What do you splurge on?

[cmanole]

Offshoot of the cheapskate thread. What do you do big if you gon do it?

Took my daughter to lunch today, which I don't do often, and treated her to all of her favorites at the sushi bar. I will also get a room on the monorail route when we stay at Disney...

 

[seminoledq]

Vacations is about it for me. I'm pretty tight with the $$ in general but the wife and kids get just about whatever they want when we are on vacation. I figure if I am a tight ass for 51 weeks per year I can afford to spoil the family when on vacation.

On a smaller scale (so it might not be considered splurging) I will gladly pay a little extra for better beer. I'd rather have a 6pack of Grapefruit Sculpin for $13 than an 18 pack of Coors Light.

 

[FSUTribe76]

Pretty much just food and drink both ingredients and restuarants.

I'm very frugal when it comes to cars (still have the same one I did when I was a poor government worker even though I could easily afford better) and clothes.

I suppose you could argue vacations as I take a ton of them, BUT I usually go cheap on lodging unless it's something memorable (so I paid a fortune for a castle in Scotland, the prince's hunting lodge in Wales dating back to Tudor era, colonial mansion in Connecticut, etc....). Not dirt cheap where I'm getting diseases or sleeping in prostitute blood but cheap as in Holiday Inn, La Quinta, Best Western Plus, etc...

I will splurge on certain once in a lifetime type of vacation activities like jumping off the Stratosphere in Vegas, guided fishing trips, personal penguin island trips, etc...but usually I keep it modest.

 

[ericram]

Lately it has been Scotch for me. I do like to spurge on vacations as well.

 

[Seminiferous]

I splurge on everything that's important to me, but am frugal with respect to things which are unimportant to me. So, for example, I'm indulgent in travel but am a bottom feeder when it comes to window cleaners.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

not much, play golf a few times a month. Drink decent beer and smoke cigars at the local place in Wesley Chapel a few times a week. My wife will spend some pretty ridiculous amounts for the kids on their birthdays. I wouldn't. I love them like mad, but I think it sends the wrong message to buy them extravagant gifts.

 

[Seminiferous]

I splurged on my sons' educations, paying for the best educations that money can buy, but didn't spoil them with trust funds. They later told me that this approach worked and was the same they'll use with their children.

 

[travnole]

Hot dogs. I only buy Nathan's.

 

[LesClaypool]

Vacations, that's about it.

 

[Nole Lou]

I can't think much of anything. I get much more pleasure out of something if I feel like I "got a great deal." It's just part of the enjoyment of any expenditure to me.

That said, we've taken a couple halfway decent vacations, like Yellowstone or Washington DC. I guess it's a splurge in the sense that we could have not gone at all, but when we do something, I enjoy it much more if I feel like we've done it smarter/more affordably than anyone else. It's not even so much about the money anymore...it's really just something that adds significantly to my enjoyment of something.

 

[Seminiferous]

Totally agree, Lou. It's not the money, it's the game. Some refer to it as procedural satisfaction.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I've gotten to where I splurge on experiences as opposed to material possessions. You can't take it with you, and I hope that on my deathbed remembering the things I've done will put a little smile on my face.

 

[Nole Lou]

Totally agree, Lou. It's not the money, it's the game. Some refer to it as procedural satisfaction.

Hmm, never heard that before, but it definitely applies to me. It started long ago when it really was about the money, and now it's an indispensable part of the process to me. Very few things I can think of that I could enjoy if I just walked up and paid what it cost. I mean, I might do that for a certain attraction on a trip (I'm not going to go to DC and refuse to go to a certain museum because I don't have a Groupon), but the entirety of the trip needs to feel like I've won the game overall.

 

[SeaPA]

Vacations, it's the one big expenditure every year.
Beer, I like to drink quality stuff.
Meat, I love to cook a quality steak.
Golf balls, if my game sinks to where I can't notice the difference between a decent ball & a crappy one I'll give up the game for good.

 

[FSU_Chris]

Domestic and international travel, bourbon and the occasional nice meal as well. Mrs has an affinity for Parisian leather goods.

 

[BloodyNoseJose]

I've gotten to where I splurge on experiences as opposed to material possessions. You can't take it with you, and I hope that on my deathbed remembering the things I've done will put a little smile on my face.

Yeah, I got a hooker addiction too...

 

[nolesfan73]

Shoes

 

[kooterridesagain]

Travel and belgian beer. The 400% markup on belgians in the US is criminal but i need my fix, and obviously many others do too.

 

[DanC78]

Whores and cocaine!!!

Kidding

Diapers and a new minivan.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

Food ingredients for cooking at home, and gadgets related to cooking. Most things I buy, I tend to buy premium quality, but I don't buy a ton of stuff, and I'm selective and often over research the things I do buy, then hunt for the very best deal I can find. I will also wait, sometimes years for the right price on the right item.

 

[ncnole1975]

Define "splurge"?

 

[wbnolefan]

Charmin

 

[jamnolfin]

I can't think much of anything. I get much more pleasure out of something if I feel like I "got a great deal." It's just part of the enjoyment of any expenditure to me.

That said, we've taken a couple halfway decent vacations, like Yellowstone or Washington DC. I guess it's a splurge in the sense that we could have not gone at all, but when we do something, I enjoy it much more if I feel like we've done it smarter/more affordably than anyone else. It's not even so much about the money anymore...it's really just something that adds significantly to my enjoyment of something.

I feel you. We just went to Puerto Rico for 10 days. Flew on points and got a car for 10 days $170. Rented a condo on the beach and ate a big breakfast there everyday. Of course we made up for it drinking and eating every night but I did the whole trip for a good price, it felt good.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

Travel
Beer
Golf
Shoes

 

[Lemon Thrower]

i splurge on vacations. take a big one every year or other year. but i usually have an angle on points or somethign. this year, going to europe for a week and a half. flights are free, and 2/3rds of our hotels are free, and some of these are pretty posh. just have to pay for rental car and meals.

 

[Octoberfest]

Taxes

 

[Banditking]

I could probably be more frugal.

I echo october's statement, taxes cost me a ton this last year. Irritating.

I tend to be careful on things like cars. I've gone a bit overboard on audio and home theater stuff. But, it's a nice home theater.


Gone on some good vacations. In the future, I intend to do more of that. I tend to value convenience over cost savings. Meaning, I like getting a good deal but I won't go out of my way to do it. If it requires I call around and haggle, I usually see my time as more valuable than the chase.

Definitely focus on paying oneself/family first. Fully funded a 529. Fully fund 401k, try to save 30-40 percent of income, etc....

 

[Bav803]

Travel
Beer
Golf
Shoes

+ Haircuts, Tequila.

 

[riseboi]

Travel, shoes, watches

 

[Nolebra Kai]

Beer
Bourbon
FSU

 

[HilltopperNole]

Good meals at home, vacations, football season

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Hmm nothing really.
I have very moderate tastes.
My idea of splurging might be the J Crew Factory store, traveling to Europe on Icelandic Express Airlines and staying in hostels - all of which I'm pretty happy doing so don't feel the need for must more.

Agree with others re: experiences over things. I try to minimize possessions and maximize experiences.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

Hmm nothing really.
I have very moderate tastes.
My idea of splurging might be the J Crew Factory store, traveling to Europe on Icelandic Express Airlines and staying in hostels - all of which I'm pretty happy doing so don't feel the need for must more.

Agree with others re: experiences over things. I try to minimize possessions and maximize experiences.

Don't let people lie to you. Hostels are for the ugly.

 

[2noles1cup]

OP's mom mostly.

 

[Fijimn]

Bath salts...

 

[MIKE_G]

Not a splurger. Only thing I spend more on than I could otherwise save money on is groceries. I rarely buy anything at the big box supermarket chains, and never meat, produce. I'm fortunate to live very close to a huge farmers market. It's cheaper than Whole Foods, but considerably more expensive than the supermarkets. My wife shops at Trader Joe's for packaged goods, but I don't think they're all that much more expensive than traditional supermarkets.

 

[12Nole]

Golf
FSU (Traveling to games, tickets, & new gear)
Travel

I need to get better at saying no to people when they ask if I want to go golf with them. I'm not even good enough to play as much as I do but I really enjoy being out there for a few hours.

 

[noleit]

Publix Greenwise brand products and medium grade octane gas.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

Not a splurger. Only thing I spend more on than I could otherwise save money on is groceries. I rarely buy anything at the big box supermarket chains, and never meat, produce. I'm fortunate to live very close to a huge farmers market. It's cheaper than Whole Foods, but considerably more expensive than the supermarkets. My wife shops at Trader Joe's for packaged goods, but I don't think they're all that much more expensive than traditional supermarkets.

YDFM? I've found it cheaper than traditional supermarkets, especially for meat and produce.

 

[MIKE_G]

YDFM? I've found it cheaper than traditional supermarkets, especially for meat and produce.

Yeah. I guess the difference is you don't get sales there like Kroger/Publix. There's no $2.99 lb chicken breast or $1.99 ground beef specials. I agree for the quality you get there it is not expensive. Same with the produce.