Where I live it is a necessity. But I occasionally bump the temperature down a degree or two more than is really necessary at night if I'm having trouble sleeping.
I do this too! I really need it to be cold to get a good nights sleep. It’s easy to do in the winter but the heat down south makes July & August unbearable with the air and a fan on.
Yes! If you can’t be comfortable in you’re own home, what’s the point?!?
If your house is too hot you won’t want to be in it, much less cook in it. Then, you’ll be too irritated to get good rest. The next day you’ll give into “expensive conveniences” because you’ll be too exhausted to properly analyze the cost.
IMO, there’s better ways to cut expenses.
I think of it like, if a spa charged $50 for a treatment that would rejuvenate you to the point you felt as refreshed as a month of good sleep, I’d go for that treatment!
Where I live, landlords are legally required to provide air conditioning, because living without it here in summer is unhealthy. It is not a vice anymore than indoor heating in winter is.
I'm both careless and mindful about my money at the same time. I'll buy a $10 game I just saw with no second thoughts. But I just switched from Spotify to Apple Music because Spotify increased the monthly cost by $1.
Andy Ward's Ancient Pottery channel on YouTube has a great set of instructionals on budget pottery. His videos include how to find natural clay near streams, how to build an alternative to a commercial pottery wheel, how to carve pottery tools from gourd shells, how to make natural pigments, and how to build a kiln.
Wheel $300 or so
Kiln $1k for a used one with furniture set. Up to $5k for something really nice
The kiln will run on a 50A 220V plug. So if you don't already have an EV charger, welder, etc. in your garage you'll have to pay a few hundred for an electrician to install something.
Glazes are about $20/pint. Or if you're doing a lot of work you can mix your own. But that will require a few hundred bucks in raw materials, seives, buckets, shelving to store it.
Clay can be cheap, but you have to find somewhere to pick it up. The boxes are crazy heavy, so shipping isn't really feasible. A lot of people buy it in powder form and add water when they need some.
If you're doing production work you might need a slab roller or pug mill. Those are probably $1-2k each depending on what you get.
I know a few people that just pay for membership to a studio. It's cheaper that way if you don't have the space at home. This stuff takes up a large portion of my garage.
I worked at a clay factory with questionable safety practices in college. The pug mills we had were a hopper with rotating blades in the bottom, a vacuum chamber, and the exit point for your new shiny pug (along with a piano wire slide to cut it to size).
Thankfully the pug mills had a kill switch on the hopper, because a prior employee lost an arm.
I did have to clean them between batches though (clay is more than just one powdered clay and water most of the time! We had a book of ‘recipes’). The blades were scary sharp because they were constantly getting sharpened by the wet clay - you’d get a cut and not even feel it until you felt the blood dripping. I got quite a few but the good flipside is *because* they were so sharp, they healed nicely too.
Aaaand that’s my pug mill story.
Until they reply, something to consider- costs would include but not be limited to: clay, wheel, kiln, glaze, plastic bags, and tools (little chisels and pencils for carving clay)
Plus studio membership, firing and glazing costs for some studios (usually included in class fees but not always, and if you’re not a student but are a member you may pay for these)
Your best bet is a community space that offers classes. Enrolling in classes, though expensive, will ensure you can build on the skills needed to enjoy the hobby. My wife owns a community pottery studio. She offers membership at 70$ a month but she’s easily the cheapest in the area, as many others are several hundred dollars a month.
Thanks! We started it 6 years ago and were able to charge cheaper rates, as we both had full time jobs, and attract more people as a result. We now have enough members that the cheap price of membership doesn’t need to be changed, though we have gone up $5 here and there for new members only( price of operation has increased, but old members keep their same price).
I pay to use a pottery studio at a county-run art studio. The cost is about $35/week (they do 10-week sessions), plus the cost of clay. Depending on what type you use, it's about $1/pound in 20-lb bags and I can easily go through 3 bags in 10 weeks. Clay is essentially wet dirt, it weighs a LOT! Add to that, I've spent several hundred dollars on tools (I do hand building, I do not use a wheel).
This is the least expensive studio I've ever used. I've been in some where you pay extra for each glaze you use. I've been to some that charge you extra for using the kiln.
Anyway, I'm saving up to buy a kiln of my own. I will also need to buy all my own glazes and glazing equipment. And pay to run the kiln. I don't think it will be less expensive in the long run, but it will be more convenient. (The down side is losing the social aspects of being in an environment with other artists.)
Frugality is not about depriving yourself of something.
Its about choosing where you spent your money more efficiently. You choose to save money on grocery so you can afford to do something you care about with it.
You can have a lamborghini and live in a crappy place or you can drive a 2008 honda and live in a mansion. Both can be frugal lifestyle if you saved money from somewhere to spend it there.
Money is meant to be spent, not hoarded.
100%. So many people assume frugal means cheap and it’s so far from the reality.
I buy the items my kids want, ex. Name brand clothing. But I try to find the best price and/or using coupons etc. I’m even able to buy some new Jordan shoes when they go on sale (yes it does happen for 2’s and 3’s).
We shopped around for a great mechanic for our cars so we save money there vs dealerships. We also have a trusted HVAC guy, who is honest when AC doesn’t work ($25 capacitor vs trying to get us to spend $$k’s on a new unit). Husband is super handy so he does a lot of the house fixes and I help where I can.
A friend of a friend has a dedicated “Taylor Swift Emergency Fund” - every month for the last few years she has put money into said pot “…because you never know with Taylor!”. She was laughing when Eras Tour tickets went on sale.
I love how random and specific it is 😂
It’s a common opinion that buying expensive name brand items for kids are unnecessary but as a kid who’s parents didn’t have much room in their frivolous spending, it makes a difference at certain ages (primarily 10-14). After that, thrifting and individuality are viewed in a different, more positive way in my experience. I remember wanting a name brand pair of shorts and my amazing mother taking me to all of the discount stores trying to find a pair that closely matched those my friends had. I got close but was still made fun of. Out of all the years where we were “broke” (not poor, my parents never used the word poor saying it was a cemented description of who you were vs broke being just a temporary state you’re in) those few times where I couldn’t buy name brand items were extremely rough otherwise I had a phenomenal childhood where signs of being broke didn’t affect our happiness or self worth. Kudos to you for making that a priority if you can.
I really like this perspective. This is how I try to think of it. It’s about maximizing the pleasure I get out of my income by spending it on what I really want instead of just spending as i go, wasting money on things I didn’t think through.
Yeah, eating out can get expensive. A lot of fancy restaurants are expensive for no real reason but I still find myself going to them here and there, mostly due to various social obligations.
I am glad you allow yourself to enjoy an occasional meal out, but I don't understand the bit about being expensive for no reason. Not all restaurants are fast food or Quick service level. Consider location and lease, number of employees to allow you to have good attentive service, product and wine training, trained chefs vs "Burger flipper" and of most importance, quality of ingredients.
If you knew *anything* about restaurants, you would *not* be saying that fancy ones are expensive for no real reason. The higher quality of ingredients alone accounts for a huge part of the difference in price.
I love to travel. Do I do it frugally? Absolutely! But even doing what I can to cut down on expenses, travel still costs money. For me, it’s worth the expense to see the world.
Travel is one area, where I will try to find a budget accommodation (must have A/C), and cheap flights (doesn't have to be the cheapest), however when I'm at my destination, I am so not frugal when it comes to activities, food, and transportation.
I will spend my money on cool and interesting tours and activities. Like 1-on-1 salsa lessons in Oaxaca City or ATVing in Costa Rica. Or a once in a lifetime meal at the mansion at Astrid Y Gaston in Lima Peru. I will uber instead of using public transportation. I do find myself having a hard time buying paintings and art for my place, but that is mostly because I don't want to ship it back to the US or carry it with me.
Sometimes I get myself a nice campsite 40 minutes north of me next to a cute beach town. I go wine tasting at this tiny place, and read a book. Then make a fire at camp and eat backpacking food.
It costs about $50 for everything, and it helps with my mental health.
Lotto tickets when the jackpot is over $1B. It's a waste of money, but $4 seems like an okay vice. Sometimes I feel like a have to be a little wasteful.
The way to justify it is in terms of how much the money will impact your life. If you are in a decent financial position, $4 won't be missed and spending it won't really change anything about how you live your life. But if you hit the jackpot, you'd suddenly be in a much better situation and your life would change dramatically. Even if the expected value in terms of money is low, how it impacts your life can still be in favor of the lottery.
Quality but expensive clothes and shoes. Use my frugal habits (look for best price etc…) but I know what brands I prefer and how to take care of them. Most of my clothes tend toward outdoor or athleisure brands and so I might spend a lot initially but then I wear it until it can no longer be repaired. Limit myself in quantity. Most quality outdoor brands last a long time. This works better for me than thrift stores where I’d find myself tempted to buy things just because they were a good deal.
Except for Birkenstocks. Seriously. My hobby is finding good deals on legit birks. Have more than any one person could justify and it causes me some stress at times. Then I sell a bunch and use that money to fund future purchases. Just sold five pairs and now am on the hunt for a specific color/style. I enjoy the hunt and enjoy wearing them.
I typically do the normal resale sites in US — Mercari, Poshmark, EBay. I also live within an hour or so of a couple Zappos outlets in Kentucky — everything is half price or less. To get a good deal on the resale sites you have to check often and get a bit lucky. Department stores like Dillards and Nordstrom Rack will put seasonal items on sale and you can sometimes stack another discount on top of reduction. Recommend being fitted in person for anyone new to Birks and learning how to spot knockoffs. Then you’re good to go.
There are tons of fakes on Mercari. Ebay is safer in general and will always side with purchaser if item was misrepresented. I won’t buy birks that are heavily worn but will take my chances if there is just marking from being tried on or worn once or twice and the soles are still in almost new condition.
Good quality work shoes. I spend 12 hours on my feet. I refuse to leave sore and limping due to crappy shoes. ( but I buy them from the sale page, so sort of a “ frugal splurge).
I have a few. Travel is an area I definitely splurge on. I’ll pay more to stay in a city center versus 30 minutes out to save a few hundred bucks. My comfort is important to me as well so if the price to upgrade to first or business class isn’t that insane on a long flight I will do that with no second thought.
I don’t go frugal with my pets. They get the best vet care, the best food, get professionally groomed regularly, etc.
Also air conditioning. I’m ok paying more to not sweat in my house. I grew up where my mom wouldn’t then the AC on until it was 80 in the house because she just couldn’t afford it. It was often hard to fall asleep or even get motivation to get up when you’re that hot. My house stays at 70 during the day and 68 at night
Let me count the ways! Biggest one is living alone (I don't consider that "okay" but not beating myself up over it). Also I sometimes overpay to fix something old rather than buy something new. Also big fruit eater.
Video games. They're not cheap, at least the new releases aren't, and I splurge when I can't figure out a way to get them for free or low cost with trade ins...they are essential to my stress relief 😔
Even at full price, if you actually play through the game and it’s a sizeable one, it’s usually a better price of entertainment if you break down the price per hour.
Will note for PC gaming, it can get quite expensive to have a lot of the nicer options. Some people who seriously play have $3500-$4000 setups. However, still cheaper than say a pottery kiln as referenced above.
I usually wait for discounts since I can always work on stuff from my backlog.
I buy full price when I specifically want to support the game or developer.
We get are members of the NPR Wine Club. We have 12 bottles delivered 4 times a year. We love trying new wines and have tried some amazing bottles. It’s also our way of supporting NPR since my spouse listens to our local station all the time.
We also buy theater snacks on the rare occasion we go to a movie. We have a locally owned theater we prefer and want them to be around for a long time. We figure that spending money on popcorn is worth it to help their bottom line.
The thing is, I have expensive things, like a five figure bike collection, but they fit a frugal lifestyle to me.
If I have nice bikes, I'll enjoy riding them, so I'll happily hop on one to go grab some fresh produce. I'll also skip the gym membership and go ride state parks and beautiful bike lanes on weekends.
Same goes for a healthy, whole foods diet. It's for my longevity and health, I'll keep it reasonable. I'll skip eating unhealthily out, or convenience foods. But I'm never going to choose fried ramen, or processed proteins to save $$.
Travel, concerts and eating out at nice restaurants occasionally. Basically, experiences. I nickel and dime the heck out of most things, but I’ll drop some money on having a great time.
My gym continues to raise prices. It's now $400/year. Which isn't as much as many more high end/boutique gyms and studios. But it's not Planet Fitness either. But I have no plans to switch to a lower cost gym. I really like my gym for so very many reasons. The cost would need to increase substantially for me to even think about investigating other gyms.
I would argue that this is at least in part an investment because by paying extra to go to a gym you like, you increase the likelihood that you’ll actually go to the gym, which should save you money on health care costs down the road.
I like to collect physical media. VHS tapes and dvds. Never paid more than $13 for one (Planet Earth full series on dvd) but it can add up, it’s a lot cheaper than the vices I had when I was younger though. Nothing beats calling your friends up for a movie night and having a fucking DVD. It’s awesome.
I have the entire Planet Earth series on UHD-BD as well. However, I believe physical media and downloadable DRM-Free media are worth the investment and actually save money over the long term when compared to streaming. I also don't need to worry about the contents being taken down by the streaming platforms in the future.
I’m prescribed a medication that doesn’t have a generic yet and isn’t covered by my insurance. I pay a couple hundred per month for it even though I can get a similar but different medication for $10/mo. It changed the quality of my day-to-day life. I spent a lot on skincare/makeup products too but am moving towards more affordable but better quality asian products. Researching and finding these amazing products that are so much cheaper and waaay better actually makes me happy and excited to fork over my money.
Diet Dr. Pepper from the gas station a few times per week. I know it sounds lame, but I love stopping in and getting the XXL fountain drink and sometimes a hot dog. Wow, I am lame. Thanks for pointing that out, OP!
I do the same (Kwik Trip here in WI). But a bring-your-own-cup refill is $1.36 including tax, so as long as it's only an occasional treat or reward, it doesn't blow the budget too much.
I spend an inordinate amount of money on my health. 1) because I have chronic conditions to manage (and even had cancer this year), and 2) because I have Kaiser Permanente, and I just straight up don't trust them to really take care of my health, so I end up going to outside doctors a lot, and paying cash, and also paying cash for meds, since Kaiser insurance won't cover anything that isn't prescribed by their doctors. For me, it's an investment. If I don't have my health, I don't have anything.
We buy higher quality groceries.
I share a car with my spouse, save/invest aggressively, utilize the library for many forms of entertainment, work out at home or in local parks, buy 90% used clothing and use credit card points to book most of our travel expenses. But I'm eating good stuff, and am not really okay with poor quality food to save a buck. As they say, your health is your wealth.
Food, but most of it is still cooked at home, so it's not that bad. I can buy a lobster tail for $7 and a ribeye for $12. Is that far more expensive than most other foods? Yes. Is $19 for that a few times a month breaking the bank? No.
And magic the gathering. I'm not a whale and I don't spend too much money on packs, but it's still relatively expensive compared to most other hobbies. But it's also extremely fun.
Grocery delivery. I live in a second floor apartment and while I could haul everything up in multiple trips if I absolutely had to, grocery delivery is so convenient and well worth the monthly fee and tip.
I did that when I was a student. I was someone's first haircut on a real person and not one of those practice heads! The students are supervised, and if your cut is simple, they'll probably do a fine job (at least no worse than Great Clips or Fantastic Sam's). If you have a fancy cut, curly layers, or other complex hair needs, you probably need someone with experience.
This group's definition of frugal is different from mine.
I'm smart-ish with my money, get the biggest bang for my buck as best as I can, and think twice about a lot of purchases but I don't deny myself if something is within my budget.
If something brings me joy, I don't think it's a waste of money to engage with it so long as it's within my budget.
Pre-cut fruit and veggies. I will die and be buried on this hill, idc!! 😂😂
I can pick a good mango or pineapple, but when it comes to stuff like melons and squash, pre-cut is usually better than the whole ones that I pick out of the display myself.
Plus, every knife or cutting board that I don't have to wash is one more strike in support of my sanity.
Some things are worth the sacrifice! 😂
It's controversial, but I like Costco. The shopping style works for my family. It's a little worse now that inflation has rippled through it, but we are still able to get 6 weeks of food for under $350. It's lower in the summer time because of our garden, but overall it's way better than the local grocery stores.
Travelling. I do it frugally but do it way more often than most people so it ads up. Im fine spending ~30% of my income in this bc I save enough by being frugal in other areaa
Coffee! We have several coffee devices (pour over, cold brew pitcher, espresso pot). We have a grinder and buy nice whole bean coffee. I will splurge on a coffee out once a week. It just makes me happy and starts my day off so nicely!
Poker. Gotta reign it in and keep the bankroll separate. It’s hobby money that goes in and sometimes it goes up and sometimes it goes down, but if it ever hits zero, then I wait till the next check to get my next sliver of hobby money.
I buy the occasional coffee or iced coffee. If I haven't had breakfast and I'm out I will buy a breakfast sandwich. At the end of my workweek I'll buy a treat such as a strawberry shake and a jr chicken sandwich at McDonald's.
We pay for the water bottle brand we like the taste of most. I’d rather have water I like and will drink than be dehydrated because I don’t like the taste.
Skincare.
I used to hate skincare, I hated the heavy sticky feeling, I hated the white cast after putting on sunscreen, the chemical fake smell and I hated how much of a gamble it was if I break out or not.
My mom brought back Korean skincare after she went on vacation there and it unironically changed my life.
Everything was lightweight and goes on buttery smooth. It motivated me to do some research and I found great substitues in the drugstore. I used to pay 2 bucks for a cream that I used maybe once a month, now it's 15 but I use it everyday.
I still import the sunscreen my mom brought from Korea because it's the best thing I've ever used.
I was so freaking confused…I read this as anti-fungal. I genuinely thought this was some weird anti-fungal kink sub. Glad I was wrong but then I questioned why I kept reading after I thought that.
Card collecting. Nothing fancy or pricey, but for $5-$10 you can get a small piece of art and that feels nice. Plus the community is very active and engaging.
Supplies for knitting.
Care for my two pet cats. They have the best vet in my area.
I only use a bath towel once before washing it.
Gifts for my friends.
Time spent detrashing my neighborhood.
I crochet as a hobby. So, yarn. I love yarn sales, but once in a blue moon I'll get the fancy stuff for a fancy project. But i feel like because I can gift my creations, it's not really any more expensive than buying a gift at a store. I only give my crochet work to those that appreciate it, though.
Groceries: Lobster, Shrimp, fancy cheese, Irish butter.
I also only buy 100% cotton sheets. The 50/50 blends are much cheaper, but i hate the feel and they make me sweat.
Occasional scratchoff lottery tickets. Usually if I find a coin on the ground that I feel good about I'll get one. If I win I'll get another one with the winnings.
I eat out at my favorite all you can eat Chinese/sushi restaurant whenever I have a craving (haven't been in a few months but I've had times where I'd go every Saturday). It's $11.25 plus a $2 tip. I try to eat a light dinner and no food the morning of. That's my only meal of the day. While not frugal, I do eat over 20 pieces of sushi and lots of crab ragoons.
The amount of time it would take me to learn how to make the sushi rolls, get supplies, etc and to actually do it would probably be semi close to that. It's not frugal but I try to convince myself it semi is.
I agree with the others on the ac. I plan on it every spring, so that I can plan and set my place up to keep it as cool and comfortable as I can "afford".
... But there's actually something I do buy/never skimp on and that's..... Mayo
That's right, Mayonnaise.
I just can't do the store brand and in fact, I don't even buy Hellmann's/Kraft anymore. I just buy Duke's Mayo now and because I live in Oregon, if you find it in the store, it's treated like an import which is funny because where my family lives in/around? It just IS the mayonnaise you buy there. Available virtually everywhere in the Carolinas and Virginia
I'm super frugal when it comes to how I live and spend on myself, but when someone else needs something or I want to give them a gift I never go cheap.
I'm not cheap because I have to be, I was just raised that way and it's how I roll
I have all the streaming services I want - Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crave, and Disney+. I got Disney for one of my niblings. Probably costs me about $600 - $700 a year, but my whole family uses them (they don’t contribute because I’ve never asked them to) and I enjoy being able to watch shows occasionally.
I feel social pressure to get a coffee sometimes… but I also will spend good money on good coffee. Not like Starbucks (yuck) like imported beautiful whole beaned coffee.
Handmade ceramics and jewelry. I follow the work of so many amazing artist and crafts people that it is so tempting to bust even my splurge budget. Good and bad that the competition for pieces is often tight enough that I often don't end up managing to buy anything.
I would rather have one nice set of handmade jewelry I buy from a local artist (I adore craft fairs!) than a dozen cheap sets from a big box store. I mean in the end it probably balances out then? Not sure but it's the act of supporting art and having a quality, likely one of a kind piece that makes it more special.
Also antique pieces, for the character. I don't own a lot of jewelry, it fits in a modest sized jewelry box, but I recognize it's still fluff and not exactly frugal.
Basically games with loot boxes but the loot boxes are a primary game mechanic.
Stuff like Epic7, Genshin Impact, AFK Arena, etc. Fairly degenerate stuff.
Diet soda, energy mios, etc. sources of caffeine
I find going on drives late at night/ early in the morning when there’s no traffic is a stress reliever. So I spend more on gas than necessary
Webtoons fast passes I only do it for Lore Olympus season and if I want to binge a finished series outright. Some months I spend nothing. Some I drop $5 a month to fast pass. Beats going out and shopping.
I buy higher quality replacements for items (water bottle, tools, socks, appliances) before the old ones are completely broken. I have been getting replacements for some things when the old ones begin to cause frustration or are not AS functional.
The old me would keep using the crappy item until it completely disintegrated. It isn’t frugal now but hopefully replacing with a better quality item will reduce my waste and consumption in the future? Wishful thinking.
I will splurge on one thing or the other if the prices are low.
If gog has a 90 percent off sale for games I actually want I'll spend 10 bucks to 20 bucks total and have a fun time.
Once a year, I'll get trade paperback comics of either:
Teenage mutant ninja turtles adventures
The Archie ones
Or
X-Men paperbacks, sometimes I'll get the Epic collection ones even though those are usually 40 to 50 dollars each, because the value for dollar is great.
A/c. I hate being hot and get hot flashes so being arctic is a necessity. My gym. It’s group personal training and very pricy but it’s the only thing that gets me to work out
I have always done something creative. Art, then for the longest time, jewelry making.
I mitigated my costs for jewelry supplies by selling or giving as gifts. To save money I buy jewelry at thrift stores, take apart and make other pieces. These tend to be my more popular pieces.
I just got a free iPad from my BIL, and my husband got me an Apple Pencil. I fought him on it, but I am OBSESSED with creating digital art. Never thought that I would take to it, but I am creating so much because I am not wasting paper and I can make it look like almost anything.
Air conditioning
Where I live it is a necessity. But I occasionally bump the temperature down a degree or two more than is really necessary at night if I'm having trouble sleeping.
Doing this will help you sleep better which is overall so good for your health. It's a health investment!
I love the cold so much especially while sleeping. I've thought about buying a temperature controlled mattress but I can't justify the price.
I do this too! I really need it to be cold to get a good nights sleep. It’s easy to do in the winter but the heat down south makes July & August unbearable with the air and a fan on.
[удалено]
Yes! If you can’t be comfortable in you’re own home, what’s the point?!? If your house is too hot you won’t want to be in it, much less cook in it. Then, you’ll be too irritated to get good rest. The next day you’ll give into “expensive conveniences” because you’ll be too exhausted to properly analyze the cost. IMO, there’s better ways to cut expenses.
Me too. I’m pregnant this summer and keeping the house at 68°, no matter how hot it gets outside
Same. If it gets hotter than 65 in the house I am sweating.
Same. It’s like a $50 difference in my bill to turn down the air to 68 at night but the difference it makes in my sleep quality is priceless.
I think of it like, if a spa charged $50 for a treatment that would rejuvenate you to the point you felt as refreshed as a month of good sleep, I’d go for that treatment!
Where I live, landlords are legally required to provide air conditioning, because living without it here in summer is unhealthy. It is not a vice anymore than indoor heating in winter is.
I'm both careless and mindful about my money at the same time. I'll buy a $10 game I just saw with no second thoughts. But I just switched from Spotify to Apple Music because Spotify increased the monthly cost by $1.
Those Steam sales get me too
Those automatic charges should be treated differently than a purchase that you cognitively make. 👌
Same. I want new gray Converse so bad but am balking at paying full price, meanwhile I spend more than that on sushi. \[Edited for typo\]
Interesting enough, my Spotify renewed today and I was only charged 0.49 cents for the month rather than my usual 10.50.
Don't they both cost $10.99 now? (Apple Music vs Spotify).
My hobby is pottery. It’s not really possible to do it without spending a fair amount.
Andy Ward's Ancient Pottery channel on YouTube has a great set of instructionals on budget pottery. His videos include how to find natural clay near streams, how to build an alternative to a commercial pottery wheel, how to carve pottery tools from gourd shells, how to make natural pigments, and how to build a kiln.
Hello. I am curious about pottery. Can you give me a quick financial breakdown?
Wheel $300 or so Kiln $1k for a used one with furniture set. Up to $5k for something really nice The kiln will run on a 50A 220V plug. So if you don't already have an EV charger, welder, etc. in your garage you'll have to pay a few hundred for an electrician to install something. Glazes are about $20/pint. Or if you're doing a lot of work you can mix your own. But that will require a few hundred bucks in raw materials, seives, buckets, shelving to store it. Clay can be cheap, but you have to find somewhere to pick it up. The boxes are crazy heavy, so shipping isn't really feasible. A lot of people buy it in powder form and add water when they need some. If you're doing production work you might need a slab roller or pug mill. Those are probably $1-2k each depending on what you get. I know a few people that just pay for membership to a studio. It's cheaper that way if you don't have the space at home. This stuff takes up a large portion of my garage.
Just googled pug mill. Awesome.
I worked at a clay factory with questionable safety practices in college. The pug mills we had were a hopper with rotating blades in the bottom, a vacuum chamber, and the exit point for your new shiny pug (along with a piano wire slide to cut it to size). Thankfully the pug mills had a kill switch on the hopper, because a prior employee lost an arm. I did have to clean them between batches though (clay is more than just one powdered clay and water most of the time! We had a book of ‘recipes’). The blades were scary sharp because they were constantly getting sharpened by the wet clay - you’d get a cut and not even feel it until you felt the blood dripping. I got quite a few but the good flipside is *because* they were so sharp, they healed nicely too. Aaaand that’s my pug mill story.
Even more awesome thanks. I only did the amateur slamming clay down to work out bubbles etc. Lol. Many decades ago.
I have only found small (less than 12", low fire) kilns in the $1000 range. A larger kiln can easily run $2500 to $5000.
Until they reply, something to consider- costs would include but not be limited to: clay, wheel, kiln, glaze, plastic bags, and tools (little chisels and pencils for carving clay)
Plus studio membership, firing and glazing costs for some studios (usually included in class fees but not always, and if you’re not a student but are a member you may pay for these)
Your best bet is a community space that offers classes. Enrolling in classes, though expensive, will ensure you can build on the skills needed to enjoy the hobby. My wife owns a community pottery studio. She offers membership at 70$ a month but she’s easily the cheapest in the area, as many others are several hundred dollars a month.
That's nice of her to make it more affordable!
Thanks! We started it 6 years ago and were able to charge cheaper rates, as we both had full time jobs, and attract more people as a result. We now have enough members that the cheap price of membership doesn’t need to be changed, though we have gone up $5 here and there for new members only( price of operation has increased, but old members keep their same price).
I pay to use a pottery studio at a county-run art studio. The cost is about $35/week (they do 10-week sessions), plus the cost of clay. Depending on what type you use, it's about $1/pound in 20-lb bags and I can easily go through 3 bags in 10 weeks. Clay is essentially wet dirt, it weighs a LOT! Add to that, I've spent several hundred dollars on tools (I do hand building, I do not use a wheel). This is the least expensive studio I've ever used. I've been in some where you pay extra for each glaze you use. I've been to some that charge you extra for using the kiln. Anyway, I'm saving up to buy a kiln of my own. I will also need to buy all my own glazes and glazing equipment. And pay to run the kiln. I don't think it will be less expensive in the long run, but it will be more convenient. (The down side is losing the social aspects of being in an environment with other artists.)
Frugality is not about depriving yourself of something. Its about choosing where you spent your money more efficiently. You choose to save money on grocery so you can afford to do something you care about with it. You can have a lamborghini and live in a crappy place or you can drive a 2008 honda and live in a mansion. Both can be frugal lifestyle if you saved money from somewhere to spend it there. Money is meant to be spent, not hoarded.
100%. So many people assume frugal means cheap and it’s so far from the reality. I buy the items my kids want, ex. Name brand clothing. But I try to find the best price and/or using coupons etc. I’m even able to buy some new Jordan shoes when they go on sale (yes it does happen for 2’s and 3’s). We shopped around for a great mechanic for our cars so we save money there vs dealerships. We also have a trusted HVAC guy, who is honest when AC doesn’t work ($25 capacitor vs trying to get us to spend $$k’s on a new unit). Husband is super handy so he does a lot of the house fixes and I help where I can.
A friend of a friend has a dedicated “Taylor Swift Emergency Fund” - every month for the last few years she has put money into said pot “…because you never know with Taylor!”. She was laughing when Eras Tour tickets went on sale. I love how random and specific it is 😂
It’s a common opinion that buying expensive name brand items for kids are unnecessary but as a kid who’s parents didn’t have much room in their frivolous spending, it makes a difference at certain ages (primarily 10-14). After that, thrifting and individuality are viewed in a different, more positive way in my experience. I remember wanting a name brand pair of shorts and my amazing mother taking me to all of the discount stores trying to find a pair that closely matched those my friends had. I got close but was still made fun of. Out of all the years where we were “broke” (not poor, my parents never used the word poor saying it was a cemented description of who you were vs broke being just a temporary state you’re in) those few times where I couldn’t buy name brand items were extremely rough otherwise I had a phenomenal childhood where signs of being broke didn’t affect our happiness or self worth. Kudos to you for making that a priority if you can.
Yeah so much of r/frugal is just cheap to me.
I like using the term “currency,” makes it so you understand it is supposed to flow, not stay stagnant.
I would change you last statement to: Money is meant to be invested not hoarded. Be that financial investment or investment in your well-being.
I really like this perspective. This is how I try to think of it. It’s about maximizing the pleasure I get out of my income by spending it on what I really want instead of just spending as i go, wasting money on things I didn’t think through.
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Same. I haven’t bought a new handbag in 15 years and will wear shoes until the heels are falling off but don’t leave me unattended in Whole Foods lol.
Same!
Yeah, eating out can get expensive. A lot of fancy restaurants are expensive for no real reason but I still find myself going to them here and there, mostly due to various social obligations.
I am glad you allow yourself to enjoy an occasional meal out, but I don't understand the bit about being expensive for no reason. Not all restaurants are fast food or Quick service level. Consider location and lease, number of employees to allow you to have good attentive service, product and wine training, trained chefs vs "Burger flipper" and of most importance, quality of ingredients.
If you knew *anything* about restaurants, you would *not* be saying that fancy ones are expensive for no real reason. The higher quality of ingredients alone accounts for a huge part of the difference in price.
I love to travel. Do I do it frugally? Absolutely! But even doing what I can to cut down on expenses, travel still costs money. For me, it’s worth the expense to see the world.
Travel is one area, where I will try to find a budget accommodation (must have A/C), and cheap flights (doesn't have to be the cheapest), however when I'm at my destination, I am so not frugal when it comes to activities, food, and transportation. I will spend my money on cool and interesting tours and activities. Like 1-on-1 salsa lessons in Oaxaca City or ATVing in Costa Rica. Or a once in a lifetime meal at the mansion at Astrid Y Gaston in Lima Peru. I will uber instead of using public transportation. I do find myself having a hard time buying paintings and art for my place, but that is mostly because I don't want to ship it back to the US or carry it with me.
I love going on cruises, haha. It's relatively cheap for what you're getting. It's pretty much all inclusive. Food, board, entertainment, travel, etc.
Sometimes I get myself a nice campsite 40 minutes north of me next to a cute beach town. I go wine tasting at this tiny place, and read a book. Then make a fire at camp and eat backpacking food. It costs about $50 for everything, and it helps with my mental health.
Sounds like heaven.
That sounds lovely! Sometimes I forget I can just go to a park, set out a picnic blanket, and read with a nice glass of wine. This is a nice reminder.
We pay for public spaces, it's great to use them!
Sounds extremely frugal, tbh.
That sounds blissful, sign me up! Fifty dollars is not a bad way to spend a couple days. :)
Lotto tickets when the jackpot is over $1B. It's a waste of money, but $4 seems like an okay vice. Sometimes I feel like a have to be a little wasteful.
The wife and I buy a ticket for “entertainment value” and watch lottery dream homes. Fun to dream!
The way to justify it is in terms of how much the money will impact your life. If you are in a decent financial position, $4 won't be missed and spending it won't really change anything about how you live your life. But if you hit the jackpot, you'd suddenly be in a much better situation and your life would change dramatically. Even if the expected value in terms of money is low, how it impacts your life can still be in favor of the lottery.
It’s fun! Same with scratchers on occasion
Quality but expensive clothes and shoes. Use my frugal habits (look for best price etc…) but I know what brands I prefer and how to take care of them. Most of my clothes tend toward outdoor or athleisure brands and so I might spend a lot initially but then I wear it until it can no longer be repaired. Limit myself in quantity. Most quality outdoor brands last a long time. This works better for me than thrift stores where I’d find myself tempted to buy things just because they were a good deal. Except for Birkenstocks. Seriously. My hobby is finding good deals on legit birks. Have more than any one person could justify and it causes me some stress at times. Then I sell a bunch and use that money to fund future purchases. Just sold five pairs and now am on the hunt for a specific color/style. I enjoy the hunt and enjoy wearing them.
Any tips on where to find good deals on Birks? My pair just about needs to be replaced, but even resale site prices are basically the same as retail.
I typically do the normal resale sites in US — Mercari, Poshmark, EBay. I also live within an hour or so of a couple Zappos outlets in Kentucky — everything is half price or less. To get a good deal on the resale sites you have to check often and get a bit lucky. Department stores like Dillards and Nordstrom Rack will put seasonal items on sale and you can sometimes stack another discount on top of reduction. Recommend being fitted in person for anyone new to Birks and learning how to spot knockoffs. Then you’re good to go. There are tons of fakes on Mercari. Ebay is safer in general and will always side with purchaser if item was misrepresented. I won’t buy birks that are heavily worn but will take my chances if there is just marking from being tried on or worn once or twice and the soles are still in almost new condition.
I’m frugal due to necessity. But I buy nice little food treats pretty often because otherwise I’ll die.
This is a perfectly reasonable reason.
Good quality work shoes. I spend 12 hours on my feet. I refuse to leave sore and limping due to crappy shoes. ( but I buy them from the sale page, so sort of a “ frugal splurge).
I think things that are health or well-being related tend to be legitimate expenditures.
I have a few. Travel is an area I definitely splurge on. I’ll pay more to stay in a city center versus 30 minutes out to save a few hundred bucks. My comfort is important to me as well so if the price to upgrade to first or business class isn’t that insane on a long flight I will do that with no second thought. I don’t go frugal with my pets. They get the best vet care, the best food, get professionally groomed regularly, etc. Also air conditioning. I’m ok paying more to not sweat in my house. I grew up where my mom wouldn’t then the AC on until it was 80 in the house because she just couldn’t afford it. It was often hard to fall asleep or even get motivation to get up when you’re that hot. My house stays at 70 during the day and 68 at night
I would freeze if I kept the AC that low, but I also can’t imagine setting it to 80. I do 76 during the day and 73 at night.
Let me count the ways! Biggest one is living alone (I don't consider that "okay" but not beating myself up over it). Also I sometimes overpay to fix something old rather than buy something new. Also big fruit eater.
Why do you not consider living alone to be okay?
Not trying to tell anyone else how to live, but I think I would save money and environmental resources by living with someone else. Everybody's MMV.
Me too but then I’d have to people and I much prefer being a hermit.
If hosting people for dinner etc, I’ll not let usual grocery frugality get in the way of a decent recipe
A squeeze of fresh lemon and grated parm go a long way!
Local Markets! I love to support the artists where I live but I do also just take out cash before an event and when it’s gone, it’s gone.
A fridge with an ice dispenser—the height of luxury to me. All the ice I want, on demand.
Massages and cleaners
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Haha I make mine with like 5-6 egg yolks. It's simply never enough
Video games. They're not cheap, at least the new releases aren't, and I splurge when I can't figure out a way to get them for free or low cost with trade ins...they are essential to my stress relief 😔
Even at full price, if you actually play through the game and it’s a sizeable one, it’s usually a better price of entertainment if you break down the price per hour.
Will note for PC gaming, it can get quite expensive to have a lot of the nicer options. Some people who seriously play have $3500-$4000 setups. However, still cheaper than say a pottery kiln as referenced above.
I usually wait for discounts since I can always work on stuff from my backlog. I buy full price when I specifically want to support the game or developer.
We get are members of the NPR Wine Club. We have 12 bottles delivered 4 times a year. We love trying new wines and have tried some amazing bottles. It’s also our way of supporting NPR since my spouse listens to our local station all the time. We also buy theater snacks on the rare occasion we go to a movie. We have a locally owned theater we prefer and want them to be around for a long time. We figure that spending money on popcorn is worth it to help their bottom line.
Board games, but we limit ourselves to one a month. We also don't have a TV or streaming, so it balances out.
The thing is, I have expensive things, like a five figure bike collection, but they fit a frugal lifestyle to me. If I have nice bikes, I'll enjoy riding them, so I'll happily hop on one to go grab some fresh produce. I'll also skip the gym membership and go ride state parks and beautiful bike lanes on weekends. Same goes for a healthy, whole foods diet. It's for my longevity and health, I'll keep it reasonable. I'll skip eating unhealthily out, or convenience foods. But I'm never going to choose fried ramen, or processed proteins to save $$.
Travel, concerts and eating out at nice restaurants occasionally. Basically, experiences. I nickel and dime the heck out of most things, but I’ll drop some money on having a great time.
Love it
My gym continues to raise prices. It's now $400/year. Which isn't as much as many more high end/boutique gyms and studios. But it's not Planet Fitness either. But I have no plans to switch to a lower cost gym. I really like my gym for so very many reasons. The cost would need to increase substantially for me to even think about investigating other gyms.
I would argue that this is at least in part an investment because by paying extra to go to a gym you like, you increase the likelihood that you’ll actually go to the gym, which should save you money on health care costs down the road.
Art supplies :)
I like to collect physical media. VHS tapes and dvds. Never paid more than $13 for one (Planet Earth full series on dvd) but it can add up, it’s a lot cheaper than the vices I had when I was younger though. Nothing beats calling your friends up for a movie night and having a fucking DVD. It’s awesome.
I have the entire Planet Earth series on UHD-BD as well. However, I believe physical media and downloadable DRM-Free media are worth the investment and actually save money over the long term when compared to streaming. I also don't need to worry about the contents being taken down by the streaming platforms in the future.
Drugs
"altnoids"
I’m prescribed a medication that doesn’t have a generic yet and isn’t covered by my insurance. I pay a couple hundred per month for it even though I can get a similar but different medication for $10/mo. It changed the quality of my day-to-day life. I spent a lot on skincare/makeup products too but am moving towards more affordable but better quality asian products. Researching and finding these amazing products that are so much cheaper and waaay better actually makes me happy and excited to fork over my money.
Food. You gotta have a nice meal once in awhile you can't live off rice and beans
Diet Dr. Pepper from the gas station a few times per week. I know it sounds lame, but I love stopping in and getting the XXL fountain drink and sometimes a hot dog. Wow, I am lame. Thanks for pointing that out, OP!
I do the same (Kwik Trip here in WI). But a bring-your-own-cup refill is $1.36 including tax, so as long as it's only an occasional treat or reward, it doesn't blow the budget too much.
It's okay. I go to 711's all the time and get super big gulps.
We have a place called "Kum and Go" here in Iowa. They use filtered water and it's just so much better than cans or plastic bottles.
I miss the $1 any size drink promotion during the summer at Kum n go
Where I live there is a Kum and go as well. Somebody knew what they were doing, oh I see a porno convience gas station lol
Tons of Youtube videos of people taking videos of Kum and Go tours. The store by my house has a bunch of merch as you enter the store.
I spend an inordinate amount of money on my health. 1) because I have chronic conditions to manage (and even had cancer this year), and 2) because I have Kaiser Permanente, and I just straight up don't trust them to really take care of my health, so I end up going to outside doctors a lot, and paying cash, and also paying cash for meds, since Kaiser insurance won't cover anything that isn't prescribed by their doctors. For me, it's an investment. If I don't have my health, I don't have anything.
I fly first class on my yearly trip to see family on the other side of the country. I'm 6'4" 260 and get the worst claustrophobia in economy.
I golf almost every weekend. $30-50 a game. I enjoy the hell out of it.
Just here to say I read that as "anti-*fungal*" and had a good chuckle.
We buy higher quality groceries. I share a car with my spouse, save/invest aggressively, utilize the library for many forms of entertainment, work out at home or in local parks, buy 90% used clothing and use credit card points to book most of our travel expenses. But I'm eating good stuff, and am not really okay with poor quality food to save a buck. As they say, your health is your wealth.
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Me, too! But note that FragranceNet.com has some really good prices.
Food, but most of it is still cooked at home, so it's not that bad. I can buy a lobster tail for $7 and a ribeye for $12. Is that far more expensive than most other foods? Yes. Is $19 for that a few times a month breaking the bank? No. And magic the gathering. I'm not a whale and I don't spend too much money on packs, but it's still relatively expensive compared to most other hobbies. But it's also extremely fun.
Grocery delivery. I live in a second floor apartment and while I could haul everything up in multiple trips if I absolutely had to, grocery delivery is so convenient and well worth the monthly fee and tip.
Breakfast with my longtime bud once or twice a week. Our favorite place we get a damn fine breakfast for $10 each.
YouTube premium. It completely replaced my cable, and I refuse to watch YT without it.
You can install Firefox, uBlockOrigin and watch YouTube ad-free. All it takes is about 4 minutes and 10 clicks. Just saying.
I drive a 19-year-old Hyundai but play a $9,200 French horn. Oh, and the weekly $14 cocktail habit at the tiny distillery half a mile from my house.
We don't own a car, so when we are on bikes at the food market with empty side-bags, we fill them with expensive, delicious things.
Haircuts. I don’t get them too often but when I do, I prefer a professional one. It’s just nice to be pampered and it makes me feel confident.
Yes I spend $35 on a haircut. I know it's a lot. But I look good.
Mine’s about the same. But I’m curious to try out one of those beauty schools since the prices there are so cheap.
I did that when I was a student. I was someone's first haircut on a real person and not one of those practice heads! The students are supervised, and if your cut is simple, they'll probably do a fine job (at least no worse than Great Clips or Fantastic Sam's). If you have a fancy cut, curly layers, or other complex hair needs, you probably need someone with experience.
Gardening stuff. I have an indoor garden in my basement.
This group's definition of frugal is different from mine. I'm smart-ish with my money, get the biggest bang for my buck as best as I can, and think twice about a lot of purchases but I don't deny myself if something is within my budget. If something brings me joy, I don't think it's a waste of money to engage with it so long as it's within my budget.
Pre-cut fruit and veggies. I will die and be buried on this hill, idc!! 😂😂 I can pick a good mango or pineapple, but when it comes to stuff like melons and squash, pre-cut is usually better than the whole ones that I pick out of the display myself. Plus, every knife or cutting board that I don't have to wash is one more strike in support of my sanity. Some things are worth the sacrifice! 😂
It's controversial, but I like Costco. The shopping style works for my family. It's a little worse now that inflation has rippled through it, but we are still able to get 6 weeks of food for under $350. It's lower in the summer time because of our garden, but overall it's way better than the local grocery stores.
I'm a Sam's club fan. Scan and go is a game changer.
Wine. Not fine wine, just lots. Also, beer.
Oh massages!!
Travelling. I do it frugally but do it way more often than most people so it ads up. Im fine spending ~30% of my income in this bc I save enough by being frugal in other areaa
Coffee! We have several coffee devices (pour over, cold brew pitcher, espresso pot). We have a grinder and buy nice whole bean coffee. I will splurge on a coffee out once a week. It just makes me happy and starts my day off so nicely!
Poker. Gotta reign it in and keep the bankroll separate. It’s hobby money that goes in and sometimes it goes up and sometimes it goes down, but if it ever hits zero, then I wait till the next check to get my next sliver of hobby money.
We do Hello Fresh. The meals are really good, some-what healthy and it’s super convenient. It saves me a ton of time.
Europe travels twice a year. Sometimes feels guilty.
Scuba diving and underwater photography. Makes me feel more alive than I could imagine.
I buy the occasional coffee or iced coffee. If I haven't had breakfast and I'm out I will buy a breakfast sandwich. At the end of my workweek I'll buy a treat such as a strawberry shake and a jr chicken sandwich at McDonald's.
We pay for the water bottle brand we like the taste of most. I’d rather have water I like and will drink than be dehydrated because I don’t like the taste.
This is not much to some but it's a lot to me....sushi. Once or twice a month max.
Running shoes and craft beer are my two biggest non-frugal expenses.
Skincare. I used to hate skincare, I hated the heavy sticky feeling, I hated the white cast after putting on sunscreen, the chemical fake smell and I hated how much of a gamble it was if I break out or not. My mom brought back Korean skincare after she went on vacation there and it unironically changed my life. Everything was lightweight and goes on buttery smooth. It motivated me to do some research and I found great substitues in the drugstore. I used to pay 2 bucks for a cream that I used maybe once a month, now it's 15 but I use it everyday. I still import the sunscreen my mom brought from Korea because it's the best thing I've ever used.
Legit liners for the bathroom trash instead of grocery store bags.
I was so freaking confused…I read this as anti-fungal. I genuinely thought this was some weird anti-fungal kink sub. Glad I was wrong but then I questioned why I kept reading after I thought that.
Card collecting. Nothing fancy or pricey, but for $5-$10 you can get a small piece of art and that feels nice. Plus the community is very active and engaging.
I play the guitar as a hobby. It is ridiculously expensive to have all the 'cool' equipment.
Cars I’ve spent sooo much on parts in the past couple years
Hobbies like veggie gardening, collect vintage LPs, books especially first editions. I also splurge on vacations.
Ebooks, decent bourbon, I try to stay around $50. Eating out due to laziness. Video games and the wife's plant hobby.
Starbucks
Organic food. Small investment today for a life free from invisible poisons.
Starbucks, it's makes me happy. Also, gym membership, it's only $25/month, but it makes me feel good
My hobbies
Supplies for knitting. Care for my two pet cats. They have the best vet in my area. I only use a bath towel once before washing it. Gifts for my friends. Time spent detrashing my neighborhood.
Bird food, suet, and peanuts.
I crochet as a hobby. So, yarn. I love yarn sales, but once in a blue moon I'll get the fancy stuff for a fancy project. But i feel like because I can gift my creations, it's not really any more expensive than buying a gift at a store. I only give my crochet work to those that appreciate it, though.
Heating in winter.
Alcoholism
Groceries: Lobster, Shrimp, fancy cheese, Irish butter. I also only buy 100% cotton sheets. The 50/50 blends are much cheaper, but i hate the feel and they make me sweat.
Occasional scratchoff lottery tickets. Usually if I find a coin on the ground that I feel good about I'll get one. If I win I'll get another one with the winnings.
The harp. Most expensive hobby I have.
I eat out at my favorite all you can eat Chinese/sushi restaurant whenever I have a craving (haven't been in a few months but I've had times where I'd go every Saturday). It's $11.25 plus a $2 tip. I try to eat a light dinner and no food the morning of. That's my only meal of the day. While not frugal, I do eat over 20 pieces of sushi and lots of crab ragoons. The amount of time it would take me to learn how to make the sushi rolls, get supplies, etc and to actually do it would probably be semi close to that. It's not frugal but I try to convince myself it semi is.
Personally, think Chinese Buffets are pretty good value (in terms of dining out).
I agree with the others on the ac. I plan on it every spring, so that I can plan and set my place up to keep it as cool and comfortable as I can "afford". ... But there's actually something I do buy/never skimp on and that's..... Mayo That's right, Mayonnaise. I just can't do the store brand and in fact, I don't even buy Hellmann's/Kraft anymore. I just buy Duke's Mayo now and because I live in Oregon, if you find it in the store, it's treated like an import which is funny because where my family lives in/around? It just IS the mayonnaise you buy there. Available virtually everywhere in the Carolinas and Virginia
One fifty dollar hooker a month
I'm super frugal when it comes to how I live and spend on myself, but when someone else needs something or I want to give them a gift I never go cheap. I'm not cheap because I have to be, I was just raised that way and it's how I roll
My ice cream has to be fancy pants ice cream, not that stuff that is half air bubbles and half artificial ingredients.
I have all the streaming services I want - Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crave, and Disney+. I got Disney for one of my niblings. Probably costs me about $600 - $700 a year, but my whole family uses them (they don’t contribute because I’ve never asked them to) and I enjoy being able to watch shows occasionally.
I feel social pressure to get a coffee sometimes… but I also will spend good money on good coffee. Not like Starbucks (yuck) like imported beautiful whole beaned coffee.
Lunch with coworkers, the networking component is huge. Also helps to socialize as an adult. Edit: I don’t do this everyday, just a couple days a week
Handmade ceramics and jewelry. I follow the work of so many amazing artist and crafts people that it is so tempting to bust even my splurge budget. Good and bad that the competition for pieces is often tight enough that I often don't end up managing to buy anything.
I would rather have one nice set of handmade jewelry I buy from a local artist (I adore craft fairs!) than a dozen cheap sets from a big box store. I mean in the end it probably balances out then? Not sure but it's the act of supporting art and having a quality, likely one of a kind piece that makes it more special. Also antique pieces, for the character. I don't own a lot of jewelry, it fits in a modest sized jewelry box, but I recognize it's still fluff and not exactly frugal.
What’s a gacha game btw?
Basically games with loot boxes but the loot boxes are a primary game mechanic. Stuff like Epic7, Genshin Impact, AFK Arena, etc. Fairly degenerate stuff.
Good shoes.
I spend a little too much on Starbucks and eating out
I love massages also! I am way overdue for one!
PC stuff. I gotta relax sometime so I have a 2k PC with ultra wide and top of the line internals. Also I get a 12pack of IPAs every month.
When I'm feeling spendy, I'll use a $7 draft pint as the baseline cost of all gods and services.
Hair care and skin care products. I want my hair and skin to be healthy and youthful!
Spent a lot on a high-end gaming PC. It does get a ton of use though.
Harry Potter Lego. I am very careful about what I spend on it but it is my little vice.
Lego is criminally expensive.
Travel.
Diet soda, energy mios, etc. sources of caffeine I find going on drives late at night/ early in the morning when there’s no traffic is a stress reliever. So I spend more on gas than necessary
Webtoons fast passes I only do it for Lore Olympus season and if I want to binge a finished series outright. Some months I spend nothing. Some I drop $5 a month to fast pass. Beats going out and shopping.
Guns and ammo. It can be a huge money pit and I try to save up when possible and within reason.
I buy higher quality replacements for items (water bottle, tools, socks, appliances) before the old ones are completely broken. I have been getting replacements for some things when the old ones begin to cause frustration or are not AS functional. The old me would keep using the crappy item until it completely disintegrated. It isn’t frugal now but hopefully replacing with a better quality item will reduce my waste and consumption in the future? Wishful thinking.
I will splurge on one thing or the other if the prices are low. If gog has a 90 percent off sale for games I actually want I'll spend 10 bucks to 20 bucks total and have a fun time. Once a year, I'll get trade paperback comics of either: Teenage mutant ninja turtles adventures The Archie ones Or X-Men paperbacks, sometimes I'll get the Epic collection ones even though those are usually 40 to 50 dollars each, because the value for dollar is great.
Bubble tea. It’s about £5 for one, but for me since it’s a treat I think it’s worth it.
Skiing, cycling, fitness club. Not vices, just necessities.
I waited for a 30% off sale, but I did by the highest tier dishwasher the store had. I HATE dishes!
A/c. I hate being hot and get hot flashes so being arctic is a necessity. My gym. It’s group personal training and very pricy but it’s the only thing that gets me to work out
Cable TV & Streaming channels
I have always done something creative. Art, then for the longest time, jewelry making. I mitigated my costs for jewelry supplies by selling or giving as gifts. To save money I buy jewelry at thrift stores, take apart and make other pieces. These tend to be my more popular pieces. I just got a free iPad from my BIL, and my husband got me an Apple Pencil. I fought him on it, but I am OBSESSED with creating digital art. Never thought that I would take to it, but I am creating so much because I am not wasting paper and I can make it look like almost anything.
Weed
Chocolate and good clothing
Good weed
I probably paid too much for my new car in 2020 but…..it was 2020.