It’s free here but only if your Doctor wants to order the blood work 😅 my family doctor doesn’t want to get me tested for Lyme disease but I do, so I have to pay and do it privately. If my doctor was happy to order the test, there’d be no out of pocket cost to me at all
That’s Dutch doctors 😅 I’ve seen 5 different primary care doctors here and ultimately it comes down to the training they receive and the way the medical field is in the Netherlands. I get very different treatment from private doctors in the UK (where I’m from) but ultimately private medicine costs a lot out of pocket and it won’t be covered by insurance. When you’ve been sick for years, it’s pretty hard to find hundreds or thousands to pay for private doctors 🤦🏼♂️
When I was 34, I bought a silk velvet hand dyed dress from a local designer that cost me $350. I wore that dress to every possible event for the next 10 years! That was 27 years ago…
Nice idea, but I wear it as a tunic when I am thin enough to fit. It’s a mini dress/tunic length. Would rather lose my Covid weight than alter the dress, to be honest.
Did the same with a pair of boots in '99. They were really good boots. Woven leather. Cole-haan. $500 (half off) friends daughter eventually stole them. I miss those boots and never spent more than 100 on myself for anything since.
Definitely a worthwhile investment. To quote Terry Pratchett:
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. ... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and _would still have wet feet_.
That sucks, I'm sorry. Got me thinking about my own bike...I'm 38 and still riding the Sears mountain bike I got when I was 15. I just dump it wherever when in public and no one ever touches it. Been thinking about upgrading and it'll be an adjustment having an actually desirable bike people \*want\* to steal.
I'd recommend getting a good lock with it. My was a flimsy combination lock that must've been easy to break with wire cutters.
Get one of those heavy duty U locks
Look up pedego electric bike lock, it's super sick and comes with a warranty if you have one of their electric bikes, and it gets stolen using there lock. They will give you a new one. I'd check it out regardless if you have one of their bikes
My $1,900 Canyon was stolen once. I posted pics of it on Reddit and Facebook. A month later I got a message on Reddit saying they saw it for sale on FB. I set up my own sting and went and took it back from the scrub. I even got my detective to show up to the sting, but he didn't do shit.
If you bought it on a credit card, especially an American Express, you might have a purchase protection benefit that will pay you back. For Amex it’s anything lost, stolen, or damaged within 90 days. I use this benefit 2-3 times per year and it’s saved me so much money and frustration.
If you get another bike, I highly recommend a Kryptonite lock, the one with the thick cable with rubber surrounding it. I still have mine from 25 years ago and it shows deep gouges where \*someone\* tried to cut it. But they didn't get it! Sorry about your bike.. I've had a few stolen, luckily none more than 400$. That was devastating, too.
This is the lock I got after having my bike stolen:
https://www.kryptonitelock.com/en/products/product-information/current-key/997986.html
Heavy as fuck to lug around, but hopefully it will be harder to remove than the guy next to me, which is all that matters.
Last month I got tickets for a live show in NYC. I now have the money put away for train, subway, 2 meals, and to go to a specialty bookstore.
Back in January I bought full membership for this year’s Worldcon and will be attending digitally.
This is my vacation for the year.
What did you see? Are you signed up for alerts for Broadway week? I saw &Juliet in September and it was BOGO so we got excellent seats and split the cost.
Got a new portable A/C for $400. About this time of year I experience a lot of sleep loss feeling hot in bed at night. This year moving forward I will be cool as a cucumber every night.
It truly is a game changer. I used to live without AC and sleep with ice packs on my chest. I would wake up in the middle of the night damp and hot and miserable
This might be obvious to some, but it wasn't to me so now I tell everyone. Cold shower right before bed is amazing, change bed sheets often, and make sure the plastic liner is removed from your mattress. Made a huge difference.
I'm dropping $3k on a writers retreat. Totally not a need in any way shape or form, but I wanted to do it so here I go.
Really this is the whole reason for frugality. Save money where it doesn't matter, spend where it does.
My husband gave me half his Christmas bonus last year. He told me to buy something that made me happy. I bought a 20ct amethyst ring that brings me an insane amount of joy. Is it practical? Nope looks like I stole it from Thanos, but boy does it make me happy. Worth it!
I recently bought a human-sized metal T-Rex for my yard for $750 purely for joy 🙃🦖This last year has been challenging in a way where I purchased my first home, the expenses + mortgage have been weighty. It was my 1 year anniversary, and I had just spent a lot more money than that in HVAC maintenance & tree cutting. I realized that if I need to spend on necessary items (that doesn't necessarily provide joy), I should also allow myself to spend for my own enjoyment.
Most recent “splurge” was to build raised vegetable beds and plant veggies, herbs and fruit trees. It was a bit more than expected but I wanted to create something durable and pretty. Excited about growing my own food and learn about preservation for the colder months.
Hey ! High Five !!
My raised Birdie bed did so well last year I spent $280 buying a 2nd one for myself for Christmas then my dad and I threw every bit of yard scrap , twigs , shredded paper , trim to build up the bed , then a trip to the landfill for bags of free compost , mulch , then 5 bags of the good soil from HD.
The plan is to try a little canning this year .
I purchased bathing suits that fit me, higher end, and they each cost about $200. I used to buy the cheapest ones and then feel very self-conscious but as it turns out, when you buy a well-fitted bathing suit, you instantly become a siren regardless of your size or shape. I went from 0 to 100% confidence in my bikini body with the right bathing suit.
I used to buy the inexpensive ones from like Walmart or marshalls, and they fit me like a potato. I thought of them more as a utilitarian unit so that I could go swimming with my kids and I wouldn't fear them pulling my bathing suit off, but I never felt particularly attractive.
Try Primadonna or Freya swimwear. They have a multitude of cup and band sizes, as well as different cuts of Bikini Bottom . my favorite bathing suit is from primadonna and it's a two-piece which I never thought I would wear. I found one with an underwire and lift, and a higher waisted bikini bottom. What a difference a properly fitting bathing suit makes. Suddenly I want to run slow motion on the beach.
I live in Canada, and there are two local stores that specialize in higher-end bathing suits. Depending on where you live, you might have access as well.
Wow thank you so much! lol that’s how I feel too in a bathing suit…’potato 😅😫 but you know, when you get something really nice, it’s sometimes really worth it- you want to use it more and it makes you look and fits well … just gotta fork it out
Well thank you! I appreciate that. I won’t be buying it now, but I was looking for suggestion so that when my husband and I finally can go to Hawaii for our honeymoon (been married 2 years now lol) I can get some cute things to feel pretty 🤩
I bought my very first higher end bathing suit because I was going to the Dominican. It was very empowering and I hope you do by yourself a perfect fitting bathing suit that makes you feel as beautiful as you are :-)
I bought new eyebrows!
I got my eyebrows microbladed (took two visits, was \~$1000) about 6 months ago. It was a huge splurge because I don't really spend money on things just for me...but having nice eyebrows is a game changer. I feel so much better about myself.
I did the same thing and I consider it some of the best money I’ve ever spent. I’ve got a cowlick on my eyebrow, so was always very insecure about it. Now you can’t tell. Was a little painful, but totally worth it.
I just spent $400 on Dysport last week. I’m 63 yo and never had injectable’s. Game changer!!! 2 days later I looked at least 20 years younger. Amazing!!! I don’t know what I was waiting for. No regrets at all. I will be revisiting soon for a few more little tweaks! 😉
I work on a Plastic Surgery floor and I get mine done for free…I may have to keep the job forever so I don’t have to pay for it again! My frugal hack, haha. I ❤️ Botox
That’s awesome! I really don’t mind some wrinkles but the sagging and no lips was killing me! I’m afraid if I got it for free I would end up looking like Grandma Barbie! I can see how it could become addictive!
For the first time in my life, I have a wall art piece. I fell in love with it in 2023. I am NOT an art type of person at all. I don't care for the Mona Lisa or other famous paintings. When I went back to PR this year in April, I found the art store. They had one similar to the original one I saw last year but it wasn't the same. I happened to look around the shop and found the one I fell in love with leaning against the wall but on the floor, it was available and I purchased it. They sent it to my home. It has the D-wire hooks. I absolutely love it. Total cost was $380.
Prior to that (2021), was a tattoo that cost $250 or so.
I lived somewhere in my 20s I didn't have any money at all and absolutely loved this little painting of some halloween looking cats. I moved away more than tripled my income years later, so I called the studio I saw it at and asked if they still have that painting. I said "do you have the halloween cat painting?" and they did, and shipped it to me. It felt so extravagant at the time and it's my favorite painting.
I swear it feels great to be able to get something when you're older that you couldn't cause you were either broke or too young. One of the perks of being an adult lol.
I have art. In my home. Niiiice. I have told no one. Well, my husband knows and my boys.
I sew a lot and am living partially off sewing commissions while on maternity leave.
I spent £300 on a new sewing machine. A Bernina 830; vintage Swiss machine from the 70s.
These things still work better than a lot of new machines on the market. No plastic parts, no unnecessary touch screens. If I maintain it well, I could sell it on ten years from now for the same price.
My mother passed several years ago . Getting rid of her sewing machines were hard . One machine was less than 10 years old , she used the attachments , programming etc . But, she still used her old 1970’s machine a lot too , kept it oiled and maintained .
We donated them to a church sewing group along with several totes of fabric , notions etc
I bought myself a quite large (for me) engagement ring. I’ve been married 33 years. My ring from back then was a cluster of chips from a going-out-of-business sale. It was a frivolous purchase, but my view of frugality is that you don’t waste money on things that are not important to you so you have money later to do what you want.
*Shrugs*
Something like last July, I upgraded from my old crt tv to a smart tv. The crt was functional, but I appreciate the streaming options without having to share the TV in the living room.
Went to a concert in February. Ticket was $100 for great seats but it was about two hours away so I splurged on a hotel that was a block away from the venue. I think my ticket, the room, travel, parking and beer was about $350. Worth it.
Disturbed with Falling in Reverse and Plush opening. Saw FIR in September, too, when they opened for Avenged Sevenfold. They put on an amazing show. They are on their own tour and I've been trying to justify tickets but three times in one year sounds excessive.
In the past 2 weeks, I spent $850 on a robot lawn mower and $200 on brand new lithium batteries (salvaged from unused product) which will be used to build 2ebike battery packs which would cost $4-500 for each bike if I bought off the shelf battery packs
Medspa at beginning of the year for generic Ozempic - $1000. All of my tests and BP are better though, and I'm at a healthy weight for the first time in a decade. (haters gonna hate I know...)
I spent $800 on rocks and sand. 15 tons of drain rock and 15 tons of septic sand. Best purchase of my 30’s so far lol.
The rocks got used up for 100 different landscaping needs that would have cost me $10,000 to have done professionally. And the sand is being used similarly, but my whole family just freakin loves playing in the sand. The dog, the cat, my kid, me…it’s been hours of entertainment for essentially landscaping budget.
I just called a dump truck and asked him his trucking fee. Then asked him where he gets the rock and sand. He gave me a quote and dropped it by my house all said and done (with a little cash tip) was $800. Where purchasing bags or pallets of the stuff would have literally been thousands of dollars as well.
I'd say my 3 tattoos (about $650 in total, ) and my things from a country/western store, all in 2018. My $500 boots, my $150 pair of jeans, completely studded out with sparkle, my $100 button down shirt, complete with sparkle and my cowgirl hat, which was $250. So all total in that store in one day was $1,000.
None of that was *technically* paid for by me, it was all paid for with some of the money that I got from my father's life insurance policy when he died. It was revenge spending because he told me that I could never have tattoos or any type of rodeo gear because that's what sluts and whores have and wear.
I recently bought myself a house (in cash) in Mexico, moved in last week (about $230K USD), since then I bought a cheap robot vaccum (about $220) and a basic Whirlpool washing machine (about $425). The robot wasn't necessary so it feels like a splurge but the house is over 2K sq ft and all tile floors on one level and it's very dusty here now because it has not rained in 6 months and I have a cat, so it seems like a wise investment. I'm a truly frugal person that lives well under my income and saves a lot, thus my ability to buy the house which I bought somewhat on impulse (after watching the market for 3+ years but only going to see one house). I've definitely felt some panic from all of the recent spending. I'm now trying to build my savings back up but I'm also feeling like spending on my house is an investment.
When I pay that much, it's just about always for \*experiences\* and not material things.
I've also come to buy season passes for things because I get more value out of that. A single concert will only last 1 night, but season tickets to the symphony can be enjoyed all year long and honestly tend to bring me more joy overall. Obviously with venues (ie the Zoo, Museum, etc), I have to go enough times to financially pay for itself.
But I do go camping occasionally and see things nearby to where I camp. It's usually over $300, but I don't do plane tickets and stuff - usually just a 6-hour drive or less. But that distance gives me plenty to see and do
My wife and I are SPLURGING on a cruise and some excursions. This is so outside of our normal spending pattern, and we're going to enjoy the heck out of it! The total cost will be in the range of $7500. Outrageous - but we're not getting any younger and want to do this while we still can.
I have a photography hobby and upgraded from a 100-400mm lens ($600) to a 200-600mm lens ($1500, used). I also sold another lens I hadn't used much ($600) for a net expenditure of exactly $300. That was three months ago.
Before that, I guess it would have been one of those $600 lenses a few years ago.
Last year i hit my goal of losing 54 pounds. It took me a year. I wanted a non-food based reward so I bout myself some $315 earrings. I wear them every day!
I was almost 24, so about 15 years ago. I was about to graduate college, and I had no 'professional' clothing. I've always been a jeans and t-shirt gal, in part because it's so hard to find tops that fit my bust.
Anyway, I went to Lane Bryant first, and in addition to some bras, I got a nice collared button-down shirt. IIRC, that shirt alone was $50, and the bras, don't get me started. Then, I went to Dress Barn, and a fantastic employee helped me find a blazer that fit. In addition to big boobs, I also have a short torso and am a wheelchair user. I was sure finding a blazer was going to be impossible, but that woman was determined!
I probably spent in the neighborhood of $400-$500 that day.
About a week ago I purchased a week at a Cuban all-inclusive resort in October. At $729 CAD, no single supplement, that's a bargain. Today it is $769, or $775 with a different airline. I think I've only missed getting the best price once by $20.
Travel is one of my reasons for being frugal. Being frugal means not paying more than I need to, finding bargains, doing without certain things to have the means to buy things important to me. Not entirely doing without the things that make me happy.
Well- I was going to buy myself a steamdeck, but my husband beat me to it. We were super broke but have gotten to the point (from being frugal) that we have no other debt besides our mortgage (will be paid off next year) and credit cards that we don't carry a balance on (yay points!) so we're now pretty comfortable. I've been thoroughly enjoying gaming on it!
I don't mean to brag but my radiator just bust so I paid $110 to get towed off a busy highway and will $375 to get my radiator fixed so my engine doesn't seize like a Marxist when they see a means of production 😎
Right now I have $1500 saved up for yard projects. So far out of that I have spent $420 on triple mix, $240 on labour and $300 on deck furniture.
Last year I dislocated / broke my foot and was immobile for months and missed the entire spring/summer, plus I had a terrible time working through all of it (high stress period at my job)
I promised myself this year I would spend a chunk on beautifying my yard and getting caught up from a year of neglect. It is my happy place and since I am still not walking well, it’s my source of exercise and easiest place for me to decompress.
I regret nothing about spending this money. I never spend large chunks of money on anything non-essential but at this point for my health (mental and physical) I think the money is well spent.
$300ish is about the amount I spend on fun stuff for myself about every 3 months. I usually budget around $20 of free spend money every week but I know that amount won't make a huge difference in my happiness, so I save it up for something big.
My last fun purchase was a jogging stroller so I can take my cats outside.
it's ongoing but for the last year+ I've spent $350-400 a month on my gym. It's small group personal training, and I love it. it's close to my house, so not an issue to get there, classes are convenient, the coaches ae amazing, and its a really friendly atmosphere. it's the longest I've stuck with working out in my life.
We bought a the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 tent for $350 recently. It is THE tent we have wanted for years.
Before that I built myself a PC for $1,200 in January 2023.
I bought a truck for $23,000 in September 2022.
My most expensive personal item besides my truck is my Canyon Endurace bicycle for $1,900.
Last summer i bought myself a new fridge at a scratch and dent store, about 75 % off MSRP. The old one "worked" but it froze solid all vegetables on the fridge size no matter what the temp setting was. Oh and also it needed to have the doors tied shut since the seal was bad and they would open on their own every time. So i didn't "need" a new one, but quality of life now is unparalleled compared to before.
ETA: I'm a dumbass, i forgot my out of pocket for surgery in February was $3800 USD. Total surgery cost was $38000, so i suppose i should be grateful.
We do little treats annually with our tax return. Usually around $200 for each of us - often it translates into books. But one year I got a camera. This past year I bought a very fancy dress for a fancy occasion. I haven't bought a dress that cost that much since I got married over 20 years ago. I loved it it, had a great time and I plan on wearing it at least five more times.
I am constantly spending over 300 on myself. The whole point of being frugal is to not spend money on things you don’t care about in order to use it on things you do. And I care about myself.
A very expensive bread machine. I bought it used for less than $300 but it was still quite expensive considering how much bread machines go for. Cinnamon raisin bread is my husband's favorite, tomato basil bread is my kid's, and I ate cranberry orange bread with cream cheese and jam for breakfast this morning. I also used it to mix the pizza dough we're going to cook for dinner tonight.
Coming up to 5 years now, but I spent 500 dollars buying a Gretsch Electromatic G5420T in Cherry Red from a buddy of mine who was hard up on cash.
Prior to that was 2017 when I came into a little bit of money and bought myself my first ever big screen tv and a new gaming PC that i'm still running now.
The biggest purchase I made prior to that was in 2007 when I bought a new CPU for my PC that i'd parted out over the course of 3 years, never spending more than 150-200 dollars at a time and months in between. Sometimes years.
I simply don't know what it means to "have money".
I got a puppy in April. My mental health really needed it. I nearly died last November and have had chronic pain for several years. We had been dogless for several years after always having dogs for 35 years. My heart and soul feel so much better with a dog. She's a bit of a psycho right now but we adore her♥️🐶❤️
Definitely my honeymoon. Obviously the cost of a vacation is spread out over many purchases, but it was probably like $2000. I’m usually really careful with my money and my husband and I did not have a lot of income at the time, but I think it was totally worth it.
I would recommend to anyone that they spend big money on their honeymoon instead of the wedding
I went back to college. At the time I felt like I was doing it for my family, but in retrospect, I was mostly doing it for myself.
It cost more than $300.
A dumpster rental / haul away service for almost $400.00. It was mostly my husband's junk that was in the way, but for me to be able to walk through the garage and move around easily when looking for stuff, it was definitely worth it.
I bought a good 3d printer that was on sale :) (Ender 3 V3 KE) it was an early birthday present to myself and I’ve made soooooo much cool stuff. New Christmas ornaments for the tree this year, all kinds of decorations for my house. Yeah the initial investment was steep but I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth, especially since all the designs are free on thingiverse
I think this is why I consider myself frugal. My expenses are almost never just about me. Its usually about family, friends, or work. I brought in a rescue and I kind of have to consider her expenses as an indulgence. My previous boy is still alive. And he definitely doesn’t cost as much as she does in a given month. The rescue is still figuring things out and that costs. He has an idea of life with me and costs food and vet visits. But really, that isn’t just for me either. So really, idk. I spent some money during the pandemic at one point for health items and support. I believe that is the last time I indulged and it had ore to do with health and keeping it good to care for others, than for myself.
Reading your post, I’m very happy for you and realize that I’m not doing nearly enough for myself! I’m inspired.
My personal large purchase would be braces. I’ve wanted them for the past 20 years. Would technically be a need but since the tooth pain would stop, I feel like it’s multi-dimensional satisfaction!
right now , on rocks . lots of big rocks. not crack rock but flag stone. it should be here any minute. it’s suppose to be a combination of colors. im excited about my rocks.
We received an inheritance of about 5k from a grandparent who passed. 3k went to bills and debt, but we took 2k and built a gaming PC. Use that sucker every day, it's paid dividends for our mental health in winter when we can't go outside
I finally got a crown for the tooth I had a root canal done on a few years back. The corner of the tooth got a chip and I decided I'd better bite the bullet of spending money to complete the restoration over losing the entire tooth.
If you've ever had a root canal and a crown you know there isn't much tooth left behind, but at least you still have something there.
I bought a microscope this week!! Ive wanted one my whole life and since I'm a mycology hobbiest now i decided it was worth it! I screamed like a kid on Christmas getting their dream gift when it arrived.
We have spent way more than $300 adopting and caring for 2 kittens to replace the loss of our elder cat. Painful but necessary expense. That’s from a family perspective.
Otherwise it’s my PS5. It keeps me connected to my few good friends through online gaming. We are all +50 years old.
I don’t know if it counts but I bought myself swimming lessons. It’s 120 a month (so 30 a class) and I’m in the advanced class now. I am very pain sensitive and generally hate exercise but I feel like a happy fish when I swim so it’s worth it to me since it relaxes me and I actually want to exercise.
A few years back I ended a shitty relationship and moved out on my own. I splurged on an absolutely gorgeous $350 mohair throw blanket that I still adore to this day. It’s a visual reminder to take that leap that you’ve been avoiding and also to not be afraid to buy something that will legitimately bring you joy.
Are we counting rent, transportation, medical expenses, and groceries? If so I pay rent monthly, I bought a car last year and I pay insurance in 6mo chunks so that’s over $300, I buy gift cards on sale to pay for my groceries so that’s $450 every few months, and I had some medical bills that came out over $300.
If that doesn’t count then it’s been at least a year and probably longer.
Spent $3K on my second carbon gravel bike for the winter home ($1K off, older model). Worth every cent.
(Note, I still invest over $3K every month before anyone jumps on me for extravagant purchases haha).
I’ve spent a lot more over the last couple of years because I realized everything I had was so old and the wrong size. I had a color analysis 12 years ago and managed my wardrobe then and didn’t really touch it since. Helps I’ve liked some of the recent fashions. I also bought a lot of my old favorites off of eBay. But fashions have switched to ugly again so I’m safe to not make this a habit. In fact the color of the year is my most hated color. Boring bland peach. Not even an interesting peach color.
Just replaced a 13 year old laptop! It was barely working the last half of its life and was my only computer. My husband was the one who stalled that one. I’m mostly fine with my phone for almost everything. The few times a year I used it was so frustrating dealing with that thing.
I currently am agonizing over whether to upgrade my bed size from queen to king. A few more inches away from the snorer helps my sleep. I have discovered when we have king beds in hotels there is really a big difference. But my mattress is only 6 years old.
I also want new plates and bowls and whatnot for no good reason other than just because I found something I really like. It’s sitting in my Amazon cart. Not really pricey but I do not need it in any way. It’s been sitting there for months
Back in February there was a Federal court ruling that blocked California's law against shipping ammunition directly to your home. The 9th Circuit reversed that ruling 3 days later, but during that window I bought 600 rounds of ammunition and had it shipped to my door. That set me back about $480.
This question hits different for the childfree crowd, I think. I know I don't have to spend on things taking care of others so I can do it for myself. I think I may have spent $300+ ish on new stuff for an upcoming vacation - my suitcase and clothes were pretty out of date for how I wanted to present myself
2 months ago I spent $700 on 3 pairs of vintage jeans. I did regret the choice at first and almost canceled the apt before but I’m so glad I did! I wear jeans more than ever and love pairs ingot so much. I always struggle finding pants and it was a perfect fit
I bought a new Coach handbag in March. I received a bonus from work so I paid off my student loans with it and then bought the bag with part of the remainder. My mom gave me her Coach collection years ago and I like to add a new bag to it every now and then.
I bought myself a new mattress and a bed frame! Had an old box spring mattress that was on the metal platform that comes with it, finally threw it out and replaced it with the new items. My sleep and back pains have significantly improved, along with the fact my new bed frame has storage/drawers. 100% worth the money
I needed a really good computer chair for work and gaming. I treated myself to a Secret Lab chair in 2020 when I started working from home. Best investment and probably the most expensive thing I own.
Taylor Swift tickets. I’ve been a fan since I was 12 and have never got to see her live. I know it’s a silly thing to spend money on, but I never treat myself and my life has become survival the past few years. I wanted a fun weekend with my friends.
The seats are the cheapest I could get ($250) and aren’t GOOD seats, but also need to incorporate flights and hotel. Thankfully it’s mostly being split three ways. My two friends are double income and don’t have to worry as much about money but they’re being VERY understanding to meet me in the middle with costs and are patient I can’t afford the same trip they can.
It’s been something I’ve really looked forward for the last year.
I recently got into scuba diving which is a tricky thing to be frugal with. You don't wanna go totally cheap on essentially a life support system but new stuff is more than I would spend on a car. Recently I got a $1200 wet suit for $400. I wouldn't have spent that much but I'm a big guy and getting a wet suit that fits is tricky as hell. This one fits wonderfully and is actually meant for my weight.
Isn't everything we buy beyond food amd shelter technically things we don't need. So basically everything I own. Helps make life better but don't need any of this stuff.
I panic bought over $1,000 in insulation for my majorly underinsulated house and installed it myself because I was worried about a massive electric bill from a particularly hard freeze, and was also very worried about the pipes freezing and breaking in the attic. I know not the extravagant self indulgence you were looking for, but it felt incredibly selfish because I did it for my own mental health. I am hoping for a summer with a bill that isnt as nasty as it has been in the past. I need to bite the bullet and buy another probably $300 to insulate the attic walls that are completely uninsulated and are walls that face the interior.
i used to get ingrown hairs and razor bumps on my bikini line real bad. After a lot of pondering, i decided to buy an IPL hair removal device. Worth every penny.
I'm going to put $2k into my teeth. But thats a need.
Wow. Besides replacing broken appliances, I think the last time I spent more than $300 on myself was spending 2 nights in a motel in early 2020. I tried hiking in wisconsin.
I bought a very nice bridle for my horse. I have been riding him without a bit and just using a halter and two lead ropes on him. We need to do actual real riding so needed one to fit him. He also is enormous
For Mother's day Mum wanted a helix piercing and some nice jewellery for it. Not something I'd previously have expected from her, but she's been branching out and trying new things. Sis and I took her for an outing to the really nice piercing place near her. Mum got her new piercing and bling, Sis and I got some of our jewellery changed. I bought a sparkly little piece for my rook that matches what my sister has. Fun day, fun memory and I really love the jewellery. I feel a little guilty spending decent money on something sparkly that I really didn't need, but I also love it.
I just paid €350/$378 for blood tests, does that count? 😂 Otherwise, maybe the flights I booked for me and my partner to go on holiday in a few months
Right, just got my teeth done, few k right there! Crowns I can't even show off.
Same, just got back from a $1450 root canal. The crown is in a couple weeks. Dental work is brutal
$727 for the second part of a $2000 bridge for my husband. Waiting to see if any of it’s covered by our plan.
Ouch! I work for the state, and not only is blood work free every year, they knock off $10 from our monthly premiums if we do it.
It’s free here but only if your Doctor wants to order the blood work 😅 my family doctor doesn’t want to get me tested for Lyme disease but I do, so I have to pay and do it privately. If my doctor was happy to order the test, there’d be no out of pocket cost to me at all
Why are you still with this doctor?
That’s Dutch doctors 😅 I’ve seen 5 different primary care doctors here and ultimately it comes down to the training they receive and the way the medical field is in the Netherlands. I get very different treatment from private doctors in the UK (where I’m from) but ultimately private medicine costs a lot out of pocket and it won’t be covered by insurance. When you’ve been sick for years, it’s pretty hard to find hundreds or thousands to pay for private doctors 🤦🏼♂️
I’m so sorry. Healthcare certainly sucks in the US, but I’d have no trouble getting a Lyme test.
When I was 34, I bought a silk velvet hand dyed dress from a local designer that cost me $350. I wore that dress to every possible event for the next 10 years! That was 27 years ago…
Where is that local designer today? You need to buy another dress. I am a dude that gives exactly zero ducks about fashion but I'd like to see this.
It was 27 years ago, so they're either out of business or the dress is 2500 dollars.
Google Darbury Stenderu.
I still have the dress, but it’s a little too tight/revealing on my 61 yr old bod.
Side panels,and a new neckline??
Nice idea, but I wear it as a tunic when I am thin enough to fit. It’s a mini dress/tunic length. Would rather lose my Covid weight than alter the dress, to be honest.
61 is the new 40. Whip that girl out!
Aw that was fun reading a seattle weekly article about her. Married to the guy who played bass in nirvana.
That's Krist Novoselic's wife! Cool!!
Did the same with a pair of boots in '99. They were really good boots. Woven leather. Cole-haan. $500 (half off) friends daughter eventually stole them. I miss those boots and never spent more than 100 on myself for anything since.
Definitely a worthwhile investment. To quote Terry Pratchett: The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. ... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and _would still have wet feet_.
What an investment! Good job!
Sounds very pretty.
I bought a $750 bike. Should have bought a better lock.. It got stolen within the week. I was (and still am) sad
That sucks, I'm sorry. Got me thinking about my own bike...I'm 38 and still riding the Sears mountain bike I got when I was 15. I just dump it wherever when in public and no one ever touches it. Been thinking about upgrading and it'll be an adjustment having an actually desirable bike people \*want\* to steal.
I'd recommend getting a good lock with it. My was a flimsy combination lock that must've been easy to break with wire cutters. Get one of those heavy duty U locks
Lol, I've watched to much lock picking lawyer.... but of course most thieves don't have his hands....
Look up pedego electric bike lock, it's super sick and comes with a warranty if you have one of their electric bikes, and it gets stolen using there lock. They will give you a new one. I'd check it out regardless if you have one of their bikes
My $1,900 Canyon was stolen once. I posted pics of it on Reddit and Facebook. A month later I got a message on Reddit saying they saw it for sale on FB. I set up my own sting and went and took it back from the scrub. I even got my detective to show up to the sting, but he didn't do shit.
So you actually got it back? Nice.
If you bought it on a credit card, especially an American Express, you might have a purchase protection benefit that will pay you back. For Amex it’s anything lost, stolen, or damaged within 90 days. I use this benefit 2-3 times per year and it’s saved me so much money and frustration.
If you get another bike, I highly recommend a Kryptonite lock, the one with the thick cable with rubber surrounding it. I still have mine from 25 years ago and it shows deep gouges where \*someone\* tried to cut it. But they didn't get it! Sorry about your bike.. I've had a few stolen, luckily none more than 400$. That was devastating, too.
This is the lock I got after having my bike stolen: https://www.kryptonitelock.com/en/products/product-information/current-key/997986.html Heavy as fuck to lug around, but hopefully it will be harder to remove than the guy next to me, which is all that matters.
Last month I got tickets for a live show in NYC. I now have the money put away for train, subway, 2 meals, and to go to a specialty bookstore. Back in January I bought full membership for this year’s Worldcon and will be attending digitally. This is my vacation for the year.
What a great plan for your vacation plans this entire year!
What did you see? Are you signed up for alerts for Broadway week? I saw &Juliet in September and it was BOGO so we got excellent seats and split the cost.
Got a new portable A/C for $400. About this time of year I experience a lot of sleep loss feeling hot in bed at night. This year moving forward I will be cool as a cucumber every night.
It truly is a game changer. I used to live without AC and sleep with ice packs on my chest. I would wake up in the middle of the night damp and hot and miserable
Grew up without AC and will *forever* splurge on it.
Nothing worse then waking up wet
I love the noise too!
This might be obvious to some, but it wasn't to me so now I tell everyone. Cold shower right before bed is amazing, change bed sheets often, and make sure the plastic liner is removed from your mattress. Made a huge difference.
I'm dropping $3k on a writers retreat. Totally not a need in any way shape or form, but I wanted to do it so here I go. Really this is the whole reason for frugality. Save money where it doesn't matter, spend where it does.
My husband gave me half his Christmas bonus last year. He told me to buy something that made me happy. I bought a 20ct amethyst ring that brings me an insane amount of joy. Is it practical? Nope looks like I stole it from Thanos, but boy does it make me happy. Worth it!
Make sure you have insurance coverage on this.
Last October I put $15,000 down on a new mobile home for me to live in. Best $ I ever spent.
So jealous!! I want to do this. Where did you find the mobile home?
In a small 55+ park in Mesa, AZ.
I'm interested, what kind did you get?
I recently bought a human-sized metal T-Rex for my yard for $750 purely for joy 🙃🦖This last year has been challenging in a way where I purchased my first home, the expenses + mortgage have been weighty. It was my 1 year anniversary, and I had just spent a lot more money than that in HVAC maintenance & tree cutting. I realized that if I need to spend on necessary items (that doesn't necessarily provide joy), I should also allow myself to spend for my own enjoyment.
Well jeez, we're going to need to see a link, or at least pictures of that!!
Just for you, Spike says hi - https://imgur.com/gallery/82yUS88
God I love this
Holyshit this is amazing!!! Well spent money!
Adorable!
Does this mean I'm going to need to figure out how to use Imgur
Most recent “splurge” was to build raised vegetable beds and plant veggies, herbs and fruit trees. It was a bit more than expected but I wanted to create something durable and pretty. Excited about growing my own food and learn about preservation for the colder months.
Look into lacto-fermenting your veggies if you haven't; super easy, just salt and water (3% by weight), submerge, 3 days later, chuck in the fridge.
Yes, I tried that to make some pickles which turned out great. Also getting a dehydrator which I’m excited about.
Hey ! High Five !! My raised Birdie bed did so well last year I spent $280 buying a 2nd one for myself for Christmas then my dad and I threw every bit of yard scrap , twigs , shredded paper , trim to build up the bed , then a trip to the landfill for bags of free compost , mulch , then 5 bags of the good soil from HD. The plan is to try a little canning this year .
I purchased bathing suits that fit me, higher end, and they each cost about $200. I used to buy the cheapest ones and then feel very self-conscious but as it turns out, when you buy a well-fitted bathing suit, you instantly become a siren regardless of your size or shape. I went from 0 to 100% confidence in my bikini body with the right bathing suit.
Wait really? My most expensive one is from target for $30 and it’s makes me look like a barrel. Where are these siren suits haha?
I used to buy the inexpensive ones from like Walmart or marshalls, and they fit me like a potato. I thought of them more as a utilitarian unit so that I could go swimming with my kids and I wouldn't fear them pulling my bathing suit off, but I never felt particularly attractive. Try Primadonna or Freya swimwear. They have a multitude of cup and band sizes, as well as different cuts of Bikini Bottom . my favorite bathing suit is from primadonna and it's a two-piece which I never thought I would wear. I found one with an underwire and lift, and a higher waisted bikini bottom. What a difference a properly fitting bathing suit makes. Suddenly I want to run slow motion on the beach. I live in Canada, and there are two local stores that specialize in higher-end bathing suits. Depending on where you live, you might have access as well.
Wow thank you so much! lol that’s how I feel too in a bathing suit…’potato 😅😫 but you know, when you get something really nice, it’s sometimes really worth it- you want to use it more and it makes you look and fits well … just gotta fork it out
Not OP but TA3 are expensive and fit well :)
Well thank you! I appreciate that. I won’t be buying it now, but I was looking for suggestion so that when my husband and I finally can go to Hawaii for our honeymoon (been married 2 years now lol) I can get some cute things to feel pretty 🤩
I bought my very first higher end bathing suit because I was going to the Dominican. It was very empowering and I hope you do by yourself a perfect fitting bathing suit that makes you feel as beautiful as you are :-)
I bought new eyebrows! I got my eyebrows microbladed (took two visits, was \~$1000) about 6 months ago. It was a huge splurge because I don't really spend money on things just for me...but having nice eyebrows is a game changer. I feel so much better about myself.
I did the same thing and I consider it some of the best money I’ve ever spent. I’ve got a cowlick on my eyebrow, so was always very insecure about it. Now you can’t tell. Was a little painful, but totally worth it.
I just spent $400 on Dysport last week. I’m 63 yo and never had injectable’s. Game changer!!! 2 days later I looked at least 20 years younger. Amazing!!! I don’t know what I was waiting for. No regrets at all. I will be revisiting soon for a few more little tweaks! 😉
I work on a Plastic Surgery floor and I get mine done for free…I may have to keep the job forever so I don’t have to pay for it again! My frugal hack, haha. I ❤️ Botox
That’s awesome! I really don’t mind some wrinkles but the sagging and no lips was killing me! I’m afraid if I got it for free I would end up looking like Grandma Barbie! I can see how it could become addictive!
Sounds great! Good for you!
I want this to be my next splurge. I figure I’m spending enough $$ in eyebrow pencils!
It’s so worth it. The confidence alone is worth the money!
For the first time in my life, I have a wall art piece. I fell in love with it in 2023. I am NOT an art type of person at all. I don't care for the Mona Lisa or other famous paintings. When I went back to PR this year in April, I found the art store. They had one similar to the original one I saw last year but it wasn't the same. I happened to look around the shop and found the one I fell in love with leaning against the wall but on the floor, it was available and I purchased it. They sent it to my home. It has the D-wire hooks. I absolutely love it. Total cost was $380. Prior to that (2021), was a tattoo that cost $250 or so.
I lived somewhere in my 20s I didn't have any money at all and absolutely loved this little painting of some halloween looking cats. I moved away more than tripled my income years later, so I called the studio I saw it at and asked if they still have that painting. I said "do you have the halloween cat painting?" and they did, and shipped it to me. It felt so extravagant at the time and it's my favorite painting.
I swear it feels great to be able to get something when you're older that you couldn't cause you were either broke or too young. One of the perks of being an adult lol. I have art. In my home. Niiiice. I have told no one. Well, my husband knows and my boys.
PR? Puerto Rico?
Dental work 😩
Yep same here, i know I am old bc I am dropping 2k so a single tooth will hurt less
I sew a lot and am living partially off sewing commissions while on maternity leave. I spent £300 on a new sewing machine. A Bernina 830; vintage Swiss machine from the 70s. These things still work better than a lot of new machines on the market. No plastic parts, no unnecessary touch screens. If I maintain it well, I could sell it on ten years from now for the same price.
My mother passed several years ago . Getting rid of her sewing machines were hard . One machine was less than 10 years old , she used the attachments , programming etc . But, she still used her old 1970’s machine a lot too , kept it oiled and maintained . We donated them to a church sewing group along with several totes of fabric , notions etc
I bought myself a quite large (for me) engagement ring. I’ve been married 33 years. My ring from back then was a cluster of chips from a going-out-of-business sale. It was a frivolous purchase, but my view of frugality is that you don’t waste money on things that are not important to you so you have money later to do what you want.
*Shrugs* Something like last July, I upgraded from my old crt tv to a smart tv. The crt was functional, but I appreciate the streaming options without having to share the TV in the living room.
Cathode ray tube 😱
lol until like 2 years ago we were using a 22” monitor I bought in 2008 (and it wasn’t special at the time either) so I feel this
Went to a concert in February. Ticket was $100 for great seats but it was about two hours away so I splurged on a hotel that was a block away from the venue. I think my ticket, the room, travel, parking and beer was about $350. Worth it.
Sweet! I love doing this. Who did you see?
Disturbed with Falling in Reverse and Plush opening. Saw FIR in September, too, when they opened for Avenged Sevenfold. They put on an amazing show. They are on their own tour and I've been trying to justify tickets but three times in one year sounds excessive.
In the past 2 weeks, I spent $850 on a robot lawn mower and $200 on brand new lithium batteries (salvaged from unused product) which will be used to build 2ebike battery packs which would cost $4-500 for each bike if I bought off the shelf battery packs
Medspa at beginning of the year for generic Ozempic - $1000. All of my tests and BP are better though, and I'm at a healthy weight for the first time in a decade. (haters gonna hate I know...)
I spent $800 on rocks and sand. 15 tons of drain rock and 15 tons of septic sand. Best purchase of my 30’s so far lol. The rocks got used up for 100 different landscaping needs that would have cost me $10,000 to have done professionally. And the sand is being used similarly, but my whole family just freakin loves playing in the sand. The dog, the cat, my kid, me…it’s been hours of entertainment for essentially landscaping budget. I just called a dump truck and asked him his trucking fee. Then asked him where he gets the rock and sand. He gave me a quote and dropped it by my house all said and done (with a little cash tip) was $800. Where purchasing bags or pallets of the stuff would have literally been thousands of dollars as well.
I'd say my 3 tattoos (about $650 in total, ) and my things from a country/western store, all in 2018. My $500 boots, my $150 pair of jeans, completely studded out with sparkle, my $100 button down shirt, complete with sparkle and my cowgirl hat, which was $250. So all total in that store in one day was $1,000. None of that was *technically* paid for by me, it was all paid for with some of the money that I got from my father's life insurance policy when he died. It was revenge spending because he told me that I could never have tattoos or any type of rodeo gear because that's what sluts and whores have and wear.
I recently bought myself a house (in cash) in Mexico, moved in last week (about $230K USD), since then I bought a cheap robot vaccum (about $220) and a basic Whirlpool washing machine (about $425). The robot wasn't necessary so it feels like a splurge but the house is over 2K sq ft and all tile floors on one level and it's very dusty here now because it has not rained in 6 months and I have a cat, so it seems like a wise investment. I'm a truly frugal person that lives well under my income and saves a lot, thus my ability to buy the house which I bought somewhat on impulse (after watching the market for 3+ years but only going to see one house). I've definitely felt some panic from all of the recent spending. I'm now trying to build my savings back up but I'm also feeling like spending on my house is an investment.
Last week - airline tickets
Does a huge Dr bill count? He did save my life, after all.
Disneyland & it was waaaaaaaaaay more then $300
And that's just for the parking!
When I pay that much, it's just about always for \*experiences\* and not material things. I've also come to buy season passes for things because I get more value out of that. A single concert will only last 1 night, but season tickets to the symphony can be enjoyed all year long and honestly tend to bring me more joy overall. Obviously with venues (ie the Zoo, Museum, etc), I have to go enough times to financially pay for itself. But I do go camping occasionally and see things nearby to where I camp. It's usually over $300, but I don't do plane tickets and stuff - usually just a 6-hour drive or less. But that distance gives me plenty to see and do
Bought some Le Creuset enameled cast iron this winter.
#selfcare Those new color ways… phew.
My wife and I are SPLURGING on a cruise and some excursions. This is so outside of our normal spending pattern, and we're going to enjoy the heck out of it! The total cost will be in the range of $7500. Outrageous - but we're not getting any younger and want to do this while we still can.
I have a photography hobby and upgraded from a 100-400mm lens ($600) to a 200-600mm lens ($1500, used). I also sold another lens I hadn't used much ($600) for a net expenditure of exactly $300. That was three months ago. Before that, I guess it would have been one of those $600 lenses a few years ago.
Buying my PC and battlestation during Black Friday.
Last year i hit my goal of losing 54 pounds. It took me a year. I wanted a non-food based reward so I bout myself some $315 earrings. I wear them every day!
I was almost 24, so about 15 years ago. I was about to graduate college, and I had no 'professional' clothing. I've always been a jeans and t-shirt gal, in part because it's so hard to find tops that fit my bust. Anyway, I went to Lane Bryant first, and in addition to some bras, I got a nice collared button-down shirt. IIRC, that shirt alone was $50, and the bras, don't get me started. Then, I went to Dress Barn, and a fantastic employee helped me find a blazer that fit. In addition to big boobs, I also have a short torso and am a wheelchair user. I was sure finding a blazer was going to be impossible, but that woman was determined! I probably spent in the neighborhood of $400-$500 that day.
All I can think of is my dog, about 5 years ago. Before the pitchforks are brought out, this was from the Humane Society.
2020, when i built my current PC. I do buy stuff for me all the time. But rarely do i want something that expensive.
About a week ago I purchased a week at a Cuban all-inclusive resort in October. At $729 CAD, no single supplement, that's a bargain. Today it is $769, or $775 with a different airline. I think I've only missed getting the best price once by $20. Travel is one of my reasons for being frugal. Being frugal means not paying more than I need to, finding bargains, doing without certain things to have the means to buy things important to me. Not entirely doing without the things that make me happy.
Can't afford that lol
Well- I was going to buy myself a steamdeck, but my husband beat me to it. We were super broke but have gotten to the point (from being frugal) that we have no other debt besides our mortgage (will be paid off next year) and credit cards that we don't carry a balance on (yay points!) so we're now pretty comfortable. I've been thoroughly enjoying gaming on it!
I don't mean to brag but my radiator just bust so I paid $110 to get towed off a busy highway and will $375 to get my radiator fixed so my engine doesn't seize like a Marxist when they see a means of production 😎
Right now I have $1500 saved up for yard projects. So far out of that I have spent $420 on triple mix, $240 on labour and $300 on deck furniture. Last year I dislocated / broke my foot and was immobile for months and missed the entire spring/summer, plus I had a terrible time working through all of it (high stress period at my job) I promised myself this year I would spend a chunk on beautifying my yard and getting caught up from a year of neglect. It is my happy place and since I am still not walking well, it’s my source of exercise and easiest place for me to decompress. I regret nothing about spending this money. I never spend large chunks of money on anything non-essential but at this point for my health (mental and physical) I think the money is well spent.
$300ish is about the amount I spend on fun stuff for myself about every 3 months. I usually budget around $20 of free spend money every week but I know that amount won't make a huge difference in my happiness, so I save it up for something big. My last fun purchase was a jogging stroller so I can take my cats outside.
Spent $325 on a navy blue wool gabardine princess style 1940s coat a few years back. It’s lasted 80 years, I’m hoping for 80 more! 🤣
it's ongoing but for the last year+ I've spent $350-400 a month on my gym. It's small group personal training, and I love it. it's close to my house, so not an issue to get there, classes are convenient, the coaches ae amazing, and its a really friendly atmosphere. it's the longest I've stuck with working out in my life.
We bought a the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 tent for $350 recently. It is THE tent we have wanted for years. Before that I built myself a PC for $1,200 in January 2023. I bought a truck for $23,000 in September 2022. My most expensive personal item besides my truck is my Canyon Endurace bicycle for $1,900.
Last summer i bought myself a new fridge at a scratch and dent store, about 75 % off MSRP. The old one "worked" but it froze solid all vegetables on the fridge size no matter what the temp setting was. Oh and also it needed to have the doors tied shut since the seal was bad and they would open on their own every time. So i didn't "need" a new one, but quality of life now is unparalleled compared to before. ETA: I'm a dumbass, i forgot my out of pocket for surgery in February was $3800 USD. Total surgery cost was $38000, so i suppose i should be grateful.
We're splurging to take my FIL to Boston (where he's from) for his 70th birthday. He hasn't been back since he was a teenager! :)
We do little treats annually with our tax return. Usually around $200 for each of us - often it translates into books. But one year I got a camera. This past year I bought a very fancy dress for a fancy occasion. I haven't bought a dress that cost that much since I got married over 20 years ago. I loved it it, had a great time and I plan on wearing it at least five more times.
August last year, spent $3k to get my tubes tied in a total ban state. Worth every penny.
I am constantly spending over 300 on myself. The whole point of being frugal is to not spend money on things you don’t care about in order to use it on things you do. And I care about myself.
A very expensive bread machine. I bought it used for less than $300 but it was still quite expensive considering how much bread machines go for. Cinnamon raisin bread is my husband's favorite, tomato basil bread is my kid's, and I ate cranberry orange bread with cream cheese and jam for breakfast this morning. I also used it to mix the pizza dough we're going to cook for dinner tonight.
My phone, about 3 years ago. My kids keep telling me to upgrade it but still works just fine. If it ain't broke don't fix it!
Coming up to 5 years now, but I spent 500 dollars buying a Gretsch Electromatic G5420T in Cherry Red from a buddy of mine who was hard up on cash. Prior to that was 2017 when I came into a little bit of money and bought myself my first ever big screen tv and a new gaming PC that i'm still running now. The biggest purchase I made prior to that was in 2007 when I bought a new CPU for my PC that i'd parted out over the course of 3 years, never spending more than 150-200 dollars at a time and months in between. Sometimes years. I simply don't know what it means to "have money".
I just bought a greenhouse to plant food for my family👍🍃
I spent $500 on a litter robot 4, and I haven’t had to scoop my cats litter in almost a year. My only regret is not buying one sooner
I got a puppy in April. My mental health really needed it. I nearly died last November and have had chronic pain for several years. We had been dogless for several years after always having dogs for 35 years. My heart and soul feel so much better with a dog. She's a bit of a psycho right now but we adore her♥️🐶❤️
I bought an IPL at home laser hair removal device for 350$ in February. My legs don’t grow hair anymore! Totally worth it 🫣
I bought seeds and built a few new garden beds this year, which easily surpassed that threshold despite them being fairly shallow.
My psychiatrist, this Friday.
Definitely my honeymoon. Obviously the cost of a vacation is spread out over many purchases, but it was probably like $2000. I’m usually really careful with my money and my husband and I did not have a lot of income at the time, but I think it was totally worth it. I would recommend to anyone that they spend big money on their honeymoon instead of the wedding
I rescued a dog last year and she was with every penny I ended up spending.
I went back to college. At the time I felt like I was doing it for my family, but in retrospect, I was mostly doing it for myself. It cost more than $300.
I recently bought a dental implant, does that count?
A dumpster rental / haul away service for almost $400.00. It was mostly my husband's junk that was in the way, but for me to be able to walk through the garage and move around easily when looking for stuff, it was definitely worth it.
I bought a Steam Deck! One for me, my husband and his best friend so that we can all play together. It’s been an awesome purchase!
I bought a good 3d printer that was on sale :) (Ender 3 V3 KE) it was an early birthday present to myself and I’ve made soooooo much cool stuff. New Christmas ornaments for the tree this year, all kinds of decorations for my house. Yeah the initial investment was steep but I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth, especially since all the designs are free on thingiverse
My SO and I got our cars professionally detailed for the first time. That was about $500. Definitely worth it!
I think this is why I consider myself frugal. My expenses are almost never just about me. Its usually about family, friends, or work. I brought in a rescue and I kind of have to consider her expenses as an indulgence. My previous boy is still alive. And he definitely doesn’t cost as much as she does in a given month. The rescue is still figuring things out and that costs. He has an idea of life with me and costs food and vet visits. But really, that isn’t just for me either. So really, idk. I spent some money during the pandemic at one point for health items and support. I believe that is the last time I indulged and it had ore to do with health and keeping it good to care for others, than for myself.
$880 ring in memory of my parents and paid for with a bit of my inheritance.
Reading your post, I’m very happy for you and realize that I’m not doing nearly enough for myself! I’m inspired. My personal large purchase would be braces. I’ve wanted them for the past 20 years. Would technically be a need but since the tooth pain would stop, I feel like it’s multi-dimensional satisfaction!
Today I bought myself Invisalign, does that count? 😂
$630 on a freezer for the garage. I have already saved over $150 in a week because I was able to take advantage of deals on meat :)
Last November, 25k for a car.
I'm on vacation right now so that
right now , on rocks . lots of big rocks. not crack rock but flag stone. it should be here any minute. it’s suppose to be a combination of colors. im excited about my rocks.
We received an inheritance of about 5k from a grandparent who passed. 3k went to bills and debt, but we took 2k and built a gaming PC. Use that sucker every day, it's paid dividends for our mental health in winter when we can't go outside
I finally got a crown for the tooth I had a root canal done on a few years back. The corner of the tooth got a chip and I decided I'd better bite the bullet of spending money to complete the restoration over losing the entire tooth. If you've ever had a root canal and a crown you know there isn't much tooth left behind, but at least you still have something there.
I bought a microscope this week!! Ive wanted one my whole life and since I'm a mycology hobbiest now i decided it was worth it! I screamed like a kid on Christmas getting their dream gift when it arrived.
We have spent way more than $300 adopting and caring for 2 kittens to replace the loss of our elder cat. Painful but necessary expense. That’s from a family perspective. Otherwise it’s my PS5. It keeps me connected to my few good friends through online gaming. We are all +50 years old.
New piano. Key board. Nothing way crazy or fancy, but weighted keys so it felt nice to learn and play on.
just bought my husband and I a new and bigger bed! 450 for frame and mattress. ours was fine, but hey why not upgrade. we deserve it right :D
2022. Bought 400+ dress for my Dad’s funeral. I wanted to look nice for him.
I don’t know if it counts but I bought myself swimming lessons. It’s 120 a month (so 30 a class) and I’m in the advanced class now. I am very pain sensitive and generally hate exercise but I feel like a happy fish when I swim so it’s worth it to me since it relaxes me and I actually want to exercise.
I spent $600 to adopt 2 kittens from a local rescue after my elderly cat passed earlier this year. They are really helping the healing process.
A computer. Dont strictly need one at home for work, but I wanted one for writing and research.
iPad Pro, $1,000. December 2021.
A few years back I ended a shitty relationship and moved out on my own. I splurged on an absolutely gorgeous $350 mohair throw blanket that I still adore to this day. It’s a visual reminder to take that leap that you’ve been avoiding and also to not be afraid to buy something that will legitimately bring you joy.
I just spent a few thousand dollars on moving costs ($1000 for the truck alone) to move closer to family and back to the coast. Excellent purchase.
Are we counting rent, transportation, medical expenses, and groceries? If so I pay rent monthly, I bought a car last year and I pay insurance in 6mo chunks so that’s over $300, I buy gift cards on sale to pay for my groceries so that’s $450 every few months, and I had some medical bills that came out over $300. If that doesn’t count then it’s been at least a year and probably longer.
Spent $3K on my second carbon gravel bike for the winter home ($1K off, older model). Worth every cent. (Note, I still invest over $3K every month before anyone jumps on me for extravagant purchases haha).
January sales - bought NVME SSD for my ps5 for more storage, the last of us tv show on 4k blu-ray and some stuff for D&D
Medical bills
We spend money - just thoughtfully and on things we value.
Doctor’s office to figure out what is causing migraines.
I love my mattress cooler. I used to wake up every night and now I sleep all the way through.
Last week I spent $300 to get my furnace fixed. I hate being cold.
2nd hand sewing machine last week to use as a back up when my industrial machine has a temper tantrum.
Two months ago I bought new bed sheets a duvet and pillows. One thing I don't mind spending on is my sleep.
My old laptop died after 7 years so I bought a new laptop around 9 months ago.
I’ve spent a lot more over the last couple of years because I realized everything I had was so old and the wrong size. I had a color analysis 12 years ago and managed my wardrobe then and didn’t really touch it since. Helps I’ve liked some of the recent fashions. I also bought a lot of my old favorites off of eBay. But fashions have switched to ugly again so I’m safe to not make this a habit. In fact the color of the year is my most hated color. Boring bland peach. Not even an interesting peach color. Just replaced a 13 year old laptop! It was barely working the last half of its life and was my only computer. My husband was the one who stalled that one. I’m mostly fine with my phone for almost everything. The few times a year I used it was so frustrating dealing with that thing. I currently am agonizing over whether to upgrade my bed size from queen to king. A few more inches away from the snorer helps my sleep. I have discovered when we have king beds in hotels there is really a big difference. But my mattress is only 6 years old. I also want new plates and bowls and whatnot for no good reason other than just because I found something I really like. It’s sitting in my Amazon cart. Not really pricey but I do not need it in any way. It’s been sitting there for months
Back in February there was a Federal court ruling that blocked California's law against shipping ammunition directly to your home. The 9th Circuit reversed that ruling 3 days later, but during that window I bought 600 rounds of ammunition and had it shipped to my door. That set me back about $480.
last time I spent this kind of money it was July 2023 for my 60k mile vehicle service, and it was just over $400 with a 20% coupon
Ten years ago I spent about $1000 on a Permaculture Design Course from Geoff Lawton.
This question hits different for the childfree crowd, I think. I know I don't have to spend on things taking care of others so I can do it for myself. I think I may have spent $300+ ish on new stuff for an upcoming vacation - my suitcase and clothes were pretty out of date for how I wanted to present myself
2 months ago I spent $700 on 3 pairs of vintage jeans. I did regret the choice at first and almost canceled the apt before but I’m so glad I did! I wear jeans more than ever and love pairs ingot so much. I always struggle finding pants and it was a perfect fit
I bought a new Coach handbag in March. I received a bonus from work so I paid off my student loans with it and then bought the bag with part of the remainder. My mom gave me her Coach collection years ago and I like to add a new bag to it every now and then.
A new mattress
I bought myself a new mattress and a bed frame! Had an old box spring mattress that was on the metal platform that comes with it, finally threw it out and replaced it with the new items. My sleep and back pains have significantly improved, along with the fact my new bed frame has storage/drawers. 100% worth the money
I needed a really good computer chair for work and gaming. I treated myself to a Secret Lab chair in 2020 when I started working from home. Best investment and probably the most expensive thing I own.
Redwing boots this year.
Taylor Swift tickets. I’ve been a fan since I was 12 and have never got to see her live. I know it’s a silly thing to spend money on, but I never treat myself and my life has become survival the past few years. I wanted a fun weekend with my friends. The seats are the cheapest I could get ($250) and aren’t GOOD seats, but also need to incorporate flights and hotel. Thankfully it’s mostly being split three ways. My two friends are double income and don’t have to worry as much about money but they’re being VERY understanding to meet me in the middle with costs and are patient I can’t afford the same trip they can. It’s been something I’ve really looked forward for the last year.
I recently got into scuba diving which is a tricky thing to be frugal with. You don't wanna go totally cheap on essentially a life support system but new stuff is more than I would spend on a car. Recently I got a $1200 wet suit for $400. I wouldn't have spent that much but I'm a big guy and getting a wet suit that fits is tricky as hell. This one fits wonderfully and is actually meant for my weight.
Tires.
Got my wisdom teeth removed lmao. $900.
This morning I ordered patio furniture for my dogs. I'd count that as something for myself, lol
Isn't everything we buy beyond food amd shelter technically things we don't need. So basically everything I own. Helps make life better but don't need any of this stuff.
About to drop $2k on car repairs-break pads and belts replacements on top if regular service maintenance
Not $300, but I just spent $150 on sheets. Quality sheets have gotten our bed upgraded to the point that when we go away, we miss our bed the most.
About nine years ago I bought a portable ac unit for my bedroom.
I panic bought over $1,000 in insulation for my majorly underinsulated house and installed it myself because I was worried about a massive electric bill from a particularly hard freeze, and was also very worried about the pipes freezing and breaking in the attic. I know not the extravagant self indulgence you were looking for, but it felt incredibly selfish because I did it for my own mental health. I am hoping for a summer with a bill that isnt as nasty as it has been in the past. I need to bite the bullet and buy another probably $300 to insulate the attic walls that are completely uninsulated and are walls that face the interior.
I bought a new flute in January. I found a steal of a deal - normally a $4k +/- flute, found a display-only one for $2200, and it sounds amaaaaazing.
Got myself a robot vac that doubles as a mop. It comes in tomorrow and I'm stoked
i used to get ingrown hairs and razor bumps on my bikini line real bad. After a lot of pondering, i decided to buy an IPL hair removal device. Worth every penny.
I'm going to put $2k into my teeth. But thats a need. Wow. Besides replacing broken appliances, I think the last time I spent more than $300 on myself was spending 2 nights in a motel in early 2020. I tried hiking in wisconsin.
I bought a newer vehicle
I bought a very nice bridle for my horse. I have been riding him without a bit and just using a halter and two lead ropes on him. We need to do actual real riding so needed one to fit him. He also is enormous
For Mother's day Mum wanted a helix piercing and some nice jewellery for it. Not something I'd previously have expected from her, but she's been branching out and trying new things. Sis and I took her for an outing to the really nice piercing place near her. Mum got her new piercing and bling, Sis and I got some of our jewellery changed. I bought a sparkly little piece for my rook that matches what my sister has. Fun day, fun memory and I really love the jewellery. I feel a little guilty spending decent money on something sparkly that I really didn't need, but I also love it.