Fun Spending

[shaggy]

I've tried many different strategies in the past, including a Zero-balance budget, a traditional budget, and a separate "fun money" account.


The only thing that's worked for me is putting money in savings first, then letting myself spend what's left. My income is deposited in the bank, I figure I need $xxx for bills that month, then I put xx% into savings, and whatever's left is fun money.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I could easily become a spender if I had a lot of money. So I don't know I guess I curb myself now.

[Gailete]

When I first got sick eleven years ago, a friend and I were talking about what we could do with a million dollars. After paying off any bills including the mortgage (so about $100K) I was stumped. Then she said, what about a chauffer for you since you have so much trouble driving? A light bulb went on at that point! Currently I could use a chauffer, a gardener, a housekeeper and cook, plus an aide to help with ADLS just to maintain my home and me. About once a month a friend comes over and bless her heart cleans my house for me or does dishes and has even gone grocery shopping with me. If she hadn't helped out this year I don't know what I would have done. So if I had money I know at this point where it would all go to and it certainly wouldn't be shopping! One of the major reasons that you really need to save more than you think. On another board once, I mentioned how great it was that I had short term disability at my job (Long term wasn't available) and a girl on the board insisted she didn't need those things since she was healthy. She couldn't even conceive of losing work time or being disabled in the midst of her top earning years like I was. Well you know what, I used to be healthy too! But life happens, especially to nurses that work directly with patients.

[disneysteve]

I could easily become a spender if I had a lot of money. So I don't know I guess I curb myself now.

Same here. There are things that I would never waste money on no matter how much I had but there are plenty of things I would definitely do if I could afford to.

[JoeP]

Perfect timing! We have "fun money" from selling a car that we won. Kids each got $500 and wife and I got $1000. They're all more than halfway through their share; I just tapped into it for my first fun purchase: a battery powered string trimmer. Even though it is free money, I still have a bit of a mental block on spending, since we've been so focused on saving. I have no idea what I'll use the rest of the money for. I just hope that when the times comes to have fun, I can let go of my (our) money to allow it to happen!

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I would have a ton of fun with $1k. Not enough for a vacation but to buy a few things and a nice dinner out.