Budgeting for personal entertainment

[Broken Arrow]

The Budget Man, I think you bring up a very good point. I have learned about myself that I too need a bit of entertainment in my life. And that's why I haven't sold my portable game system, nor have I stopped going out to eat altogether.

If I may offer the counterpoint, how does one go about deciding what is entertainment and how much should be spent on it? Would you say that such a thing is highly subjective? Isn't it possible that someone could budget unreasonably high and end up hurting themselves? How about the sense of entitlement? Couldn't get carried away as well?

I suppose what I am trying to say is that, well first of all, I do agree with you. However, I think there should be some kind of balance in there, and that entertainment should be "earned", not necessarily "bestow upon" as a budgeted item.

For example, while I do not have a budget specifically for entertainment, it does not mean that I have no means towards obtaining entertainment. If that's case, then I think my budget would have failed a while back as well.

Instead, I would take it out of my over-inflated food budget. The reason why I do this is because I admit I like to eat out sometimes. And that's expensive... and I admit the dining experience is a form of entertainment to me.

However, if I want something else badly enough, I'll have to give up eating out... and settle with X number of nights cooking at home. And that's how I "earn" wants so to speak. More importantly, by operating this way, it in no way affects any essential items on my budget.

Now, I'm not saying everyone should operate as I do. However, I will say that this method works well enough for me to not need an entertainment budget.

[frugalmomof1]

Since DS has been born we don't need much in the way of entertainment. DH and I have been out to eat together 3 times in the past 14 months, and have been to the movies once or twice. We are going to see Wicked! next month..the tickets were pretty expensive, but we put that on the Discover card which is currently 0% for the next few months. We considered that part of our Christmas gift to each other. IL's bought tickets for the Trans Siberian Orchestra later this month, and will be taking us out to dinner as well. (My sister will babysit for free!)

When I started working 2nd shift, I subscribed to DVR service from my cable company for $9.95/month. I either borrow movies from my sister or rent them from Redbox for $1/night. Since I work nights during the week, and DS is in bed by 7:30, we are content to stay home weekends and watch recorded TV shows or borrowed movies. When we do go out on the weekends it is either to do necessary shopping or we visit family or friends.

So, overall we don't budget for entertainment. Since it is such a small (most times non existant) expense we just call it a household expense.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Budgeting is a diet. Will you make a life change and live within your means? Or will you fall off the wagon at the first temptation? Changes for life have to be small and work for you personally, like losing weight. You can't go back to eating the way you did before or else the weight will get back on.

A realistic budget is one that you can live with forever

[lgslgs]

We budget $10 per month, but our year to date spending is only $0.00.

I doubt we'll spend the $10 this month either.

Lynda

[vishenda]

My dear friend never goes to movie houses alone (trauma), so she pays for me and I enjoy it!

[JanH]

We budget $50 a month for books (Hubby doesn't like hardbacks so the library doesn't carry a lot that he would like to read--I try to use the library more) and $50 a month to eat out. We rarely go to movies, but rent one on the rare occasion. I also have a $20 a month category for hobby related items. I don't usually use it up.

[lrjohnson]

I budget between $20 and $30 a month for entertainment (movies, camping fees, whatever) and dining out.

Others spednign in that area:
I pay $10/mo for my half of the Netflix bil.

I pay $5/mo for my half of the 10 channel cable bill.

I pay $25/mo for my half of the high speed cable bill.

I periodically buy books and cds, usually at garage sales or thrifts stores, but regardless of where I buy them I consider it a Household expense in my budget not a entertainment expense.

Sometimes I'll have people over, or take food to a potluck gathering, but my grocery budget has mroe than enough room for these treats. It's not free entertainment, but it's pretty cheap.

[humandraydel]

Originally Posted by Broken Arrow

Instead, I would take it out of my over-inflated food budget. The reason why I do this is because I admit I like to eat out sometimes. And that's expensive... and I admit the dining experience is a form of entertainment to me.

Ultimately, I think you are right when you say whatever works for you.

I am completely the opposite of you, however. My food budget contains the amount needed to cook all meals at home (and take leftovers to work!). Then if I want to go out to eat, it must come out of my entertainment budget! Of course, I usually decide I'd rather cook for myself and spend that entertainment money elsewhere.

Personally, I have an "entertainment/misc" category. After all bills and savings, money left over goes into entertainment/misc. That's what I know I can spend guilt free on anything. And it forces me to realize that if I need a new toaster or something, I have less to spend on entertainment that month.

[pjmama]

I have separate budgets for entertainment, eating out, clothes, and misc items that pop up. If I didn't have those I wouldn't stick to my budget at all. By "allowing" myself to indulge to a certain extent, I eliminate (for the most part) overspending out of guilt... At the same time, I've got that obsessive personality type... I admit I've exceeded that dollar amount this month, however... needing warmer clothes to fit the weather is a little important... At any rate, good luck!

[genmed]

I agree that I definately need a budget for recreation, because if I don't I feel deprived and have a hard time not justifying "overspending" everywhere else. have been tracking my "dining out" in our groceries. I tried doing it separately, but feel like I am doing a bit better when they are together. I current budget about $80 a month for "entertainment" -- this includes, gifts ($20), Blockbuster ($20), and $20 for each of us for whatever.

[The Budget Man]

The challenge of deciding how much we can afford to spend on entertainment is very difficult unless we have a simple division in our budget between the money we have already commited to bill paying and the money we have available for Day-To-Day living.

One of the incredible discoveries of Personality Budgeting was that there are only three places your money can go...


We can pay bills that we have committed to

We can save money for tomorrow
or

We can have money for Day-To-Day living

The banking triangle (copyright) shows this very simply



The exciting part of all this is that once we have separated out our bills and savings, everything else can be moved around at will.

All of a sudden we can see how much money we have available and we can decide if we want to spend it on entertainment, food etc.

Enjoy Your Money
The Budget Man

The Budgeting Workshop is a free 20 minute online workshop that will change your attitude to budgeting.

http://www.personalitybudgeting.com/pb_workshop_1.php

[naturalwoman]

yes i put that in my budget as entertainment. it could be movies, dvd rental or bowling, but it's there.

[T_I_N_A20]

I'm planning 50$ on entertainenement (food is included) and 50$ on clothes. I decided to do this way to see if it'll work... I'll get back to you guys on that later on.

[outlawsister1973]

I should be ashamed to admit that I don't budget at all. I pay the bills as they come in. I most certainly don't set a limit for entertainment or eating out....which is why I get myself into trouble. That will have to be my New Year's Resolution. We haven't been eating out as much or buying new things...(not so much because I don't want to and would if I had the money)...so that is kind of a good thing. Lol!

Spending really makes me happy. Unfortunately most of the spending goes for bills. Blech.

[tinapbeana]

Originally Posted by outlawsister1973

Spending really makes me happy. Unfortunately most of the spending goes for bills. Blech.

i was the same way for a long time, still am actually. what i realized, though, is that for me the part that makes me happy is the 'thrill of the hunt', so to speak.

i like finding deals. not just deals, but GREAT AMAZING deals. in my family, and now with some of our friends, these are the things we brag about when we get together. for instance: my christmas present to my dad was a 2 gig flash drive. normally 80, i got it for 24.99.

so, instead of just shopping just for the sake of shopping, i'll shop to see if i can beat my best deal. for instance, today, i bought 4 rolls of christmas wrapping paper 25 sq ft each for a quarter apiece. i bought it because it was a better deal than the last time i bought paper just before christmas: 2 rolls 50 sf each for a buck each. granted, next time i'm not likely to find it much cheaper than this, but i'll know that this is the price i should be looking to pay.

[The Budget Man]

Originally Posted by outlawsister1973

I should be ashamed to admit that I don't budget at all. I pay the bills as they come in. I most certainly don't set a limit for entertainment or eating out....which is why I get myself into trouble. That will have to be my New Year's Resolution. We haven't been eating out as much or buying new things...(not so much because I don't want to and would if I had the money)...so that is kind of a good thing. Lol!

Spending really makes me happy. Unfortunately most of the spending goes for bills. Blech.

It's interesting that you say you don't have a budget. It's also interesting to hear you say that you should be ashamed.


Here's some amazing news for you... YOU DO HAVE A BUDGET... it's simply not the traditional written one. You proved it when you said that you have cut back on eating out so you can cover the bills.

If I had a dollar for every person who has told me that they don't budget, I'd be a multi millionaire.

The truth is that we all budget differently and that for too long we've felt inferior if we don't have an old style written budget.

By the way...

You are correct... most of your money goes on bills (about 70% on average). The interesting thing about bills is that they are highly predictable so if we can put a system (yes call it that B word (budget) ) we can predict what other money we will have available.

The key to the exercise is knowing what your financial personality is and then using a budgeting program that suits you.

Enjoy your Money
The Budget Man

Visit www.PersonalityBudgeting.com to take the free quiz that helps you discover your financial personality.

[GreyhoundLoner]

My entertainment is my cable/internet service. I am home 99% of the time, due to disability and I can't read like I used to due to some of the meds. I'd go insane if I didn't have movies, surfing, blogging etc. I don't go to the theater, I wait until they're on cable, plus people talking during really bugs me, so that's a good thing. The last time I went to see a movie was the last Star Wars installment, in IMAX.

[crabbypatty]

I was just thinking about this today.

I'm on the board of a club. The other board members use the board meeting as an opportunity to meet at a restaurant and eat out. This irritates me b/c they choose sit-down tablecloth restaurants where I feel awkward if I don't order food. I consider eating out part of my entertainment budget and I'm not spending that money on a board meeting. After months of feeling bad sitting at a table while others eat, I have decided not to attend the meetings anymore. My term is up in June, I have not decided how I will explain this to the other members. I am still committed to the business of the club.

I really try to make sure my entertainment expenses are ones that I enjoy, not things I feel obligated to do. That said, we spend about $100 a month on entertainment including meals away from home.

[shelbylovesmelby]

The only entertainment that is budgeted is my internet that's about it. Depends on the time of year though when we have more or less $ as to if we have enough to consider a trip to a fast food place or a casual sit down meal.

But beyond that most of our entertainment is basically free. Parks, walking trails, window shopping, weeding my garden (if you can call that fun *lol*), visiting friends & family.

Though this year I'm looking @ getting a ZOO PASS it'll run under $100 for an entire year of UNLIMITED visits & w/ lil ones that is something that easily amuses them & much cheaper than paying $9/adult x2 $6/kid x2 + $8 parking PER VISIT that's what $40 just for a trip to the ZOO w/o even considering the gift shop & other expenses kids can incur.

[PetMom]

I think some categories might overlap as although we spend $90.00
for all the cable channels every month, we don't go on vacations.
We have been on only one in our 15 years.

We are big matinee spenders and worse, I tended to purchase
some of the DVD's of my favorite movies only to watch them end
up on cable. This has been a 0 expense lately as we had to cut
back spending.

No restaurants either for our entertainment now.

We are considering going out soon as this is quite restrictive, and
you can bet it will be even more appreciated after not doing
this for a while.

It is sort of difficult to find free entertainment other than a park.

We used to have a some great museums that were free and
now charge money for the traveling exhibits; a lot of fairs and
festivals that used to be nominal in cost now are almost prohibitive...
plus they insist you not bring in food of your own or even water
at some of these.


I guess potluck/grilling with family and friends is the next lowest
cost option of entertainment we do. We have gone camping
but had to pay one of those campground fees that we noticed
had gotten quite a bit high.