What Do You Splurge On?

It's been a few years since I asked readers here what they splurge on (after all, if we're keeping our expenses under control, we're entitled to a bit of fun spending, aren't we?) and I have a whole new group of readers now. So I thought it would be fun to tackle the question again.

I've detailed what I've been buying lately (as well as what I plan to buy in the future.) A couple other splurges to add to that list:

• Books -- picked up several recently that I couldn't find at the library.
• Soccer stuff -- part of reffing well is looking the part, right? ;-)

How about you? Have you splurged on anything recently?

Comments

[wanzman]

My wife and I bought our first boat last summer, and sold it this spring in order to get a little bit smaller boat. We also pay to keep it in a nice marina about 20 minutes from our house. We love being out on the water, and keeping the boat at the marina makes it very easy to enjoy the boat, without worrying about where to store it and hauling it around, etc.

Its not cheap, but we love it, and we can afford it.

[Tyler]

Restaurants
Wine
Tickets to events

As I think about it, the amount spent on these three "splurges" is probably pretty appalling to most. Having kids would probably save me money.

[Learn Save Invest]

I took my finance out to dinner a few times recently. It seems my 'frugal' nature sometimes makes me miss the bigger picture. It was nice to treat her to dinner and reconnect. Being frugal is great, but you have to spend once in a while.

[MC]

About 4X a year, I take my kids to Barnes and Noble and spend $150 on books for them. Yeah we could use the library, but there's something about having all those books laying around at home that makes my kids actually read them all. They are entering 6th grade but currently read at 12th grade level, so I think it's been worth it! After the kids are done with them, we donate the books to the local elementary school's library, so other kids benefit as well.

A bigger splurge is that I pay for housecleaning every 2 wks (I'm a divorced mom with custody of our 2 kids). I work 60-70 hrs a week and this buys me quality time to spend with my children. Also I can have friends over, or family can come to stay, without me trying to figure out how/when to make the house presentable. Finally, a clean house gives me great peace of mind for some reason.

[Liz]

I get geeked out on workout clothes and tennis shoes and spend some good money for quality items. But it's totally worth it considering how much wear and tear I put on everything. I still use coupons and try to buy on sale whenever possible though.

[Tuan]

I try to splurge on experiences. In this case it's not is not even about me as I am using my extra income to help fund my little sister's trip to Japan.

[Harrken]

Books, way too many books.

[mylegs]

We splurge on travel. It's our main hobby and has given us so much that we keep and cherish. We're about to splurge on an outdoor kitchen, now that we have a kid and stay home a lot more.

[brooklyn money]

Liz, I buy workout clothes too. I run so they have to be dri-wick material or at least not cotton. I've found I can get running shorts 1/2 price on eBay. And they are new!

[Claire]

I have recently decided that it is worth it to splurge on high-quality workout clothes. I teach dance for a living, and so I wear workout clothes more than I wear normal clothes. About 12 years ago I had a pair of workout pants custom made, and I just got rid or them because the elastic gave out...I can't tell you how many pairs of $20 pants I've been through in the mean time. If a $70 pair of pants will last me 10-12 years, then I'm actually saving money in the long run!

[Nate]

New Blackberry 9700 -- I held out for SOOOO LONGGG... But I had to do it...

[Tim]

Cars and racing! I do taxes on the side just so I can support my summer hobby of going to the track and racing my car!

[Eugene Krabs]

Well, I do splurge on dining out and video games. However, any splurge I do are always within budget. There is no such thing as buying on credit, even if I do use a credit card. Everything is paid off, in cash, by the end of the month, or I don't buy....

Speaking of which, my "fun money" fund has gone low. It's going to be a little while before I can buy stuff again. :(

[Zach]

Alcohol for me. The last year and a half I've developed a liking for making my own cocktails. Fresh ingredients, nice liquor, etc. I probably buy a bottle of something every couple of weeks, but I'm acquiring them a whole lot faster than I'm using them.

The way I see it, I spend a whole lot less than if I drank a similar amounts at an actual bar where I'd pay $8+ per drink. It's just a drink or two a couple times a week, but I like being able to do it right.

[Liz M.]

Good food. Whether it be at a restaurant or at the grocery store. Something I wouldn't buy normally but would love to eat.

[Budgeting in the Fun Stuff]

Housekeeping, lawn care service, and Easter vacation ($200 weekend but it was very fun). My husband splurges on Curling league fees and supplies. Luckily, all of this is budgeted for...

[Old Limey]

Flying business class on our annual overseas vacation.
The reason - we're in our mid seventies and our kids are already well taken care of in our will so why not?

[Matt]

Good coffee. Organic, free-trade, shade grown (yep, we covered all the buzz words) roasted at a small roasting company. Their coffee house is very nice, too.

[Terry]

Firearms and shooting and hunting supplies. My wife spends on the Grand babies.

[billyjobob]

I buy good food (healthy) and I take some nice vacations. and I have a few guitars that I probably overpaid for... and thats about it for me... I'm thrifty! ;-)

[Maria]

More time away with the family. Going away has become cheaper and much more enjoyable, it seems customer service is back. We have been to 2 big chain, mid level hotels this year for weekend trips and the level of customer service improvement is truly unbelievable. Restaurants have also improved in a big way. It is so much more enjoyable to splurge on my family when the vendors understand that the occasion should be special. Congrats to those places that "get it". Also when we get good service we are tipping better. (still using coupons whenever possible, in addition to researching the best prices)
Hope when the economy improves these businesses reap the rewards of their efforts.

[Pop]

I've spent a lot of money on booze, women and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.

[MonkeyMonk]

Food. My wife and I try to eat at least one lavish meal out a year -- usually on our anniversary. The French Laundry in Napa was on the menu this year and it was worth every penny.

[CPA Abroad]

My wife and I splurge on vacations right now. We are moving back to the States a the end of the year so we want to get as much travel in while we are hear in Europe. It often involves weekend or long weekend trips, but we try to fly as affordably as possible, often at less than $100 per person roundtrip. It will all come to an end soon though, as I am off to grad school this fall and our splurge will be tuition. Kids come after school so we need to get the travel in now.

[billyjobob]

Good one Pop! ;-)

[Julie]

Lawn care, our babies (clothes and other things), and vacations. Luckily, I budget for all these things :)

[Rhea]

Eating out and books.

[Lisa]

For the first time ever, I am splurging on lawn care. I'll be paying someone $20 a pop to mow, weed eat, and leaf-blow all the trimmings from my sidewalk and driveway. I've really cut back on my spending over the last two years and even though I'm still working to pay down my debt, this is well worth it to me. That is two hours + the extra shower it costs me every time I go out and do yard work. If I use those two hours wisely, I can do some major damage in the freezer/bulk cooking dept that would more than make up for the $20 I'm paying to have someone else take care of my lawn.

[Jon]

where are you paying 20 to mow your lawn. they charge over 40 in baltimore

[Budgeting in the Fun Stuff]

Jon, we pay $25 biweekly for mowing, edging, weeding, and cleanup in Houston, TX. But, we also have a smallish front and back yard...

We also pay $45 biweekly for our housekeeper to keep our bottom floor guest-friendly...that's the kitchen, living room, dining room, half bathroom, and entry hall.

[Lisa]

Jon - I live in a small town in Kansas. I also have a smaller yard. I know he charges more for larger yards, but I'm not sure how much.

[Jay]

Airplane tickets! My parents, siblings and children live in 4 different countries on 3 different continents. So every year I fly overseas at least once, sometimes twice a year.I do budget for this each month but there are times when I do have to put part of a fare on my credit card. Unfortunately it's the reality of having grown up in a country that is politically unstable

[Laura]

Books! I take my children to the library every weekend, but I still buy them a few hundred dollars of books every year (plus a few for me). Books, books, books!

Fabric for quilting.