On this board we hear so much about how frugal everyone is, the deals everyone gets, how careful everyone is with their spending, etc.
For a change of pace, though, what are your biggest splurges -- you know what I mean -- things you could do without, but don't, items that seem really high budget wise compared to the rest of your budget, and is a much higher spending category for you than other people you know. Maybe it's a Disney trip every year.
For me the two things that come to mind are
(1) Broadway show tickets: On a recent trip to New Jersey to visit my mother in law, we treated ourselves afterward to two nights in NYC including three tickets to see "Hamilton" ($200 pp), a great seat for my son to see "Wicked" (about $120), and three great seats to see "Come From Away" (about $120 pp) // So about $1100 for an absolutely amazing and inspiring theatre splurge. Our next visit to see my mother-in-law will be December of 2018 and we enjoyed this so much, so I'm budgeting to do this again.
(2) Personal Training for my 21 year old son -- He had a knee injury with frayed / destroyed cartilage and after two surgeries and physical therapy walked with a limp. It took a year and a 1/2 of personal training (two hours a week), but he no longer walks with a limp, is super strong, and can even run a little if he needs to (not something he should do regularly). Strength in other areas can help compensate for weakness in others. I think the training too, being physically fit, has helped him emotionally deal with loss of athletic ability -- he was on the tennis team before the injury, but has been told he shouldn't play tennis or do any regular high impact sports with his knee. What he does needs to be low impact. // I should probably for budgetary reasons cut back on this and have him just work out on his own, but I don't think he would actually do this. Both he and I both think working out on your own is so boring. I know I need competitive sports, so I don't even realize I'm exercising or someone like a personal trainer to entertain me to keep up with stuff. And he's the same way. // Right now I can afford it and am happy to do it and am still meeting my other savings/giving goals. But it is a pretty big chunk of my budget that stands out as one to definitely look at if I want to cut back on my spending or need money for something else regularly. My husband kicks in for a little of it too. // It keeps our vacations shorter and in the US. It means we drive our cars for 10 years before getting another, etc. (I don't have any problem whatsoever with any of these things though) and feel blessed that I have the means to pay for these splurges.
For a change of pace, though, what are your biggest splurges -- you know what I mean -- things you could do without, but don't, items that seem really high budget wise compared to the rest of your budget, and is a much higher spending category for you than other people you know. Maybe it's a Disney trip every year.
For me the two things that come to mind are
(1) Broadway show tickets: On a recent trip to New Jersey to visit my mother in law, we treated ourselves afterward to two nights in NYC including three tickets to see "Hamilton" ($200 pp), a great seat for my son to see "Wicked" (about $120), and three great seats to see "Come From Away" (about $120 pp) // So about $1100 for an absolutely amazing and inspiring theatre splurge. Our next visit to see my mother-in-law will be December of 2018 and we enjoyed this so much, so I'm budgeting to do this again.
(2) Personal Training for my 21 year old son -- He had a knee injury with frayed / destroyed cartilage and after two surgeries and physical therapy walked with a limp. It took a year and a 1/2 of personal training (two hours a week), but he no longer walks with a limp, is super strong, and can even run a little if he needs to (not something he should do regularly). Strength in other areas can help compensate for weakness in others. I think the training too, being physically fit, has helped him emotionally deal with loss of athletic ability -- he was on the tennis team before the injury, but has been told he shouldn't play tennis or do any regular high impact sports with his knee. What he does needs to be low impact. // I should probably for budgetary reasons cut back on this and have him just work out on his own, but I don't think he would actually do this. Both he and I both think working out on your own is so boring. I know I need competitive sports, so I don't even realize I'm exercising or someone like a personal trainer to entertain me to keep up with stuff. And he's the same way. // Right now I can afford it and am happy to do it and am still meeting my other savings/giving goals. But it is a pretty big chunk of my budget that stands out as one to definitely look at if I want to cut back on my spending or need money for something else regularly. My husband kicks in for a little of it too. // It keeps our vacations shorter and in the US. It means we drive our cars for 10 years before getting another, etc. (I don't have any problem whatsoever with any of these things though) and feel blessed that I have the means to pay for these splurges.
At least that's what it looks like people do when I watch on tv. I can see better on tv.
My last new car was a 2009 VW Jetta $18K, I'm keeping the Jetta for running around town and to work and will just be using the Jeep to go back and forth to my other DD's every other weekend, 4 hours away. It about makes me sick to think of that kind of money but the safety features makes it worth it. Plus I bought a hot tub today, it's something I have wanted for a long time and the stars just lined up right so I pulled the trigger and it will be installed Wednesday (if the electrician doesn't let me down). So far this weekend I have spent $57K which feels pretty splurgey, definitely out of character for me 
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