What have you splurged on that has been worth every penny?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Recently bought a MacAir which is a thing of beauty and wonder. Am also gradually replacing cheap crockery with lovely Denby stuff.

I now buy good quality bras instead of M&S and more 'high end' makeup.

So I'm not talking houses, cars, horses etc. What have you bought/upgraded that you love so much more than the cheaper version and has been good value?

Miele washing machine (though I was very disappointed in an upright vacuum from them).

Yes to decent bras.

I've just started buying some nice properly framed prints and getting some existing stuff professionally framed rather than buying frames from IKEA and I'm so pleased with them. I feel like a proper grown up at last.

My lovely sewing machine. Now my clothes fit me, revolutionary.

Yy to a packing service when moving house - I'm never packing stuff myself again.

Steam generator iron, never need to adjust heat, never burns even if you leave it down, and ironing now takes half the time. You need a high end one to work, I tried a cheaper one first and nowhere near as good.

My little Oxo good grips mandolin. Not expensive really but felt like an unnecessary extravagance when you can use a knife... But SO great, and now we eat far more vegetables as slicing is so quick, even while holding a baby and looking after the older kids

I also did the Denby upgrade, actually over a decade ago now. We've still got it, and it still looks pretty much like new! So it might have cost a lot more than generic IKEA or Debenhams but it's lasted.

I buy lululemon stuff for workouts now. Again, it's pricey, but it's soooo comfortable, fits nicely, well made and it washes reasonably well.

Maison Margiela trainers. I like the mad ones; paint drops, sparkly gold, pink suede. They're so comfy though and they last forever.

Boring alert... premium petrol for the car. (I know.) Vpower or whatever. It works out at about £4 more per tank than ordinary unleaded (I only do about 5,000 miles a year so it's not fortunes). They claim it gives better fuel economy although I can't be bothered to work it out. But it does make both our cars run much smoother and quieter. And my mechanic told me that those fuels do better at keeping engine components clean.

Dyson Hairdryer and Dyson Fans - stupidly expensive but they look great

Dyson Cordless Vacuum - I vacuum far more now I don't have to mess about with a cord

Liz Earle Skincare - smells lovely and works

Denby Crockery, had a set for five years and still looks good

Bravissimo Lingerie, although I do still cry a little inside when paying £50+ for a bra.....

Our hot tub, it's not a proper hard one but it's not a inflatable either - cost about £2k and it's great - although in this weather we use it as a pool

I paid the deposit on a new bathroom this week and bought every little extravagance and upgrade - underfloor heating, rainfall shower, tiled throughout, make up mirror with sensor light. Doubled the cost compared to a basic bathroom but worth every penny.

Mine are very vain.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away concealer and Pillow Talk lipstick. I use these two products and a bit of mascara and I look better than if I’d spent half an hour putting a full face on. Something about the quality of the texture of it and the colours looks really good.

Second thing is decent chocolate. I find that the high cocoa content means I need to eat less of it to get the same fix. So a win for my waistline too.

I’ve spent years finding cheaper imitations of things I really wanted and buying them instead and then being forever disappointed that it wasn’t the thing I really wanted. A couple of years ago I decided I wasn’t going to do that any more. As PP said, buying cheaper really is a false economy. Now I just buy the thing I really want. Even if it means saving up and waiting, or cutting back on other things I don’t mind scrimping on.

Airport upgrade
Tattoos (my dh said this)
Estée Lauder skin care

LK Bennett shoes!

My Miele vacuum.

I have not actually used it but my carer thinks it is brilliant.

My food processor,I can't remember the name but I paid for one with a powerful motor.

My mattress, it cost £700, I have arthritis and it is fab, it has a latex top layer.

Cordless hoovers you just glide about i love mine .

My food processor - have used the same brand for over 10 yrs and it's ace.

Decent pram for babies.

Kids shoes.

Regular decent haircuts.

Butter !

@SnuffleBadger where did you buy your simple human bin? I’ve been looking for months. Kicking myself that I didn’t buy from amazon when it was reduced to £100 from £149 🤦🏻‍♀️

On my list - mattress, decent frames, proper curtains from curtain shop. God I'm boring.

Travel. We spend a fair amount on that and it's always worth it.

Farrow and ball paint. Gorgeous chalky finish, lovely colours.

My car. Lovely to drive and lots of features to make life easier.

A house with a view.

Netflix

Also my bean to cup machine - I always miss that most when we're away.

About to splurge on a really good shower

Loving all these.

YY to packing service, although currently no intentions to move again.

I bought a Sainsbury's rip-off of le creusset and bloody love it, so the real stuff must be incredible.

Nice cutlery next on my list.

The kitchen designer persuaded me to have pull out baskets in some cabinets rather than just a normal cupboard shelf. They are brilliant. I think it was about £30 per basket so perhaps £180 in total. We've had the kitchen for 8 years, will have it for several years more and it is so easy to pull out the basket & see what you want rather than root around at the back of a cupboard.

Oh and yes to tattoos. I only have one cheap one but it makes me happy every day.

Brand new car.
Botox.

Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash mascara. Fluttery elegant gorgeousness in a tube.

An emperor size bed. So much space.

Sofa Workshop Caruso 4 seater covered in Liberty tapestry fabric. I love sinking into the feather cushions.

Dr Alkaitis Facial Elixir. Makes my skin glow, a bottle lasts a year.

Silk pillowcase from the Ethical Silk Company. Hair is so much better in the morning now.

Linen bed linen. No more ironing sheets!

Dyson cordless hoover (double win, even the kids can manage it)

Little mesh bags - the DDs put their socks into their own bag, which goes through the washing machine, and then into the dryer/on the line....no more figuring out who's socks are who's (it has saved me hours and so much less annoying)

EcoEgg for washing - better for the environment, much cheaper, less mess.

IPL machine, not sure how it's doing on my legs, but already seen a difference on my Timmy after two uses (I have PCOS and have awfully black hairs down from my tummy button to my public area, reduced me to tears a lot)

ELDW foundation.

LVL eyelashes and a good eyebrow shape and tint - means even on no makeup days I don't look entirely like shit.

Our Emma mattress was the best £500 we’ve ever spent
We got £100 off on some offer but my god it’s worth every penny
It’s like sleeping on a cloud

Phillips Lumea. I’m 40 and have hated my pimply dotted hairy legs for ever. I’ve lived in jeans and trousers through the hottest weather. Half a dozen goes with the Lumea and I’ve bought a summer wardrobe of skirts and dresses. I can’t tell you how happy I am and it’s totally changed how I feel about myself.

Also cordless vacuum.

Decent shoes.

Higher end shampoo and conditioner.

5 zone induction hob.It wasn't a major splurge in terms of brands .The smug feeling when I can clean it in seconds is as expected.