How much do you spend on yourself?

I dislike clothes shopping so only buy clothes if I really need them for a special occasion or something wears out.I buy good quality skin care and have a gym membership so I can swim regularly. Most of my social life is meeting various friends to walk our dogs or for coffee,and my biggest expense for pleasure is plants and gardening stuff.I now volunteer at the local library so reads lots of books from there.Really I think I'm quite cheap to run !And as DH can no longer golf or play squash those memberships are no more.But if I want or need something for myself I don't feel guilty.Larger purchases are always a joint decision.

A side issue for this thread, but can I urge those who leave all the household finances to be managed by their spouse to get a grasp of what’s what? I have seen too many husbands who think it is their responsibility to shield their wives from reality and when widowed, the wives struggle to get to grips with it all, especially if they had money to spend freely.
Thank goodness we are not all like that.

Good point cabbie. In our case it’s me that’s sorts all the finances DH has no interest, but he’d be lost without me. I’m going to have to sort it out.

I like nice things, but don’t spend a lot on clothes and makeup as I’ve minimised. However I’m spending a lot at the moment on restoring things I’ve inherited from various relations. Most recently I spent £400 on having a chest of drawers restored this month, which came from my husband’s parents house, it was in the bedroom I slept in the first time I met them so it has sentimental value - and it looks lovely now.

Not much really. I buy a lot of kindle books which are cheap, and love bargains from eBay. DH is dreadful and we always come home from shopping with numerous treats he has bought for himself.

Very little, not much at all really. Our money is joint.

More than some I expect and less than others.

Urmstongran

More than some I expect and less than others.

Ditto

We have always had our own bank accounts and a family account. In early days when money was tight, we added up our joint income and allocated it under different headings and we each took responsibility for areas of expenditure and the amount to be left in our accounts was calculates. As I remember I had charge of housekeeping, DH was responsible for cars, and money for household bills, went into the family account.

Now, with money more plentiful and pension income more or less even. We have kept our budget responsibilities, both put money in the family account but do not pool finances to make the calculations.

What do I spend it on? clothes, I am not a big spender, magazines, books, outings, home and outside interests.

My indulgence is books. Lots of them, but bought second hand from our lovely local charity book shop. Good haircut every 6 weeks. Lunch with pals every couple of weeks. Oh, and good shoes. Simple soul really, but well read and well shod.

I have drawn and painted all my life but during the 10 years that DH was ill I abandoned it altogether. A year ago I started going to a U3A painting group and, after a couple of months, I began to think I would really like some new paints instead the 30 year old ones I was using. I have now spent an astronomical (to me) amount of money on some top quality paints, brushes and oil pastels. They are the sort of quality I have always dreamed of using and if I don't have them now when will I?

Horses for Courses, but there's no way I'd ever want a joint bank account, that's not a problem for us and we discuss where all our joint investments are and they are split between us, ISAs, Wrap Investments, Building Society monies etc. I pay for the housekeeping. I have dds going out for my phone, gym membership, several charities, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Prime membership, I'm thinking of adding Apple tv. He pays all the bills, anything to do with both our cars, servicing etc., he also fills up my car, his dds go out on his golf club fees, gym membership, his phone, a couple of charities and all our energy bills, council tax. Holidays, breaks, restaurants, come out of our joint money, unless it's one of our birthdays then we treat each other. I pay for my clothes, hairdressing, cosmetics, but I don't think I spend vast amounts. Hairdressing is probably my biggest extravagance I go every six weeks for highlights. I certainly don't have the retail therapy urges I once had, I find all that quite boring these days. We both buy books, but also use the library too, He buys his clothes and golf related stuff. We are very much agreed on not having to justify what we spend on ourselves, so for example if he wants a new golf club, or a one to one lesson from the golf pro which he does quite a bit in the summer months, or I want something say some one to one yoga, or perfume, things that could be deemed occasional extravagances, these come out of our own individual bank accounts, we might mention it but don't ask each other if it's ok, because we don't feel we have to and are both sensible as far as outgoings are concerned.

All our bank accounts are nominally joint for the simple reason that in the days before mobile phones, the internet and internet banking , days when DH's work took him to remote regions of the world for indefinite periods. I did all his personal banking for him, paying credit card bills, checking statements etc etc.

Sod all.

Not much at all, I’m a cheap date😄
Have a very busy life so not much time for browsing and shopping, which is just as well.

M0nica

All our bank accounts are nominally joint for the simple reason that in the days before mobile phones, the internet and internet banking , days when DH's work took him to remote regions of the world for indefinite periods. I did all his personal banking for him, paying credit card bills, checking statements etc etc.

I used to be in charge of all the finances too, from our joint account, as DH was often away but it was a relief when he said he'd take charge of utilities, Council pretax, insurances etc after he retired. We do discuss them.
They're all rising rapidly despite doing comparisons

I live on a careful budget but don't really go without anything I need.

I’ve just had a treatment plan from my dentist and my next round of treatment is going to cost £8000+ (no that’s not a typo). So that’s where my life savings are going! 😱

I am retired so rarely buy new clothes, handbags or shoes. If I do spend, I tend to buy things for the house rather than for myself.

Do not have many subscriptions either, Netflix, a few e-books from Amazon. My mobile phone is quite old- only 16gb, on a monthly SIMs card.

I managed to clear all my debts recently, so can now put aside money every month to do up our house bit by bit.

I spend very little on myself. I don’t get my nails or hair done and I buy things on clearance or even at charity shops. However, I do spend on the grandkids for birthday, Christmas etc. I enjoy spending it on them rather than myself.

We have a joint current account and individual savings. We never buy anything large without discussing it. I have a hairdo and nails monthly. Our biggest expense and our only subscription is for golf which I have just paid for the year £2240. Many clubs are much more expensive but this one is very local and very friendly. We know we are fortunate to be able to do this.

One thing DH and I have never argued about is money. Always had a joint current account, salaries paid into it, now pensions.

If I need something, I buy it, DH likewise.

But we have modest tastes, so not often needing things.

Have never understood women who buy new clothes say, then hide them from their husband or pretend they’ve had them for ages. Either they are being unreasonable with their purchases, or he is being unreasonable with his reaction.

GSM yes I don’t understand the idea of having to spend more money. Some bank adviser once said this to me too. I was surprised.

I cannot quantify what I spend. No make up, no nail or body treatments. Good dry cut every 6 weeks and £18 for that, pedicures etc not needed, if I want a pedicure I do my own feet. I love good, very dark chocolate and one bar can last a week. My exercise is either cycling, walking or using my stretch bands. No need to pay for a gym

I do love my hobbies and can spend on re-building my fabric or spinning stash. Overall I am well under OPs £250 a month, last buy for myself was a leather knitting bag, very much wanted as it was designed by a knitter and made in Denmark and will be very tactile. I won`t receive it until july. I paid for that last month

Probably the monthly figure quoted here I spend in a week. For example, I bought expensive glasses last week, but decided to buy an additional pair plus sun glasses. If I buy a pair of shoes, I often buy more in other colours. So I guess I probably spend a lot more than some.