Frivolous things you used to spend money on?

[Lemon221]

What did you used to spend your money on that your now seems completely extravagant and frivolous? I’ll go first, jo malone candles ridiculous how much I spent on wax!

Non reduced food
Non sale clothes
Petrol for a jaunt out
Designer Perfume, Make up, Clarins skincare (i don't miss these for Cruelty Free reasons)
Books
Lunch out
Wine 2 bottles a week
Shoes
Days out in London
Fresh flowers for the house every pay day

I miss these most:
My car and own house - the sense of freedom and independence
Haircuts - i can barely afford the trainees now
Holidays - Haven't been out of UK since the 90s

I don't think it's depressing at all. Looking at your expenses and cancelling those that don't really bring you joy and have just become a habit, and finding less cost-consuming and time-consuming alternatives is a good thing!!

I agree. It gives me joy to save cash!

Shoes-at one point I had 739 pairs

Blimey. I was embarrassed to have 25 pairs.

Fancy underwear. Best moment of my life was when I decided "I'm done," and went for comfort. Same day I pitched out my high heeled shoes, except for two pairs (summer winter) of "wedding/funeral" shoes!

This thread is the opposite of depressing! Made a huge list of what I can cut down or get rid off. Very thought provoking! Thanks OP!

I'm a food addict (diagnosed ED) yet i can't bring myself to buy the ammount of junk/snack food like i used to, especially take aways, due to the sheer cost. It's eye opening that treatments isn't what's actually helping me lose weight, and have a healthier relationship with eating, but the ever growing costs of even basic/healthy food.

Coffees, hair dresser, feet pamper. Now I am dying my own hair, bought a foot spa for home and use DH coffee machine. I won't cut out BT sport or Sky Sport though.

silk ties, and Liberty ties

hardly anybody wears them now

and retailers sell them on clearance for less than ebay "used" prices

London black cabs - didn’t bat an eyelid at hailing one or booking one with my card.

Downloading a film on Sky cinema. It’s still cost effective if you’re a family, vs paying for cinema tickets for all, but as a single household it’s expensive.

The one “frivolity” I’m keeping for now is Virgin Winebank. Whatever you pay in each month, you get 20% interest added. It’s been great for me over the years as I always know that Christmas is covered (and still have a fair amount left over). Am sure there are more high risk options out there for earning more, but 20% return is good in my book!

...oh and Lottery tickets

Take out coffee, take out sandwiches. Fancy Virgin gym, booze, cigarettes, eye brow waxes, pedicures. Mini breaks, boozy nights out. I miss all of it but am too lazy / old / responsible now.

A Starbucks each morning on my way into work. I recently went to a Starbucks drive thru was glad I was in my car so they couldn't see the horror on my face at the price!

I still get the occasional coffee out but my local cafes are a lot cheaper!

[quote SevernEleven]@halfpasteleven
Brow & lash [/quote]
Thanks for that @SevernEleven

During the FT working years of my youth I'd save my leave for two years, then take off on big back-packing trips. South America, I miss you.

However, to put a positive spin on my finances, these are items I will never pay for again:

Heels: I have some beautiful classic styles to see me out.
Perfume: A hoard of Guerlain and Shiseido, carefully kept in the dark and smelling good.
Body lotion: Given as gifts and tucked under the sink.
Custo Barcelona tops: I love this Spanish label, and their T-shirts are of such great quality that I do not need to replace them even after 20 years.
Magazines: From my local library.
Books: Library or swapped between friends.

I cringe at the amount I spent on handbags back in my early-mid 20’s. Really tacky ones at that.

Shoes-at one point I had 739 pairs

@Horaceandgus can you tell us what has happened with your shoe collection? Do you still have all your treasures?

No judgement here. I have Fluevog, Martinez Valero, Prada, Charles Jourdain et al which I hope will see me out. I don't expect my shoe size to increase between now and my graceful demise.

Am really hoping it was a typo - maybe 73 pairs? Because 739 pairs of shoes would be nuts!

Online clothes shopping, makeup esp lipsticks, taxis instead of public transport, paperbacks instead of cheaper Kindle books... All a thing of the past now!

in the 90’s I was mad on magazines, bought all the glossies.Makeup,Clothes,cd’s,books. I still treat myself,but to better quality makeup and meals out, bought far less often.

Shoes... So. Many. Shoes.

But far fewer than 739

Monthly Red & home decorating magazines
Clothes
Lunch out at work
Takeaways

I know transfer my monthly magazine subscription fee to my savings account. I've since saved a couple of hundred in the past few years! Oh the money I could have saved if I had done it earlier!

Designer clothes , now that I am older I could not give 2 f*s what I’m wearing

Monthly magazine subscriptions. Goodness knows why. I was just young and naive with not that many expenses 😅

A Grand Prix showjumping horse. Broke it within weeks.

@Scarby9

When I was a teenager, pre-internet and mobile phones, my friends and I wrote one another a lot of letters. It was a 'thing' always to send these letters first class, to show you cared. With first class stamps about to go up to 98p each, that now seems utterly frivolous, but in our defense, stamps were cheaper then in relative terms, and it was our only real way of keeping in touch..

I love writing letters, cards, postcards. It really offends me that we live in a society where the post office think it’s acceptable to raise the price of one stamp to nearly a pound! (I appreciate not affording heat or food is worse but I just find it symbolic that they would price us out of social contact too)