Ask the Readers: What Was Your Most Recent Splurge?
Editor's Note: Congratulations to Trenton, Elena, and Tyneisha for winning this week's contest!
Frugal people don't like to overspend on things they can get more cheaply, but sometimes...sometimes, it's worth it! A higher-priced purchase can translate to better value or more enjoyment, or maybe you just need that once-in-a-blue-moon treat to keep you motivated.
What was your most recent splurge? What was your reasoning for splurging on this purchase as opposed to something else? How do you usually decide if something is worth spending extra on?
Tell us about your most recent splurge and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
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A Nest thermostat. I'm hoping the investment will help us save money on our electricity and gas bills over time.
We're going to Disney over spring break, the last family vacation before DS flies the coop. The trip hasn't happened yet, but it's been paid for.
A leather purse! It gets daily use, looks beautiful and has enough compartments to manage everything it totes.
Yeah, I bought a new leather purse once, too. Thought it would last forever. Nope - it went for about 3 years of hard use and then wore out. So now I buy a $3 purse at the thrift store (sometimes I'm lucky enough to find a leather one) and use it until it wears out...then spend $3 for my next "new" purse.
Good luck with your leather purse - maybe it's better quality than mine was and will last longer!
I can't believe I had to think so hard about this one! My last splurge was way back in early January, when I spent about $200 on some new clothes and a pair of shoes. I haven't needed (or wanted) anything since, really...except maybe one or two more pairs of shoes to replace some worn out ones. I've been planning for those, though, so I'm not sure they count as a splurge:)
My Disney World trip! While I did save up for it for awhile, the general cost was a splurge.
I recently bought my daughter a new pair of pants. We normally shop thrift stores, and have been looking for a couple of pairs to add to her wardrobe for a while. Unfortunately, she is wearing an odd size, and she needed new pants. Old Navy was having a decent sale so I suppose it wasn't a complete splurge! :)
My most recent splurge was new appliances- we've been needing them for awhile and finally took the plunge. Knowing that the quality will be better in the long run was definitely worth it!
I am a very dedicated Gym rat. I spend several hours a week in the gym and even more time measuring, prepping, and cooking my meals. Recently I had just gotten out of a cycle where I was shredding body and really dialing in on my nutritional intake. For over a month, the cravings were so real. I wanted cheeseburgers, Fries, shakes, pizza...anything deemed "unhealthy, I wanted". I knew I had to stick to my goals, but like most of us, I am human and I lost it.
I got a group of friends to join me in what I called a cheat meal...well, I went a little overboard. Usually a cheat meal consist of a few slices of pizzas or an order of fries...nope, not today. I splurged pretty hard. First, I went to red Robins, ordered up two bbq whiskey burgers and all the fries I could eat (over 7 baskets). I was not done yet, then we went out on the town and I saw a pizza joint on the corner....walked in and ordered two large slices of pepperoni...thought I was done? Nope...Next we continued walking down the avenue and we found an old fashion ice cream parlor...yup, XL strawberry shake place...extra whip...hang in there...still not done...For some reason, I was eating as if I was never going to have a meal again...about an hour later, saw a sushi joint (who can say no to sushi)...I ended up eating about 30 rolls and I was still hungry, but at this point I was feeling a little guilty and I knew I had well overdone my "cheat meal". Needless to say after about $85 dollars worth of fast food eating in just a few hours...I knew I had splurged way too hard...The good news is, I was back to being strict the very next day without hesitation and the cravings are gone...for now :)
My most recent splurge was spending $100 on jewelry marked down 85% on clearance. It was around Christmas, but I bought all of it for me! I love fine jewelry (it lasts forever!), but it can be pricey so I'm always on the lookout for sales. Didn't expect to find these great deals, but I had some birthday money tucked away for a rainy day...and it was really raining that day!
My most recent splurge came on Sunday, Feb. 28, when I ordered not one but TWO long linen tunics from a European online store. They are in the colors hibiscus and black. I am looking forward to wearing them on my upcoming tour of Turkey. I spent much more money on these items than I would normally spend, but I think they will be very useful.
My recent splurge was buying myself a leather tote purse that costed $125!! This is a big splurge to me since I watch every penny!
We splurged on a bigger vacation house rental because we invited my mother along.
My recent splurge was designer sunglasses
I was thinking about this recently, but the prices...I think it's time to see the ophthalmologist, so maybe I can get the insurance to pay.
I splurged on a new pair of leather riding boots.
We just paid for our Japan trip in June! Though this sounds like a splurge, we did save up for it.
I purchased some calf hair leopard print oxfords that I couldn't resist!
Superbowl 50 merchandise. I am a Broncos fan, so it seemed worth it.
My most recent splurge was a breakfast bagel. I normally bulk cook my breakfast for the week at home but decided to take a break from cooking and eat out. I normally don't do big splurges but once in a while I'll give myself the gift of rest and eat out.
Fury of Dracula—I'm a sucker for good board games!
I am a very frugal person. So my last big one was in 2003 two years after my husband died. During our life we discussed taking a cruise. Sadly he died before we could do it. So I took the cruise to help me resolve some of my grief issues and to celebrate my retirement at age 50. I was 52 when I took the voyage. It did help a little. I got to swim with the dolphins, see Bahamas' Islands, Porto Rico and took the 2 weeks vacation with a girl friend of many years. I got to find some joy. Although I still carry the sorrow of loss. it is nice to have treated myself and honor my husband by taking the trip.
I recently bought a new dress. It was a color and design I had been seeking for some time -- even though I DO NOT need more clothes. I always consider my monthly budget before spending on extras and since I knew everything was looking good I decided to give myself this little treat!
A custom-made mobile for our nursery! He or she is already so spoiled.
I was able to buy a $17 dollar jacket which was initially 79.99. I was so excited
I realized in late January how inefficient my spice cabinet and bathroom closet were. I had lived with them the way they were for years but something snapped when I ran late one too many days getting ready and had one too many mishaps when both my daughter and I were in the kitchen together. I decided to change them both. I spent several hours on YouTube on sites like doitonadime and athomewithnikki and discovered more economical and low stress ways to organize certain spaces. So, throughout the month of February, I purchased many organizing baskets and spice jars to tackle these projects. This was a splurge because it was not budgeted, and was frankly a bit pricey, but honestly, it feels soooo good to open my new spice drawer and to open my bathroom closet now that I know I would do it again. Plus, I can't stop taking pictures and smiling about it!
My recent splurge was purchasing a new cooktop for my kitchen. I really splurged and bought a Dacor Induction cooktop that I absolutely love. It was worth every penny!
I purchased new car seats for my daughters. I know it doesnt seem like a splurge, but I actually bought extra for grandma and grandpas cars.
I bought a facial moisturizer made from non-synthetic ingredients recently. I decided to spend the extra money on it because it means a lot to me to buy products that will be good for me and my skin and have a lighter impact on the environment. Also, no animal testing is used either. Those qualities are well worth it in my mind.
Two new shirts, the first new clothing in probably ten years. (I usually shop thrift stores.) I had a coupon, so I think they came to around $5.
I don't really mind being frugal, though. I'm planning to start working for myself in my 40s and I don't like shopping anyway.
My most recent splurge was lunch at my favorite restaurant. I had gotten really good news, and I wanted to celebrate but I didn't want to spend *too* much, and I wanted to get the most "bang" for my buck. So, instead of treating myself to dinner at this restaurant (which tends to be pretty large platter sizes and leftovers don't reheat well in the microwave), I got one of their equally delicious (and smaller portioned) lunch specials earlier in the day so I could still treat myself but I wasn't spending a lot of money on something that I couldn't eat in one sitting and wouldn't reheat well the next day.
A recent big splurge was a fancy restaurant dinner for my husband's birthday. Most of our meals are eaten at home, but it was a nice treat.
I bought a new purse. As I embraced minimalism and downsized my life over the past three years (and dealt with a series of unfortunate events) my old purse became too large for my needs. The events are now over and I've downsized so much that I will move from a two bedroom apartment into a one bedroom apartment later this year. I finally decided that it was time to downsize my purse too. It's the little things...
our most recent splurge was a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon
My latest splurge was on an expensive pair of running shoes!
I recently splurged on buying an expensive pair of running shoes. I am training for a marathon and supportive shoes are key!!
I just bought a new Garmin Fenix 3 sports watch to "Help" me stay on my fitness program. At almost $650 for the bundle it was fairly expensive. I'm completely satisfied with the purchase so far and have 3 runs with it under my belt.
i rarely splurge and even rarer do i buy shoes but i found a pair of black boots that are so perfect, i knew they existed and i've waited a decade to find them....and i was bored one day and walking around and literally walked past a shoe place i never saw before, went to the sale rack and boom there they were, i literally screamed....i got my very practical, very wearable stylish fabulous boots for just $35...not much $$ to some but boy what a great deal.
We don't splurge often, but we technically just splurged on a fun DJ for our upcoming wedding!
My most recent splurge was a $20 affiliate marketing course on Udemy. I saw it as an investment in my future and another way that I can get out of the rat race. My decision to splurge on something is really about how much I want it and deciding how it will benefit me.
Lunch out with my 2 kids two days in a row. The first after a Dr appointment when the oldest got poked in the eye with a pencil and the second when my youngest was being pokey on errands and they were both super hungry.
My most reason splurge was a t-shirt at local art exhibit. The show included my son's art piece. It was $15 and thought this may be a memento vs. an eating treat and be gone. It's hard to know when something is worth spending extra. This was a week ago and actually still struggling with this splurge.
My most recent splurge was on a trip to New Orleans
We are cutting way back on spending so my most recent splurge was in Dec. with a new dishwasher. I could have just gone back to washing dishes by hand but bit the bullet and got a Bosch which was the splurge part.
Recently, I splurged on my first eyeglasses. I wanted something that will look good on me and will also be for long-term use. I don't think it was worth though because I hardly use it. It was definitely an impulse buy and I could have shopped around for one with lower price tag but since I got too excited, end up buying a really expensive one.
I bought myself new bedding to brighten up our room, with the Blizzard we had I needed some Sunshine in our home! That's the biggest splurge I've had :)
a tv for the basement, there were sales during the superbowl so we jumped on it
I bought a new washer. My old one was only three years old and stopped draining all of the sudden. I had my husband take it apart twice to see if it could be fixed. After researching the old model online, the repair cost didn't seem worth fixing it.
An Easter dress for myself. I'm tired of wearing black on Easter!
A recent splurge was new windows for my house. I could afford it, so it wasn't a harmful splurge, but it was quite pricey and not something I normally invest in. It had been 16 years and we could tell there were leaks, so we went for it and bought replacement windows for the leakiest spots.
a vacation to Mexico
My most recent splurge was getting my hair done at the salon. I got a cut, color and did balayage
A flight home to visit family!
Probably eating out or my trip to Europe I took in Dec/Jan.
My last splurge was getting a kindle. I had used an iPad before for my reading but the battery life was awful. Every time I wanted to read I had to recharge it if left alone for a time. With the kindle I can charge in every few weeks so I can read a book whenever I want. Best choice.
I splurged and got an new lipstick! Not the most expensive splurge but still a fun one!
Three pairs of good quality socks at 12.50 per pair for work
We just bought new appliances for our kitchen. Our old appliances all worked but we wanted to upgrade to stainless steal.
I splurged on new golf clubs. It's my favorite sport and hobby and I will get a lot of enjoyment and use out of it so it was worth it to me
I don't splurge much these days, so when I eat at a great local bar-b-q restaurant close to where I work, that's a big treat.
I splurged on a new vacuum cleaner. Mine was old and not auctioning anymore and I was tired of vacuuming and it still being dirty!
I splurged on a nespresso maker!
Oh man, I splurged and bought a Cricut cutting machine. It's awesome and I don't regret it LOL!
I've been living on a tight budget lately but I recently splurged on a zip-up jacket for my son's lacrosse team spirit wear fundraiser. It cost me $47 after taxes and shipping and I had some buyer's remorse since I could have used that money on a good pair of slacks for work but lacrosse is a big part of our life and my son is a junior in high school and I know all too soon this season of our life is going to be over so really I don't mind showing some love to this team.
I bought a new TV after my old one was starting to show problems. It was a bit pricey, but I am really enjoying it!
My most recent splurge was a new flat iron and all the styling tools I'd need for a new look. I'm feeling great about my hair now so it was well worth it!
I bought two new swimsuits for my vacation at the end of March!
I just bought lingerie from Vickys
I recently worked out a deal with my friend who was in need of a side job. I hired her to clean my apartment every other week. Both of us are happy!
most recent splurge was a toy for my child
I just bought a Green 3 Apparel organic, made in the USA shirt for $16.00 off of ebay. It is in heather gray, which I love and it fits really well.
My most recent splurge consisted of two items: a large screen t.v. as a birthday gift for my husband and a t.v. console for it to sit on (it wouldn't fit on top of our old one). I hired my son, who is skilled at building furniture, to make the console for me. The t.v. console ended up being the bigger splurge due to the cost for the supplies and paying my son to build it...but the console goes great with the other furniture he has made for me in the past and will last and last.
My most recent splurge was a new refrigerator!
I bought a new down winter jacket that was quite expensive but very warm and has served me well so far.
A new tablet because we lost ours.
My last splurge was not for myself but for my daughter. I gave her some money to buy some new clothes and shoes for my granddaughter.
$ A car $
My recent splurge was for a new pair of shoes!
A trip to Disneyland!
Some new, not used, baby clothes.
My most recent splurge was some pants and shirts for myself! I so rarely shop for me...its always for the kids and house! Was so fun!
I bought myself a warm jacket
Tickets to Phantom of the Opera
I bought a new TV.
my most recent splurge was a new pair of shoes!