Making it Rain

The other day at work, we ended up in a side conversation on saving vs. splurging, what we each willingly throw down cash for, and where we hold back. It was incredible to see how different each of us were with our spending habits. Very different vices. Very different ways of being thrifty.

Where do we get these spending habits from? I think some of it is our upbringing, and not just if our parents spent a lot or saved a lot. Smaller things. Like, for example, my mom never spent money at nail salons. It was never part of my childhood. I guess it’s no surprise I paint my own nails and only get one pedicure- at the beginning of sandal season.

But it isn’t just upbringing, is it? I think some of it has to do with where we live. If I lived in Florida, I’d probably spend more on swimsuits, but I don’t, so I never buy new suits. Or, since I live in the mid-Atlantic, I (forcibly) put more money toward living expenses.

It’s fascinating, though. And I thought I’d share with you a few of the things I happily throw extra money at… and those things I get really cheap about. So here we go.

My Splurging List

• Shoes (take care of your feet!)
• Diesel Fuel (diesel engines are better for the environment and 50 mpg is worth the price)
• Linens (you spend so much time in your bed, do it for your skin)
• Dry cleaning (most of my favorite clothes are dry clean only, but they make me feel confident at work)
• Organic dairy (the health benefits far outweigh the cost)
• Purses (but I stay in the $100-$200 range)
• Hair products (taking proper care of long locks isn’t easy)
• Skincare products (I have really bad skin, I’ll pay anything if it works)

My Thrifting List

• Nail maintenance (mentioned earlier, I paint them myself)
• Car maintenance (the men in my life do this one for free)
• Generic grocery store brands (they taste the same)
• Movies/ entertainment (I go to the movies maybe once a year)
• Booze (why spend all that money at a restaurant when you can make it at home for cheaper?)
• Hotels (I use Expedia and Orbitz when we travel to get better deals)
• Clothes (I buy nice clothes, but almost never full price)

So there it is. You know my spending habits. How about it now? Is there anything different you always will spend a little bit extra for? Or something you go really cheap on no matter what?