A luxury you can't give up... - Page 4

[Belia]

Wow... compared to many of you mamas I am downright extravagant!

I consider internet, basic cable and air conditioning to be necessities.... I really need to adjust myself.

But my luxury is going out to lunch 3-4 days a week. I just can't stay at my job for 8 straight hours.... I just can't. I start to go batty and I can't think straight. I go crazy. I HAVE to get out of there.

I used to say every day, "Today I'm going to stick it out" but by the time 11:00 rolled around I was ITCHING to leave just for a little bit. I finally just gave in and decided that this was my mental health break.

[treespeak]

Fresh flowers for my home during the coldest, darkest, dreariest weeks of the year. What a treat!

[kirstenb]

Originally Posted by Belia

But my luxury is going out to lunch 3-4 days a week. I just can't stay at my job for 8 straight hours.... I just can't. I start to go batty and I can't think straight. I go crazy. I HAVE to get out of there.

I do the same thing. I'd go crazy sitting there all day.

My other is my expensive face wash and moisturizer. They are pricey, but last me a long time and make my break out prone skin look good. Plus, I don't need to wear much makeup when I use them so I save money there.

[Angelorum]

Originally Posted by Belia

But my luxury is going out to lunch 3-4 days a week. I just can't stay at my job for 8 straight hours.... I just can't. I start to go batty and I can't think straight. I go crazy. I HAVE to get out of there.

When I was working 8 hours a day at a place I hated, I always had to leave for lunch. I would pack a lunch most days and then go drive to a nearby park and eat in my car, listening to music. It saved my sanity and my wallet.

[highlandmum]

Originally Posted by treespeak

Fresh flowers for my home during the coldest, darkest, dreariest weeks of the year. What a treat!

I like that too :-)

So good to hear I'm not the only one with a 'luxury' as a 'neccessity'! lol

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by CookiePie

There are many things that I can go without long HOT showers & internet would almost kill me. It would really hurt to get rid of tv!

Cookie, I've not had TV at all since 2003 (gave it up by choice), and before that, I ditched cable in 1999!

DSL ($25/month)
iPhone ($85/month)
Air conditioning (I can handle keeping the heat way down, but I simply can't cope with the humid Midwest summers)
Long hot baths at night (in addition to my usual shower the morning), as this really makes my piriformis syndrome (false sciatica) livable - cost??
Haircut/eyebrow wax ($50 every 8 weeks or so)
Nexxus shampoo & conditioner (I bought the liter bottles of each several months ago, so not sure how long they will last me)

I don't consider my $60 Wacoal bras to be luxuries as my cups runneth WAY over, and they're the only comfy bras that also support the girls (I only have two at a time and wear them until they're falling apart and elastic stretched out, at least six months for each).

Note: I'm single so I've got more discretionary money than many of my married friends with kids. It's uncomfortable sometimes to see them drooling over my iPhone when they can only afford a very basic cell phone (that is their only phone) and it takes them a long time to save up for an iPod Shuffle. However, my car was recently paid off, and my only debt is $1500 on a credit card. The folks who are very envious of my "luxuries" are carrying a heavier debt load than I am.

[quelindo]

Coffee here too, though it's sad because it's only in the past few years that I started drinking it regularly. (Hmm, could it have anything to do with having DS4?)

Thanks to whoever posted the Equal Exchange link -- I buy their coffee anyway through our co-op, and I'm all about buying in bulk! I'm definitely going to look into this.

[canuckgal]

Well, I get highlites in my hair at the salon, for 60.00, every 4 months or so. I tried one of those drugstore kits, and turned my hair orange and had to go to a salon anyway to get it fixed, LOL! I do admit I like keeping my hair good. . Use standard grocery store spray, gel, etc though.

I am pretty low maitenance, I do wear makeup, but not alot of jewelery. I can wear the same pair of earrings for months, and my only other bling is my wedding band/engagement rings. For makeup though, some things I swear by are simple and cheap, like Great Lash Mascara, but one thing I LOVE and budget for is the Pur Minerals foundation..yes, it's 30.00 but it lasts a long time, and is so easy to use...and takes the place of concealer and powder too. All my other makeup can be cheap but I will hunt high and low to get this stuff, LOL!

And like others, high speed internet. We just gave up our satellite TV for Zip (online video renting service here in Canada) but I told my dh over my dead body was I going to go back to dial up! I can come here to MDC of course, and as homeschoolers the internet is a necessity IMHO.

[amyamanda]

Music, music, music.

Yes, I know music can be free, and there are more expensive and cheaper ways to do it. But I love the way *I* do it and I think it counts as an extravagance - that I am not willing to give up.

My kids get varying degrees of lessons on the frugal plan (i.e., sporadic/as-needed lessons, not every week) from some really fabulous professionals. I'd rather do it that way than have them see a mediocre teacher weekly. I work with each kid myself in between lessons.

We go to a concert or a dance with live music at least 1-2x/month. There are ways to make it cheaper if we get desperate (work in exchange for admission, tough with kids but I could do it), but I wouldn't give it up. We are very choosy and generally pick cheap options, but still.

DS and I each take a class locally that we get financial aid for and make the most of by teaching other family members what we have learned.

And I will occasionally buy a CD from one of our musician friends. It is so very special to know the musicians on the CDs we love. I just bought one this week and it is so worth it to me. It's extra-meaningful and we get a lot of enjoyment out of each one. And it's really important to me to support local musicians so we can keep the scene alive.

And I take one of my kids weekly to a music session that is free but we have to patronize the restaurant so we do buy some food. So that is essentially paying for music.

We spend money as needed (if we have it) to make sure we have the gear/instruments/books we need to support our learning.

Yes, it feels really extravagant, when the rest of our budget is super tight. But I tell my kids that we scrimp in other areas so we have enough for the things we love the most. And that is what this is for me.

If we couldn't afford the above, we could still do music for free, but it wouldn't be quite as exciting or fun. So this is my extravagance.

[zenmama108]

Smartwool socks. I live in the willamette valley, where it rains over half of the year. High quality, warm socks are importent for me. I buy the socks in childrens size large, instead of womens small. That knocks $ off, and alot of the styles are the same.

[mouso]

Originally Posted by zenmama108

Smartwool socks. I live in the willamette valley, where it rains over half of the year. High quality, warm socks are importent for me. I buy the socks in childrens size large, instead of womens small. That knocks $ off, and alot of the styles are the same.

Me too. I wear socks from Oct to May here, could not go without wool.
But my feet get so cold I feel like it's a necessity!

[SugarAndSun]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Smarwool Socks. I run outside in the winter and they make such a difference! One pair costs what a whole pack of cheaper socks cost, but they are sooo nice!

Seriously, Smartwool is AWESOME! I have a few pairs and sometimes even rewear without washing. They cannot be beat for cold running.

Originally Posted by CatsCradle

You beat me to it! I started wearing glasses when I was very young (have very poor vision) and when affordable contacts came on the market, I was soooo grateful! Some people look great in glasses, but it was always a stigma for me, especially since my glasses were always so thick. I am fairly low maintenance, but contacts do wonders for my self-esteem and over-all happiness.

I buy the disposable lenses for like $500 a year.


I also go to yoga and run (which requires shoes) and race. I don't get my hair done or buy makeup though... so maybe it evens out. I actually cut out yoga when our finances were tight, but in retrospect I don't think it was worth it.

[miss_sonja]

Suggestion for the contact lens luxury folks. Have you considered gas-permeable hard lenses? I can wear mine for a week (sleeping in them) and only need new ones if I crack one (happened twice, in 20 years) or if my prescription changes (very rare).

They're much cheaper than daily wear disposable lenses and if you're near-sighted, can help keep your prescription from advancing.