In response/reflection to the Ways I ‘save’ money post I wrote yesterday, I thought I’d look at the luxuries/vices that I do in fact ‘waste’ my money on!
- take away coffee: It always seems (nowdays) to be a bonding/social thing. I’ll buy it on weekends with my father or my bf. I’ll buy it when I’m working overtime (also on weekends). I’ll seldom buy a take away coffee alone, at least not in the last 6-9 months.
source:www.keepcup.com
- eating out: As identified in my Glaring Grocery discovery post, whilst my grocery bill is small, as a percentage of my income, I must surely be spending a lot on eating out. Now my ‘two meals cooked at home’ a week goal is tracking where I eat EVERY dinner, I’ll soon see patterns, and perhaps adjust accordingly.
- taxis: When I grew up, I never ever caught a taxi, but then again, I was a child and my parents drove us around! It did mean that I didn’t ‘think’ about taxis til I was about 22, and moved to a not so nice suburb, and thought the better of walking home after a night class. Drinking lots was not a reason (back then). Nowdays, I’ll use a taxi if I’m feeling too ill to walk home, it’s too hot/cold/wet, after drinking. The fares are almost always less than $20, and seeing I don’t own a car, I feel like the cost is OK.
- over paying my taxes: I do this to avoid a bill, but also cause I like the (usually) 4 figure cash injection in the winter months, especially for my next ‘spend’ category.
- international holidays: As a child of world roaming parents, I almost consider travelling a ‘normal’ thing. Therefore, I usually save up for a trip overseas each year – in Australia’s winter and the Northern hemisphere’s summer. Nothing planned for this year, but a brief thought of Christmas in the snowy parts of the US.
- home wares: since the start of 2012, I’ve owned my own home, so I drop a fair amount of coin on ‘stuff’ for it – less so now, though the post Christmas sales saw me buy a few big ticket items I’d been thinking about all year.
- house modifications: 2012 was a big year for costs outsourcing projects in my home such as painting, bath resurfacing, light rewiring, additional security bars, re-carpeting. There’s still some lingering tasks I’d like to get done this year too, see my House List for more details.
Writing this list made me think of more ways I ‘save’ money, which is interesting. Seems I really have the saving (or spending adverse) mentality instilled in a lot of different facets of my life. How to splurge? What are your vices?
I do splurge on holidays – I have one planned to Thailand that has suddenly become a solo trip, but I’m determined to go and have a good time!
I also splurge on my iPhone, total luxury 🙂 That’s a great idea, catching taxis instead of owning a car. I own a car but barely use it, but I’m not sure I could give it up now.
And I’m pretty sure I would splurge on home wares and renovations if I owned my own home. Enjoy it 🙂
I’ve travelled a lot alone – makes you a lot more open to meeting people and I think you notice more. Meal times can be a bit awkward but a book, journal or postcards help.
Half the time I’d like a car is when I’d also like to drink! So taxis are logical then. The rest of the time it’s cause I’m not tough enough!
I have to admit I ‘splurge’ on lots of those – and the ones I don’t (like travel) I wish I could!! 🙂
Several though, I would class as “investments”, not “splurges” – like the taxes, taxis and house modifications. Even the travel! 🙂
You might travel later in life – I’d certainly find it hard if I was paying for 4 people! Thanks for re positioning them as investments :p
I definitely splurge on travel! I always make sure to do my homework to find good deals, but I usually have my vacation time planned out by March for the entire year–it’s basically assumed that I travel out of the country 2-3 times/year and within the States 5+ times. I’m lucky, but I work hard to make sure this fits into the overall financial picture.
Wow that’s a lot of travel – good on you! Whilst it’s fun, it can really take it out of you – or me at least
I just started traveling a few years ago. I had to stop because I’m not longer employment stable. I live in the US and the only other country I have been to is Canada. I hope to get out of North America for my next trip. I saved for a few months before each trip so I had nice places to stay and plenty of spending money for food and activities. I always booked through AAA (American Automobile Association I think) to get city tours and tickets to aquariums ahead of time. I’m a planner so I like to know what I’m doing. One day I’ll make it out to Australia probably after I go to the UK/Ireland. I’m only 31 so I have time.
Welcome Gemma! Saving is the best way to enjoy holidays, rather than coming back to debt. Australia is a long way from anywhere (really) so we all get the bug, and save our little backsides off so we can see the big bad world out there. You’ve still got stacks of time, at 31, but I certainly wouldn’t put off travel – like my friend who was saying ‘but if that other friend waited two more years, they’d have more money to travel’ – I say, go for it, once you have ‘enough’ but not necessarily ‘a lot’. (of course, a stable job would help on the savings front)
Hopefully, my job issues will be fixed soon. Now that I have traveled a bit I really like it. I did manage to pay off credit card debt while saving for the vacations (only had 2 trips so far). Just have the dreaded student loans and that will take forever to pay off, but I’m not going to let that stop me.
Oh, Australian’s are lucky to have proportionately small student debts – so thankful for that. Congratulations on paying off credit card debt and saving for a holiday – sometimes having more than one money goal can be hard to manage, but a holiday is a great reward and incentive!