What little things do you spend a lot of money on?

[LockdownLemon]

For me it is walking socks. We do a lot of walking/hiking and bad socks can cause all sorts of problems. So I spend silly money on decent socks - £25 a pair. But I think they are worth every penny. I've spent years testing out different brands and finally found my dream sock.

Silly question - when you burn candles, don't your walls get sooty? I went though a phase of lighting candles but the walls ended up covered in a black film.

Tea and coffee. During lockdown we decided life was too short to drink the low/mid brand stuff we were using. So we have Twinings Everyday now, and I have Lady Grey during the day. We are in no way coffee aficionados, so no bean-to-cup here, but we are currently enjoying Azera.
Although I am not so picky over chicken portions, I have a stock of frozen M&S free range whole chickens for Sunday roasts.

Coffee beans. The bags I get are twice the price of everything else but so worth it.

I have been known to spring for a Fornasetti scented candle although I haven't been able to justify one this year so far.

@Money4honey

Cigarettes and makeup 🤦🏼‍♀️ Cheap makeup is awful

Make up is one of the only products that does not get better in quality with increased cost. Fun fact I recently learned!

Fresh weekly flowers for the house. They make me so happy and make the house smell gorgeous.
Anything for the cat. She's spoiled.
Candles. Nice ones. (Diptique, Jo Malone, White Company etc.)
Make-up, skin care, body care, hair care, teeth, health, treatments, god, the list is endless and ever increasing the older I get.
Quality food, especially meat, game, eggs etc..
My garden and wildlife therein.
Farrow & Ball paint.
Tech.
My cars.
News and magazine subscriptions.
Hotel quality bedding.

I'll happily wear a Topshop jumper to allow me to afford these.

the dog for me - we do our doggos weekly shop at Waitrose/Butcher and ours at Lidl. It's all kinds of fucked up.

@PerfidiousAlbion

Fresh weekly flowers for the house. They make me so happy and make the house smell gorgeous. Anything for the cat. She's spoiled. Candles. Nice ones. (Diptique, Jo Malone, White Company etc.) Make-up, skin care, body care, hair care, teeth, health, treatments, god, the list is endless and ever increasing the older I get. Quality food, especially meat, game, eggs etc.. My garden and wildlife therein. Farrow & Ball paint. Tech. My cars. News and magazine subscriptions. Hotel quality bedding.

I'll happily wear a Topshop jumper to allow me to afford these.

Would you say that Diptique is worth it? I want to try one but I'm scared!

I agree on F&B paint, our whole house is that, the colours are brilliant.

However, Topshop jumpers are a luxury to me haha

@LockdownLemon

Silly question - when you burn candles, don't your walls get sooty? I went though a phase of lighting candles but the walls ended up covered in a black film.

The trick is to buy good quality candles and to make sure you trim the wick to 5mm maximum and stand them out of drafts, otherwise, you'll get the soot issue, especially if you have radiators on, creating an upward (rising) heat.

Weekly flowers - two bunches, generally. Freesia or iris, and generally roses but I’m buying gladioli at the moment, which are cheap.

Skincare - Estée Lauder/Elemis. Dr Sebagh. With some Clinique or Pixi bits.

Makeup - Estée Lauder, Clinique, Laura Mercier, Urban Decay and Benefit.

Hot chocolate - Charbonnel et Walker, Green and Blacks, hotel chocolat

M and s or Waitrose fruit

Original art, rather than prints or posters

But I buy cheap sun lotion (for the body), bubble bath (Waitrose own is lovely), boys thermal school socks for myself in m and s, and I only eat cheap crisps like monster munch, frazzles, wotsits etc.

perfidious I have some diptyque candles and they are by far the best candles I’ve ever had. I have the small ones and they smell amazing even when unlit, and afternoon burning for an hour, scent a room for hours. I love them. My favourite is the figueuer one.

@LockdownLemon

For me it is walking socks. We do a lot of walking/hiking and bad socks can cause all sorts of problems. So I spend silly money on decent socks - £25 a pair. But I think they are worth every penny. I've spent years testing out different brands and finally found my dream sock.

Oooh - what are the dream socks?

Sorry, that was to dogismyname

Yarn, cheap yarn is horrid to work with so makes a project unenjoyable which is the complete opposite of what it should be!

My walls don’t get sooty. I burn them in the inglenook or on a coffee table. And also use wax melts

Too much!

I spend a lot on fruit, skincare, candles, organic meat, bedding, coffee

Definitely kindle books. I read a lot so go through about 10 books per week on average. I do use kindle unlimited too though which cuts down the cost a bit.

Oops...that should be per month. I can’t quite get through 10 per week and 40 hrs of work...if only I didn’t need to work!

Is anyone else using this thread as a shopping list? I’ve already got single estate tea in my basket on Fortnum’s website 😂

@Makegoodchoices
Sorry haven’t read through but have you tried the jars of brindisa ones? My dh thinks I’m crazy to spend so much on chickpeas haha

Good quality supplements, without fillers

God I have loads, but sadly not the budget for them all! The little things that are non negotiable for me are (and I sell stuff on eBay to fund them outside of the household budget)

Perfume (I buy small decant bottles of ones that I couldn't afford full bottles of - eg today I am wearing Chanel Beige. It's beautiful.
Lip balm - Elizabeth Arden 8hr tinted ones, Berry or Blush.
Hand cream - Neals Yard
Music - subscribe to Apple Music for £15 a month but worth every penny (for all the family too)
Like PP, kindle books - I would rather go without food than not buy books!

The little things which I would like but have to compromise on (just in case anyone is in the same boat!)

Tights, would buy Falke but buy Sainsburys ones which are surprisingly good
Tea, would buy Twinings tea but buy Sainsburys red label
Soap - would buy Nesti Dante but buy homemade ones from local sellers. Good but not Nesti Dante!
Bath stuff - Neals Yard bath salts - whatever bubbles are on offer!

I have Perrier Jouet Belle Époque tastes but a tap water lifestyle

Sardines - waitrose with Chilli - sardine picante.

Those spending on ebooks and digital audio books, should check out their local library they could be getting them all for free!

For me it's fabric and eco versions of household items, like dushbrushes made of coconut!

Cashmere cardigans and jumpers. I'm allergic to wool and so if I want something warm it needs to be cashmere.

Grass fed, organic meat