What do you consider a treat?

[coulditbeme2323]

What do you consider a treat?

No right or wrong answer here - because it will mean different things to different people.

On another thread I have stated that a takeaway coffee or a basic chain lunch is more functional than a treat for me. I am not saying that it isn't a treat to others.

It was even suggested because I went shopping for a chopping board it was a treat.

So what does a treat look like to you?

I didn't.

A day when I have nowhere that I have to be and nothing that I have to do.

I don't really have any kind of budget and buy most things when I want but work long hours and have 2 very small children so anytime I manage to carve out some time for myself, that's a treat. It's my birthday next week and I've taken the day off to go to a spa and then a michelin star restaurant for lunch on my own - the main luxury there is to be on my own, not rushing and not have to think about anyone else or do anything for anyone else, even if just for 5 hours. My husband takes the kids to a class on Saturday morning and I often watch TV in the bath - most weeks that's my biggest treat of the week.

Well, it pretty much is what you asked.

Things that you consider basics rather than treats are only basics to you because you have plenty of money. This isn't complicated.

This thread is absolutely a case of you thinking 'Ooh, let's see what poor people think of as a treat so I can pity them'.

And you only got argued with in your other thread because you said 'How can I have spent so much money when I didn't do anything' and then revealed that you had, in fact, done a lot of things that cost money.

i think it depends on your headspace at the time.

for me a treat could be anything from a nice meal and drinks at a high end restaurant, to a relaxing hour in a bubble bath followed by some nice M&S picky bits and a bottle of fizz with a film.

A new lipgloss - Always cheers me up!

I buy myself flowers every week - just £1 daffs in Spring or £3 bunch from Sainsbury's. Or I'll hack a bit of the Jasmin in the garden when it's in flower.

Michelin starred restaurant. A night at the theatre or Royal opera house, a day in the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot. Just not everyday events.

The curry I am going for tonight for my tea! I savour every mouthful!

Because it's something you enjoy but can only do rarely due to one thing or another eg. not healthy, very expensive, hard to arrange, time consuming.

A day with absolutely nothing that I have to do.

Thats the only thing I like that I don’t get to have whenever I want so it’s the only think I’d view as a treat, although I hate the word treat. 😬

Expensive shower/bath things that make the ten minutes peace in the shower smell and feel lovely. I’ll occasionally treat myself to an Aesop shower gel, or some lovely shampoo and conditioner.

Anything that involves peace and quiet, with or without the children.

I would consider eating out a treat technically but in all honestly I often don’t enjoy it. I have small children, and they are actually pretty good at the table, but it’s always a lot to think about. And the quality of food is so hit and miss for the price these days.

Ice creams out are treats for sure.

An hour reading under a shady tree on a sunny day, listening to nothing but birds and the breeze, uninterrupted, would be a massive treat.

pfft really? That’s just a Wednesday for me.

A ‘treat’ would have to be a new Bentley at the very least. Possibly dinner in Venice but only if we took the private jet.

And not having to get up in the morning 🙌

For me a treat is about how it makes you feel. So if I needed to buy some water out and about because I didn’t bring a drink with me, that’s not a treat. If I chose to get a drink and sit and enjoy it or take the children for a drink, that is a treat.

this genuinely made me lol 😂Cake before 8:30am is definitely a treat!

Depends on the day. For me and DH we like a nice pint, game of pool or darts at the pub, occasionally a trip to the casino with our pocket money, and even more occasionally a trip to Wendy’s to get a baconator or maybe a maccies trip. These are like occasional, cheap treats that we both enjoy.

When we are feeling a bit more fancy we will go out for a nice meal or go to this lovely wine bar we like, but obviously these are more expensive than the above.

For me personally it can be a lot of things - coffee and cake, getting my nails done, I am currently on the hunt to find the best grapefruit soda so sometimes I’ll order some fancy ones online. I don’t really consider flowers a treat because he always buys them and tops them up and has done since we started dating because he says it’s an “easy fix if you’re in a mood” 😂.

Basically anything frivolous is a treat, especially anything that’s adult focused and doesn’t revolve around the kids. Our kids get a lot of treats and to be honest I enjoy going out to eat with them sometimes but a real treat for me/ for us is something just for grown ups.

For me treats are very dependant on money available.
So when I was earning good money, a regular manicure and pedicure were just maintenance things. Eating out once a week was a normal activity.
Now my income has dropped, a manicure OR a pedicure would be a lovely treat. Eating out would be very special.
At the moment my 'treat' is (supermarket) wine on a Friday. A choc chip cookie with my tea. Simple things really.

A hot chocolate from a coffee shop because they're so expensive.

I eat chocolate daily so does that mean it's not a treat?

I would consider something like a nice cake or cookie a treat maybe.

A drink on my own, sat at the bar of a fancy hotel, at the end of a work day.

SixtySomething
I replied to your other thread, too.
Convenience is a treat. If you're hard up you have to do it the hard way or go without.
Things designed to make life more convenient are luxuries and always tend too be more expensive.
IMO you've come to take these luxuries for granted. Did you grow up like this?

I don’t agree with this, I’m on mw and the other day forgot my lunch and wasn’t going to sit miserably for the day with my stomach rumbling and used the last of my account to buy it out.

On mn that makes you the lowest of the low because why didn’t I save that five euro (see thread on even the lowest paid could save 50 a week). Most people won’t go hungry or will go convenience unless there’s zero in their account or it means eg the mortgage comes out. Acting like someone getting a coffee anyway regularly is equivalent to throwing away all their money and being frivolous is ridiculous and just pits people against people (plus the cafes etc benefit from people buying coffees out)

Flowers, I love them. I buy them, my husband buys them for me, I get them for birthdays and Xmas. Currently I have a beautiful bouquet of peonies and roses. I hate gardening though!

Anything non-essential feels like a treat to me. Even expensive ingredients for a more luxury home cooked meal. I can afford it and could afford to eat out every weekend, buy coffee out or buy new clothes but I get genuine enjoyment from not being wasteful and actively enjoying those experiences when I have them. I’m not tight but also not frivolous.

I was raised relatively poor and have spent much of my early adult life needing to be careful with money. I don’t take any of it for granted, I also enjoy watching my savings go up. My youngest siblings have been raised with buying whatever they fancy and enormous expensive birthday/ Christmas piles as the norm. I think as adults they will probably see a meal out as functional and nice designer clothes as a basic need.

On a sunday morning i make myself a large bacon bap using lovely thick smoked bacon. Break out the ground coffee and cafetiere (i use instant the rest of the week!) and then sit under a blanket with a good book and read for at least an hour before the rest of the household namely DH and the cat emerge and need attention. i look forward to it every week and it is so good for my soul!

Finding 30 minutes uninterrupted time for Piano practice.