From time to time, I post about five frugal things we're doing to save money and keep our cruising kitty happy. {By the way, that's not the furry kind of cat, but rather what sailors call their savings. So cute.}
Those posts are inspired by Katy at The Non-Consumer Advocate who regularly posts about five frugal things she's done. Some things are big, some things are small, but they all help keep her spending down and her savings up.
Today, I thought I'd shake things up and share five decidedly unfrugal things I've done lately. Embracing a frugal lifestyle is about making conscious choices regarding where you spend your money. Sometimes those choices involve "splurging" on something.
As you read my unfrugal things, keep in mind that what might be a splurge for one person is a normal expenditure for someone else and vice versa.
1 - Coloring Books & Markers
Someone gave me an Amazon gift card and rather than spend it on something practical for the boat, I bought a couple of coloring books (one of them has an outer space theme!) and some new markers. It's shocking how much good markers cost.
Adult coloring books is one of those fads that some of you hoped was long gone by now, but I find it really relaxing. Kind of like arts and crafts for those of us who aren't very artistic.
2 - Buying a Book
While I don't consider buying books to be a splurge - it's an essential, much like groceries, in my opinion - I did recently buy a book that I normally wouldn't of in order to support a fellow author.
3 - Girls Day Out
I went out to lunch and the movies with some friends a while back. While I do go out to eat occasionally (often to Taco Tuesday cause it's pretty cheap), I usually only go to the movies once or twice a year when a Star Wars or Star Trek movie comes out. Otherwise, I wait until it comes out at the Redbox or on Amazon Prime. I just can't justify spending money on a ticket, popcorn, and soda for just any old movie, but in this case it was a fun outing with the girls.
{By the way, we saw Ocean's 8. Cute, but not something I would have normally gone to the theater to see.}
4 - Tossing Food in the Garbage
The electricity at the marina often cuts in and out when there are storms (which there usually are during the summer), but one day, it kept cutting off for long periods of time. So I turned our fridge off because our batteries are in a really sad state and I didn't want to completely drain them. Then I forgot to turn it back on later that night.
There were some things that definitely needed to be tossed, but there were other items that I could have salvaged. However, I just wasn't in the mood to cook, so tossed it all in the trash, and ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead. While this doesn't count as a "splurge," it was a lazy, unfrugal thing to do, not to mention wasteful. But sometimes you just have days where you take the easy way out.
5 - Writing a Book
If you're going to self-publish a book, then you need to invest some of your own money upfront (think editors, cover design, printer paper and ink, proof copies, ISBNs etc.). Maybe one day I'll break even, but in the meantime, this has got to be one of the world's most expensive hobbies. But, it's fun, so there's that.
If you're interested in seeing how much we spend each month, our Five Frugal Things posts, and other musings on money matters, check out this page.
What do you "splurge" on? What are some ways you save money?
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Writing is more costly than I realized... but since it doubles as my therapist, I think it is a worthwhile expense :)
ReplyDeleteDoubling as a therapist - what a great way to think about it :-)
DeleteWriting isn't cheap.
ReplyDeleteYou don't want to know how much we spend a year going to the movies. In my defense, we always go to a matinee and almost never buy food.
I can never resist the popcorn when I go to the movies.
DeleteI feel like I have been living in a den of unfrugalness lately! I have managed a bit of frualness lately, though. I was looking online on some cute retro aluminum tumblers to use to hold silverware in the van - but then changed tack and decided to make something instead - parmesan cheese containers covered with interesting socks. A friend gave me some cute socks with cats wearing cat eyed glasses on them to cover them with, but Greg said he didn't want to look at them every day so we ran out to the thrift store and bought other socks for 75¢. But I still like the cat socks and am going to use them for something else - don't tell Greg.
ReplyDeleteBTW - Book writing can't be nearly as expensive as owning a boat. I think, like travel, it is a totally worthwhile hobby. Looking forward to the next installment of the Mollie McGhie Sailing Mysteries!
Greg is a party pooper :-) Cat covered Parmesan cheese containers - what's not to love?
DeleteWhat do we splurge on? Our boat. Boats are expensive and that's where our money goes.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day, Ellen. ♥
Boats certainly do top the list
DeleteI can't even remember the last movie I saw in the theater. Since we hardly ever go anymore, when we do go, we make it an outing and splurge on goodies. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I do too - make an outing of it and get popcorn.
DeleteI can't begin to answer your question. ~shakes head~ We splurge on the craziest things while I'll scrape every last drop out of a condiment jar or beauty product container. In fact I put off getting new eyeglasses way past when they were due, whether out of frugality, laziness, or due to my reclusive tendencies I can't say for sure. ~grin~ Today, in fact, I will be picking up new computer screen reading glasses. Wish me luck with the bifocal lenses still being made. Heh... Happy Writing!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of like that too - frugal in some areas, not so much in others.
DeleteVery few splurges here until we pay off a lot of debt, but i agree that books are essential!
ReplyDeleteBooks are an essential like food, aren't they?
DeleteSome days running a publishing company isn't all that frugal either.
ReplyDeleteI got some adult coloring books last year and found them very relaxing.
I can imagine that running a business like that isn't frugal. You take such risks never knowing what books will sell.
DeleteHey, I think spending a gift card on something fun isn't so bad!
ReplyDeleteI don't go to the movies very often, and I live above a movie theater. I do pay for Netflix, HBO, and Amazon Prime, though, so I can watch lots of movies at home. Not sure if that's very frugal...
I pay for Amazon Prime and watch lots at home too. I also love the shipping, so I don't mind the expense.
DeleteI just bought a large block of extra sharp cheddar cheese, I may have to hock something to afford it.
ReplyDeleteOh, yum! That wouldn't last long here.
DeleteHa, ha! I think my unfrugal list would be about the exact same as yours! Except for me it's crayons and coloring books - not the adult kind - the silly, children's kind where I can color the large spaces without going out of the lines.
ReplyDeleteI think kid's coloring books would be a lot of fun, and cheaper. I'll have to look into those.
DeleteThe only thing I spend money on freely is... food. We like to eat; I like to cook. Most recently, I ordered three dozen huge soft crabs from a business in Maryland... and they included another two dozen of smaller ones for FREE. (So even my splurge turned out to be frugal in the end!)
ReplyDeleteSoft crabs - how delish! And even better that they included some freebies.
DeleteYes. Self-publishing books is a very expensive hobby!
ReplyDeleteI like your coloring book idea for relaxation. I've done some of that, and it really does help take your mind off your problems.
I find it almost meditative.
DeleteHey we all need to relax sometimes so don't be too hard on yourself.
ReplyDeleteThanks :-)
DeleteMy fridge has been failing too, so getting a new one definitely counts as a splurge. I could have gotten my appliance repair guy to fix it...again, and maybe it would have been okay for a few more years, but it's old. Instead of going for the cheapest model I could find (I did check them out), I went for a pricier LG model with a bottom-mount freezer. Not my favourite thing to splurge on, but maybe it's time to experience my first new major appliance, instead of suffering through the ancient ones with all their quirks.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, you just have to bit the bullet.
Delete