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!

@GeneLovesJezebel

Highlights. Grew them out in lockdown and much prefer my own colour. Used to go blonde for DH.

Same here...my hair is naturally streaky it turns out so won't be getting into that viscous circle again despite my hairdresser's best efforts to persuade me otherwise!

Obviously the usual things - eyelashes every 2 weeks, roots every 4 weeks, pedicures, make up and wheelbarrows of clarins.

But also weekly Sainsburys shopping with a trolley just touring the rows looking for crap but still with nothing for dinner.

And flying lessons (including ground school).
And scuba diving courses.
And my hgv license.
(I use none of these things by the way)

And very expensive PCP for a car that ended up stolen.

Expensive restaurants in London. Remember going to a new Conran restaurant when I just had a baby. Was served mushed peas. Tasted just like baby food. Was very, very disappointed.

Expensive nights out, weekend trips, taxis everywhere and a coffee every morning.

Clarins skincare, arrangements from the florist because we had friends coming over for dinner (I’d give them a budget and a colour theme and collect when I’d finished the Waitrose shop)
Waitrose for main shop, gardener, meals out.

Mostly as just before having DC we put a lot of money into our house, which has meant a really low mortgage but we had to work hard to accumulate savings again. Also I was a SAHM parent for 8 years (4DC).

I’m 3 pages and don’t recognise one thing, apart from probably takeaway once a week early in my career.

Yarn. And fabric. I had expensive taste in that! Haven’t bought yarn for three years, still got loads. Fortunately, it takes a long time to use up and I’m still getting a great deal of pleasure out of it (which was largely my justification for buying it. Not cured, then!)

I didn’t really ever do clothes or beauty stuff, but I did fritter loads of money on gadgety stuff - smart this, that and the other, camping gimmicks and garden plants I‘d just kill. If I’d stopped frittering cash I’d have easily been able to afford the big stuff I wanted and thought I couldn’t afford. I wasted a lot of food as well. Oh how things have changed!!

I miss Waitrose home delivery, hotel chocolat, long, hot baths, coffee pods, good tonic, local meat and keeping the house warm all day. I am starting to miss clothes and shoes, because mine are wearing (or have worn) out and I haven’t bought any for years. While I didn’t have really spendy habits, I did have a really comfortable lifestyle and I miss it. Mostly I think I miss having choices and just being able to buy little things I fancied. I wasn’t wealthy, and I did appreciate it at the time. But maybe not as much as I should have!

Taxis, highlights, false nails and many years ago, CDs

Fast food and takeaways.

Always thought of it as a treat that I deserved, until I developed gallstones and needed an operation...

There's nothing depressing about this thread. If something is unnecessary, then it IS frivolous ...

Sorry but that is depressing and very worthy, it's the little things that often cheer us up.

Magazines here , especially at Christmas

Then I realised when I read them that they churned out the same tripe every bloody year .
I only buy the Good HouseKeeping Christmas one now and don;t bother the rest of the year .

Gym membership ( the 2st weight gain is not ideal)
Massages
Magazines
Coffee and cake with friends

I use Just for Men beard dye on my eyebrows now- a tip I got from the S&B board on here in the lockdown. So quick and easy, I’m still on my first box two years later. I’ll never pay for them to be done in a salon again.

Every new occasion eg. Birthday dinner, then any 'high stakes' meetings at work (cultural sector so no specific dress code) always bought new outfit or something to refresh current one. After I had kids nuked the first and got rid and just woke up to second - spruced up current wardrobe. Then everyone got more relaxed with clothes anyway - scruffy jeans and plimsolls (although definitely I am more on the smart of casual). Still have a cashmere habit though

I should say Vodka and cigs but i had a ball, so glad i don'y have to find the money for cigs, what do they cost these days ?

Jeans - in my twenties £120 a pair!!

Now get them from marks and spencer and anything Over £40 seems too much.

Nights and it - so much spent on getting into night clubs that I hated

Holidays😂easily spent 15k a year on them🙈 post baby I'm wayyyyy more careful with my money. Still go on holidays just not as expensive or as many for that matter!

I used to get an underarm, full leg and Brazilian wax, plus shellac pedicure and manicure every payday.

Now I have young kids and I can barely remember what it's like to be able to do that.

Gousto and hello fresh boxes.

@littlefirecar

This post is so depressing :( Yes most of these things aren't necessary but we enjoyed them. How has it come to be that everything not soley essential is now frivolous?

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!!

Also won’t be going to Centreparcs every year anymore ☹️

@littlefirecar

This post is so depressing :( Yes most of these things aren't necessary but we enjoyed them. How has it come to be that everything not soley essential is now frivolous?

I agree. It also makes me think of the knock on effect on self employed people like hairdressers, taxi drivers etc

Ha ha my colour grew out about 1.5 inches in the first lockdown. DH was very clear I looked better Ash blonde than grey. TBF my grey is not a good grey.

Magazines and pre-loved Mulberry handbags. Sold 4 recently and only have 12 now. I capped the bag spending at one month’s gross salary!

I had about an 18-month period where I went to an award-winning salon in Central London to get my hair done. Every 3 months I'd have my hair coloured and cut and the six weeks in between I'd go for a trim. I had a stylist I always saw.

Right now, I'm missing my daily coffee shop breakfast and nipping in to the Co-op for my lunch. Can't afford either of those right now as we're having to belt-tighten. 😕