Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Which of these would you consider a luxury?

117 replies

randomfemthinker · 21/04/2023 20:28

Curious question for discussion.

Which of these would you consider a luxury? Why or why not?

  1. Having a gym membership
  2. Owning your own home
  3. Going on an overseas holiday
  4. Having a pet with out goings such as a dog or a cat
  5. Eating out at a sit down restaurant with full course and alcohol
  6. Paying for internet access at home
  7. Having children
  8. Having a wedding
  9. A night out drinking with friends
  10. Being married
  11. Ordering a takeaway
  12. Owning a car
  13. Having a cleaner
  14. Having Netflix or some other extra extra TV channels beyond the basic
  15. Buying tickets to go to a concert

Thoughts?

OP posts:
devildeepbluesea · 21/04/2023 20:30

Well all of them except 6 are I think. Without internet access you are significantly disadvantaged these days. I don’t think missing out on any of the others has the same effect.

MrsMiagi · 21/04/2023 20:31

All of them

Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 21/04/2023 20:32

Why?

RoseBucket · 21/04/2023 20:32

All apart from 10, I’d see that as an inconvenience

GoodVibesHere · 21/04/2023 20:33

All except 'being married'

GoodVibesHere · 21/04/2023 20:34

Oh and internet access at home I wouldn't count as a luxury

lidlbrownjug · 21/04/2023 20:34

All of them could be, except being married.

frizzyandfrazzled · 21/04/2023 20:35

6 is an essential. 10 I don't get your point.

For the rest not sure luxury is the right word (except maybe a cleaner) They just aren't essential for day to day existence but many of them make life significantly better.

CountryLadyLane · 21/04/2023 20:35

Technically they are not all affordable to many people

To me- a horse because I know how bloody expensive this is...

A cleaner

MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 21/04/2023 20:35

1-5 yes
6 No
7 Not really
8 Depends how much you spend on it
9 not sure
10 no
11 -13 yes
14 not sure really
15 yes

BranchGold · 21/04/2023 20:35

I suppose it’s all relative and about perception. In relation to growing up in a third world country in poverty, or coming from a developed nation that strives for capitalist abundance.

Modern day capitalism is meaning that more people fall into the bottom of the pyramid, and expectations of an average existence are dropping.

CantFindTheBeat · 21/04/2023 20:36

Why are you asking, OP?

CordyLines · 21/04/2023 20:36

Definitely having the big meringue wedding with all the insta shite attached and the expense. That's a no brainer.

The rest of it is not luxurious, but in dire straits could be pared back. Being married is not a luxury but can be a prison.

Purplecatshopaholic · 21/04/2023 20:37

Maybe it depends what you mean by luxury, as I don’t think any of them are really (for different reasons in some cases).

MrsSchrute · 21/04/2023 20:37

Having a gym membership - Luxury

• Owning your own home - Luxury

• Going on an overseas holiday - Luxury

• Having a pet with out goings such as a dog or a cat - Luxury

• Eating out at a sit down restaurant with full course and alcohol - Luxury

• Paying for internet access at home - Once I would have said luxury, no I think internet access is virtually an essential

• Having children - Not a luxury, but many people can and do live very happily without.

• Having a wedding - Wedding is a luxury, marriage is not

• A night out drinking with friends - Luxury

• Being married - Not a luxury

• Ordering a takeaway - Luxury

• Owning a car - Luxury

• Having a cleaner - Luxury

• Having Netflix or some other extra extra TV channels beyond the basic - Luxury

• Buying tickets to go to a concert - Luxury

Just my opinion. Basically, anything where there is a cheaper alternative, or you can do without without it having amassivly detrimental effect on your life, is a luxury.

Divebar2021 · 21/04/2023 20:38

I wouldn’t think any of them were especially luxurious - you can do budget foreign holidays, weddings and drive a banger for example. Obviously I would cut a lot of them out if my financial situation was different. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate my ability to afford them

(I don’t really see how being married is a luxury?? )

NewNovember · 21/04/2023 20:38

1,3,5,13,15 the rest are what everyone should have assuming it's a wish and it's really crappy not everyone does.

IhearyouClemFandango · 21/04/2023 20:38

All bar 2, 6, 7, 10.

Even 12 is close to not being a luxury given the state of public transport

MissLucyLiu · 21/04/2023 20:39

Is it a privileged position to do the listed above ? Yes .

is it luxury? No.

Newuswr · 21/04/2023 20:39

All of that seems normal?

The only thing I would say is aspirational is owning a house because I’m in my early 20s with no parental support, so it will take me longer to reach that goal. But that’s obviously taking £150k+, as opposed to the rest which would cost significantly less.

dudsville · 21/04/2023 20:40

13 and 15. Then 3 and 12. Re 5, i do lunch with a friend once every few weeks no alcohol or one glass. More often would be luxurious to me but i do also think weekly should be reasonable. I'd consider 1 to be a waste of money for me, not a luxury. I did 8 for less than £500. 9 doesn't interest me.

CheeseMcKnees · 21/04/2023 20:40

A cleaner is a luxury (as I’m a SAHM)

Buttons0522 · 21/04/2023 20:41

I wouldn’t class any of those as luxuries per se but some could be if, for example, your concert ticket was VIP & meet and greet and your holiday abroad was flying first class to the Bahamas for three weeks!! It’s all relative though isn’t it.

violetscarlet · 21/04/2023 20:41

I don't think any of them are a luxury. Obviously some are not necessary but luxuries, no.

Spottypillow · 21/04/2023 20:44
  1. Having a gym membership - yes
  2. Owning your own home - maybe a mansion most defo a small 2 bed terrace not so much
  3. Going on an overseas holiday - yes
  4. Having a pet with out goings such as a dog or a cat - yes
  5. Eating out at a sit down restaurant with full course and alcohol - 100%
  6. Paying for internet access at home - non it’s become a basic utility
  7. Having children - maybe, having 1 kid no having more than 2 is a luxury
  8. Having a wedding - quick registry office no but a large wedding yes
  9. A night out drinking with friends - yes
  10. Being married - no
  11. Ordering a takeaway - yes
  12. Owning a car - yes and no, anything that’s within 5 years old yes but I wouldn’t say owning a 20 year old run around is a massive luxury
  13. Having a cleaner - 100%
  14. Having Netflix or some other extra extra TV channels beyond the basic - yes
  15. Buying tickets to go to a concert - yes
Swipe left for the next trending thread