How much personal pocket money do you use?

[Cosmos]

This came up because there's an annoying habit that the whole family needs to break. Years (yes years) of exhortation has not solved it, so I finally decided on fines. Calvin and Hobbes are fined around 2.5% of their pocket money initially, but the fines double for every new infringement. Then I had to work out how much I would contribute (all proceeds to charity) based on a figure for my 'pocket money'.

 

STRATEGY, people. We should have started right off with, "We'll answer your poll if you tell us what the habit is." Now we'll never, ever know. :lol:

 

I have no idea how to answer. I should probably track it and find out. I think most of my non-essential spending is for eating out, though, which doesn't count for the poll, if I understand correctly. I hate shopping, so I'm not about to spend extra time doing it when I don't have to.

[QueenCat]

Also, as a single mom, I take my kids to stuff like concerts when I go. So where some of you might consider that personal spending on yourself, I'd consider that a family expenditure primarily for my kids.

 

I'd consider that a family expenditure.

[Seeking Squirrels]

I'm not sure how to answer. We each get $40 a month in a (virtual) personal account to spend on whatever we want. But $30 of that (for each of us) goes to our data plans on our phones. We can't afford to have them just because, so it's out of our fun money. My other $10 goes to my Signing Time Academy dues (though that might change soon). So I don't ever get "little extras". Books are purchased with gift cards from holidays, I only buy necessary clothing, and anything else that comes up that I want goes on a wish list for Christmas/birthday.

 

So would that be $0, $30, or $40? (oh and that's monthly, so weekly....$0 or $6-10?)

[Laura Corin]

It's interesting to see how people are dividing into opposite ends of the spectrum.

 

In the last two months I think I've spent £50 on flower bulbs and £4 on coffees. I bought two books, but that was with old gift tokens.

 

The flower bulbs.... I bought them and I planted them. Husband will really appreciate the effect however. The children will notice them a bit. Perhaps I should count about half of the fifty pounds as personal expenditure and the rest of the family can share the balance of the cost. So that's £29 over two months, so a bit over £3 a week. That's a bit under USD 5.

 

I've just remembered that I paid my annual choir subscription too. £75 over the year, so that's an extra £1.50 a week. So I'm at around £5 a week - about USD 8

 

I don't like shopping.

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

STRATEGY, people. We should have started right off with, "We'll answer your poll if you tell us what the habit is." Now we'll never, ever know. :lol:

 

Laura

[StaceyinLA]

anywhere from $300-500/month for each of us for "blow money," so I have between $75 and $125/week to spend how I please. Any needs would go into the budget.

[joannqn]

I sometimes buy myself a candy bar when I go to the grocery store by myself. About once a month or so, I'll go to the coffee shop with DH and will order something sweet like a frappe to have with him. I don't otherwise drink coffee. It works out to probably maybe a dollar a week.

[missmoe]

I go out to lunch every week or every other week or so. So that is what I spend my money on.

 

ETA: I now know after reading other's answers I realize I should include what I spend on books! Who know that was an optional expense?!! ;) I do spend about another 20-30 dollars a month on books for my NOOK.

Edited September 29, 2012 by missmoe
SPE

[KidsHappen]

I never carry cash nor do I have an allotted amount of spending money but I can use my debit card to get a Starbucks if I NEED it.

[Lily_Grace]

Dh and I each have $50 every two weeks for discretionary spending. Mine usually goes toward my activities with an occasional book or tv show thrown in.

[Laura Corin]

anywhere from $300-500/month for each of us for "blow money," so I have between $75 and $125/week to spend how I please. Any needs would go into the budget.

 

Please don't answer if you find it uncomfortable. I'm not a shopper and I don't know what I would spend that amount of money on. What kind of things do you find yourself buying?

 

Laura

[KungFuPanda]

I answered 'other' because it could be ANY of those answers depending upon the week you ask. I don't have consistent spending patterns on myself and it doesn't average out month-to-month. September may be $15, while Oct could be $200. Hating to shop, and not being a coffee drinker helps :D

[Annie G]

I answered 'other' because it could be ANY of those answers depending upon the week you ask. I don't have consistent spending patterns on myself and it doesn't average out month-to-month. September may be $15, while Oct could be $200. Hating to shop, and not being a coffee drinker helps :D

 

That's me! I've read the whole thread and was kind of bummed that I didn't fit any regular spending pattern. So glad to find someone spends like I do!

[MissKNG]

:eek::blink:I'm blinking in confusion right now?? Pocket money on myself?? LOL! I voted $0-5.

Except for the bag I bought myself on vacation last week, I can't remember the last time I just went out and bought something for myself for the "heck of it". On our trip, I did buy myself a dress and a skirt but returned it the next day because I thought about how the girls needed new sneakers and a winter coat soon!;)

 

ETA: I give myself a $20 a week allowance, and I do buy salads from Burger King with that money but that's for my lunches. So of course that money spent at BK isn't spent at the store for me. Most of my allowance money goes to buying treats for the girls!

 

ETA #2: And it's not a mom thing with me, I was never one to go out and spend money on stuff for myself above essentials.

Edited September 29, 2012 by MissKNG

[tabrizia]

I put other. I get $200 a month my money. Some months I spend it all on me, mostly on books. Most months I spend it on a variety of things, a treat for me and the kids when we are out (Monday's after all of DS' therapy appointments is a big treat day we normally go out for frozen yogurt), a book or 2 (or 5), a couple of needs (I need a card reader for my computer and a new iPhone case, yes I could survive without them, but they would make my life easier so I bought them), presents for the kids for holidays or DH, new clothes for the kids (okay mainly for DD there little girl dresses are cuter then little boy t-shirts), homeschooling supplies, or just something I want.

 

If I had to break it down, just buying something for me, would probably be in the $10 range a week, but that is normally a new book, and some weeks I don't get any while other weeks I get 5 because of author release schedules. I would say it probably averages out to around $10 though. Some weeks it could be $0 and some weeks it could be $200 though.

[mytwomonkeys]

most of my pocket money is in our recreational fund, which the whole family uses and i budget for it each month. i do use "meaningful beauty" by cindy crawford, lol. and that is only for me! it's my treat to myself alone. it averages $15 a month - so i guess that would be ongoing pocket money for me. aside from that, i will buy sewing stuff or craft things or perfume when i run out, but i don't budget monthly for those things. i buy those as needed & just budget for that month alone.

[reign]

I get 20$ every 2 weeks to spend on myself. So does my husband. The girls get $40 to split.

[dtsmamtj]

Wishful thinking around here :banghead:

[extendedforecast]

I said $16-20, bu the more I understand the question, I realize I should have selected $0-$5. Sorry OP!

[AnnaM]

I answered before I read some of the replies. I said more than $30 but I included the money that I spend on our once a week lunch out. Technically that money is spent on me and the kids. I could have more than $30 per week for myself if I wanted it, but I am inclined to spend it on the kids. It is one of those, when I want something I know the money is there but I don't spend it every week things.

[DawnM]

We do some serious budgeting. We use YNAB. I give myself $100 in "blow" money per month and I give DH the same. So, that would be $25/week.

 

BUT, we also have a category for eating out and a category for entertainment that isn't part of the blow money, so I guess really we do spend more.

 

Dawn

[Catwoman]

Please don't answer if you find it uncomfortable. I'm not a shopper and I don't know what I would spend that amount of money on. What kind of things do you find yourself buying?

 

Laura

 

I know I'm not the person you asked about this, but I can spend $75 in less than five minutes if put to the test. :D You don't even want to know what I spent within an hour last night when I went shopping for some clothes. :blush:

 

But I should point out that I'm a shopper from way back, and I have professional skills that I started learning from my mom when I was just a tot. :tongue_smilie: When other kids' moms were taking them to the park, my mom and I were out for shopping and lunch, followed by more shopping, and then we'd go for tea. If it was around the holidays, tea would be followed by more shopping, and then Dad would meet us for dinner after work. There might have been more shopping after that, too, depending on where we were.

 

But in answer to your question, you can spend more than $75 in mere minutes if you buy clothes, makeup, shoes, books, electronics, DVDs, CDs, anything you like to collect, a nice dinner, or any kind of beauty or spa service.

 

It's really easy, but it takes practice to know what's worth buying and what's a gigantic waste of money. (For me, the spa stuff isn't worth the money -- I'm not even a mani-pedi girl -- but if you're into massages and manicures, the costs add up quickly.)

 

I think it all comes down to whether or not you like "stuff." I do. I know that many people are minimalists, so shopping isn't high on their lists, but if you like to shop, money can disappear very quickly.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Catwoman

[Laura Corin]

 

I think it all comes down to whether or not you like "stuff." I do. I know that many people are minimalists, so shopping isn't high on their lists, but if you like to shop, money can disappear very quickly.

 

I'm not consciously minimalist: clothes, jewelry, household stuff, beauty treatments just doesn't appeal to me. Are you continually having to clear stuff out to make space for new stuff? The only stuff I tend to buy is for the garden, and there always seems to be more space out there...

 

Laura

[Catwoman]

Are you continually having to clear stuff out to make space for new stuff?

 

Yes. I donate a lot of stuff to thrift shops and church sales every year. I have to admit that I keep more than I should, because I like my stuff, but I'm working on getting rid of more things that I know I'll probably never use again. I try to donate to places that sell things for very low prices, so that just about anyone can afford to buy the items. I used to donate to an upscale resale shop operated by a charitable organization, but they priced everything so expensively that the only shoppers in the store were obviously pretty well off.

 

I know the money supported a charity and at the time, I was thinking that the higher sale prices meant more money for a good cause, but these days, I prefer that our stuff go to people who need some new clothes or shoes or handbags or toys for their kids, or whatever, but who don't make a lot of money or who have fallen on hard times. I mean, I would rather see someone be able to get a designer handbag or a great outfit for their kid for 2 bucks and be very happy about their bargain purchase, than for someone to pay a lot more, but be adding it to their collection of 100 other designer bags. I like the idea of a shop making money to support their cause, but my own personal preference is to help local people in need get nice stuff for themselves and their kids at prices they can afford. I already paid the high prices the first time around (unless I got really lucky at a garage sale or something -- because I will shop anywhere!) and I got my use out of the stuff, so I think the next person should get it for practically nothing, get their use out of it, and pass it on to the next person if it's still in decent shape.

 

Oops -- Didn't mean to get up on a soapbox there. :blush:

[Nature]

Wow! $400/week. I can’t imagine that. I don’t really spend much money on myself. I might go out to lunch a couple of times a year or buy a book for myself once in a while. I definitely spend under $10/week.

[dbmamaz]

I feel guilty when i buy myself a bag of candy corn or a box of junior mints once every two weeks. We dont budget, but i try hard not to buy ANY non-essentials, in part so dh cant say 'no' to curriculum books I really want or b-day/holiday gifts I want for the kids. I seriously once told him i'd rather get (i forget what) for the kids than have what he was planning on buying me. And typically for holiday/birthday, he gets me a big bottle of kahlua (which lasts 6 months until the next one) and some dairy-free chocolate (which is expensive).

 

I have so many food allergies I cant eat out at all. I did go to starbucks twice when we had to go straight from one long class to another - but i only got plain coffee, and brought my (unsweetened, unfortified) soy milk in my own cup. I'm not sure that even counts as a treat. I honestly feel guilty when I MAKE sweets, because its a waste of money (and we dont need the calories).

 

Dh does buy himself a book every 2 or 3 months (I think - i actually dont know, he kinda hides it from me). I pretty much wont read something unless I can find it at the library. Ok, maybe $0.99 download every month or two.

 

Me not working was just a big hit. I was making 90% of what dh is making now, and he's taken a pay cut. Our house was bought with the intention of 2 salaries, my daughter is in college, my son will start taking community college classes soon, and the allergy-free shopping is expensive.

 

But i also am just not at all materialistic. I used to live on a commune where you shared everything. and if my mom doesnt know what to give me for a present, I ask her to donate money to a cause i would like to support but dont feel I can.

 

I guess i sometimes give money to my church - i feel pretty guilty about that both ways. When i do that, thats more like 12/week. But i havent been going because the religious education director and the minister were not pleasing me at all.

[Shelsi]

Dh & I give ourselves a $25 "allowance" every 2 weeks. So $12.50 a week I guess but I never spend mine. I never really have anything to buy so it just gets saved up and then eventually I'll just use it on someone else.

 

Dh on the other hand always goes through his super fast.

[QueenCat]

I know I'm not the person you asked about this, but I can spend $75 in less than five minutes if put to the test. :D You don't even want to know what I spent within an hour last night when I went shopping for some clothes. :blush:

 

 

So when are we organizing a Hive trip to the Mall of America (or somewhere else equally good)? You know I'm in!

[mathwonk]

i never used to have any, zero. then one day while on a postdoc, a fields medalist invited me to have lunch with him and i had to say no because i couldn't pay for my own lunch. this made me kiss a priceless opportunity goodbye. that taught me a lesson, sometimes money is useful. now i am no longer broke and my wife uses my wallet as a cash machine so i try to keep some in there. but in general "pocket money" still seems to be another term for money you are willing to waste.