Luxury V Essential, ive pasted this from another thread, but would quite like to know what everyone else thinks but PLEASE, be nice

[MadCreamLady]

Ah, i can see this has moved on to necessity v luxury. That is really interesting.

Anna has said about computors and internet not being a luxury and actually, i tend to agree - we use ours for our business, such as it is, but we still need it. Then of course there is mumsnet , an evil necessity.

Car? I guess it depends where you live, if you can get to work on public transport, but yes, in some circs a luxury.

Dishwasher?? Are you MAD? absolute essential.

Sky or broadband? For me, a total luxury, ive never had either, dont want either really so my attitude towards that comes out of my not really wanting it. Some might, but i still think its a luxury.

Washing machine - nuff said

Tumble dryer - luxury, ours broke, we manage, although DP is nagging that we need one, im determined not to cave in. They are cheap enough to buy but too dear to run.

Central heating/adequate heating - essential

decent shoes for the children - essential, i only buy startrite/clarks or equivalent, even though sometimes i have to borrow to do so.

New clothing - luxury, i buy from charity shops and quite enjoy the challenge (its like my little hobby).

Holidays, hmmmm, now this is one i hesitate on - i was going to say luxury, but im not so sure actually. We have had our problems, finances nearly caused us both to break down - we did a SUN holiday (thankyou again chippy) and i try believe it saved our relationship, things have been so much better between us since then - so, no, not a luxury actually - it of course depends on the holiday.

Activities for the children - somewhere in between luxury and essential i think. My DD does ballet and adores it, i was really loathe to start it but she enjoys it so much - I don't think i would do anything else though.

Computor games - luxury (or are they?)

TV?? Id rather do without this than my computor, but Silent Witness is finished and i feel bereft, i got two doses of eye candy for the price of one there. Fecking crap story lines though

Meals out - luxury (we do this too much)

Take away - luxury, although they are never really that nice so its weird referring to them as a luxury

Nice bubble bath - essential for my sanity

hair cuts - luxury

oh and the list goes on and on....

your list in my household:
computer +broadband =essential
car = depends . I do not drive myself and don,t miss it
Sky =luxury
washing mashine = could hardly live without
micro wawe = luxury
dish washer = luxury
Tumble dryer = luxury
central eating = essential
Decent shoes = essential but do not need to be startrite/clarke...
new clothuing = luxury
holiday = essential as it is time to visit family abroad
activity for childdren = depends on children but leaning on essential
computer games = absolute waste of time
tv = would sruggle without news and Doctors (my break of the day)
meals out/take away/hair cut... = luxury
Still manage to be very happy

Each to their own....in your list you seem to put more 'value' on eating out than buying new clothes. Peoples perception / expectation of what is essential / luxury has changed over time and is much to do with affordability and how much value / benefit do you see to that. Economists call this 'elasticity of demand' - how much does the demand for an item change with its price. The demand for new cars is slowing down but even the high price of running a car does not put off the majority of people who want to travel, relatively few will get rid of their cars, many make changes to the way they drive / economising on fewer trips etc. Most people would probably say their car was essential and that the alternatives would not work for them.

Internet =essential
car = essential but we do use public transport when possible.
Sky =luxury don't have this
washing mashine = essential
micro wawe = luxury don't have as I have a cooker & hob.
dish washer = have one but uses less water
freezer - Luxury & don't have
Tumble dryer = luxury - have one
central eating = essential
Decent shoes = essential but mine wear handed down shoes/boots
new clothing = luxury
holiday = luxury but visiting family is essential.
activity for children = luxury but mine do music & sport
computer games = luxury
tv = luxury but have one
meals out/take away/hair cut... = luxury

Internet/computer - essential
car - essential or work comute only, for anything else it's a luxury
Sky - luxury, if we ever needed to cut back it would be the first thing to go
Washing machine - essential, although have managed (just) in times when we've been without one
Microwave - luxury
Dish Washer - luxury - have one but never use it, costs too much on electric
Tumble dryer - luxury, don't own one, ditto electric
Central Heating - essential - except ours is currently broken
Decent shoes - shoes are shoes aren't they! We buy cheapish ones but they are 'decent' I think, can't afford Clarks etc
New clothing - Essential/luxury, depending on where from (eg.Primark vs Boden)
Holiday - luxury
Activities for children - luxury, mine do free after school clubs though
Computer games - luxury
TV - Essential
Eating out/Takeaways - luxury
Pampering - Luxury

I'd survive if I suddenly found myself without any of them though, as do most of the world!

Internet - Essential
Car - essential
Washing machine - essentail
dish wsher - luxury
freezer - essential
tumble dryer - essential and it only use £2.00 a month more on the elec we tried it with out one month
central heating - essential
decent shoes - essential
new clothes - half and half really as kids grow
holidays - essential time together
activity for children - dd does horseriding and its essential for her health
computer games - essential keep us sane
tv - essentail
meals out / take away - half and half

Internet = Luxury we have one and it keeps me sane
car = DH - Essential, mine = Luxury
Sky = Luxury we have one
washing mashine = Essential
micro wawe = Luxury
dish washer = Luxury - have one but broken, have made the decision to carry on washing up as it hasn't bothered us.
freezer - Essential
Tumble dryer = Essential, if I hang mine to dry in my house, they don't dry and smell. Would love to know how you do it.
central eating = Essential
Decent shoes = Essential - we go to a childrens shoe shop
new clothing = Essential and Luxury depends on circumstances
holiday = Luxury
activity for children = Luxury ds does taekwondo, dd will be doing dancing in January.
computer games = Luxury
tv = Luxury but we have one
meals out/take away/hair cut... = luxury

Computer - essential (used for business)

Car - essential for one car (business use) but probably 2 is a luxury even though useful for business.

Dishwasher - not a luxury but can't quite bring myself to essential either. It does use less water than washing up but you can live without it.

Sky - luxury. We keep considering ditching it but DH 'needs' it for sport.

Broadband - essential. If you have a computer and the internet you have to have it. MN would be impossible without it!

Washing machine - essential. Hardly any launderetts left these days.

Tumble dryer - luxury but could do without it.

Freezer - essential - very expensive to shop every day

Microwave - luxury although used daily.

Heating - essential.

Decent shoes for DC - essential, they have impossibly wide feet and cheap shoes don't fit.

New clothes - essential. They wear out/DC grow. Do buy second hand sometimes though.

Holidays - 5* hotels in the sun luxury. A cheap trip once a year essential, even if only a weekend. Mind you, I draw the line at camping. I would rather do without a holiday.

Activities for children - luxury. There are plenty of things that they can do that cost little or no money. A modern invention.

Computer games - luxury, even educational ones.

TV - essential. A way of unwinding and compared to other entertainment, once the tv is bought, very cheap.

Meals out - luxury. I could never bring myself to spend hundreds on a meal anyway, regardless of income

How about make-up, newspapers

Take away - luxury.

Bubble bath - essential. Saves on the cost of soap. Doesn't have to be expensive!

Hair cuts - essential. My hair doesn't do 'long'.

What about newspapers, books and make up. - All luxuries but am willing to be persuaded about books and newspapers.

can I have a third category - neither "essential" nor "luxury" but "vvv useful"

Internet - Essential
Car - vvv useful
Washing machine - essential
dish washer - luxury
freezer - vvv useful
tumble dryer - luxury
central heating - essential
decent shoes - essential
new clothes - some: vvv useful, others: luxury
holidays - luxury
activity for children - vvv useful
computer games - luxury
TV - useless
meals out / take away - luxury

Necessity-heating,food,clothing,shelter

luxury-anything else

Washing machine - essential
Dishwasher - essential (and cheaper, more eco friendly than washing by hand - hoorah!)
Microwave - luxury
Heating - minimum essential (as much as dh would have - luxury)
Radio - essential
Television - luxury (as long as we can then count books as essential or maybe just library membership is essential)
Computer / broadband - dispenses with the need for TV, DVD etc (see also lib mem/ship which is then mega essential)
Car - essential if we want to see any family but could do without as we live in city centre
Newspapers, magazines - luxury - see library membership and internet
New shoes - minimum essential
Clothes - minimum essential
Trips out (museums etc) - essential
Cinema, bowling, mini golf - luxury
Eating out - luxury
Babysitters - luxury
Haircuts - essential for the boys
Leg waxing - luxury but do let it go rather than shave

So really as long as we all have library membership we'll get along just fine

Computors and internet - essential as I'm a writer and work from home a lot; also, dd needs it for homework as she is disabled

Car- luxury to us, we've never had one, though have to admit with one disabled child, potentially two, it would be a nice luxury

Dishwasher- luxury, haven't got one, dh does the washing up

Sky or broadband? - Sky unessential luxury and we won't be getting it, broadband may be a luxury but useful for work

Washing machine - fairly essential

Tumble dryer - luxury, never had one and won't get one

Central heating/adequate heating - essential, both my dc's have joint problems

decent shoes for the children - essential, two children with joint problems

New clothing - luxury

Holidays- another hmm for me, as all my family lives abroad and we have few relative in this country. No relatives would mean no cousins, no uncles or aunts, never seeing one set of grandparents, hard; this is the one luxury I would go without essentials to have

Activities for the children - I'd agree, somewhere in between luxury and essential i think. And in dd's case, her physio has just told her she can do ballet instead of a weekly trip to the hospital gym, so it's going to come an awful lot cheaper

Computor games - luxury, don't have any

TV- unessential luxury, we have one, but I would hardly notice if it disappeared

Meals out - luxury

Take away - luxury, but do it occasionally

Nice bubble bath - unessential luxury

hair cuts - luxury

But I would add:

Books- absolutely essential!

Tropical fish- again essential, though the family would not agree

essential for what?
Life itself or maintaining current committments?

Food roof water warmth/clothing hygiene facilities.
For basic survival existence

But for us to maintain ourselves
2 cars essential
Tumble drier -not
Dishwasher-not
Tv- not but we would miss it lots
Broadband- get it free with dps work phone.

You can argue degrees of essential all day long

Pmsl at ballet not being a luxury though!!!!

Internet/comp - essential for work
car - essential as we live in the country. But freely admit we don't need as many as we have or such fancy ones.
dishwasher - essentail for marrital status
sky - nah, bin it
washing machine- essentail
central heating - house big, old and bloody cold so would miss greatly
shoes for kids - essential.
new clothes - could easily manage with what w've already got.
holidays - tricky. We spend an enormous amount each year which would seem, on the face of it, a luxury. But we don't spend much time together otherwise so possibly more essentai that initially would seem the case
kids activities - bin em
comp games - happily bin em
tv- happily bin it
meals etc - all v lovely but could survive without.

One of our biggest expenditure is school fees which is a v tricky one. Would seem like some as a luxury I'm sure.

new clothes are essential to me otherwise I go into a decline

Love this list. Sure that all of us have 'necessities' that would seem like a total luxury to others (proper loose tea top of my list). The main list for me

Internet/comp - Use for work, otherwise luxury, but a lovely one
Car - Luxury, I would get rid of it, DH wouldn't.
Dishwasher - Luxury (but then have never had one)
Sky - Luxury
Washing machine- Luxury but a fabulous one - have lived without including washing terries, makes a big difference to have one
Central heating - Luxury, but some sort of heating essential in this climate
Shoes for kids - Ditto essential in this climate, don't mind if they are Shoezone though (will also gratefully accept 2nd hand party shoes etc!).
New clothes - depends, decent work clothes appropriate to your job essential IMO (which means heavy duty dungarees and rigger boots for me, but obviously will mean smart suit for others, ditto warm and appropriate clothes for children, don't need to be new though
Holidays - Luxury
Kids activities - Luxury (actually take that back, anti-Luxury designed as a penance for parents)
Comp games - Luxury
TV - Luxury
Meals out - Luxury

Essentials for me not mentioned elsewhere:
Weatherproof house where books and clothes don't go mouldy (am working on this one, not got there yet)
Decent food, preferably organic (will always spend on this above other stuff)
Hot running water on tap (have lived without, hope not to do so again)
Tea - as per above
Access to friends for me and DD, so either house near other people or suitable transport
Time to myself
Somewhere to garden

Internet =essential
car = essential but I do believe in public transport and am digging my heels in VERY firmly that we don't need a 2nd car despite what DH thinks
Sky = We have a freeview box and TiVO recorder. I consider them to be essential, but might feel differently if there was an ongoing cost, but as it is we paid upfront for lifetime TiVO subscription when we bought it. As it is it is the piece of entertainment technology I love the most!
washing mashine = essential
microwawe = if people used them more I'd say essential, but for reheating things/cooking baked spuds it is a bit of a luxury (we have one though). Mind I love micro cooked rice!
dish washer = probably luxury but would be loathe to give ours up!
Tumble dryer = luxury, devil's work IMO.
central eating = essential but we don't have it on that much. And DH would say it's a luxury having grown up without it.
Decent shoes = essential
new clothing = as another larger lasy it is essential for me, but doesn't have to be pricey. DD has mix of 2nd hand and sale bargains.
holiday = some form of holiday is essential, but needn't be expensive.
activity for children = undecided.
computer games = luxury
tv = essential
meals out = luxury
take away = luxury but essential to have luxuries sometimes after all!
hair cut = essential, but have just cancelled hair colour as it was a luxury I can't afford atm

computer +broadband = essential, especially with study for teens
car = For us essential (dd with mobility issues) but we've always only ahd one and dh runs/walks/bikes to work.
Sky = luxury
washing mashine = essential
micro wawe = luxury
dish washer = luxury
Tumble dryer = luxury
central eating = essential
Decent shoes = essential
new clothing = luxury
holiday = luxury
activity for children - you mean a paid activity I assume - luxury (except swimming lessons which are essential)
computer games = luxury
tv = essential for sanity
meals out/take away/hair cut = luxury

computors and internet - essential - I work at home (sometimes )

Car - essential

Dishwasher - Luxury

Sky or broadband - Luxury

Washing machine - essential

Tumble dryer - luxury

Central heating/adequate heating - essential

decent shoes for the children - essential

New clothing - luxury

Holidays - essential to have a break - UK and doesn't have to be expensive

Activities for the children - luxury

Computor games - luxury

TV - essential

Meals out - luxury

Take away - luxury

Nice bubble bath - luxury

hair cuts - luxury

Computer/internet--essential for my work.
Heating--essential
Shoes--essential
Dentist--essential
Car--essential in the country
Hair--essential when you're in your mid-forties and it's becoming fine and difficult to manage

School fees-luxury
Holidays--luxury for us because we can stay with family in Scotland.
New/fullprice clothes--luxury: we try and buy from Ebay if we can.
Alcohol--luxury

Forgot one of my expensive luxuries that I wouldn't want to do without: pets (large dog, two cats).

Internet/computer - luxury

car - 1 car essential, 2nd car luxury

Sky - luxury,

Washing machine - essential,

Microwave - essential

Dish Washer - luxury -

Tumble dryer - luxury, don't own one,

Central Heating - essential

Decent shoes - decent shoes for dds

New clothing - Luxury

Activities for the children - essential but they're preschool age, so provides way to get out of house

Computer games - luxury

TV - Essential

Eating out/Takeaways - luxury

Pampering - Luxury

Holiday - luxury

essential - central heating & TV