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?