My sister mentioned she's putting $50 a month into a 'fun money' account

She told me she started it last year after feeling guilty about small treats. Now she has over $600 saved and doesn't stress about buying a new book or going out for coffee. It's not in her main budget, it's a separate checking account. I always thought you had to cut all extra spending to save. But this small, planned amount seems to stop the guilt and the bigger impulse buys. Has anyone else tried setting up a small fund just for guilt-free spending?

3 comments

3 Comments

noraj792mo ago

My cousin did something like that with a hundred bucks a month. Honestly, it just gave her permission to blow money on things she didn't even really want later. She ended up with a closet full of fast fashion and a fancy coffee maker she used twice. For me, putting that fifty straight into my emergency fund feels way better. Watching that number grow for real security beats a temporary treat.

robert_bennett2917d ago

My own "fun money" account would probably need a special name like "the impulsive regret fund" since I'd just end up buying yet another fancy flashlight I'll use once before losing in a drawer. My wife tried the fifty dollar trick and it worked great for her; she saved up enough for a weekend trip without dipping into the main budget. Meanwhile, my version turned into a subscription to a cheese-of-the-month club that I cancelled after three boxes because I forgot to eat the cheese. So from personal experience, this method works if you genuinely enjoy simple treats that don't pile up in the back of a closet.

garcia.miles2mo ago

My aunt did the exact same thing with twenty bucks a week. She said it stopped her from making a big, dumb purchase on a new phone she didn't need because she could just buy a nice lunch instead. That small fund acts like a pressure release valve. It keeps the big budget safe from a major splurge. The guilt free part is what makes it work, because you already planned for it.