What luxuries are you happy to pay for?

[HappySaver]

Since we had the thread on "what do you refuse to pay for", I thought this would be a fun alternate question. My thought is not to include "wants" that most of us live with (examples: smartphones and cable tv) but to talk about things that feel truly "extra".

We pay for a car service to and from the airport when we go on vacation. It's a bit more expensive than a taxi would be, but the car is so much nicer and cleaner, the drivers are way more professional and drive better, and this way we don't have to wait for a taxi at the airport.

We've also been having our driveway plowed when the snow gets to be too much, but this winter in Boston that seems more a necessity than a luxury!

[cypher1]

Originally I would have said AC, high speed internet, smartphone, netflix. But since those are more of wants, the main one is lawn spray service each summer for weeds.

[disneysteve]

I would definitely count my iPhone as a luxury. I need a cell phone. I don't need to tote around a computer in my pocket. I love it but it is a luxury.

Nice hotels when we travel. Years ago, you were likely to find us at a motel like Days Inn or EconoLodge. Now it's a rented home or nice hotel with interior corridors, hot breakfast, indoor pool, etc.

Fine (or at least finer) dining. We go out to eat less often but when we do, we frequent nicer/more expensive restaurants. I can't stand fast food and chain restaurants (Chili's, Applebee's, etc.) so when we go out, it is to an independent, chef-owned/operated kind of place. Instead of "Two for $20" or a coupon from the Sunday paper, we're talking more like $75-100 for the two of us. We do more casual stuff sometimes too but when we really want a good meal, we're willing to pay for it.

Having our cars serviced at the dealership. Yes, I know the prices are inflated, but the service is excellent and they give me a "free" loaner which is far more convenient than having to rent a car from Enterprise while ours is in for service.

[ua_guy]

I agree on hotel accomodations. I always find it worth the extra $$$ to stay in newer, nicer places especially in areas I've never traveled to.

Also, for the first time ever this year, I'm considering hiring a landscaper and his maintenance crew to do a few things around the yard. If it gives me 6-7 weekends back (there are some big projects to do) during the nicest parts of spring/summer to just enjoy the place, it's going to be worth every penny.

[Drake3287]

Funny that someone put down a lawn spraying service, I've been using a lawn spraying service (not for cutting the lawn) for a couple of years from a National Chain and the service was so bad that I canceled it. I finally went out and bought my own supplies to do it myself at a third of the cost!

As for luxuries, we have used a quarterly ant spraying service for 20 years and have never had an ant issue. Well worth the money. Nothing worse than coming home to a trail of millions of ants in your house.

[bigdaddybus]

I'm a car guy and I pay a premium in transportation costs. Does my daily driver need to go 0-60 in 3.8-4.2 seconds? No, but its fun

[cypher1]

Funny that someone put down a lawn spraying service, I've been using a lawn spraying service (not for cutting the lawn) for a couple of years from a National Chain and the service was so bad that I canceled it. I finally went out and bought my own supplies to do it myself at a third of the cost!

I suppose it's a matter of perspective and how I value my time. I have no problems going on my roof, messing with gas, electricity, plumbing, or taking my cars apart.

However, weed/crabgrass/dandelions maintenance is just something I don't feel like dealing with. That also includes paying someone to trim branches on my 9 trees once every 5-6 years. I consider those luxuries for me, as the extent my DIY yard maintenance is mowing lawn and raking leaves.

[disneysteve]

I suppose it's a matter of perspective and how I value my time.

I mowed my own lawn for the first 10 or so years that we owned our home. I hated doing it and honestly wasn't terribly good at it. Once we were a little better off financially, that was one of the first things I farmed out to a pro. I don't regret it for a minute.

[fetzer85]

We've had Comcast cable for several years but after the 'introductory' rates expired the prices were just outrageous. The worst part was that about 25% of the bill was just rental of their equipment (DVR box, 3 HD boxes and a modem). We decided to drop cable, keep the internet, buy our own modem and try netflix and hulu plus. The $8.99/mo for Netflix and $7.99/mo for Hulu Plus is DEFINITELY worth the price for our family. We were worried the transition would be a rough one but honestly it's been great. We're now paying $17/mo total for our TV streaming and are saving over $100/mo by not having cable.

[disneysteve]

We've had Comcast cable for several years but after the 'introductory' rates expired the prices were just outrageous. The worst part was that about 25% of the bill was just rental of their equipment (DVR box, 3 HD boxes and a modem). We decided to drop cable, keep the internet, buy our own modem and try netflix and hulu plus. The $8.99/mo for Netflix and $7.99/mo for Hulu Plus is DEFINITELY worth the price for our family. We were worried the transition would be a rough one but honestly it's been great. We're now paying $17/mo total for our TV streaming and are saving over $100/mo by not having cable.

FYI you don't have to rent equipment from Comcast. You can buy your own. I bought our cable modem a couple of years ago and stopped paying the rental fee.

[scfr]

Smaller one: Toll road fees
Big one: Larger house than we need

And BTW, I would consider a smartphone or any sort of TV paid for true luxuries but have neither.

[moneysma]

We get massages. We found a woman that is great and she doesn't cost a lot of money. She is so good that I only get massages from her just because she knows the pressure to use and where my typical nagging injures are.

[fetzer85]

FYI you don't have to rent equipment from Comcast. You can buy your own. I bought our cable modem a couple of years ago and stopped paying the rental fee.

You're right about the modem however everything else (the DVR box and digital tuners) you can't buy yourself - at least not here where we live in West Virginia.

[dawnwes]

We just got cable after 4 years without. I doubt I will keep it if the rates go up too significantly after the 12 month deal, but I am enjoying it.

We do have Tivo boxes so we don't pay for their equipment.

[MonkeyMama]

I am not sure I understand the difference between wants and luxuries, per OP's definition. (I don't know what everyone else does, and have often not partaken in expenses that most people do).

Gauging from the "It must be nice comments," I have two:

1 - paying for lawn service (or substitute this with, "paying someone to do the chores that everyone in your house despises").

2 - Hiring out part-time childcare with a stay-home spouse.

Both of the above were great investments in our marriage.

We have a lot of luxuries that we don't particularly pay any extra for. So that is the flip side of the coin. Our home comes to mind, since someone mentioned a bigger home. Instead of paying more for the luxury, we found an exceptional deal. I will try to find a better value first before shelling out extra money on a luxury. Hiring out help I guess is somewhere where we have consistently had to just shell out the money.