How much do you cost?

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 3:29 am Post subject: re: How much do you cost?

I spend about $800 a year on myself, most of it in the form of a weekly class.

Make that more like $2,300 if we're counting academic courses too.

Makeup, clothes, shoes, glasses, etc probably comes out to about $150 a year, but that's not really accurate because it doesn't include the times my mother or mother-in-law decide I need new clothes and send me something. With that it's probably more like $250.

Silver Member Joined: Jan 09 2011 Posts: 891

I love this thread because I dont think ive ever thought of this in such an organized way. I spend monthly:

50 dollars for a full body waxing (legs, arms, brazilian, underarms)- this I my most important thing..ive been doing this for 3 years and feel unclean without it.
30 a month for mani/pedi(more in the summer)
100 dollars for 3 spray tans a year (usually before a wedding or my first time at the beach in the summer so im not a ghost on the sand)
500 a year for clothes shoes- I really dont get alot for myself...some new things around succos and pesach and boots for winter, sandals for summer.....
300 dollars for wig washing and setting per year
100 a year for makeup (if that, dont care too much for makeup but when I do buy I only get the more expensive brands as they tend to treat my face nicer and last longer)
100 (teeth whitening)
50 for ring dipping and cleaning
250 a year for the gym

and the grand total is:
2360 a year!!

is this a lot? a little? it seems like a lot but maybe over the year it isnt.....

this is an interesting subject for me because I grew up in a home where women only gave and nurtured and female frugality, discipline and abstinence from material pleasures was praised. my mother would carelessly say things like "who gets their nails done every week, im busy washing dishes!" and "who spends 50 dollars on shoes? wait for a sale!" while my father would say "you need to learn how to shop like your mother- she spent 20 dollars on a pair of shoes, why are you sepnding 80! oy I feel bad for your husband (before I was married)" so the message was clear- only the spoiled, materialistic women spend on themselves instead fo their family- to be a good wife, a good women is to say no- to mark luxuries as off-limits- to not even want!!!

I always have that voice in the back of my head when im getting a waxing, or im getting a summertime pedicure that I am being wasteful, that shoukld be spending this money on my children etc....my husband has helped me a lot with this- he is wonderful. he actually pushes me out of the house when I hesitate to get my nails done.. "go! dont worry so much! we can afford it! I want you to feel good! ill watch the kids..." so then I feel better but its hard to feel that I am entitled to these things..I always wondered if other women drying theur nails across from me experience the same guilt, if women buy new clothes and then return them, saying theydont fit as nicely as they wanted, but really they are just wracked with guilt and would feel better not keeping their new clothes....

and im not making this anonymous- here is to being brave!!! Smile

Gold Member Joined: Sep 13 2010 Posts: 2113

lets see:

eybrow/lip wax once a month - $150 a year

about 2x a year I get a full body wax- $200 a year

makeup/shavers/lotions/perfume- $50 a year

clothing and shoes- $400 a year

shaitels washed and set- $250 a year

mikvah- $50 a year

other- $100

grand total $1,200.

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 11:26 am Post subject: Re: re: How much do you cost?

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 11:33 am Post subject: re: How much do you cost?

I started to try to add everything up, but there are so many variables involved, so I estimated and got to around $2500 a year. This is everything I spend on:

Clothing and shoes

Make up

Mani's (can't get pedis because my feet are too ticklish)

Waxings

Wig wash and sets

Hygiene products

Handbag ( one a season)

I can't imagine spending 0 dollars on myself Shocked

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 1:17 pm Post subject: re: How much do you cost?

I don't get why some of you are including mikva in how much you cost. That's not just for you, that's for you both as a couple. It's also not a negotiable item or something you can cut down on.

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Beginner Joined: Jan 05 2012 Age: 40 Posts: 17

If you are talking about clothing and discretionary spending, then I spend maybe $200/year on myself. That includes pedicures, facials, clothes, tichels etc. But I am very cheap on myself.