Things you could afford but choose not to spend on?

[Netcurtainnelly]

Things you could afford but don't bother with/choose not to spend on.

Inspired by the cleaning thread.
What could you afford but don't have/do?

A cleaner, just do it ourselves.
A long haul holiday. No interest.

New cars, have literally never had a new car or a car on finance.
Plastic surgery.
New tech that I don’t need- yes that means you Alexa.
Private school fees.
False nails- I think I have a sensory aversion and I play a musical instrument which makes it impossible to wear them when I am practising.
Food out at “mid” restaurants- although this is mainly because I’ve had too many shitty meals which I would have cooked better at home!

What I will spend money on-
Good quality second hand cars which are well made, not gimmicky and nice to drive.
Veg box and milkman.
Nice gin and tonic.
Fortnightly cleaner.
Eco cleaning products- firmly believe that bleach etc is terrible for your health and we also have a septic tank.
Food at restaurants which I know are good or which I would never do at home (Hot Pot/ sushi).
Framing pictures that remind me of places/ I’ve bought on holiday.
Good quality coffee including coffee out.
Musical instruments/ hobbies.
Plants and stuff for the garden.
Making my house look nice including some seasonal decorations.
Holidays- have had a lovely few domestic holidays this year and planning a trip somewhere hot next winter.
Activities for my kids which keep them off you tube and make me feel like a competent parent- we have a non negotiable list of swimming lessons to stage 6 (at least), one instrument, and a physical or group activity which costs a fortune!
Tickets for interesting things, I’ve seen some amazing theatre stuff, but also other quirky things with my kids like a bat walk, moth walk, bug lab, paddleboarding, playing curling, kayaking etc.

New cars. Never had one and could easily afford but seems a waste of money and I’m not interested in the status value.

Double glazing. It looks horrible and I don’t want to lose my lovely stained glass. I’m sure it would make my house warmer but I’m willing to suffer.

Getting nails done. Don’t see the point and they would probably last 5 minutes on me. I do get my hair done regularly but don’t dye it as I don’t want to be caught in a maintenance trap.

Like a previous poster I’m not interested in eating out at mid range restaurants as I can often cook much better at home.

Cleaner - dh is retired so he does it mostly, new cars, nothing wrong with the ones we have, fancy things more generally, happy with what we have

Oh yes and I can cook better than cheap to mid range restaurants so eating out / takeaway is usually reserved for when it works for situations rather than habitually (except fish and chips that you can’t beat) similarly I make better coffee, so that we have at home

Inspired by something that just popped up on my FB...

Those day beach clubs that cost hundreds of euros minimum to get in.

New phone and macbook. Mine are 5 and 9 years old - and the 5 year old phone was free from the Apple store when they broke my
much older one trying to change the battery, so the last phone I paid for was an iphone 6.

Nails and any form of facial treatment.

Spa days etc

Newer car - nothing wrong with my ten year old Fiesta.

What do I spend on? Travel.

Everything! I chose mostly to put everything extra into savings with the intention of retiring early. It was a risk, no one knows their lifespan, but it was worth it.

A gym membership - we have weights/equipment at home and it saves an extra 30-60 minutes of fagfing about driving, changing etc.

Beauty treatments - having hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, nails etc. done are so far down the priority list that they have fallen off the bottom.

New clothes - much prefer a Vinted bargain.

New furniture - secondhand vintage tends to be much better made and there are lots of charity shop/marketplace bargains around.

Fashion. Obviously I buy clothes as and when I need them but I have no interest in wearing anything to be 'on trend'. It's bonkers to me that people will wear impractical and unflattering clothes so they can look/feel like everyone else.

Getting my nails done, make up, posh car, overseas holidays

No long haul holidays? A whole world outside of Europe exists you know.

I really don’t get the whole “nail art” thing either. Just as well as I have an allotment . Factor in the horrible fumes in the salons, plus the questionable employment practices of the whole industry.

M&S food.

I had a facial once. I lay there thinking “children are starving around the world and here’s me paying to get my face washed”

It was little more than an attempt to get me to buy ridiculously expensive face lotions and potions.

A second car. We work from home, why do we both need a car. We can very easily plan around each other for the one we have

Jewellry, (apart from costume jewellry), expensive make up and beauty products, takeaways (they used to always disappoint) and also begrudge paying coffee shop prices. (I have a friend who regularly buys a £5 coffee and leaves half of it.

pedicure and manicure
expensive hair cuts
expensive skin care
rarely have take aways
beauty treatments - facial, massage, eye brows.

Why not long haul holidays?

You see I don’t get this thought process. Are less children starving around the world now you’re not getting a facial?

But so many wonderful places closer to home as well. No need to be so judgy.

Eating out, takeaways, and convenience foods most of the time

Cleaner
Window cleaner
Ironing service
Babysitter
Car
Taxis
First class rail
Bicycles
Ski holidays
Any flight above Economy price
Hairdresser
Dry cleaning
Manicures
Massages
Perfume
Pets
House renovation
Brow and lash treatments
Takeaway hot drinks
Shop bought lunches on day trips

I do however spend loads on an expensive mortgage (house in zone 2 London) and private school for 2 dcs, no regrets.

They aren’t mutually exclusive.

The flights too long for one.

Business Class
Cleaner
Professional decorators
WLI
Fancier car