The following post is not meant to discourage those who are not in a financial position for splurging. I think most of us have been in that position, either currently or in the past. The post is meant to serve as an encouragement to do what you find best, necessary, and manageable for your families right now rather than get caught up in the practice of frugality out of sheer pressure or guilt.
As a money-saver and frugal blogger, I think people sometimes get the wrong idea about me. See, on this site, I share about the things I do to save money- my frugal ways. What gets lost in the whole mix though is the fact that I don’t always do the most frugal things. Sometimes I pay a little extra for convenience or preference. At times, I just choose a little luxury (tempered by my frugal mindset, I’m sure) over constant penny-pinching. And, as my husband shared earlier this week, I don’t always do what might seem like the most frugal option on the surface because of the return on investment.
I think what could be mistakenly encouraged here is a militant frugality, always on the lookout for the best price without ever just considering what is best, necessary, and manageable for our families right now. And militant frugality doesn’t allow for freedom, a freedom to use your money in the way you see fit and feel called to use it.
Nearly a year ago I shared five “splurge purchases” I enjoy. The point being half confession and half quality-over-price discussion. It turns out most of us don’t always make the most frugal purchases (when given the financial freedom to do so). But many of us feel pressure to do more and save more. Yes, there can be a certain sense of pressure to frugality when you look around and see what others are doing to save money. I think these splurge “confessions” can be healthy. And needed. They let us share with one another that we aren’t perfect at our practice of frugality, and that we are simply doing what we are able and desire to do for our families.
So I’m going to take a quick breather from the deals to share five more “splurges” my family enjoys. Some of you may find these pointless ways to spend money, but isn’t that the beauty of frugality? We save on some things so perhaps we can have some wiggle room to spend that money how we prefer? Please chime in and let me know what you don’t mind spending a little extra on.
1. Coffee
I’m not a coffee drinker, so this one is solely for my husband who is quite the coffee addict connoisseur. Ryan loves his coffee. Some days I am sure he drinks unhealthy amounts of it. So as a pretty intense coffee drinker, he has developed quite a keen taste for high quality coffee. He grinds his own beans. And he likes those coffee beans to be nice. I used to buy whatever I could find the cheapest, but now he has honed his taste buds to just a brand (Starbucks!) or two that happen to be on the more expensive side. While I do use coupons and shop sales for this coffee, I spend the extra money because my husband likes it.
2. Netflix
Yes, we could just watch movies for free on sites like Hulu or for a buck a night from Redbox. Or not watch them at all. But we gave Netflix a try several months ago and fell in love. For less than $10 a month we can pick which DVDs we want shipped to our mailbox (even new releases!) and we can stream videos anytime we feel like. So very easy and convenient!
3. Family membership to a local museum
We recently bought a family membership to a local children’s museum. Part of me was hesitate to make this purchase, because after all, couldn’t I just come up with some free activities instead? But we are loving this splurge! The museum has all sorts of educational and fun things for my daughter to do, and it allows me a little breather. It’s a nice change of pace during our week.
4. Weekend getaways
Twice a year, my husband and I splurge on a weekend getaway while the kids enjoy a sleepover with grandparents. We price around and look for some serious deals on things like our hotel stay (and even use some coupons!), but we do spend a little more freely for these trips than we might typically on other purchases. We stay at a nice hotel and splurge on a nice dinner. It’s a much needed mini vacation for us to spend some time concentrating on us. And we enjoy a little luxury mixed in.
5. Memory Foam Pillows
We haven’t yet conditioned our daughter to this little luxury, but my husband and I just love our memory foam pillows. They definitely aren’t the cheapest pillows on the market, but after using these for a year or so, we just couldn’t go back to regular pillows. Memory foam makes for such a comfortable night’s sleep for us.
So there you have it. A handfull of our splurges.
Now it’s your turn!
{ 25 comments }
Love your blog. I am from VA too!
We save throughout the year and splurge on Disney trips! I know that couponing and bargain shopping has allowed us the luxury of taking Disney trips each year.
I also splurge on American Girl items for my daughter and myself. We spend hours playing with them together and making scenes for them. I often buy AG things with codes and shop their sale pages but this is definitely a luxury item.
Glenda
I love listening to baseball games on XM radio, I recently joined netflix again, and we travel a lot too. We also have take out once a week.
I scrimp and save in other areas so that we can enjoy these things!
.-= Lucky´s last blog ..Make Ahead Side Dishes =-.
Do have some sort or devise to stream in videos through netflix?
We just stream straight to our computer. My husband has a Mac Book with a nice-size screen for work, so we just watch the streamed videos there.
My in-laws stream from Netflix though and have some sort of cord they hook from their laptop to the TV, allowing them to watch on a bigger screen.
Our biggest splurges are frequent date nights, getaways for just the two of us, and a family vacation as well as annual passes (the best no less) for Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg.
Additionally, we try to donate frequently to our local food pantry. I am usually able to donate a good sized box every two-three weeks thanks to coupon deals and other freebies I can scoop up.
We’ve made traveling very easy for our family and just spent 5 nights at a premium hotel at no cost to us. I’ll try to be brief. First of all, my husband takes one trip per year for business (it’s almost mandatory in his industry). We picked two hotel chains that have lots of locations everywhere and he stays at one of those. Prior to him leaving the first time, I enrolled him in their traveler program (at no cost) so even though he was new to the program he received a better room and more amenities–you should have heard his coworkers complain! The “points” he earned for that stay enabled us to spend 5 nights at the upscale hotel in a location of our choice for free–breakfast and nightly appetizers included!
Secondly, although we loathe credit cards, we obtained a travel rewards card for the other hotel chain that we frequent and loaded ALL of our monthly bills (i.e., mortage, cable, cell, groceries, and gas) onto the cards. We pay the card off, in full, monthly. No purchase goes on that card that we can’t cover. We scoop up thousands of points every month that provide free nights for our family at nice hotels where breakfast is normally included. The result is we’re able to get away 6-8 times per year either as a couple or as a family. We can also trade points for gift cards to restaurants and even pre-paid Visa cards.
Even if a spouse doesn’t travel for a long period of time (my husband is usually gone for like a month or two), the points for purchases add up and can make for “nearly” free rooms with more amenities than the local budget motel.
So I think your netflix is not splurging at all – at least for us it’s not! :) We use it as a substitute for having cable TV – we used to spend about $90 a month on cable plus HBO. We got rid of it, pay nothing for basic channels and have the plan that is less than $10 a month so for us – this is just another way to save money! I guess you could look at it from either point of view, but for us, it saves money!
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Growing so fast! =-.
We definitely splurge on vacations, and more than we’d like to admit on going out to eat (we’re working on that though!). My other big splurges would be on beauty services – haircuts, eyebrow waxing, manicures, massages, etc. Not that I get these all the time! But when I do, I’m going to go to a place that I trust and that I know will do a good job (who wants a BAD massage?! I can get that at home from my husband, lol!). I also don’t mind spending money on the gym/aerobics classes – I know I could work out at home, but the truth is, paying for it is what motivates me to get there (and not let it go to waste), and my health is important to me.
Thank you so much for writing this post! I’m a full-time working Mom and it is hard to think much about a mini get away like you mentioned since I’m away from my daughter during the weekI miss her so much and want to spend the weekend with her but after reading your post it makes me remind myself that my hubby and I need us time!
In addition, today I was talking to my Mom about a possible Europe vacation for next year with family. Not sure how that would work with a 2 year old? Saving and setting goals in mind isn’t that point to have fun and share life experiences and joys?
Or like Glenda said Disney might be another choice!
.-= Holly´s last blog ..Rite Aid Shopping Trip 10/10/09 =-.
My splurge? Disney annual passes. Although, does it count as frugal that tomorrow I’m upgrading my daughters free day (for her birthday) to an annual pass for her? That’s over $70 off : )
It’s so fun to be able to go whenever we feel like it, and not feel like we have to be there all day to get our moneys worth. Plus my daughter does some classes there now, so it’s really worth it to have passes.
Also, I like to go to the movies, once a month or so (maybe every 6 weeks) I drop off the kids at an hourly childcare and go to the movies with DH, and we over spend on popcorn & nachos & soda.
I splurge on XM Radio and Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread!
.-= Maria´s last blog ..Neosporin Lip Health – FREE at CVS! =-.
I used to have Netflix, but just wanted to mention Blockbuster.com. We switched because you can exchange in store. I loved Netflix but occasionally we wanted a movie “now!” (and didn’t want to have to download/stream because hooking it up to our tv is annoying, lol). With Blockbuster, depending on your monthly plan, you can exchange a certain amount of them in store. We have a 2 at a time plan, with 5 in store monthly exchanges, and its $17/mo. Thats one of our splurges. :)
Glad to hear I’m not the only Frugal with a few little splurges! Keep them coming!
Kim C- Yes, I’ve heard great things about Blockbuster’s program. And if anyone typically rents from Blockbuster, the Blockbuster.com program could easily be cheaper on a per month basis, depending on how often and what you rent. Our nearest Blockbuster is almost 25 minutes away though, so it’s not so convenient for us. :(
Holly- Yes, my husband and I have found the little getaways to be wonderfully refreshing for our marriage, and ultimately, our whole family. I definitely recommend planning one every so often.
Kate- We do the same thing with our credit card. We put everything on it and then pay it off monthly just to get the rewards. Works great, eh? We must be the customers credit card companies despise. Right now we have a cash back card, but plan to switch to a travel rewards card through a hotel chain soon.
I agree with Sarah… we don’t consider our Netflix a splurge because compared with cable, we’re being frugal! Also, re: streaming to the tv… my husband bought me a Roku streaming box for Netflix for my birthday last year and we have that hooked up wirelessly to our internet. This TINY box plugs directly into our 42″ tv (a splurge from a time before we knew better) and the picture quality is excellent! There are lots of TV shows on Netflix that we enjoy watching like Law & Order, Dexter, 30 Rock, & the Office… among others, including a fantastic selection from the Discovery and History channels. It was an awesome investment at around $100. We did used to have the Blockbuster plan, but that was before we moved to our new house that’s just not convenient to a Blockbuster. As for Red Box… it’s only a deal if you remember to return it… which is what my brother-in-law keeps forgetting! :)
With it just being the two of us (no kids) our splurges are more on entertainment. We like going to concerts… especially when we can find last minute cheap tickets on craigslist… the film festival, and the drive-in theater along with a lot of other local festivals and events.
Sarah and Adrienne- I agree that, for us, Netflix is a semi-frugal expense. While we could do without it, we were spending more per month on Redbox before (and getting less movies) so we’re actually saving money at this point. We would rent from Redbox with every intention of returning the movie the next day, but then would forget or something would come up that would keep us from returning it. We were averaging $3 for each movie, still cheaper than a video store but more expensive than Netflix per month.
Thanks to keeping my household budget down to a dull roar, I can treat myself seasonally to my favorite high end cosmetics, fragrances and skin care and not feel guilty about it!
We try to live a frugal lifestyle and really stick to our budget. We are big coupon users and are always on the look out for sales. We have really tried to minimize clutter and not buy crap we don’t need. When we do travel we look for deals and try to use sites like Priceline.com when booking our hotel.
Sticking to your budget and living below your means is very important, but you do need to treat yourself once in awhile.
I agree with previous posts about Netflix not being considered a splurge. We just have basic cable that doesn’t include the movie channels. My husband and I only goto a movie at a theatre once in a blue moon. It is so expensive once you buy the tickets and food. We usually wait for a movie we want to see to come out on DVD. Netflix is one of the greatest ideas anyone ever thought of!
One of my biggest splurges is on seafood. I have to have my blue crabs at least once a month. I buy them from a seafood market which has them all year round. They steam and season them with Old Bay. Since I am a regular customer the owner usually gives me a few extra each time I come in. I also look for sales on snow crab legs at the supermarket and stock up when they are on sale. Those stay in the freezer until they are eaten. My other big splurge is sushi. I absoultely love it and treat myself once a month at my favorite Japanese restaurant.
My husband’s big splurge is Sirius XM Satellite Radio. It’s not that expensive and there are so many programs you just can’t get on regular radio. I think it’s a great deal for the type of programming you get. We can listen to it in the car, my home and at work.
I think that little splurges are the whole point of being frugal when you can be – so you can afford those things you really want! We all work really hard and deserve to enjoy some of our hard earned $ once in a while! For DH and I, we love getting an occassional massage. We also eat out every Friday night with his best friend. It gives me a night off from cooking and gets everyone out of the house (esp. important for his friend since he is handicapped and has to be home bound a lot). Is the food worth it? No but the time spent with a friend is irreplaceable!
We also like to splurge on weekend getaways, it is nice to go somewhere and experience different restaurants and attractions. On a more regular basis, I also splurge a little on my sparkling water, I will occasionally buy my favorite La Croix brand, but it is so expensive around $5/12 pack, and I never see coupons… but I do a pretty good job saving on my grocery bill so I feel I occasionally deserve this little extra.
Most of my splurge items I manage to somehow make sales for (I will only use one kind of mousse that is rarely on sale, so I buy it at a store where I can use a $5 off of $25 coupon or something like that.)
However there is a Thai place down the street from my house that makes the best Pad Thai in the world and they NEVER have coupons. It’s $5 more expensive there than at any other Thai place in the area, and I don’t even care. I get it to go so I don’t have to leave a big tip, but it’s worth the extra $5 to sit down at my table and eat the best!
.-= Frugal Chick´s last blog ..Frugal Friday =-.
I love this website! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I really like the little blogs that are more about you & your family and how you live daily! The blog is very interesting and I love reading the posts! Our splurges would be traveling! We love to take weekend get aways as much as possible. We try to stay in our camper or with family to cut costs down! Its a really neat & inexpensive way to take a weekend getaway! If you are the camping type you can cut your costs by staying in camper/tent and splurge more on things to do in the town you are visiting!
I am currently splurging on building a basic scrapbook stash. I see this as an investment and commitment to memory keeping (very important with a new baby!) I try to stick with basics and clearance items!
I splurge on coffee for sure. I am not as picky about beans. Grocery store quality is pretty uniform in the major brands, IMO, but a few times a year, I will order something from Paradise Roasters. If the hubby likes coffee beans, I highly recommend putting a few bags from them on his Christmas list. They are pricier, but the quality is amazing.
Other than that we all splurge on our hobbies – fabric and art supplies for me, roleplaying books for my husband, legos and paintable minifigures for my son. But I look at this as saving us money on entertainment – and clothes! – in the long run. Plus it keeps us from resorting to vegging out in front of the TV all the time.
My husband and I take a long weekend every year at an annual convention where we’ve made a lot of friends and we do at least one family road trip a year, but we’ve figured out how to make these trips cheap cheap cheap.
My splurges? Other than Starbucks at least once a week, my splurge is Ann Taylor Loft. Granted, I won’t go there without a coupon (ever!), but that is my place to shop now. After years of buying inexpensive clothing and then replacing it a season or so later, I started investing in good clothes, a la Stacey & Clinton, and now I am addicted. My couponing helps me feel better about that splurge. My husband said that the coupons and our decision to eat out only twice a month has meant that we are actually saving money now.
Maybe I should make a trip to ATL this week then…
I splurge on clothes and shoes. Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, & Gap are my favorites and I’m lucky to live by an outlet mall. Although, I can only afford what’s on sale/clearance even then. I think I’ve bought something full price once (thank you last year’s tax refund)! I also splurge on the laundry detergent I wash them in. I LOVE Tide and although it’s not the cheapest, I’ve paid too much for these clothes to not properly wash them! I use the cheap detergent on things like towels and sheets.
“Green” purchases that don’t recoup their costs are probably our most frequent splurge: organic food, organic linens, eco-friendly versions of household products like dish powder and paint. Our biggest splurges (in terms of dollar amount) are experiences: dance lessons for our daughter, a family membership to the zoo, etc. For my family, that’s what frugality is all about–cutting corners on things we don’t care about (e.g., buying clothes at Goodwill instead of Macy’s) so we can spend more money on what matters to us.
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