For FUN!! What's the 1 "luxury" you find hard to give up when budgeting

[pat fan]

I think I am officially the last person on earth without a smart phone

Me Too! I have a "GASP" Tracfone! I pay $20 every couple months and it's all I need.

My DS was horrified about bringing his to college so he locked himself into a Verizon plan (much to my dismay) and just this year was SO GLAD to be out from under that contract! He found a pay as you go phone that suits his needs for much less than the Verizon one. What can I say, maybe Mom knew something after all

 

[Handbag Lady]

My vacations. I'd get a second job if need be but I need to travel.





I do collect handbags, but now I buy them at the outlets and I use coupons and giftcards that I ask for instead of gifts. (I have two people who always ask and this is what I tell then when asked. I don't assume anything.)

I do my hair at home and I use coupons for the dye. I do pay a proffessional to cut, but there is a Vidal Sassoon school near me for that. I get a nice cut there for $10-20. (I tip.)

My husband has to have internet and cable, so those are his two things.

We've actually saved more money this year just by being careful instead of spendthrifts like we used to be.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Estee Lauder face cream


I happened to see on tv and read in several magazines how the Estee Lauder face cream (and other brand names) were no better than the less expensive drug store brands. I did make this switch....very difficult for me...and haven't noticed a difference.

I did notice...and thats why I went back and stayed

I don't even consider this worth thinking about! I tried to switch from Estee Lauder to a store (cheaper) brand. I was greasy! And icky and pimples started to show! I'm 41!!!

So, Estee Lauder doesn't even go on the deciding list any more. It is like blood or food to me.

 

[Ava]

I'm waaaay to used to having DVR! I could cut back to fewer channels, but I would reeeeeally miss the ability to pause and rewind, watch a whole series at the "wrong" time, and instantly set things to record.

We just cancelled our cable last week, and with it went the DVR. Last night Julie started watching the Emmys while I finished getting DD into bed - when I came out into the living room she told me she totally forgot we didn't have DVR any more & grabbed the remote to pause it for me.

Mine is sweets. We both like a little something sweet after dinner, so I'd have to be REALLY strapped for cash to cross the ice cream/cookies/etc off the grocery list.

We also don't have a flat screen TV and the kids friends can't believe it when they come over, that ours is so thick and all. Could we go buy one, sure, but nothing wrong with the one we have so why replace if we don't need to?

I'm right there with you on that. Our only TV is a 20" regular TV that's 7 years old. Every time my parents come to visit, my dad asks when we're getting a new TV. Every time I tell him, "When this one stops working." Then he claims the color looks "off" & starts fiddling with it. Sorry Dad, the color looking "off" to you is not reason enough to me to buy a new TV when it looks fine to everyone else.

 

[sk!mom]

Pedicures! I honestly have the worst feet in the world. Only a monthly pedicure keeps them in check.

 

[Ms.Grumpy]

1. Internet
2. Vacations
I make sure to budget for our yearly Disney trip.
We are blessed to have a vacation home in Mexico, DH will be visiting it for the first time this upcoming July.

 

[disneymom3]

Well, I would be a sad sack without internet but I don't really consider it a luxury as DH often works from home and has to have internet. In fact, he really wants a cable connection and that's our budget conflict.

For me it would have to be satelite. We get NO reception here and our association doesn't allow antennaes. (sp?) I like television.....there I said it.


Oh, and Kraft American singles. I got the ones from Aldi adn everyone hated them.

 

[TinknBellesMom]

Coffee - Freshly ground Dunkin donuts please! Although, around here they run a 4lbs for $20 special and I stock up. Those Maine DD's should get with the program.

DSL- we just cancelled our cable this summer so I've been watching my shows online. I would not like it one bit if we cancelled DSL too.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Coffee - Freshly ground Dunkin donuts please! Although, around here they run a 4lbs for $20 special and I stock up. Those Maine DD's should get with the program.

DSL- we just cancelled our cable this summer so I've been watching my shows online. I would not like it one bit if we cancelled DSL too.

So do you misss the cable or do you seem to be able to find what you want to watch on the internet?? I am considering cancelling cable because it is so ridiculously expensive and I prefer reading... My children watch DVD's so what is the point. Anyways just wanted to know if you were finding your shows okay online..

 

[Becc1]

I would cry if I had to go without my DVR. I rarely get to sit down and watch a program at the scheduled time so I end up taping any shows that I like to watch. Also there are certain foods that we buy that my dh and I have decided that the store brand just doesn't do it for us, we only buy brand named ketchup, mayo, peanut butter, spaghetti sauce and syrup.

 

[tschales]

Good running shoes. I love to run and refuse to use cheap shoes.

 

[Duckiedee]

Red wine.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Satalite and the TiVo, I would not give up my Doctor Who/Burn Notice/White Collar/Leverage habit without a fight.

 

[smokeyblue]

I will not give up my movie matinees by myself; and if I want popcorn I get it.

I will not buy cheap tennis shoes. I like Brooks Glycerin's and nothing else. I wear a weird size so I've been extremely lucky to get some major deals on them.

My iPod touch has been a great compromize to the iPhone. As long as I have a wi-fi connection I can text and make phone calls w/Skype (just over 2 cents a minute) and do pretty much everything you can with an iPhone. If I'm somewhere that doesn't have wi-fi I'm probably driving and have no business on the phone. Otherwise I do have an old Alltel (now Verizon) prepaid that I make calls on if needed.

I'm considering dropping my home phone and just keeping the DSL. Maybe getting a Magic Jack or just using Skype for outgoing and my pre-paid for incoming calls.

 

[Steve BWV'99]

So do you misss the cable or do you seem to be able to find what you want to watch on the internet?? I am considering cancelling cable because it is so ridiculously expensive and I prefer reading... My children watch DVD's so what is the point. Anyways just wanted to know if you were finding your shows okay online..

Not to hijack this thread, but you would be a perfect candidate for a Home theater PC type setup. If you have a spare PC you can connect it to an existing TV and watch streamed shows online from Hulu/Netflix etc. Also, if you think you are going to miss the DVR, there are ways to record TV to the PC and without the sub fees. You could also get local channels for free IF you are in an area that can get a signal, check www.antennaweb.org to see, they even recommend what kind of antenna you need. There may be some upfront costs to get things set up the way you like but in the long run it will save you money.

 

[Ava]

So do you miss the cable or do you seem to be able to find what you want to watch on the internet?? I am considering cancelling cable because it is so ridiculously expensive and I prefer reading... My children watch DVD's so what is the point. Anyways just wanted to know if you were finding your shows okay online..

I know this wasn't asked to me directly, but I'll answer. All the regular networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW) post episodes on their website 1 week after they air on TV. So if you are okay with being a week behind in your viewing, it's very easy to find almost any network show online. For cable shows... there are ways. Or you can wait until they come out on DVD at the end of the season. I honestly don't care that much about any TV show that I need to see it.

We just cancelled what was left of our cable (basic package) last week. Lucky for us my dad is an electronics junky and had an extra digital receiver box & indoor antenna w/ amp that he gave us. We live in an apartment building so we can't get a roof antenna, but we get around 20 channels just with the indoor antenna. I didn't think we'd get nearly that many; we're on the top floor (6th) but at the back of the building so our living room windows face the building next door. If I moved the antenna around some we'd probably get even more, it's just sitting on top of the TV right now. As it is we get some interesting channels I never even knew existed, lol.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Internet.

I will use supercuts and color my hair myself before I could give up the internet.

 

[TinknBellesMom]

So do you misss the cable or do you seem to be able to find what you want to watch on the internet?? I am considering cancelling cable because it is so ridiculously expensive and I prefer reading... My children watch DVD's so what is the point. Anyways just wanted to know if you were finding your shows okay online..

You know, I don't really miss the cable. I thought I would a lot, but really, like the PP's said, most of the shows are online at hulu.com or even the shows/networks website. There have been two shows that I haven't been able to watch online and honestly, I realized I was just watching them b/c they were on. KWIM?

We bought a Blu-Ray DVD player that streams Netflix, VUDU (an online movie rental place) Pandora radio and a few other options. So, we netflixed a bunch of Kids shows (Kim Possible, Monsters, Inc., Bolt, etc.) and that's worked for my kids. We also hooked up one of our old laptops to the tv to watch the online shows that way.

We went from spending $140 or so on cable/movie rentals a month to spending $9 for netflix and probably $20 still for movie rentals. I like having the extra $110 in my pocket a lot more!

 

[Nakkira]

Vino.

I am not really a heavy drinker but my DBF and I really enjoy sharing a bottle of something new on Friday's and writing about it in our wine journal.

 

[MomToOne]

Good purses. Coach, Dooney, that level.

But I only buy about one a year, and carry that purse just about every day until it starts looking nasty. Then I buy the next