Things you could afford but choose not to spend on?

The class difference in priorities wheh it come to retail spending/consumerism is absolutely fascinating also

I’m proudly working class but got a few bob now and I know I definitely fit into certain boxes.

Regular expensive hair salons. Gyms and nail bars.

Retail psychology is a fascinating thing isn't it.
I've seen the odd thing on television about it and think it's really interesting.
I did look at books on it but they seemed very text book rather than interest IYSWIM.

No ‘cheeky lines’?!

Posh coffees
Frequent take aways
Flashy car/s
Frequent hair cuts/colour (do this only a few times a year)
Designer clothes, shoes, bags

With more money I spend more than I otherwise would on holidays, eating out, theatre/gigs, xmas and bday presents. But otherwise not bothered about spending, definitely try to avoid over consumption.

Center Parcs

Interior design or home improvements that aren’t necessary, as we love our long haul holidays twice or three times a year

Hair dressers -quick wet cut and my fringe done in between but get my nails , lashes and brows done

Any Botox or filler -Sod that , I wouldn’t piss about with my face even if were free but am going to have a boob reduction and uplift to sort out back pain

Takeaways -I like my food searing hot and would prefer beans on toast if can’t be arsed to cook - love eating in nice restaurants though and don’t begrudge a penny of that

Overpaying on mortgage -we are almost empty nesters and downsizing soon so no need

New or designer clothes -I love Vinted, car boots and Charity shops kids - always had new though when younger

Perfume -happy with boots body spray or anything linen /coconut smelling

Helped with driving lessons and initial car insurance as a life skill - but all 6 kids self funded own cars when they all started work ( Getting mobile is a perk of working in our house not a right)

I use Eylure Dybrow, it’s very easy and the results are good too.

Same here. 😳

The whole consumer thing feels pointless now.,

Make up.
Alcohol.
Pets.
Expensive cars.
Subscriptions.
Fads.
Flights.
Hair dye.
Unnecessary tech.
Obviously anything from Israel.

people are always asking me what car I have.

No interest at all!

Private education. We chose this area because of the good schools, yet many people we know send their kids private.

I just don’t see the point and feel they’re getting a well-rounded experience in the state sector, but concede that we’re privileged to be able to live here.

yeah I did a bit of an eyeroll at that

I have a very low mortgage I could easily triple it and get a much bigger home in the area I am but we don't want to. We value freedom to do pretty much within reason what we want when we want to.

A new car mine is 13 years old I’ve had it since new it’s reliable and cheap to run. I’ll keep it going as long as I can.
Buying lunch every day at work most of the time I bring my own in.
A cleaner I had one years ago when my children were little but now I’d rather do it myself.
I’d rather spend the money on travel.

Cleaner
Alcohol
Take aways
Regular meals out
Clothes over £50
Branded make up and lotions (except for foundation)
Perfume
Jewelry
Nails
Hairdresser colouring
Xmas/Easter/Halloween etc...decorations
Taxis

Writing it all down, I realise I wouldn't be able save much if I did spend on all those things!

Yes, us English aspire to fat bums at any cost if we can't grow them ourselves
C'est la vie 🤷‍♀️

A newer phone, currently living with a XR which is going on 7 years it works fine, recently changed the battery.

My 13 year old Volvo XC90. Nobody notices her, built like a tank and sounds like one (compared to modern cars she is serviced to within an inch of her bearings). Lovely old thing.

When we go out I don't buy ice creams, coffee, cake, packet sarnies. All so overpriced. I have a very nice coffee machine at home my splurge is coffee beans.

Rarely have takeaways, prefer to cook.

Cleaners, window cleaners, gardeners. Me and dh do the windows properly not just the glass like I see window cleaners around here doing it. I do my own cleaning, its a big house so I clean as I go then do a weekly spritz and a seasonal spritz. The garden, I do it unless something is very heavy then I ask dh to help, I do have two men to do my hedges and trees once a year, it involved ladders and I'd struggle.

I know a good painter/decorator but I enjoy doing it myself. The areas I can't reach (landing and staircases) yeah he can do those.

A wedding planner, I could afford to get someone but me and dd are doing it together.

Our main telly is 17 yo this year, until it fails won't get a new one.

According to a old friend of mine I should have a house commensurate with my role/salary bracket instead of my little-nearly-mortgage-free- terrace in a grimy but loveable to me part of east London.

No thanks. I have lots of long haul holidays to spend my money on.

Same here.

Private education.

I buy, or would buy if I could, almost all the things on here! Except holidays. It's amazing all the little treats you can have if you only go on short cheap holidays.

We all make our own cost-pleasure analysis on these things.

But I've also experienced the 'when you can afford it you want it less' phenomenon - anyone know if it has a name?

Designer label clothes. I live a low key lifestyle so there is really no point. I have occasionally stretched to the odd designer bargain in the sales, but only if it was something versatile I knew I'd wear for years. Nothing too 'this season.'

Big five star hotels/resorts. I've stayed in loads and I've realised I prefer small boutique hotels with more charm and character, or lovely Air BnBs with our own space and privacy.

Multi Michelin starred restaurants with 7 course tasting menus. Again, I've been in quite a few and after a while they all start to seem a bit 'emperor's new clothes.' If you asked me six weeks later what I actually ate there, I couldn't tell you. I vaguely remember being impressed but I can't remember why.

Whereas I can remember some of the best meals I've ever had in much simpler, less expensive places where the menu doesn't read like a chemisty experiment, for years on end.

Sky. It just got ridiculously expensive for the amount of stuff we actually wanted to watch on there and we still ended up subscribing to various other streaming services anyway.

Cruises. I just don't think I'd like them. DH disagrees but I'm holding out.

A Rolex. I don't like them and never have. I lost my really good watch (an Ebel) but if I replaced it, which I won't, I'd get a Cartier.

I won't pay thousands of pounds for a handbag either. I've got a couple of really good fakes that were expensive as fakes go, I did a lot of research on how to tell a good fake from a bad one, and went to a specific shop in Bangkok especially to get them. I've also got a couple of 'real deal' vintage, second hand bags which would originally have cost far more than I would ever spend.

I'm probably not buying myself any more diamonds but I wouldn't spend a fortune on natural diamonds any more either. The lab grown ones are more ethical and every single bit as good, for a fraction of the price. My diamond stud earrings got stolen and they weren't covered by insurance so I didn't replace them for a few years. I recently replaced them with some gorgeous lab grown ones and I paid about 1/3 of the price natural diamonds would have cost for a similar size and clarity.

I like a nice car and I will spend on a high spec and a premium brand but I have zero interest in Range Rovers and Porsches and the like. I don't do flashy or blingy.

Botox and fillers. I used to have them for a while in my forties but I let them all wear off about ten years ago. If I start to look hideous I'll get a facelift.

I will spend a lot on good quality furniture that won't go out of style but I won't spend a fortune on trendy accessories that are the 'of the moment' because I know I'll be sick to death of them in three years time. Same with very expensive bespoke curtains and upholstery. Plain, classic fabrics only. Nothing that's a really trendy pattern or motif that will date heavily. I save those for cushions. Then I don't feel bad if I want to change them.

Designer brand cosmetics and skincare. Things like Chanel and Dior. I do spend a lot on decent skincare and make up but I buy from middle to high end dedicated skincare and cosmetics brands like Elemis, Estee Lauder, Mac, Charlotte Tilbury etc. Not haute couture fashion brands where you are paying through the nose for the branding and the packaging and they've probably outsourced their production to someone else anyway. I did once buy a Chanel foundation and it was terrible.

I let my hair go grey/white rather than continue spending a fortune every year trying to keep up with a monthly colouring regime. It's the best thing I ever did and I love it.

My heart aches for you. I can’t begin to imagine your pain. I really hope that in time the pain eases for you x

Same here. I live in a 2 up, 2 down and drive an 02 Focus. I want to see the world.