Share Your Splurge
February 29, 2012
My 6 year old was so excited to come home from school and let me know that today is both leap day and hump day. Apparently this day is just a little more fun than any ordinary Wednesday…or at least he seems to think it is 
So here is a little fun for us frugal minded folks. I am in a Facebook group and a question was posted and I thought was kind of fun to read everyone’s responses. I thought I would ask you guys the same question so I could have more fun on this leap day that also happens to be hump day -tee hee!
What are the things you buy no matter the cost…things that may not be considered exactly frugal?
I will start us out as I have a few things:
I have a small purse addiction so I have been known to plop down serious money on designer handbags. I also tend to like high end decor items –but, I have no choice but keep that one in check. I can’t afford most of the things that I want…but, I do pick up the occasional splurge every now and again.
My food splurges would be sushi, guacamole, hummus, sea bass and of course Ovaltine for the boys. If I am craving any of these I will buy them whether I have a coupon or not 
Now it’s your turn…deal or no deal…what’s your splurge??
Starbucks!!!
Salon hair products
I will pay more than races are worth for some good swag and sense of accomplishment of finishing and seeing my results; the races might be 5Ks, bike races, Ironmans, or anything in between. If there’s a t-shirt and/or visor involved, I’m probably in!
My main food splurge is ice cream–whether it’s on sale or not, I usually walk out of the store with a pint
organic milk for the 18 month baby. ground sirlion- I do not want to eat ground beef with pink sludge! lol
My husband and I splurge on sushi as our favorite dinner out. I LOVE the occasional starbucks (my Chai Latte at home is NEVER as good). I also love good cheese and will pay full price for mascarpone (although I was thrilled when publix had it bogo!!) I am also a sucker for picking things up for our dog!
This is the first time I’ve really thought about it…and I can’t say I really splurge on anything! I think bills might be the only things I splurge on haha
I’m thrifty all around-I get my clothes at thrift/consignment stores (I wear juniors sizing and you can find some adorable things there!), as well as most of my knick knacks and whatnot.
As far as foods…I really don’t splurge on much there either! I think milk might be the only thing I splurge on haha…but with the free milk coupons…I’m not even splurging on that right now!
I really don’t splurge on anything nowadays, but if coffee doesn’t go on sale soon, then I guess it will have to be that! lol
I am with you on the guacamole, I love that stuff so I’ll buy it, coupon or not. I’m also a sucker for splurging on good laundry detergent, ie, Tide and good fabric softener. Also, chocolate and organic fruits and veggies when my budget allows.
Guilty on the purses too! Also, there is a particular skin care & make up brand that I have used for years and refuse to go back to dept store or drug store brands. I’ll coupon forever to keep up these habits!!
Right there with you on the purses! Also, fresh (or as fresh as it can be in Atlanta) seafood.
Stuff the kids really want for their birthdays/Christmas. And slushies at the gas station (I know they are pretty cheap anyway but I’d even pay more. Shhhhhh. Don’t tell them.)
PepsiMAX… Bottles 2 Liters or 12oz. Really it doesn’t matter as long as it’s in the bottle and it’s PepsiMAX. Although I confess for the right price I’d drink cans but it would have to be a REALLY fantastic deal. PepsiMAX is ALWAYS on the shopping list and is always the primary filler item for transactions.
Girl Scout Cookies and Reddi whip are the two things I cant seem to live without. I have actually been known to blow an entire week grocery budget on both. How sad, now that I go back and read that confession it seems really silly.
Yes guacamole. And dinner out. We don’t go out so often (without kids), so when we do, we go somewhere nice and order whatever we want.
My splurge is Starbucks lattes…I bought these before I started couponing…so now I can justify buying them b/c of all the $ I save on groceries
Yarn! I’m a knitter & although I’ve gotten good at not jumping at every skein I see, I will splurge on the occasional hank of high-end yarn, which can get pricy. I used to go gaga over the classic Coach handbags, but since they’ve gone all trendy & logo-y, they’ve lost my interest – lucky for my wallet!
Oh my gosh! I laughed out loud when I read that Samina! I am so with you about Coach. That would have been my splurge 5 years ago too! We need to complain. They have ruined my favorite bags, but you are right it is easier on the wallet.
I guess my splurge would be movies even though I only go during the $5.50 showing and $1 popcorn days so that is still thrifty. I just bought the big refill bucket for $22 so I can go on days when it is not $1 popcorn.
Otherwise I splurge by buying diet coke and lobster bisque from the seafood section at Publix. That stuff is awesome but it is $5 a cup and there are not coupons for it. So when I want a quick dinner I will grab a carton and feel guilty for a second until I eat it and realize I was worth it. I cant buy the ingredients for that to make it so I splurge.
Boars Head deli meat…
I second that!
Me too!!!
Me three!!! lol!!
Eggo brand waffles….I know aunt jemima goes on sale all the time but I don’t care…those are gross. Bottled water
so with you on the eggos! When will the waffles BOGO soon!?!?!?!?
Eggos for life!
Dinner out…y I dont know since I have all this food in my house
Also, shoes–this one is really bad I don’t care the cost I just have to have them when I see them! ANd purses too–
Now I am wondering how I save money?!
Chinese take-out. The hubs and I couldn’t live without it.
We are very frugal. However, we have a small addiction to Disney Cruise Lines and go as often as we can. Our splurge is vacation travel by far.
Bonnie – Do you find good deals? About how much is it for a Disney cruise vacation?
Coach and Dooney and Burke purses. It’s funny, I hate to pay full price for anything at the grocery store, but plopping down a couple hundred bucks (or more!) on a purse doesn’t faze me in the least! Ha ha ha!
Yes! I am so with you! I am a sucker for Coach purses, perfume, shoes…pretty much anything Coach.
Secret Clinical deodorant-thank goodness for their B4G1 free Loyalty Program
Smartfood Cheddar Cheese Popcorn-they never have coupons but I love it so much I dream about it.
mmmmmm was my fave til I discovered Popcorn Indiana… give it a try.. it’s 2.50 at walmart everyday and then sometimes 1.00/1 q’s
Thai Food!!! We LOOOOVEEE Thai, especially my kids and usually go to our favorite resturant (Spoon in atlanta) and eat our hearts out along with a $35 bottle of Sake
then walk across the street for some ice cream aferwards! sometimes you just have to live alittle 
I have to say I splurge on Thai too, as well as Vietnamese! Here in Orlando we have ‘Little Vietnam’, a whole block of amazing Thai and Vietnamese restaurants and markets. It’s all fairly inexpensive though. And there’s an amazing boba tea/slushy place within walking distance of them all for an after meal treat!
Handbags and Bath and Body Works items!!!! Like someone above said it kills me to pay full price for anything at the store but I will drop some cash on handbags and BBW items lol
I live for B&BW clearances & semi-annual sales.
I could open my own store with all the BBW soaps, sanitizers and lotions I have. LOVE their products and will gladly pay full price for them!!
Diet Mt. Dew- I do try to stock up when it is a really good price or when I get Extra Care Bucks (CVS I’m looking at you!!)- but if I’m totally out, I will buy it regardless of how much it is. I’ve cut corners everywhere else (including calories!)- but I HAVE to have my Diet Mt. Dew (and yes, I know it is totally not good for me!!)
Diet Mt. Dew is by far the best of the diet sodas. I seriously need to cut back.
hummmm….with three in college the splurges don’t come often….but I will say that with the money I save at Publix we do eat out about twice a month and go to the movies. Other than that it is usually spent on the kids. I enjoy shopping for all of them. Love this site and love shopping at Publix.
Sure makes shopping with coupons so much eaiser.
We ‘splurge’ on travel! Nothing extravagant, but being able to take the $50 I saved at Publix to spend on a weekend of camping feels great.
vacation for the kids and the only thing for me is to get my hair straightened every 2 weeks on payday………no matter how much I save I can’t ever get ahead it seems…..now on to take the car back to the shop :/
Bottled Lipton Diet Green Tea, Kaukauna Port Wine Cheese Spread, Sabra Hummus – I will buy these without a coupon without even blinking. They are must haves to me!
Coach has an outlet store in Orlando,Fl. so when i buy a purse there,i don’t feel as bad!! i am saving!!! (at least that’s what i tell my husband!!) LOL
I’m with you on the Coach bags..
Our trip to Disney World. The most expensive and happiest place on earth. LOL
I want it to be fun and relaxing, so we have set aside the money to make it a financially stress free trip.
I also splurge on my kids birthday parties, my daughter’s (and my own) Abercrombie addiction (we only shop the sale racks though), family photos, and gifts for the hubby and kids for b-days and Christmas.
We don’t go crazy overboard on any of these, but I won’t “cheap out” on these categories because they are important for our happiness, sanity, and family memories
I splurge on my bike. This past year I bought a high end road bike and all the accessories to go with it. I like to think of it as an investment in my health.
Hmmmm, well my grocery splurges are sushi, dessert (this is a rare one), coffee, and detergent/fabric softener.
Other splurges: designer purses and travel. Occasionally I will splurge on clothes but that is usually for my son rather than myself!
Organic eggs and milk; King Arthur flour; Publix brand ice cream(still 1/2 gallon);good beef;herb plants; pashminas; vintage linens;original art work; sterling flatware.
Good resale shops have those classic high end handbags(my best friend picked up a gorgeous Coach bag last fall that just needed a good rub with a buffing cloth for $40!). Our favorite shop benefits the local women’s shelter, so we don’t fell so guilty about shopping there EVERY Saturday !
OK Elizabeth, I had to look up what a pashminas was. So I learned something today!
I would have to say family outings.
Going to a theme park for a day or a little weekend road trip.
Coach handbags and Bare Escentuals skin care and makeup. As far as food, fresh asparagus.Oh and I never go without coffee.
I probably slurge most on family days. My husband works every other weekend so the ones he is off, we will do some kind of outing. We will go to the movie, out to eat, goofy golf or whatever? If I find some kind of deal, it just means we can do more.
Food: Kemp’s Frozen Yogurt .. nothing is creamier or more delicious and the occassional coupon is a blessing! Shoes: esp running or walking shoes for me! Doing 40+ miles a week I have to keep my feet comfy!
Our biggest splruge is Busch Gardens passes. We pay by the month and it is around $40 but we live 3 miles away. This includes the water park and free parking. We can take the boys for the afternoon and not spend a dime.
Groceries splruge is Amy’s Roasted Veg pizzas (no cheese vegan) Publix stopped carrting them about two years ago. I have to go to Whole Foods (17 miles) and they are $6.50 each. Sweetbay’s carries the exact same thing and is alot closer but they want over $9.00 for them! Crazy!
I would have to say nut butters. I love the all natural ones and the flavored ones you get at Whole Foods. I have been known to spend $6 on a jar of nut butter.
Fun topic! Sometimes a girl just has to have fresh flowers for no reason at all. It isn’t very often that I will splurge on them, but just putting them in a pretty vase and setting them in a room where I can see them makes me feel good. Food would have to be an occasional rib eye or porterhouse steak. When I get a craving for red meat, nothing beats it better than that! I love good coffee, and will splurge now and then for Seattle’s best or try a new “gourmet” blend. It makes me feel rich!
K-cups for our new Keurig. It is our guilty pleasure!!!
Psssttt … get the refillable ones on amazon. Super affordable (get two, trust me) and you can use your own coffee and it tastes so good!
K-cups has got to be mine. I just love having a fresh cup of whatever coffee I want, whenever I want.
P.F. Changs restaurant and beer:) I day dream about the lettuce wraps they hv and hv passed on my love for their spicy chicken to my 10 yr old as its his fav now too!
Our splurge is Dunkin Donuts coffee, which I blame my husband for b/c he got hooked on it several years ago and Florida Crystrals Demura Sugar which are neighbor turned us onto. I love them both and have tried to find other coffee like it but just doesn’t taste the same. I will buy them both with or without coupons.
At the Farner’s market I always splurge on fresh flowers for my 4 year old daughter. She loves them and they are her treat for behaving during the week. Plus I love how they look in a vase. I also splurge on holiday kids clothes. I dress my daughter and son up in special holiday clothes. Valentine’s Day, St. Patricks Day, Christmas any holiday really. Love the pictures I get of the two of them in their holiday clothes. As for food splurges, I have a weakness for Godiva chocolates, but not the ones at the regular stores, the ones from the boutiques. I especially love their chocolate covered strawberries. They are super expensive, but when I walk by the store in the mall, I almost always buy one. Now my 4 year old insists she get one too, lol!
Good coffee – preferably Starbucks and today’s big spluge – frozen yogurt at Menchies – they opened one by us and we ate huge portions! Happy Leap Day
Wine and all organic meat, produce, and milk.
exactly my families as well, saving at Publix allows me to use that money towards spending it at Whole Foods
Host’s Head deli meats and cheeses. I can not eat any other kind of deli food.
My splurge, in the grocery store, is always something from the bakery! I love Publix cake, donuts, cookies…. I could go on and on….and sometimes just have to get myself a little something from the bakery.
As far as foods go guacamole is one. Everyone in my house (10 people 2 families live here) eats it on almost everything. Seafood is another. Crab, lobster, fresh salmon, and shrimp are must haves. Atleast three times a week we have some kind of sea food. The only other thing is hot dogs. My family will only eat ball park with the red label. I don’t eat hotdogs, but according to everyone these are the best and they will not back down! I bought field hot dogs a while back when they were $1.00 @ kroger and we had the .50 coupon taht doubled, they wouldn’t touch them, they became dog treats!
As far as hba goes I buy hair (haha, i started losing my hair at young age so this is something i do to make up for it). I can drop a cool $300 on extensions or weave in a heart beat. My boyfriend and son get dove men + care body wash and anything bumblebee from transformers.
I’m also very guilty of spoiling my pets. My dogs have their own stockpile of everything from treats to back up dog beds. Anything you could need for any size pet (we have teacup + huge pitts/great dane) we have!
my starbucks (got free gift cards from huggies rewards) and of course my hair!!! but this past xmas I really got into some vs stuff and oh my i so love their bras…i will be there next year for the semi annual sale again!!! anything to make a momma feel better is so worth it imo
OMG, I was basically about to write this post. My splurge is definitely my hair. I get my hair cut and colored every 5 weeks. People ask why I don’t color it myself and I figure it’s the one thing I can spend money on. As for food, I spend money on Starbucks (like every other day). I will say though, that I used to buy an Iced Latte at about $4+, then I found out that I can just buy 3 shots of espresso over ice and they’ll add some skim milk, final cost $2.50. Not sure if my Starbucks still counts
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Oh, I refill my Starbucks card balance by purchasing Starbucks cards from Kroger so that I can get the gas points. Then I just transfer the balance.
My splurge is candles, mainly Yankee Candles but I’ve gotten to like the BBW ones as well. They have coupons a lot so not too much of a splurge. Oh and my Vera Bradleys. Not as expensive as some bags but I still feel slightly guilty when I spend close to $100 on a bag.
Grocery wise we splurge on chocolate milk and donuts as a special Sunday breakfast
I’d have to go with Boar’s Head deli meat for a food item. I use Mary Kay and Aveeno products because they keep my super sensitive skin happy
WINE WINE WINE ! Although I do try to buy it on sale, it is my favorite thing to sip on while reading at night.
With cheese and Triscuits of course.
And original artwork…this is my serious addiction. Nothing on my walls is Home Interior (ugh).
I can’t afford it often (enough), but save up for a good permanent piece, and my couponing helps that!
In foods I always buy Simply Raspberry Lemonade. I’ve never had a coupon for it and it adds up when you buy them often. I really like shoes and earrings. But I must admit that I’ve spent a lot of money over the last four years on Nancy Drew Interactive Mystery PC games. That has lead to me buying a lot of other interactive PC mystery games. I wish I could find a coupon for those because I have a lot of them. And I even have bought quite a few hidden object mystery games but they aren’t as good.
Disney World!!!
It may be weird, but my splurge is going to the thrift store. I just can’t pay more than a couple dollars for any clothes, but I try to find stuff new with tags or in great shape. I found a pair of work slacks for $10 with the tags one time that were normally $40 at the department store (Maybe $25-30 on sale) and today I found a 3t jacket for my little girl for next winter for $3 that looked new.
My big splurges are HBA I am aa Bath & Body Works gal. I have been suign the same scent since I was 14, it is my signature. They do have coupons and deals so I do try to minimize the damage. My other is my Bare Minerals make up, it just does NOT go on sale. It is one of theose “always excluded” brands but I buy it anyway.
Food wise I guess my bigggest splurge is the bakery /deli area. It is just me here at home so I almost never leave the store without a slice of cke or container of pasta salad. If your store has it try the bow tie feta pasta salad, it is to die for. OHHH and my SunDrop. I grew up on the stuff and when I moved to Montgomery they did NOT hav eit here so I had to import it from North Alabama. I do try to stock up when Publix does a B3G1 or there is a coupon but I will buy it no matter the price.
Nicole..I also use bare minerals. Have you tried the “nude beach” eye shadow? It is my absolute FAV!!! and you can wear it wet for a foiled look… my sister’s fav is “sex kitten”…
Nicole, I use Bare Minerals too!! Even though it’s expensive, at least it lasts a while! Also, if you’re in Montgomery (I used to live there!) you should join Ulta’s Beauty Club. When they put out a save 20% on your entire purcahse coupon you CAN use it on Bare Minerals!! That is the only coupon they will take for it and I try to buy it when I get that coupon in the mail!!
I have used Bare Minerals for years and can’t go back to anything else!!
Sign up for the emails from the Bare Minerals web site. They do a couple of sales during the year where you can save on makeup plus get free shipping. That’s when I stock up!
My biggest splurge is probably not exciting but I buy books… I am a reader, of almost everything. I have boxes of books and I read books over and over so I don’t mind spending the money to buy them instead of borrowing them. I got a Kindle for Christmas and the thing is already loaded! I also like nail polish and eye shadow… I’ve got so much of the stuff it’s ridiculous! LOL
My biggest grocery store splurge isn’t really food but Snuggle fabric softner. I don’t care if it’s on sale or I have a coupon… it’s the only kind I buy regardless of price. I also love Publix bakery bread and croissants… now I’m hungry.
Our splurge is an adult only vacation;) we have been to Mexico twice and Caribbean. ANd I love buying jeans at buckle…..I can get 2 weeks groceries for the price of one pair
Clinique makeup, Kate Spade Handbags,sushi and organic milk for my little man.
Pictures! Pictures are my obsession and since I have 4 kids and love making collage frames of outings and holiday, I buy lots! Even with Walmart Site to store at .09 each, my last order was 214.00, i havent been able to get them all yet though! We dont have the money but that is one thing I make sure I somehow manage to get. It may be because I dont have many pics of me when I was little or that I love photography,scrapbooking, and framing but I love pictures!!
Organic milk and produce, organic snack foods, grass fed beef, hormone-free chicken, sushi, Thirty-One bags and purses, fun outings for my son, date nights with hubby, Disney and Sea World annual passes.
My splurge is makeup and beauty items! I’m a total Sephora junkie and are on their website multiple times a day looking at any new products (especially Urban Decay, Philosophy, and Makeup Forever). I only actual shop there about 5-6 times a year, but when I do, I easily drop $100-$200 (or more) on all my essentials!
bare minerals makeup and beer!:)
I have a few name brand grocery items that I always buy (Duke’s mayo, real coke, charmin t.p). The biggest splurge, year after year, is my Clinique. I’d rather go without makeup than wear drugstore stuff. Crazy, but true.
I also really like good shoes. I don’t buy many, I look for sales (I have a great store nearby that does great sales), but my feet are a funny size, and I’m just too old to wear Target shoes that don’t fit right. So, I’ll easily lay out $50 (on deep clearance) for shoes.
Me too. Clinique makeup and darn good shoes for my entire family. (There are 6 of us) No compromises on these items
At the grocery store it’s organic milk, simply OJ, beer for the hubby, and wine. Outside of that, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Seven for All Mankind Jeans (they do wonders for the booty!), and Disney passes.
My splurge is that I like to drive a nice car. I’ve been driving a 5 series BMW, but decided it’s time to go for something a little more child friendly (for the one child I have). So, I just bought myself a shiny red Lexus 350 RX. It makes me happy and I deserve that.
Food – I buy a Kentucky Legend Ham from Publix for my kid’s lunches & have it sliced into sandwich size pieces at the deli. (To me – taste just as good as Boar’s Head but runs $4.99 a pound). Another have to have is Charmin T.P. – I don’t care what it costs, this is the only T.P. we will use in our house.
As for personal splurges, I would have to say & clothes for my two teenage daughters. Another splurge is vacations with my family (usually take a really nice one every 2 years – planning cruise for us to take when our daughter graduates high school next May – I won’t let her take a senior trip without us for safety reasons, so we decided to make it a family vacation and are taking her & 3 friends on a cruise & they get their own room. The only requirement we had for this trip was that we had to be on the cruise with them. 13 year old is excited too, because she now gets to take a friend since sister will be doing her own thing.)
My splurges are usually in Michael’s. If they are in Publix, splurges vary from made-to-order deli sandwiches with everything on them (instead of getting home with all the groceries and making sandwiches, cutting up veggies, opening jars, making a mess and cleaning up. The other splurge is high wild-caught fish from safe waters.
beer wine and tequila
the good stuff on all 3 
I also have an addiction for purses and good perfume. One of my favorite Publix cashiers once told me that I smelled really good and asked what I was wearing….I replied Mademoiselle Coco Channel and quickly told her that I only want to pay $3.00 for my groceries but I’ll spend $100 on my perfume. She thought that was hysterical.
Massages – every 3 weeks! I highly recommend them.
sushi, good lean beef (like sirlion), wild caught fish, free range eggs, Fage yogurt (it’s the best Greek out there!)…as far as non-food splurges, I had trouble because every single one I thought of I would still usually find a sale or coupon for it! It’s ingrained in me, what can I say!;)
We are obviously techies here at our house. Scrimp on lots of things, but love, love, love our iPhones and iPads!
My most recent splurge has been hiring painters to paint 2 rooms and the upstairs/downstairs hall. Expensive! We’ve done all the other painting in the house, but decided these areas were too dangerous or too difficult for us to do ourselves.