Spinoff:

[MissBritt]

What do you splurge on and what do you save on? Can be broad categories or specific items.

 

[sherry7]

Hmmm, I've never really thought about this, but it's an interesting question.

Splurges:
I do an occasional splurge on electronics...laptop, DSL camera, iPad, iPhone, digital photo frame, new Tivo box, etc. DH likes to hunt, so his splurges are related to that. I also have a terrible habit of trading in my vehicle about every 2 years...a cycle which I'm determined to break now that we have the expense of a new baby. I also subscribe to Netflix, and bought a lifetime subscription for my new Tivo box. I'm also fond of Paul Mitchell and Matrix hair supplies, but I always wait until Penney's has a BOGO sale on them. I guess we splurge a bit on vacations, but I always cut corners on lodgings.

Thrifty:
Groceries - I shop at Aldi's regularly, and stock up on meats when there are good sales at the other grocery stores. I will only buy in-season fruit that is cheap. In my opinion, fruits and veggies should NOT cost more per pound than what meat does. Speaking of meat, I try not to pay more than $2 per pound.
TV - We're still have old-fashioned tube TV's. I really want a new flat screen, but I refuse to replace these until they die (which could be a long time).
Clothing - I don't pay full price for anything. I'm an expert Kohl's shopper, and I'll gladly dig through the clearance racks at the Carter's outlet and buy clothing for the following year for DD.

 

[eliza61]

What do you splurge on and what do you save on? Can be broad categories or specific items.

Splurge: Hotels. Generally we are deluxe vacationers. We love luxury hotels, big beds, luxury linens and towels, big rooms. So we tend to splurge on travel.

Save: groceries and clothes. I'm a "sales" girl. I try hard not to pay retail for any type of clothing. I'm obsessive about clipping coupons and sales circulars. clothes are usually brought off season.


My guilty pleasures is a coach bag but those are generally some thing I buy for a gift for myself only once in a while.

 

[DZNEE4US]

Splurge:
Dooney and Burke purses (usually a gift), Lancome foundation and eye liner, yearly vacations, getting carry out on Saturdays.

Save:
L'Oreal and Cover Girl costmetics, Suave and Garnier hair products, coloring my own hair, staying off site at Disney, shopping Aldi's for produce and dairy, seriously shopping sales at other stores, outlet mall shopping (Gymboree outlet, Carters', Osh Kosh, Bath & Body works (usually that is a splurge- Dove and Dial work just as well!),., eating carry out instead of at the restaurant- no uneaten kids' meals or over priced drinks.

It seems like I am constantly looking for more creative ways to cut the corners, yet still get quality and value for my money. With the way fuel prices are going, I think I am going to be hitting Aldis' more often and try some new items.

 

[Swimalie]

Splurge: my swimming. My team costs a lot per year plus meets, suits, goggles, etc. It's just a hobby but it adds up to a lot each year.

Save: Clothes. I don't buy name brands and I buy only on sale. I shop the end-of-the-season clothing sales for clothes for next year to save even more.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Splurge: hotels I like big rooms and plenty of space which are usually deluxe hotels. If suites are available at a decent price I'd go for them.
Dooney & Bourke bags but those are bought at the outlets so it's a little splurge and save.

Save: clothes, I may buy alot but 90% of it are Kohls super sales and clearances. We drive our cars to the ground

 

[swilshire]

Splurge: Vacations

Save: Very tight with money for anything else.

Sheila

 

[southern_redhead]

Splurges - facial skin care (only one thing works for me and it is $60 for two items), eating out (which is coming to a grinding halt, it has gotten ridiculously expensive), vacations (? although our "spendy" ones could be anothers "budget" ones....) and travel (we go on a lot of weekend trips BUT we use hotel pts often and shop out good deals when we don't.) Oh, and my iPhone - do I NEED that $25 a month data plan? No, but my phone rocks and I use the heck out of it!

Thrifty - Clothes (sort of - I do buy a lot of Justice/American Eagle/Gymboree for kids but I shop sales with coupons, try to get 2 seasons out of them, then either hand down to younger sibling or resale), make up (CoverGirl/Revlon), Food (we eat a pretty boring diet - by choice, kids and DH aren't adventurous eaters and I buy with coupons and shop sales/pricematch), Gas (that sounds funny but I just don't drive anywhere except work-home circuit m-f), Toys (again, we buy really nice when we DO buy but that is limited to bdays and Christmas and I try to shop a sale for that item.)

 

[JaymeC]

Splurges: Trips. Our trips are very, very budgeting compared to most people I'm sure, but the fact that we take them as often as possible and see so much. And I don't mean to WDW or DL, but for weekend trips. Our family is big on traveling, so we take many, many mini-vacations throughout the year.

Budget everywhere else Probably most stringently with clothing and kids toys. Groceries also though. I hardly ever buy new clothes that aren't on clearance and almost all of my boys' clothing is yard sale or thrift store finds. The same goes to toys, we have a lot of handmedown toys. Tons of legos and the like, and the kids just have enough so I try not to spend too much on toys for them.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

Splurges- yearly vacations- it's what I look forward to all year Quality footwear- I think nothing of paying $45 for flipflops ( and buy each of the colors) or $80+ for sneakers, shoes, boots....

Save- groceries unless I have a coupon I buy generic, also shop at Save-A-Lot often. Clothes I really have no use for designer names- whatever looks good. vehicles I don't really like my car too much, but it's paid off, and gets me to where I'm going. cell phone I have a prepay account and only use it when it's important. My workplace phone and home phone are just fine for now- I'm sure when my kids are teens that will change though!

 

[DawnM]

This is really so subjective. I say we save on vacation because we get SkyAuction.com condos, but a lot of people think we splurge simply because they would never even consider going to Disney at all!

Spend:
House (I believe we have a nice house),
coffee beans (I am a snob about good coffee.....no cans of anything here), furniture (I get good quality but buy used....so am I thrifty or spendy?),
home construction (we are remodeling and Dh is doing all the work, so thrifty, but we are buying quality materials, so that would be spendy.

Save:
Eating out (we can tell you the best places to go to get more bang for your buck!
Cars- we have good quality cars but they are all paid for and older
Clothing- almost all used or good sales
Shoes- same.....used or good sales
We love to yard sale for extras
Cell phone- we pay $42/mo for 3 phones on plan