What luxuries are you happy to pay for?

[ladonnarosso]

Mine would be my smartphone and the occasional pedicure.

[krantcents]

The luxury extras for me are flying first class although I use miles. When we go to Europe, the flights are over 10 hours and we need more comfort. The cost is significantly lower than coach ( taxes) however it is a luxury. I think that this is our only real luxury.

[neatdesign]

Hands down, I am 100% happy to pay $18 every time my dog needs to get her anal glands expressed. This means spending $100+ per year for someone else to stick their fingers up my dog's butt and squeeze out a fluid that smells so bad, so revolting, it burns my nostrils.

Worth. Every. Penny.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Listing a few:

cleaners - less arguments on chore chart
yard service - forced into my association because I like doing it but not doing it for 2 other lazy A$&$# who never did their share
Amazon Prime - love it for our kids kindles but we don't need it and it is a luxury
cell phone - i don't need a smartphone
not working - luxury/need luxury because daycare is only expensive in the short term, long term you are investing in your career even if you have to pay for child care. So it's really a luxury because you have stopped climbing the ladder.

renting a larger car than compact. We now rent at least a midsize for a $1/day plus less gas mileage. It's nice having the space than cramming into a car smaller than what we normally drive.

[MonkeyMama]

The luxury extras for me are flying first class although I use miles. When we go to Europe, the flights are over 10 hours and we need more comfort. The cost is significantly lower than coach ( taxes) however it is a luxury. I think that this is our only real luxury.

That's a great example of getting a luxury without having to pay for it.

[Kasey Del Bosque]

Travelling once in every two years is a LUXURY that I'm happy and willing to pay for.

[ua_guy]

Another one-

Name brand booze. If you're going to drink, drink what you like and enjoy it.

[disneysteve]

Another one-

Name brand booze. If you're going to drink, drink what you like and enjoy it.

Agreed. That said, however, I think at some point you are paying for name status and not higher quality. For example, there is a huge difference between no-name vodka and a brand like Smirnoff. There is less difference between Smirnoff and a "premium" brand like Absolut. And there is extremely little if any difference between the Absolut and a high-end brand like Gray Goose. So drink what you like but if you find the less costly brand satisfies you, don't let anybody talk you into the fancy expensive stuff.

[corn18]

So drink what you like but if you find the less costly brand satisfies you, don't let anybody talk you into the fancy expensive stuff.

That is even more true in the world of wine. There are some $25 bottles of wine that I think taste better than a $500 bottle. But the guy paying for the $500 bottle disagreed with me. Worked out fine for me. The only liquor I have found where more money almost always equals more pleasing taste is tequila. Don Julio is actually very tasty to me straight up in a frozen glass.

The same applies to sound systems. $35,000 Bang & Olufsen systems sound about the same to me as a $500 system, but I have tinnitus and don't hear very well anyway (I'm old), so the fancy stuff is meaningless to me.

That being said, if someone does truly like the taste or sound of the higher priced equipment and can afford it, then I will not call them stupid. Unless they call me ignorant, then all bets are off.

Tom

[bennkar]

That's a great example of getting a luxury without having to pay for it.

Only thing I can think of is my mother's timeshare near Disney we stay at in November. But in a work exchange (so to speak) we are staying there free now (I was paying $750 for the week previously). I redid her roof last summer (she paid for materials) and I am getting free use of the timeshare into the next decade.

[LittleMissSplendid]

Hmmm ..... massages, organic face products, the hair salon, and contact lenses all come to mind.

[Kasey Del Bosque]

Right now I would pay for a good massage and a relaxing time in the spa

[FLA]

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.

you can probably get a tivo DVR. they are an awesome luxury

[FLA]

Hands down, I am 100% happy to pay $18 every time my dog needs to get her anal glands expressed. This means spending $100+ per year for someone else to stick their fingers up my dog's butt and squeeze out a fluid that smells so bad, so revolting, it burns my nostrils.

Worth. Every. Penny.

Not doing a dog's anal gland should not be a luxury, more of a want bordering on need. I am a nurse and had to stick my finger (gloved) up so many anuses I cannot even begin to count. You do it enough, it's no big deal. But expressing my dogs' anal glands is where I draw the line. At least on humans I got paid for it.

I also pay for toenail cutting. My abused shelter dog has to be muzzled and two people hold her and one cuts. She trusts me and as stupid as it sounds, I will not break her trust by scaring her just to save money. Plus, I can't really see that well anymore to do it to either dog.

And I pay for grooming on a dog I adopted from a friend's mom who was too old to keep him. He is so sweet, he's a red Cavalier King Charles spaniel with long flowing locks. I immediately said "yes", grooming costs didn't cross my mind because I've never had a dog like that. I pay $10 for a haircut, his is 5x that. I've looked into buying a razor and just keep him shaved, just hesitating because of my sight. My DS said he would try it. I cannot justify the grooming, I don't care if he looks stupid shaved, he looks adorable to me. I had him shaved at Petsmart once and this lady with a King Charles in a hot pink dog stroller, yelled at me and said I did not deserve my dog because I did not keep up his long, flowing coat. I am a disgrace to the breed. Um, ok, A) I could care less about breed and classy dog hair do's B) if you really think a dog cares what he looks like, then you are delusional and should get that checked. C) I'm the bad one? you walk your dog in a stroller depriving her of exercise D) you look stupid doing that, so you are a disgrace to the breed as well. Bitch.

off track, sorry!

[FLA]

a cleaning lady once every two weeks- biggest luxury I ever had when I hired her because I was a stressed out working mom and needed help. Best $30 ever! She keeps my rate low because I have referred her to at least ten people, she is so sweet.

a snow plow guy

tivo

occasional pedicure if I have a coupon, have not done one in more than a year.

having cable, Showtime, HBO, Netflix and Hulu, I pay for the household and they all get used but I acknowledge this is overkill. But my dad is working so hard taking care of my mom and now me, I will not change his beloved entertainment needs.

After 20 yrs of coloring my own hair, waiting for a sale when I had a coupon so it was $3, it started looking bad, the color had changed. So I paid my guy to color it for me and then he will buy the stuff and give me instructions in how to mix it. He is the kindest man, $30 for cut and color. I know he lowballs me because I've been going there since I was 11, lol

now that I am disabled, I am so glad I took vacations with the kids in the past, even if it was Disney and not Paris

combined households to take care of terminally ill mom, so my dad pays for some luxuries that I benefit from. Like a guy who charges $15 to pick up dog poop every other week. We don't pick up our own dogs' poop, can you get lazier? But if he wants to pay that, have at it, Dad. He's getting some help with the yard, too.

Peacock Alley sheets and duvet covers when found super cheap. Cuddledown when they have clearance.