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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
This is such a great thread!
When I was dancing I was saving up for a Master's at one of the top UK universities... so I was saving up like MAD for a few years, not buying anything I didn't need at all.
Then I gave up dancing and the recession hit the Uk quite hard so the savings have been pretty handy to be honest (I have not yet decided whether to pursue this particular overly expensive Msc after all or not!).
My husband used to earn ridiculous amount of money in his job yet he spent most of it.... however since I have been in charge of the finances he has improved a lot 8) and now he even asks me if he could buy something despite the fact that we now live off his salary only.
Nevertheless, my conclusion is that it takes years of experience to become financially savvy.
For instance, I have shifted the little debt he had to better deals, switched to different gas/electricity suppliers, got credit cards with perks which get paid off every month but we earn airmiles/vouchers while doing normal shopping etc. It takes quite a lot of time to find the best deals as well as the best system for an individual to manage, however I have everything written down on a piece of paper so I can always get online and check the balances etc fairly quickly (despite this, my husband would definitely forget to do that - we have been down that route already).
So even though we don't need to do all these things as we are reasonably well-off, I really think things like that will always pay off in the long term as the discipline one acquires is transferrable to other areas.
Finally, I use Ebay quite a lot :) especially to buy second-hand yet almost new clothes :) I find that here in the Uk people just tend to spend spend spend and they don't think about how often they'll use something which is great for me as I can then get the item for a fraction of its retail price ;D
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
i envy the willpower of those who dont spend. i find everything i buy i need but by that i mean i NEED a pedicure, a new costume, shoes, magazines etc.
it would be hard to estimate but i been dancing for a year and have no savings only truckloads of clothing. i always have the greatest excuses for myself, but i hate it afterwards. its like being on a diet and then you break it with something delicious and full of fat and you do it again and again and then you feel bad because you really coulda done without it and you ruined weeks of hard work
:(
i know this doesnt sound like a big problem to some, but it really bugs me. i need bond for my new place, to pay off my credit card and save to live off money when i study full time next year......
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Hey hun,
I really feel for you :hug: I have met quite a lot of spendaholics and please do not be ashamed or too down on yourself because you don't have the willpower, I promise the basics are not that difficult at all!
Generally speaking, all the people who have spent too much or used to spend without giving it a second thought have one thing in common : they are not very happy. Some of them pretend that it is contrary to that even to themselves, however most of the time it really is something to do with their emotional emptiness. Think about the reasons why you spend and what kind of unnecessary expenditure your money goes to. Could the pattern have something to do with your other areas of your life where it's not going very well? If so, try to readress the issue in a different way.
Apart from being unhappy and thus trying to "treat yourself", the second biggest group of spendaholics are the ones I call the "unwitting" ones. That includes spending on coffee/teas/sandwitches/sweets/DVD rentals/books, etc. Most often people do not realise how much a £1.80-£2.40 daily expenditure on a coffee adds up to throughout the year...when in fact that could buy you a very decent holiday :)
So if you start off by simply putting all the cash you get your hands on away so that it is fairly difficult to access it immediately whenever you want (some people use envelopes, some short-notice banking account, try to think of whatever would suit your situation the best). Then whenever you feel that you definitely "need" something you will be forced to think about it a bit longer and access the money instead of making an instant purchase. Always ask yourself : "is this something I truly need?". Most likely the answer will be no.
Also, if you have noone who would support you in your new behaviour, try to either convince someone else to give it a go with you or join an online (or live, if you can find one) group of savers (there are a few Uk boards I know of where people offer their tips/support to one another; however I'm sure there are plenty of them in the USA too, just try to do an online search).
Try to look at the positives; now when you don't spend you will be able to afford big-ticket things instead of clothes, you will be able to secure your future and your bank account will start growing ;) I know of many people who LOVE watching their savings grow, it can get rather addictive for some, lol.
My last tip : if you are extremely bad with your money, start keeping an expenditure diary. This might point you out in the right direction with regards to answering the issues outlined above; I really believe everyone's situation differs radically and the sooner you find out about what lies behind your problems and establish a system that works for you, the better.
Once you manage these basics then you'll be able to start proper savings and investment plans.
Good luck !!
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
thanks but i wish it was that easy. i heard that before but i cant think of a void to fill other than my desire to own everything i like which is impossible and stupid. i do admit to going on a satisfying trip after a bad night/week to get distracted and my mojo back which usually works but most of the time i just walk past a shop id like and have to concentrate hard to keep going and not go in and buy like small things.
hence my shopping addiction thread.
/threadjack
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I put 100-400.
KaylaM is ballin....
Ill hit up Victorias Secret 5/25 panties. And sometimes splurge on a sexy pair for $20.00
Jeans... Damn, whoever has em to fit my long legs and thick thighs, I dont care how much they cost. I bought some yesterday for $24.00 I can sew on a True Religion label if I want a label..(((.that nobody will see anyway!)))
Lingerie...shiiiit...for who? He better be happy with my matching bra and panties! (YEP...buy the bra at VS,get the panties free!)
Sunglasses --$3.90 work just as well as Coach $200.00
I used to spend like crazy when I was dancing, because I always said Ill make it back tonight. Now ive become more responsible. Also,when I see a big chunk of money, it makes me want to save it and add it to the next big chunk. Since Im saving for my car, Im very careful how I spend now.
BUT when it comes to my baby girl... I buy her a LOT of things she doesnt need. I spent 300.00 on her the other day on even MORE clothes, and shoes, and Leap Frog games.... but shes worth every dollar. Plus it makes me feel less guilty than spending on myself.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AudrinaN
I put 100-400.
KaylaM is ballin....
Ill hit up Victorias Secret 5/25 panties. And sometimes splurge on a sexy pair for $20.00
Jeans... Damn, whoever has em to fit my long legs and thick thighs, I dont care how much they cost. I bought some yesterday for $24.00 I can sew on a True Religion label if I want a label..(((.that nobody will see anyway!)))
Lingerie...shiiiit...for who? He better be happy with my matching bra and panties! (YEP...buy the bra at VS,get the panties free!)
Sunglasses --$3.90 work just as well as Coach $200.00
I used to spend like crazy when I was dancing, because I always said Ill make it back tonight. Now ive become more responsible. Also,when I see a big chunk of money, it makes me want to save it and add it to the next big chunk. Since Im saving for my car, Im very careful how I spend now.
BUT when it comes to my baby girl... I buy her a LOT of things she doesnt need. I spent 300.00 on her the other day on even MORE clothes, and shoes, and Leap Frog games.... but shes worth every dollar. Plus it makes me feel less guilty than spending on myself.
You're ballin too! More than me even ...I think ;) :) :-*
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AudrinaN
BUT when it comes to my baby girl... I buy her a LOT of things she doesnt need. I spent 300.00 on her the other day on even MORE clothes, and shoes, and Leap Frog games.... but shes worth every dollar. Plus it makes me feel less guilty than spending on myself.
Ditto!
Your daughter is so beautiful Audrina!
I can relate to this, They know how to get us! My daughter is only 2 and I find myself spending ALOT on her. She has to look better than mommy.. ALWAYS!
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KaylaM
Ditto!
Your daughter is so beautiful Audrina!
I can relate to this, They know how to get us! My daughter is only 2 and I find myself spending ALOT on her. She has to look better than mommy.. ALWAYS!
Thanks so is yours! My baby is too sweet I cant tell her no to anything. BUT we are on a system now where she can pick ONE thing. So she will pick up something she likes and hold on to it half way thru the store, then sees something else and I say ONE THING BABY so she'll sit there and debate then she'll put one of them down and says MOMMY CAN U BUY ME THAT NEXT TIME? Shes so sweet. And she has a closet full of clothes Im so jealous the girl has like 12 pairs of jeans and like 40-50 shirts, and about 10 pairs of shoes. Mommy has 3 good pairs jeans, and like 12 shirts that I rotate lol That girl gets me everytime!
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Oh god... I dont really know exactly but most things I buy I really dont need so... uhhh I have 2 burberry wallets and 2 prada handbags totalling somewhere around $5K+... bah! And geez Avery got an LCD for $3-something??? Holy shitballs thats good. I dont wanna even say how much mine cost but I bought it years ago. Im pretty sure you could buy some cars for a similar price. ouch. But my money really goes to nights out. If I go out with friends I insist on buying bottles of veurve and of course you need the other supplies that go with it and I like to treat my friends so I can easily break $800 in one night out. I am a naughty naughty girl. Its probably one of the biggest reasons I will never have kids. Im a greedy bitch.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jessie_tinydancer
Im a greedy bitch.
LMAO! I somehow doubt that Jessie, I think you're a sweetheart! :-*
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lol1337a
This. I used to rationalize by telling myself, "I have X amount saved up, which is much better than anyone else I know, so I deserve to enjoy a small percentage of my income." Unfortunately, a small percentage of a good stripper income is still a high number. Other rationalizations: "People who make good money in high stress jobs spend more than other people to decompress," and "I can make it back in a night so who cares." I still grab handfuls of cash when I go out, but I never go out anymore so it's much better. My problem now is food. I easily spend $200+ on food a week. I like yummy things prepared and brought to me by others.
"Work hard while you're at the top of your game, because one day you won't be". Was said by a sound engineer, but I think it generalizes. I have fun too, but I fear the day that the gravy stops, and I'd like to keep having fun after that ;)
Maybe it's like how you get energy from coffee but pay for it later - you can think of spending money you have now as borrowing from your future self.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AudrinaN
Thanks so is yours! My baby is too sweet I cant tell her no to anything. BUT we are on a system now where she can pick ONE thing. So she will pick up something she likes and hold on to it half way thru the store, then sees something else and I say ONE THING BABY so she'll sit there and debate then she'll put one of them down and says MOMMY CAN U BUY ME THAT NEXT TIME? Shes so sweet. And she has a closet full of clothes Im so jealous the girl has like 12 pairs of jeans and like 40-50 shirts, and about 10 pairs of shoes. Mommy has 3 good pairs jeans, and like 12 shirts that I rotate lol That girl gets me everytime!
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!! Well I can't wait till mine is that age... but then again I think I can lol!
lol @ her having more clothes than you. Same thing with Laina! I also spend wayyy too much on her hair every month.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I spend about 20 bucks a week on stuff I don't need. Usually its something small like nail polish, or lip gloss. Even if I'm making kick ass cash, I won't spend it. In moments that I feel weak, I call my bank & listen to my checking and savings account balances; it actually motivates me to set and achieve even higher goals. Every time I have a good night and do my nightly atm deposit, I do a little happy dance. It's a great feeling.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I have a list of things that I want to buy once I get my credit card paid off. Dancing has really helped me figure out how to save / spend / budget my money. When I started, I totally thought that I would have tons of money so I put a lot on it. I was still getting money from my parents and was keeping a lot more of my stripper money because of that. Once I stopped taking the money from them I didn't have that luxury.
So now, I have about 5000$ of credit card debt that I'm chipping away at (should be paid off by the end of January at the ABSOLUTE LATEST). After that, I have a list of things that I need to buy. So first, my bunnies are going to be going to the vet, which will be about 1000$. I also need to get a new mattress, some clothes and whatever else I haven't been getting for the last while to pay off the CC.
What a shitty way to learn, right? But at least I did and hopefully won't let it happen again :P
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I said 40 - 100 a week. Im careful with my money and I limit my spendings most of the time. So 40 - 100 a week isn't a lot for me, I'd say I average to 20 - 60 a week on things I dont need. I used to spend more when I worked on things like my nails, hair etc but I only did that for work so I didnt look at it as a waste of money.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
luscious sadie
I have a list of things that I want to buy once I get my credit card paid off. Dancing has really helped me figure out how to save / spend / budget my money. When I started, I totally thought that I would have tons of money so I put a lot on it. I was still getting money from my parents and was keeping a lot more of my stripper money because of that. Once I stopped taking the money from them I didn't have that luxury.
So now, I have about 5000$ of credit card debt that I'm chipping away at (should be paid off by the end of January at the ABSOLUTE LATEST). After that, I have a list of things that I need to buy. So first, my bunnies are going to be going to the vet, which will be about 1000$. I also need to get a new mattress, some clothes and whatever else I haven't been getting for the last while to pay off the CC.
What a shitty way to learn, right? But at least I did and hopefully won't let it happen again :P
i was lie that when i first started dancing. it was high season so i didnt save a single dollar from my spectecular earnings and struggled for the remainder of the year
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I try not to spend more than £100, but it happens sometimes, Im not as bad as I used to be so Im proud nowadays.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I put $100-$400. I really really really want to cut that out, but I spend for "retail therapy" it's a bad habit. I'm in the process of trying to simplify my life, though. Trying to sell all the junk I've bought and don't need, and hopefully start putting away some savings.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Hard to answer that question. I am essentially a minimalist, spending more than I could theoretically. But since I am not a hermit or destitute or have an exploitative girlfriend anymore, how can I tell how much harder to bear down on my expenses?
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I think i'm overly thrifty. Once, my ex asked me "what are you DOING??", when he saw me counting piles of spare change... I told him the bank doesn't accept loose coins, and that I had to roll my pennies and nickels if I wanted to deposit them. He then called me "Ebenezer Scrooge."
I only spend on what I need, and even then, I question if I need it...
Lately, my only expenses have been:
Rent ($350 a month)
Utilities/internet ($30 or less a month)
Food ($200 or less)
Taxi to work ($8 per ride)
Art supplies ($50 or less per month)
Medication ($10 a month)
I don't buy weed or alcohol as much as I used to... but I guess I just get free hook-ups now (haha).
I dont wear any jewelry, I get thrift-store clothing at $3-$5 per piece, but I still wear some clothes that I've had since high school.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lillionaire
I think i'm overly thrifty. Once, my ex asked me "what are you DOING??", when he saw me counting piles of spare change... I told him the bank doesn't accept loose coins, and that I had to roll my pennies and nickels if I wanted to deposit them. He then called me "Ebenezer Scrooge."
I only spend on what I need, and even then, I question if I need it...
Lately, my only expenses have been:
Rent ($350 a month)
Utilities/internet ($30 or less a month)
Food ($200 or less)
Taxi to work ($8 per ride)
Art supplies ($50 or less per month)
Medication ($10 a month)
I don't buy weed or alcohol as much as I used to... but I guess I just get free hook-ups now (haha).
I dont wear any jewelry, I get thrift-store clothing at $3-$5 per piece, but I still wear some clothes that I've had since high school.
Damn, $350 a month for rent?
Where do you live? I'm moving there! :D
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
^I'd be guessing she has a roomie?
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
_Avery_
Damn, $350 a month for rent?
Where do you live? I'm moving there! :D
Yeah, I do have a few roommates... I live in Baltimore now, but that was how much I paid in Providence, RI, too... very affordable places to live.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I majored in Personal Finance so, you guessed it, I'm the young Miss Scrooge spending more like $40 a month on things I don't need. The main reason I'm this way though, is because I have a shit ton of student loans that I'd rather pay off so I'm being very miserly. Once my student loan debt is gone (2yrs from now @ 23), I'm sure I'll loosen up my spending although I'll then switch to investing for my retirement and future business endeavors.
That said, I do have a fun money & activities section in my budget. I have this because all work and no play is not good for anyone. So, since I have a hard time spending money while being in so much debt I have to force myself via actually accounting for it in my budget and pre-paying for my activities so that if I don't go, it's money wasted. I don't consider this money spent on things I don't need as it's more like money spent on keeping my sanity so I don't become this no life, no friends having, money hoarding looney.
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Re: How much do you spend on things you don't need?
I have to spend my money on new lingerie, hair, makeup nails, so I can't consider that buying what I don't need, unless I was not in the adult business. In fact I think I have more lingerie than clothes I like to wear out! Thats kind of sad because it proves I'm too cheap to treat MYSELF.
I am always buying things I need such as cleaning supplies, hygiene products, food... I also occasionally like going to trader joes because I like wine. I know I don't have to have it, but I like it, and trader joes has a good brand that is soooooo cheap!
I guess when you have been really broke, and scared to not have money, you will try to hold on to it. I have been told by people that I need to spend and enjoy life, but I just can't spend spend spend. My life is just fine without breaking the bank.
I checked $0 - $40