Author Topic: What "luxuries" would you never give up.  (Read 21878 times)

FrugalZony

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #50 on: April 01, 2014, 12:53:53 PM »
Definitely my pets!! It always irks me, when I see some people here advising others to get rid of pets because they are in debt!
Mine keep me sane and give me back much more than they cost!

I do use a drycleaners for shirts and suits. I hate ironing, don't do a good job at it and it's an expense that will go away once I fire,
already I dress casually most days, but still need to wear suits and shirts occasionally.

Social get togethers. I love to host. I usually can put together nice events for friends (Brunch, BBQ, Fondue, Raclette etc.) for a decent budget
even with wine or booze.

House cleaner. I stretch this to twice a month and it helps me maintain the house better. This may go, once my soon to be ex will have moved out,
but I may keep it around and stretch it to once a month, we'll see.


BlueHouse

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #51 on: April 01, 2014, 01:38:46 PM »
I am still learning what are luxuries and what are needs in my current situation.  When I've been in frugal periods before though, I was able to give up just about everything that people have listed here, and there's no doubt I could again if I HAD to give them up.  But right now I can still afford some fine things and I'm going through the process of prioritizing what I want to scale back on to reach my goals faster. 
I think the very last thing I would ever give up before going to the poorhouse would be home internet broadband access.  I would go to the library for internet long before I ever went back to dial-up 9600 baud. 
 

MgoSam

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #52 on: April 01, 2014, 01:41:58 PM »
I feel like I belong on the wall of shame, but:

- cable TV...canceled it last July, REALLY missed it, hooked up again in September

You tried, so I don't think anyone should fault you for that. There is a different between someone that cancels it and then goes up and someone that doesn't cancel it because they are unwilling to try.

Cpa Cat

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #53 on: April 01, 2014, 01:58:00 PM »
Sometimes I leave the heated floors on in my bathroom just because my cat likes them.

P.S. I also installed heated floors in my bathroom.

Maybe this belongs on the Wall of Shame rather than things I can't live without. ;)
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 02:01:57 PM by Cpa Cat »

BlueHouse

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #54 on: April 01, 2014, 02:06:31 PM »
Sometimes I leave the heated floors on in my bathroom just because my cat likes them.
LOVE this!  Thank you for making my day!

wealthviahealth

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #55 on: April 01, 2014, 02:23:33 PM »
I second the pet posts. Along with that is high quality cat food for my kitten as well.

My knowledge of nutrition would leave me feeling too guilty if I fed my cat most of the junk they sell in pet stores.

senorpanqueque

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #56 on: April 01, 2014, 02:38:40 PM »
I really enjoy good beer, homemade coffee.

Also, as someone who is living out of province from friends and family for the year, I very much miss dinner parties and the occasional nights of pints out with friends.

I also love golf, and plan to play when I'm back home.

Cassie

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #57 on: April 01, 2014, 06:01:55 PM »
I agree about the pets-once you get one it is your responsibility for life to provide a good home. We also like to entertain at home and you can make delicious meals, alcohol, etc without spending a ton of $.

rescuedog

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #58 on: April 01, 2014, 06:07:11 PM »
Oh, yeah, pets for me too.  I could never give her up.  I'd rather live in a tent up the canyon so I could keep her and get rid of everything else.

Exflyboy

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #59 on: April 01, 2014, 06:17:46 PM »
1) My totally hot redhead Wife
Oxy-Acetylene
Tractor with front end loader
tools in general

Frank

Cassie

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #60 on: April 01, 2014, 06:18:32 PM »
I would live in my car etc before giving up my furbabies.  They have brought me so much joy:))

Zamboni

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #61 on: April 01, 2014, 06:50:47 PM »
ice
hot baths in my giant tub
clean, potable water
toothpaste
soap

I have had "roughing it" experiences, and those have made me appreciate both cleanliness and the various forms of water in my life. The hot baths could be replaced by hot showers.  I've lived without air conditioning in a fairly hot area, and it was okay.  It was tolerable as long as one has shade, water, and most especially ice.

I also prefer to be warm in the winter, so I should list my electric blanket I guess.

I think about giving up home internet regularly, but the people who live with me all freak out when it is mentioned.

FrugalZony

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #62 on: April 01, 2014, 09:05:10 PM »
I LOVE heated floors, we had one in our old apartment in the bathroom!!!
I hope to have them in a future place again!
And I love cats!! So I see no issue with this ;)

Sometimes I leave the heated floors on in my bathroom just because my cat likes them.

P.S. I also installed heated floors in my bathroom.

Maybe this belongs on the Wall of Shame rather than things I can't live without. ;)

AJ

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #63 on: April 05, 2014, 04:20:14 PM »
ice
hot baths in my giant tub

I read over this quickly and thought you didn't want to give up ice baths :)

It occurred to me just now while getting ready for a night out that I'm glad I can afford the luxury of a well fitting bra. Worth every penny.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #64 on: April 05, 2014, 05:37:25 PM »
Another one: Reach Access flossers, at least in the winter when my hands are chapped. Although I'm not sure those really cost me money, because regular floss cuts up my hands so much that I spend all kinds of money on Bandaids.

Rural

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #65 on: April 05, 2014, 06:43:11 PM »
I guess my luxuries come in stages, and "never" is an awfully hard line to draw.


Stage 1: I would very much pref not to give up running water, but it can be done without (I've not lived without it for any real extended period, but my father grew up without it). So I can't say "never," and I know it's a luxury, but I'd give up many other things in order to keep it. Especially potable running water!


Stage 2: refrigeration. This I have lived without for an extended period (about a month), and the task of feeding a family is much more difficult.


Stage 3: Running water that comes in hot and cold. I do like this, very much, especially for bathing. But I have been living without it in my kitchen for almost a year now-- it's not essential. Still I'd gladly replace the water heater if it died.


Stage 4: Electricity (not listed before refrigeration because propane refrigerators). Lights, heat, AC, and computers are nice. Again, though, I know it's a luxury because members of my family grew up without it, though I did not.


Stage 5: Home Internet and wifi. Definitely have lived without it since I'm considerably older than the Internet, but I like it, very much.


If I have a choice, I'll try to keep all of theses stages of luxury in my life, and if forced to drop any, it would be in reverse order from Stage 5 to Stage 1.  But I can't say I'd "never" give up any of them. The things I can never give up fall firmly into the lower levels of Maslov's hierarchy of needs, and these don't, modern conventional wisdom notwithstanding.

4alpacas

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #66 on: April 06, 2014, 04:22:08 PM »
My dog!

Money spent on fitness.  Race fees.  Classes.  Running shoes.  Etc.

Both working out and my dog make me so happy.  I couldn't give either up.  I do try to save money by cutting costs, but not reducing.

kittenstache

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #67 on: April 06, 2014, 04:32:31 PM »
My 4 cats
Air-conditioning (I live in Florida)
Horse-back riding lessons

ragesinggoddess

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #68 on: April 07, 2014, 09:34:13 AM »
Washing machine--handwashed clothes for a year in Peace Corps. Never again!

crc

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #69 on: April 07, 2014, 01:37:31 PM »
These would probably change if I lived somewhere further south where it wasn't -40c 6 months out of the year and I could get some barbells and plates in my apartment. But for now I'll say:

- Gym membership (I love olympic lifting and it keeps me happy and healthy).
- Having friends over for dinner
- Candles

griffin

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #70 on: April 07, 2014, 03:52:35 PM »
- Gym membership (I love olympic lifting and it keeps me happy and healthy).

Gotta agree with this one.
Certain organic foods too (peanut butter, milk).
As everyone else has mentioned, internet :)

SnackDog

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Re: What "luxuries" would you never give up.
« Reply #71 on: April 07, 2014, 04:37:06 PM »
We have owned a nine foot piano for almost twenty years. It gets played about five hours a day. It is an utter nightmare to move, which we have about six times.  If we ever move back to the US I hope we can downsize, but I have a feeling it will be expensive to do so.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!