The Things I Use My Fun Money For

I’m a big believer that a budget shouldn’t mean cutting out everything you enjoy. And having fun money is an incredibly important step in budgeting.

It’s very easy to get caught up in the idea that being good with money means saying no. No to the meal out. No to the gig. No to the book. No to the spontaneous day out.

But what’s the point of managing your money if you never get to enjoy any of it?

That’s where fun money comes in.

Fun money is essentially money I’ve deliberately allocated to the things I enjoy. It’s money I can spend without feeling guilty because I’ve already accounted for it in my budget. I get weekly ‘fun’ money to spend as I wish, whereas Luke prefers to get his each month.

And, perhaps unsurprisingly, my fun money goes on quite a few different things.

Gigs and live music

Live music is one of the things I genuinely love spending money on.

There is something about seeing an artist live that you can’t replicate by listening to a playlist at home.

Tickets can vary hugely in price, and then there can be travel, food and drinks on top, so gigs are something I like to plan for rather than treat as a completely spontaneous expense.

Having fun money available means that when an artist I love announces a tour, I can look at the cost and decide whether it fits within what I’ve got available.

I don’t have to feel like buying a gig ticket has ruined my budget. It’s money I’ve deliberately set aside for enjoying experiences.

Pop Mart and little trinkets

Not all spending has to be sensible or practical. Sometimes I like buying little things simply because I think they’re cute.

That includes trinkets and Pop Mart figures.

There’s obviously a financial line somewhere between having a hobby and buying absolutely everything you see, but that’s where having a designated amount of fun money helps me.

I know this is something I enjoy, so I can budget for it. It also makes me think a little more carefully about what I actually want rather than automatically buying everything (even if it feels like I’m constantly buying atm!)

Books

Books are another thing I’m very happy to spend money on.

I love having physical books and there’s something particularly satisfying about adding another one to the shelf.

Could I buy every book I want? Absolutely not.

There are far too many books and, unfortunately, only so much money.

But having a fun-money budget means I don’t have to feel guilty about buying a book when I’ve budgeted for it. Each week I automatically put money into a book pot (aka my Waterstones Pre Order pot). And then when pre-orders come out I have the money aside.

Tattoos

Tattoos are another example of something that’s definitely not an essential but is something I value. They’re a personal choice, and they’re also something that can be expensive depending on the design and artist.

That makes saving for them particularly useful. Again like books I have a set amount of money each week that goes into a tattoo pot. Then I can gradually put money aside until I have enough to book in for my next bit of artwork.

It makes the experience feel much better knowing that I’ve paid for it from money I deliberately saved.

Meals out

I also use my fun money for eating out.

I love going for meals and I don’t want my budget to mean that every meal has to be eaten at home.

Of course, eating out can become expensive if you’re doing it constantly, which is exactly why I like having a budget for it.

If I know I’ve got £X available for meals out this month, I can make choices based on that. The point is having the flexibility to choose.

Seeing friends

Some of my favourite spending is actually money that goes towards spending time with other people.

Meeting friends for coffee, going for lunch, having drinks, going to an event or simply doing something together can all cost money.

And while there are obviously lots of ways to see friends for free, I don’t think every social interaction needs to involve finding the cheapest possible option.

Friendships are important to me.

I’d rather budget for seeing people than decide that I can’t afford to do anything because I’ve created a budget that leaves no room for a social life.

Why I think fun money matters

The reason I like having fun money is that it removes some of the guilt around spending.

If I’ve paid my bills, contributed to my savings and dealt with my financial responsibilities, I’m allowed to spend some money on things that make me happy.

I don’t need to justify every book. I don’t need to explain every gig. I don’t need to convince myself that a meal out is a worthwhile investment.

It’s fun money. That’s the point.

It also helps me avoid the “I’ve been good, so now I’m going to spend loads” cycle

I think overly restrictive budgets can sometimes backfire. If you tell yourself you aren’t allowed to spend anything, eventually you might reach a point where you want to spend everything.

A realistic budget should leave room for enjoyment.

Having fun money gives me a defined amount I can spend without worrying that I’m sabotaging my bigger financial goals.

And if I spend all of it, that’s it. I don’t necessarily need to take more from my savings.

Fun money looks different for everyone

The things I spend my fun money on won’t necessarily be the things you want to spend yours on.

Maybe yours goes towards gaming, clothes, beauty treatments, hobbies, holidays or something completely different.

That’s why I don’t think there is one ‘correct’ amount of fun money. The important thing is that it works within your wider budget.

You can prioritise saving while still giving yourself permission to enjoy some of your money now.

Being good with money doesn’t mean never having fun

For me, good money management isn’t about making every financial decision based on whether something is essential.

It’s about knowing what matters to me, planning for it and making sure I can afford it.

Gigs, live music, little Pop Mart trinkets, books, tattoos, meals out and seeing friends might not be essential expenses, but they’re things I genuinely enjoy. And I’d rather build those things into my budget than pretend I don’t want them.

Because ultimately, money is there to support your life.

Saving for the future matters. Paying your bills matters. Having an emergency fund matters. But enjoying your money matters too.