the days of me getting away with a cheap haircut are over.
But as I dont get it cut very often, I decided that the £10 or whatever I was saving per haircut, so about £50 per year, wasn't worth saving in my case.

Ah yes, the grandchildren - that's where all the savings we make go!

Can I ask a fairly cheeky question Maggiemaybe. We too are getting to the stage where our childrens' income is better than ours.
Do you feel ok getting treated by them?
Not sure that DH and I would feel very comfortable about that right now, but we could get used to it I expect!

Ive stopped 'treating' my grandkids now as both are adults and working full time, if they were really desperate I would help them out if I could.

J52
Echoing what you said about picking up amazing bargains because we're out and about more and at different times than when we were working.......
We popped into our local John Lewis store a few weeks ago, just to have coffee and cake, not with the intention of shopping.
When we were suitably refreshed, we wandered into the TV dept, not looking for a new TV, but picked up an ex display 65 inch Smart TV, with all bells and whistles, 3D, 4K UHD, not a mark on it, John Lewis price £2199......for......£599!!!
The low price was because it wasn't boxed, and the remote had a tiny 'dink' on one corner of the case, a 'dink' which DH managed to get rid of.
I know £599 isn't pocket money, and some folk will think it's an obscene amount to spend on a TV, but we both worked hard for what we have, and now we're having fun!
It wasn't just us who struck lucky either, as we took our old 40 inch flat screen TV to our local BHF shop, and it sold before they even had a chance to take it 'in the back' for £250, and as we 'gift aid' our donations, that added an extra 25% to the charity.
We'd probably not have even seen that offer when we were working, as DH watched the member of staff putting the reduced labels on it, and we snaffled it before anyone else got the chance!

obione I'm so looking forward to the day when one of my children can treat me nothing lavish mind. The most I've ever had from daughter is tea and a bun, not even that from our son. Neither has ever got any money.

Juggernaut
Exactly that! We were in JL needing a new dishwasher and Fridge freezer. We decided to hold off the dishwasher until our furniture came out of storage. But the F/F was pretty urgent.
We didn't get as far as the F/F because a £350 dishwasher was there for £175 because it didn't have a box. Snapped it up, it was delivered the next day. In another local electrical store, still looking for F/F and found a £700 one for £300 , it had a sight scratch on the side that would be against the wall!

I certainly would not have got either of these if I'd been at work! And I wouldn't have paid £700 for a F/F. It is a good one, though!

Rennies, clothing for grandchildren, membership at my gym for gd so she can use pool, cinema trips to watch Disney films, God thought that was all finished with, shoes such as Fitflops, short breaks, Berghaus jacket and walking shoes, Ancestry subscriptions, NT subscriptions, subscription to local childrens' hospice, clothes from shops such as East instead of Topshop the latter was quite a time ago now, root touch up products,highlights every 3 months, eyebrow products, sports bras. reading and distance glasses, sunglasses and occasionally a magnifying glass that was my mothers for 6 and 8 slightly indistinguishable even with glasses when I'm doing codeword, more books, European tv dvd rentals working our way through Deutschland '83 at the moment.

Anyone find the electricity bill goes up ? I have been querying how this has happened . DD was going over things with me , when she asked what the noise was ........ the washing machine was churning away , since OH has become immobile the washer is on nearly every day . The Carers are brilliant but they throw everything in the laundry basket . I would recue stuff but a wet facecloth on top ...........

On reading my list I realise I wouldn't have spent money on practically any of these items 10 or so years ago. An interesting thread to focus on changing spending habits.

Lots more at the opticians and dentists and decent comfy shoes are a must!

I bought a v expensive mattress, on the basis that I would be spending more time in bed. ( true - it was worth it)

Comfortable shoes, definitely as I have bunions so my feet are deformed. Fabric for clothes for my GD - works out much more expensive than buying shop bought, but I love making them and make DD loves dressing her DD in them!
Also just spending on my family when they need it.

Visits to local coffee shops; teeth and glasses; holidays in hotels rather than camping; dining out; treating the children/grandchildren. (Only one of my children is in a position to treat me and she does so fairly often.) I think that my biggest extravagance now is probably buying flowers - where once I would have bought one bunch at a time I now buy three or four. At the moment I have two vases of flowers in the sitting room, one in the hall, one in the dining room and a small vase in the bedroom.

More garden plants! There's no hope for me.

Slippers, fleeced and blankets. Books, sweeties and puddings!
!

Top quality meat, veg and dairy products. My appetite is smaller these days so I can afford to enjoy the better taste of locally grown products whenever possible. Have to watch the demon cholesterol though!

Hi obieone. Your question's not cheeky at all We still do the lion's share of the treating, tbh, because that tends to be the way of things, doesn't it? But no, we feel fine about them insisting on picking up the tab now and then, because it's usually by way of a thank you for looking after the grandchildren, or similar help with our time. We're just glad to be able to do that for them, now work doesn't get in the way, and also very pleased that they can afford to treat us occasionally.