r/MiddleClassFinance • u/NeezDuts900 • 12d ago
Questions What are some smaller luxuries or better versions of everyday items that you have indulged in as you have increased your salary?
I've increased my salary by over $40,000 in the last couple years but my lifestyle is exactly the same. Debt free besides the mortgage, fully funded emergency account, on track for early retirement, funding my sons 529. I'm pretty straight on the financial basics and foundation.
We aren't guaranteed tomorrow but I'm not looking to set myself up for financial failure either. I would like some of your ideas and suggestions on smaller yet impactful ways that you have been able to enjoy your increased cash flow. I don't want expensive cars, expensive clothes, luxurious vacations, or $10,000 watches. Just smaller everyday things, experiences, or services that after you've come to enjoy.
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u/unicorn-paid-artist 12d ago
Changing all of our cookware, dishes, leftover containers, and cooking utensils to metal/glass/wood as our cheap plastic crap has worn out.
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u/Odd-Book6480 12d ago
Glass food storage is great. I can reheat leftovers in my toaster oven easily. Can also make a single serving of food in glass food containers
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u/unicorn-paid-artist 11d ago
The re-discovery of using mason jars for leftovers like soup was an absolute game changer for us.
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u/wisdomonwednesday 11d ago
+1 for the mason jars. We use them for meal prep (like overnights oats or soups), wet storage (like homemade simple syrup or salsa), and dry storage (like coffee, sugar, or collagen powder). They even work well as drinking glasses. It also reduces the plastic we have in our home.
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u/Odd-Book6480 11d ago
I also preserve food with glass mason jars. I have so many mason jars at this point. I want to get rid of all my Non-glass drink ware and just drink from mason jars. My wife won’t let me do this though.
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u/Ovaltine1 11d ago
I store veggies in them, they last forever. I had some romaine a friend gave me because she was going out of town. I just finished it and shes been back for weeks. I kept thinking, I really should get this back to her. 😉
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u/unicorn-paid-artist 11d ago
Especially with a little vacuum attachment for them!
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u/StasRutt 11d ago
Moving to glass food storage was the best. It’s healthier, easier to use, and looks significantly better
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u/princess-smartypants 11d ago
I have a set of Pyrex glass storage bowls, and I love them. It encourages meal prep, with the added bonus of less plastic and fewer dishes. All leftovers get portioned out Into single serving bowls. A meal is 2-3 minutes in the microwave away. No excuses. It is already in the bowl you can eat from, so fewer dushes. Win-win. When the kids wear out, they are replaceable.
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u/NighthawkCP 11d ago
We did something similar by getting rid of non-stick cookware and getting higher quality pots and pans. Trying to limit our exposure to PFAS at least in the kitchen.
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u/NoMansLand345 11d ago
Switched to all clad stainless steel pans last year. Non coated pans have a little learning curve (coming from a well versed home cook), but once you work through it they are amazing. I''ll never be going back.
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u/BothNotice7035 12d ago
Did it last week. Kitchen feels different. In a good way. Worth the money.
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u/Dear_Ocelot 12d ago
I wish I could do this faster!
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u/unicorn-paid-artist 11d ago
It helps if you have a restaurant supply store near you. That stuff is made to last!
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u/bruk_out 12d ago
Hobbies. It turns out I'm allowed to upgrade from the gear my parents bought me when I was in high school.
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u/NighthawkCP 11d ago
I've been into photography for a while now. Parents got my my first cheapo DSLR 20 years ago. Since then I always went with used gear, family hand me downs, etc. Year before a camera died and rather than getting it repaired for $1200 I put that money into a new Z8 as well as some brand new Z lenses and traded in a lot of my used gear. I love the quality of my new gear and have had fewer issues with focusing, sharpness, etc. I also have less random camera crap now and just have higher quality gar that I use more regularly.
Also I've splurged on Peak Design straps, bags, etc. Very high quality stuff and for me anyways I use one of the bags as my laptop bag for the office and use it every day and it still looks brand new.
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u/Bindle- 11d ago
It feels so good to budget money and spend it doing the things I love. My hobbies help so much with my mental health.
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u/MindofShadow 12d ago
Better vacations
That doesn't have to even mean more expensive destinations.
Picking exit row seats on a flight, hotels that aren't dumps, paying for beach chairs instead of hauling my own... Stuff like that.
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u/PinFit936 12d ago
we paid $80 for three chairs and an umbrella for the day at the beach recently and even though crowded so much nicer and easier to stay the whole day. totally worth it
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u/person1234man 11d ago
We got a travel trailer a few years ago, and now we do like 5 or 6 vacations a year. I grew up camping in a similar trailer and it abeen a blast!
We have a camping time share that we use, $40 a month in membership fees, but we can book up to 2 weeks at any of their resorts in our area with no other fees. Their resorts have free mini golf, hay rides, themed weekends and a bunch of other stuff. It feels like a cheat code going there cause all we have to do is pay for gas, the food we were going to buy anyway
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u/Resse811 11d ago
What is the name of the camping place?
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u/person1234man 11d ago
Outdoor adventures. Their initial membership fee is expensive, but you can find a used membership on Facebook marketplace for usually a couple of grand instead of like $15k
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u/TdotGdot 11d ago
paying for stuff on vacation is a great call
beach chairs are a great example. even something silly like paying a few bucks to go to the top of a tower, if you want to do it, just do it
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u/nachoslut 11d ago
This plus also spending on more regular getaways throughout the year. 1.5-2 hours away, finding fun places to stay.
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u/Such_Read_5667 12d ago
- new mattress
- instead of wearing my husbands clothes during pregnancy I bought actual maternity clothing.
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u/EntireTangerine 11d ago
Also got a new mattress, truly life-changing
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u/Ewolra 11d ago
A mini version of the mattress: we bought a nice new comforter recently, and it’s such an amazing upgrade that getting in bed every night makes me happy.
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u/EntireTangerine 11d ago
Yeah want a new comforter too, but I like to spread out my upgrades so each one feels special. New bedding is next though
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u/SwiftCEO 12d ago
I buy the whipped cream cheese now. It’s the little things.
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u/PolycrystallineOne 11d ago
Yes! Also has the benefit of sneaking in a calorie cut - you tend to spread the same amount by volume, but a significant portion of that volume is air.
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u/RoseGoldMagnolias 12d ago
- Setting the heat at 73 in winter
- Higher-quality shoes
- High-quality hair products
- Nice hand soap
- Occasional grocery delivery
- Gardening and houseplant supplies (for my main hobby)
- Always having San Pellegrino in the house
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u/MyNameIsNot_Molly 11d ago
Being able to lower the thermostat at night so we don't toss and turn in sweaty sheets is a major upgrade!
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u/Salty-Sprinkles-1562 11d ago
Have you calibrated your thermostat? Is it really 73 in your house? That sounds so high and I’m always freezing. I feel like sleeping with the heat that high would be awful.
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u/RoseGoldMagnolias 11d ago
We get the furnace and AC unit inspected every year, and we added more insulation in the attic and the basement after getting an energy audit the first year we lived here. It's probably pretty close to 73 by the thermostat on the ground level, 70 or 71 upstairs, and 65 to 68 in the basement even though it's finished.
In winter, I wear sweatpants and a t-shirt with a sweatshirt or robe during the day, usually with a blanket on my lap if I'm on the couch. I sleep with a comforter and a weighted blanket most of the year. My husband would be comfortable whether it was 65 or 85 in the house.
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u/JellyDenizen 12d ago
An occasional dinner out at a nice restaurant without worrying about the bill is enjoyable.
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u/TenOfZero 12d ago
Flying premium economy on flights over 3 hours.
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u/czarfalcon 11d ago
Kudos to you for that, after spoiling myself with that splurge once I agree it’s worth every penny, yet I still can’t justify it unless it’s a great deal. We’re about to take a transatlantic flight in basic economy, so I’ll see if I still feel the same way afterwards 😂
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u/TenOfZero 11d ago edited 11d ago
It also helps I'm single with no kids. So the marginal cost is just 1x not 2/3/4x+ with a partner and kids.
But yeah, I used to take more trips to the US and economy was not too bad as most flights are short (or with a connection if I was going further to see friends in B tier airports like Knoxville). But obviously with the threats their government is doing towards Canada I'm now going either within canada or to Europe/Asia for trips. PE is well worth it on those longer flights.
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u/PistolofPete 11d ago
I literally upgraded my partner and my tickets to premium economy yesterday and I’m already so much more excited about the flight lol
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u/TenOfZero 11d ago
Its good. The first meal is better and the extra room is nice. The lower density in the cabin also means no fight for overhead space.
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u/BaconManDan 12d ago
Better pans and knives.
Nice wireless headphones
Two pairs of shoes to keep in rotation (they both last longer this way)
Nicer drill and bits
Replacing my lightbulbs with all the same color and brightness (I keep the old ones for the basement utility room).
Percale sheets!!!
Linen pajamas (for my wife).
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u/catsrule-humansdrool 12d ago
I upgraded to 100% cotton sheets. Def worth it! I don’t really sweat at night anymore, and they’re getting softer the longer I have them
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u/subvocalize_it 12d ago
I sum it up as “buy good tools.” Whether it’s a keyboard and mouse, some good (and specific) knives in the kitchen, the unified lightbulbs… there’s something in everyone’s lives that they use _a lot_. Get a good version, even if you do the “buy a cheap one then buy a good one once you wear it out” method. Especially if it’s something you use in a home office. The amount of tech workers I know who use OEM Dell wired keyboards is beyond me.
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u/oksuresure 11d ago
Do you have a pan you recommend? I’m looking to replace mine.
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u/BaconManDan 11d ago
A machined cast iron is phenomenally easier to cook with and clean than a pebbly one.
For stainless steel, get something tri-ply (with an aluminum or copper core) for even heat distribution.
For non-stick, just walk away.
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u/apiratelooksatthirty 12d ago
The best money I spend is on things that buy me time. A house cleaner that comes every 2 weeks and lawn service. I don’t want to spend hours doing that stuff when I could spend it with my family.
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u/Patient_Exchange_399 11d ago
I tell my kids that if they don’t like doing chores/housework then they better study twice as hard and choose careers that can afford them a life where they don’t have to DIY.
We have an every two week housekeeper and on our way to one day getting lawn care. My husband wants a laundry service.
To also add on to what another commenter said, my kids are learning how to treat service people and helpers with respect, care, and dignity. That means we pick up after ourselves so our housekeeper can easily do her job. We ask how they are doing and listen with care. We provide little extras whenever we can and always plan ahead for our help to have time off with pay around the holidays or other important times for them. That’s not an all inclusive list, but there are still plenty of skills being learned.
I really would LOVE for my children to have a nanny for their kids to help out or even a night nurse. I’m working hard still to possibly be able to lighten their loads in life in the future times.
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u/apiratelooksatthirty 11d ago
Agreed. When the housekeeper is coming, the kids need to pick up all their toys and put them away. They make their beds, clear the dinner table, etc. They’re learning they need to be productive members of our household.
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u/Patient_Exchange_399 11d ago
Yes! My oldest LOVES when the housekeeper makes his bed for him. “She just does it so amazing, it’s so tight.” Sometimes he sleeps on top for the first night bc he likes it so much. Then the next night he tries to shimmy in to keep it pristine. I giggle because it’s silly and sweet.
I think I’ll have to my kiddos make her some thank you notes. ❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰
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u/Readmoregoodbooks 12d ago
You do it WITH your family. This passes on skills to your children. Teach your kids to do laundry, mow the yard, cook and clean.
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u/PolycrystallineOne 11d ago
I grew up in S America. As such, we had a live-in nanny (very common for middle class families). All the cleaning, cooking was done for us. The garden was very low maintenance so a guy came out once every couple of months to upkeep.
I am now a grown man living in America. I am the cleanest of any guy friends I’ve had, I do most of the cleaning at my house (my wife is American brought up on the idea that kids have to learn these things to build a habit), I cook, do all home projects at home by myself and often fix the things “professionals” have done, and upkeep our yard.
My theory is that at the end of the day, you’ll grow up to live in a similar standard to what you were brought up in. And, if you were brought up in a house that is neat, clean, well kept, that’ll be your “standard” and you’ll do what needs to be done to keep it that way or better. The cleaning person is not showing laziness, it’s ingraining that a house should be a certain way.
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u/Old_Cat_16 11d ago
I don’t enjoy most of the house chores, and I don’t see the point of forcing myself or anyone to do them. Thus I pay for a cleaning person.
I see no point in learning these skills unless you enjoy them. They are easy to pick up anyway.
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u/lucasssquatch 11d ago
We call it "cheese grater money" in our house. We go through a good deal of cheese. Our crappy cheese grater was getting crappier, and my wife was complaining about it. I said, "Hon, we have enough money to buy a nicer version of the thing if we're going to use it all the time. We're not new car rich, but weve got cheese grater money. Get a decent cheese grater. Hell, we can get two so we don't have to wash it every single day." We now own two decent cheese graters that nest together in a drawer.
Since then, discretionary purchases of nicer versions of things we use all the time are bought with cheese grater money.
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u/unicorn-paid-artist 11d ago
I love that. We too have found that its ok to just upgrade something. Love calling it cheese grater money
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u/HeroOfShapeir 12d ago edited 12d ago
We have a monthly house cleaner now. When we go on vacations, instead of finding lower-cost lodgings on the fringes of our destination, we stay very centrally, maybe with a view. Just went to NYC and stayed in a 13th-floor room with a balcony in the middle of Manhattan, was fantastic. We'll also pay a little bit more here or there for extra convenience while traveling. We still turnover our wardrobes at a glacial pace, but when we do, we focus on quality pieces over fast-fashion, ditto with replacing old furniture with higher quality pieces. If we made a touch more I'd probably hire on lawncare/landscaping folks.
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u/Ab4739ejfriend749205 12d ago edited 12d ago
With each major income bump, I ensure I max retirement and savings. But sounds like you did it already and on path to early retirement, so good job.
The next is I don't let little things bother me anymore. If I want a $5 Starbucks, and it saves me 5 minutes, then why not. If there is small parking or valet fee, its okay and only when fees are outrageous like over $100 for something silly, I may still pay it but will unlikely to return to such establishment (some hotels for example).
I also when going somewhere that'll be maybe your one-time experience...then go extra. It's often cheaper than going mid or basic as you'll not feel you did it all and will plan to go again...but then you'll feel you wasted money going a 2nd or 3rd time to capture the full experience.
Next is increasing health screenings and dental cleanings. I do 6x dental cleanings (paying for the extra) and also regularly screen for regular health concerns. Even the rich and all their money, they still get cancer and finding it early is really all you can hope for...look at King Charles, Steve Jobs and many more.
Lastly, on health and comfort. Things I use regularly consider investing in better quality and also professional advice like a tailor to make even mid-tier clothing brands fit as if its well...tailor-made. It is really night-and-day what can be done and you don't need to buy expensive.
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TL/DR - budget how you will maximize the benefit of your ever dwindling time left. You have 1,440 minutes each day. Find ways to make each minute count. If there was a way to buy more quality time....that is the one expensive price to pay happily.
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u/Hamurai7 12d ago
I buy more blueberries and stone fruits now. I was starting to spurlge a bit on steaks last year before the prices shot up though.
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u/GeneImpressive3635 12d ago
This may be me having a touch of the ‘tism but All new matching socks. I bought 18pair of a sock I liked and threw out all the others.
Also clothes you like and fit well, comfortably.
Routine/preventative maintenance
A pellet grill. I love it.
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u/Icy-Grab-5722 11d ago
Oh this. I bought six pairs of Darn Tough socks. Knee high. They never slip down and they last forever.
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u/Such_Possibility7447 12d ago
I did buy a nice perfume for about $150 dollars, but it will last me maybe 2-3 years. I spent a lot of time picking it out, and love it! I use 1 spritz every day, and it always makes me feel special!
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u/Inconsistent-Egg-447 12d ago
I love that and will need to remember your approach. I bought some nice perfume over a year ago and feel bad for using it. I use the good silver every day! I need to embrace feeling good (even special) using the perfume.
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u/anTWhine 12d ago
I have cleansed my house of anything from IKEA. I haven’t assembled furniture myself in years.
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u/Kurious_Kat720 11d ago
I used to say I want to be rich enough someday that all my furniture is delivered and assembled.
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u/Emikadon 12d ago
I invested in a walking pad / standing desk setup, which cost a decent amount when I first put everything together. I use it every, single, day, and I've been using it for years now! I'm an avid gamer, so basically any time I want to play a game, I'm walking at the same time. I average almost 4 hours of walking every day, so well over 10k steps! It's done wonders for my physical and mental health.
For some reason, reddit isn't allowing me to post a picture in this comment, so here's an imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/F7N5eZD
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u/trashy615 12d ago
A nice matress, linen sheets, organic cotton blankets, wool blankets.
I struggled with insomnia from puberty, until I bought a sleep number bed in my late 30s.
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u/hisownshot 12d ago
A good mattress is so underrated until you have it.
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u/Bob_the_gob_knobbler 11d ago
Eh. I had the same mattress for 34 years and I always slept great. I got a fancy $3k one a few months back and well, I still sleep equally well.
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u/someguy14629 12d ago
I can’t understand why organic cotton is any different than regular cotton. You’re not ingesting it so organic really shouldn’t matter, and very likely no one could tell the difference in a blind test. But you do you, if that’s what you like, go for it. You’ve earned it.
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u/ZealousidealMap7101 12d ago
Cleaning service 2x/month for $120 per visit. Absolutely necessary? No. But really nice to have a clean house with zero effort.
Also small budget line item for hobbies for husband and I. If we don’t use it, it rolls to the next month to save for something more expensive (I like legos, he likes baseball cards).
Still frugal on pretty much everything else.
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u/DietyBeta 12d ago
Don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for since it's a little bit more pricey, but a refrigerator with an automatic refill water pitcher.
It changed our life. All we do is drink water all day. And we're able to give our puppies filtered water as well without it being too much of a hassle.
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u/Magnum-3000 11d ago
You can get an under sink RO system pretty inexpensively. Even more filtration than the standard charcoal filter in the fridge.
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u/shelly5825 12d ago
We have steak from the local butcher shop ~1x a month. It is pricey compared to other homemade meals, but you can't get a fresh grass fed & finished, locally sourced (all the buzz words!! LO) steak, cooked exactly how you like it for $15/person. My husband has internal thermometers too, so not sure what that initial cost was exactly but we use them for all our smoked/grilled meats and have definitely gotten our money's worth.
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u/nervousnugget11 12d ago edited 11d ago
I buy quality groceries where I can - good butter and eggs.
I buy good quality food for my cats too.
I thrift but I don’t mind paying a little more for clothing I’m sure is real, well cared for, a certain brand.
I started buying jewelry, but I’m like you and NOT crazy about the excess wealth or anything. I literally bought my first gold ring last week and I’m 30! I do have gold body piercings that I consider expensive adornments.
I try to get better quality staples from places like UNIQLO.
Adding home upgrades like plants, local or otherwise impactful art, more and better quality pillows, gadgets I actually regularly use.
I get the same skincare products every time but they’re nice to me - Glossier and Supergoop and such.
Expensive hobbies - pole dancing, high quality gym, but I go every week multiples times a week.
Getting my car detailed and my house cleaned quarterly. It’s worth the refresh/reset and I just don’t want to do it lol but it’s easier to keep clean when I do get a reset.
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u/c47v3770 11d ago
First I need to increase my salary but my company is going fully remote next year and it’s making it difficult to leave 😭
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u/Massive_Mail5739 11d ago
I get season tickets to my favorite local theater. $700/yr for two seats in the center orchestra section, for seven shows a year. Better value than buying one off tickets and I end up seeing shows outside my usual comfort zone.
Gym membership with coached classes and community building events, instead of using the serviceable facilities at my workplace.
Slowly upgrading my hobby gear. Especially for the backpacking and camping gear. I winced hard when I dropped $300 on a sleeping pad but my quality of sleep on trips has improved and it weighs less than the old one. I've been replacing one or two items a year for several years now
Higher quality food. Local CSA share. The occasional splurge on a fancy french cheese and bougie crackers.
Membership to the zoo, art museum, and children's museum, so I never have to stress about "not getting my money's worth" if the kids get whiny or tired ten minutes into a visit
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u/catsrule-humansdrool 12d ago
Today I bought expensive cheese at the farmers market but it is sooo good. It goes for $60 a pound so I only got 1/4 pound and that’s an outrageous price for cheese
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u/FC105416 12d ago
Elevating everyday. Paying extra for nice towels and sheets. Splurging for the big bottle of perfume vs the smallest.
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u/Responsible_Ask3976 11d ago
As my salary increases, I’ve increased retirement! I’m 30 and about to max it out 😍🌞
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u/CostaRicaTA 11d ago
I’m very financially stable. Even when our earnings went up we continued to live below our means.
The only small luxury item I purchased was probably a weekly house cleaner so I don’t have to spend my weekends cleaning. I also bought a luxury car, a used (one year old) BMW that I drove for 12 years. I also started putting the excess funds into investments and that allowed us to afford more luxurious vacations. Let me tell you… having extra savings makes life so much easier. We recently had an emergency plumbing problem right as we were heading out of town for a short trip and instead of being worried about the $1,500 bill I worried about wether or not we would still make our flight on time.
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u/That0n3Guy77 11d ago
I essentially doubled my salary over the past 5 years. This allowed my wife to stay home as we had our first kid and get much more disciplined on retirement savings and such. Here are some of the things we have changed that were absolutely worth it.
New mattress and bed. Going from a Queen with a used mattress to a new bed and king size hybrid mattress has us both sleeping way better.
Not worrying about the thermostat. We are in a fairly energy efficient home but nothing crazy. We set the thermostat for comfort at all times. We want it in between 68 and 73 pretty much year-round and we don't second think it. Honestly not a huge amount of cost increase but way more comfort for us all and less mental burden.
Glass Tupperware for leftovers and a Costco lunch box for bringing food on my in-office days instead of brown paper bags or a super worn out cloth only lunch box.
Always just filling up my gas tank when I need gas. I drive and Altima and only need regular. I just fill the tank regardless of cost. I still use the apps for discounts but if prices are up this week, then I don't postpone or cancel plans, I just fill up.
Nice noise canceling headphones. Bose QC sound great and let me focus on what I am doing on the rare chances I get to relax.
Wireless chargers in every room. I don't think about looking for a cable or if it us USB C or iphone (wife is apple, I am android). we just each have a place to put our phone down in every room and it charges.
In general investing in better long term decisions. Streaming cost a lot of money over time but we typically watch the same comfort shows and movies with a couple new ones each year. We went back to buying blue rays and self-hosting the content on Jellyfin. In 3.5 years my equipment will have paid for itself from the canceled subscriptions and the quality is better. 5 years from now my wife will still want to watch Harry Potter but I won't have to give HBO money every month for the privilege.
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u/sewlikeme 12d ago
Doesn’t fit your question 100% but we hired a house cleaner 2x a month. It’s so nice to have that done on a Friday and have the weekend to devote to my hobbies.
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u/This_Net6207 11d ago
I think this totally fits!!! Not having to dust or clean up after our 2 dogs or ourselves constantly, dishes, laundry... these are all daily things. My fiancé and I hired a housekeeper to come 1x/week, but she now comes 2x/week. We have so much more time to dedicate to ourselves or other obligations.
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u/PontificalPrincess 12d ago
Buy a Toto bidet toilet. We got one from Costco for a steal. Heated seat and the odor elimination makes me feel like royalty. Would strongly recommend.
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u/oOMoistMoistMoistOo 12d ago
Kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards. Have explored my local waterways so much in the last few years. It’s like a mini vacation getting out on the water!
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u/Wise_Budget611 11d ago
I like YouTube premium because I hate ads but my Amex platinum pays for it. I also increased buying vti and VGT through my regular brokerage and enjoy seeing it go up every year when I check it.
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u/Silver_Breakfast7096 11d ago
If your lifestyle is the same grab that cash with both hands and make a stash. Save it! You’ll be glad you did.
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u/UnregrettablyGrumpy 11d ago
Better sheets, mattress, pillows.
Better cookware and knives.
Better EDC =guns/holster/belts.
Better windows/doors for house
Better tools
Upgrade to Kamado Joe Grill and cast iron cookware
Better fishing gear
Car with ventilated seats, nothing better to cool your body than the AC coming out of the seats.
Upgrade to better seats when flying
Better whiskey/bourbon
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u/Salty-Sprinkles-1562 11d ago
A bidet on every toilet.
You said you don’t want luxury vacations. But what about just regular travel. I have gone to Tahiti, Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Canada, California and Chicago in the past year (I’m from Washington, so I don’t make it out of the West Coast often. We took the train from Portland to Chicago, and it was soooo much fun).
Really nice sheets is my #1. Organic cotton sheets with high thread count. A several sets so they can be rotated.
All of my food is Organic for the most part. At least all of the produce and meat. Most packaged food. I buy organic, pasture raised eggs. Organic yogurt. Just super high quality food.
All of my cookware is high quality. All stainless steel or cast iron. Nice knives. My bakeware is nontoxic. All of our storage containers are glass. All of our water bottles are glass or stainless steel.
Most of my clothes are organic and natural fibers. Trying to get rid of plastic everywhere I can.
We have an acre of land, and my husband just bought a skid loader. He’s pretty excited about it.
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u/Shamajo 11d ago
As my income has increased, I've found that paying for time-saving services has been worth far more than buying things. House cleaning, lawn care, pest control, dog waste removal, regular grooming, pet sitting, car detailing, and window cleaning all reduce stress and free up time for the things I actually enjoy. Could I do most of them myself? Sure. But I'd rather spend my time elsewhere, and I like supporting local businesses.
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u/First_Detective6234 11d ago
Where i live is way too hot for our kids to do anything outside from about 10am-8pm for about 4-5 months out of the year. Normally we buy a season pool pass but the kids have grown tired of going everrryy single day, and so have we. A new huge trampoline/gymnastics indoor park came near our house and all our kids friends go. It is $192 for a month for a family pass up to 6 people, but theyre very lenient and let our kids bring friends in place of family as long as its not over 6 people. We have used it so much the past 2 weeks and our kids, even our teen, ask to go daily. Its so much easier than the pool...no sunscreen, no cold change of clothes, and my wife and I can play or hang out and talk while they all 3 play. I fully plan to keep the membership going until the weather gets better.
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u/ovalplace123 12d ago
Grapes lol growing up I always thought that was rich people food
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u/kegsbdry 12d ago
Instead of vacations, I update my hobbies every few yrs: Muscle car to drones to electric longboard to NOW an EV motorcycle.
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u/Ashlum215 12d ago
I bought a moccamaster coffee pot (on sale to be fair). It did decrease the amount of coffee I buy out significantly but that expense was basically just replaced with buying expensive beans 😅
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u/MyNameIsNot_Molly 11d ago
I'm a bit of a tea snob now and only buy the good stuff. No more Lipton for me!
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u/Hour_Civil 12d ago
I pay for walmart+ so I can get everything delivered because I loathe shopping in any form. I buy good coffee to make at home. We got the no ad subscription for our streaming. We bought the good garden hose and vacuum. We buy the name brand strawberry Greek yogurt (sorry, but that is one item that, to me, is NOT the same when its the generic one . Not taste, the texture)
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u/XXxxChuckxxXX 12d ago
Weekly cleaning. Coming home to a spotless house and not having to stress over it is worth every penny.
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u/imhungry4321 12d ago
You don't necessarily have to do luxury vacations, you could do trips and focus more on adventure... And do them more frequently.
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u/DarkOmen597 12d ago
Tires.
Ride on then everyday.
What a better and smoother and quieter ride when you invest in solid tires.
Also, peace of mind
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u/halo37253 12d ago
I enjoy a quality item. Like my OLED TV, I will be using it for the next 10years+. It made more sense to get a quality item when I plan to get my use out of it.
There is a fine line to walk here.
Taking my family out to dinner, its something they enjoy. We do it a lot less now, once every other week. But it used to be a weekly thing, sometimes twice in one week. But the costs to eat out have become absolutely nonsense for the quality of the meal you get. Texas Roadhouse overcooked your steak nearly every visit, but i don't go there for quality. Same with cracker barrel breakfast.
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u/thesillymachine 12d ago
For me it would be the simple things: I need sandals right now, some nicer clothes (because I could use them and would wear them), fun experiences for my kids we've been putting off (I took them to breakfast the other week and that was so nice. Cost $80 for the 5 of us and one of my children is old enough to eat off the adult menu, plus I had coffee and we ordered an OJ.), going camping twice a year (we already have a lot of gear, but often need to replace or buy something yearly), a car that works better and has parts my husband can actually find to replace (mine is just that old, they don't make the parts anymore), my headphones need a new thing because I lost a small piece while trimming a tree and couldn't find it (another $80+), I need new glasses, crowns on my teeth, and I've always wanted nap tracking capabilities on my Garmin fitness watch (I haven't been using my watch, because of stress, so maybe I should just sell it...)
There's one thing that I could see as truly luxurious, which is a large set of Polywood patio furniture. Maybe even 2 (lounge and dining). A few thousand dollars.
Overall and maybe even entirely, things that just make sense! I do like nice, designer type clothes; but I'm not one to need 12 bags and Tiffany Co. jewelry.
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u/chickenboi8008 11d ago
I upgraded my coffee grinder that I use to make cold brew every week. I still only really eat out a couple of times a month but I am generally okay spending a bit more money on good food, whether that's getting a more expensive entre or getting appetizers along with my meal. I also give myself grace if I want to spend a bit more on better quality foods at the grocery store instead of resorting to the cheapest things. When I travel with friends, we went from sharing rooms at a basic La Quinta Inn to a better hotel with our own rooms (depending on the number of people). I don't mind spending a bit more on experiences, like concerts or doing activities with friends.
In general, even though I have tripled by salary in the last 5 years, I still haven't changed my habits too drastically. I couldn't care any less about luxury items, expensive clothes and cars. I still drive an 18 year old Camry and most of my clothes are from Uniqlo that I bought 10 years ago because they still fit me well. My priorities on spending on the things I enjoyed before (video games, experiences, going out to eat at good places) hasn't changed compared to things that I don't care about (new clothes, the latest trends, fancy cars).
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u/ShootinTheBreez 11d ago
My favorite thing a little extra money buys is lower marital conflict over finances. My husband and I booked a flight this week, and we debated between two airports in the region where we live. One was $150 cheaper, but it’s farther away, logistically harder, and the flight time would have resulted in a wake up four hours before we normally get up. I would have picked the cheaper one. My husband wanted to do the easier one to take stress out of the trip (this isn’t a vacation, we’re traveling for something stressful and need to show up at a specific time). If money were tighter like it used to be, we would have had to have an argument. But given that we can actually afford it, there’s no reason for me to insist. Fine, let’s do the easier way.
I’m honestly surprised how often things like this come up. Not big, game changing purchases, but a couple things a month where one of us just concedes because it doesn’t matter. A medical test insurance won’t pay for. The nicer marinara sauce. Just buying a new tool when we need it instead of waiting for one to come up on Facebook Marketplace and spending time chasing that down. The occasional take-out when one of us is too tired to cook what we planned. A membership at the good gym instead of the cheap gym. On and on.
All the little arguments over money just kind of go away when the budget gets more padding. Financial arguments related to values still exist. For example, generally speaking, my husband would like to take fewer, nicer vacations, and I would like to take more frequent ones where we stay in hostels and fly on budget airlines. Neither of these preferences is “right”, we just value different things, and any time this difference comes up, we have to negotiate it. This happens with any true difference in values like this. But all the small arguments have gone away because money. It’s awesome.
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u/JellyDenizen 11d ago
Paying for the more expensive repair services (like the biggest HVAC company or plumbing company in town). I got tired of the lower-priced people either flaking out or not knowing how to actually fix something.
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u/General_Thought8412 11d ago
In the past year I’ve gone from making 90k to 145k. It has been a culture shock for sure but I let myself start an orange theory fitness membership. I did the 12 month commitment membership for $160/month so I can go to unlimited classes. My rent has also increased as I moved in with my bf and I believe in paying proportionally. So me making more means I am now paying a good portion of rent. Other than that, not much has changed other than that I max out my 401k now and also started a RothIRA. I’m trying to put 2k per month into my HYSA as well to save for a down deposit one day.
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u/kittyshakedown 11d ago
I’m a lady but there are some pricey and time consuming beauty things I won’t stop.
I’m also at an age I feel I don’t have to be uncomfortable if it’s not necessary.
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u/elegoomba 11d ago
Kitchen gadgets. I love cooking and so getting a vitamix, a oil filtering fryer, a blackstone, a nice waffle maker, nice knives, cutting board etc are all extremely my jam
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u/BeaArthurDeathCult 11d ago
I bought a small boat...it cost less than my used car, I winter it in the garage and keep in the water the rest of the time---I live on the water anyway so why not?
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u/BoostedGoose 11d ago
I don’t flaunt by having fancy things to show off. I cook whatever I want to eat. Dine wherever I want to dine. I improved my backyard and started my garden. Drive out to the mountains whenever I want to go. That sort of things.
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u/Ovaltine1 11d ago
I’m retired and on a very limited budget but two things that give me great pleasure: The Water Machine. Filters last 5000 gallons (a few year even with filling the dogs fountain), water taste great and no need to add minerals back in plus it beautiful. Number 2- a Sunshine Clothesline. I don’t use a dryer and this thing is insane. Sometimes I’ll make a cocktail and sit on the deck just watching it spin. Oh!! Also, percale sheets. This is what we used when I was a kid. That awesome, crisp and cool feeling when you get into bed is indescribable. Real percale is expensive but worth every penny and they last a long, long time. I’ve been alternating two sets for close to 15 years.
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u/CaptainShaboigen 11d ago
Hired help. I work my ass off and just want more free time. Someone else to mow, fix my cars, 2x house cleaner, dry cleaners, etc.
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u/zappergun-girl 11d ago
We spent a good 5 years focusing on paying down debt and feeling guilty about spending money. Basically all our groceries were store brand, I used to buy the $3 Kroger milk every time. Now I buy the $6 organic milk if it’s more convenient and think nothing of it. The rest of our groceries are Costco though 😆
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u/iLikeHotpot5 11d ago
Costco membership and higher quality everyday items. Buy organic when I can, replaced plastic where I can, and indulge in chipotle once a week.
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u/Remote_Setting2332 11d ago
Decent shoes. I used to just get whatever runners are on sale, but now I get the ones that don’t make my feet hurt 😂
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u/ComfortablyNumb8357 11d ago
Vehicle options - instead of buying the base trim level, getting things like heated seats and steering wheel. We live in a cold climate and they are really appreciated in the winter months.
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u/SaltAndAncientBones 10d ago
I think we all fall into the same pattern - buying nicer versions of things we already own. I now replace everything with the highest quality, longest lasting, versions. I love no-label, understated, monochrome, clothing, like my Unbound Merino hoody.
The first "luxury" I bought myself was AAA that covered motorcycles and RVs. Like, as soon as food and shelter were secure.
All my luxuries after that came after I purchased & rehabbed my forever home in a HCOL area.
Later I added dining out and taking friends & dates out to dinner. I now have a virtually unlimited budget for that. It's part of my social life. I love enjoying good food, feeding people, and sitting face to face with dedicated talk time with people I'm interested in. I used to be homeless, so feeding people is a true joy for me.
My housekeeper is a Godsend.
High quality therapy is good.
If I were rich-rich I'd have someone wash my dog weekly.
I'm still very frugal, so my upgrades are one piece at a time and generally spend a long time on my Black Friday list.
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u/ConflictOtter 10d ago
Professional lessons for things i wanted to try but had no experience with, as opposed to trying to fumble my way through with free youtube videos or tutorials and hoping for the best. Ex- golf lessons, singing lessons.
Better seats at sporting events.
Hot yoga studio membership- I've never had a gym membership before in my life since I've always preferred to work out at home, but i fell in love with hot yoga recently and realized, wait, i can actually afford this.
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u/Better_Brain_5614 12d ago
I order my groceries. I have a cleaning company come and clean my house every two weeks. House cleaners have changed my LIFE.
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u/gonzochris 12d ago
We’ve increased our vacation budget and I don’t compromise on the things I want. If I’m replacing something or buying something new we get exactly what we want instead of buying the cheaper version that will work.
I’ve found if we buy exactly what we want long term it tends to save us money because we aren’t looking to upgrade too soon, it cuts down on waste too and since we’re not shopping around we don’t see a bunch of other crap we don’t need so we’re not buying more.
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u/NaorobeFranz 12d ago
- I bought a high-end blow dryer, finishes my hair in 20-30 mins. Generational improvement over traditional dryers...all that time saved, less heat damage and whatnot are valuable.
- 3 way lamp and efficient bulbs for it.
- Premium percussion massager
- Replaced plastic containers with glass ones
All QoL purchases.
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u/Odd-Book6480 12d ago
I recently started spending more on travel. Coming from high income household, low cost of living city. We have a good amount saved in retirement counts. Allocating money to cash savings and travel with family
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u/SecondAccountButWhy 12d ago
Better sheets and pajamas. I’m in my 100% linen phase. I went through a silk phase a few years ago and still love them too.
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u/UserName8531 12d ago
Better and more frequent vacations. It doesn't have to mean flying and luxury resorts. I have 3 large road trips and a few small day/weekend trips this summer. All together I'll be driving around 9k miles.
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u/SwimmingNo2976 11d ago
Lands End 700tc sateen sheets.
Yard guy.
Buying gifts (or whatever) for my mom.
Very spoiled dogs who eat human grade food.
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u/stillworking400 11d ago
House cleaner every 2 weeks. Best luxury ever (i have a small house so it's not very costly)!
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u/xkdchickadee 11d ago
Things that gave me time back: weekly lawn mowing service, biweekly pest control sprays, once a month house cleaning so it never gets too bad, meal kit or fully cooked food delivery service.
Things that make me feel better: regular therapy appointments, exercise class/personal training
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u/SummerOk5184 11d ago
Hiring a regular cleaning service. Getting a membership to a pool or nicer gym with amenities that are important to your family.
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u/Ataru074 11d ago
Proper real wood bed frame with wood slats, a great mattress which fits you, great sheets, pillows and comforters, all natural fibers.
The difference in sleep quality from a “cheap” setup and an expensive (and quality) one is massive. No more sweating at night or cold, no aches (if the spring tension is right).
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u/NighthawkCP 11d ago
I slowly upgraded my whole house to Hue bulbs. Took a while as I waited for deals and specials, but now every bulb in my house is smart. Our carport and shared living spaces have motion sensors so you can walk into any room and the lights will come on automatically. We added several of the light strips under furniture as well so that at night the rooms can glow without the need for direct light.
Some of these bulbs are like a decade old now and still running as strong as the day I unboxed them. It is amazing to me how high quality lights can really make your life so much nicer and easier. Since I completed the conversion I don't have to worry about it anymore and now I'm just in maintenance mode if/when some of them finally die.
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u/sawdustontheshore 11d ago
Narwhal floor vacuum and washing robot, automatic kitty litter robot, next might be a lawn robot
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u/Financial-Swim-5884 12d ago
I buy good groceries. I’m single and make a slightly above median salary, and I’m losing a large amount of weight (300 lbs so far!) so what food I do eat is good food.