Monday, March 19, 2018

Latest Life's Little Luxuries

Since I basically menu planned yesterday, looking to squeeze every morsel out of my March grocery budget, I thought today I should move away from my whole  tightwaddery topic. I like nice things as much as the next person. I just find them nicer, and I appreciate them more when I don't have them all the time, or use as part of downtime. Despite my penny pinching,  even in the last three months, I've splurged on a few things that give me a sense of indulgence, and dare I say perhaps luxury. Some might think these are fool hardy expenditures and others might laugh that I call them indulgences. But to each of us, we have our own inner definition of luxury and indulgence. We only have to feed our own taste. 

Nourishing facial masks: These two beauties were bought for $2.49 each at Target and are single use. I splurge at least once a month on these after discovering them in one of the Fab, Fit, Fun boxes. While  the Target ones are not even close to the retail price of the brand  in the subscription box, these are pretty darn close to the same quality. I like the quiet time while it sits on my face and the softness it leaves behind. 



Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner: Now I an really showing my lack of upper class style, but  we have now started to buy Tresemme at over $5 a container compared to shampoos 1/3  to 1/2 less and I am not going back. Some say shampoo is just the same, and conditioner is not needed, but I would disagree. I try to get on sale, or at least when  at Target I can get the extra gift card for future use. It reminds me of the same quality of my Nexus days, when my Father-in-law the Barber, would get us ample supplies. I mistakenly was buying cheap shampoo for too long, and my lifeless hair was not happy. Would I start buying product in salons? Perhaps more luxury than this thrifty person could take.

Lindor Truffles: I've been savoring these since Christmas as I got a bag from my future niece-in-law as part of my gift. We had so much candy and treats for a month after, I didn't even break into these until February. They are nearly gone now, and I plan to replace, keep in the refrigerator and enjoy one every now and then and feel like I've actually had a treat instead of mindlessly popping various miniatures into my mouth, because that's what I do with an open bag of Reeses Peanut Butter cups. 



Fresh ground coffee and real cream: Coffee drinkers, do I need to say any more? I just realized I haven't been out for coffee at all this month yet, but my home grounds have been keeping me quite satisfied. 

Candle light from a good quality candle: This one is Garden Flowers scent and soy, so will not leave a stinky after burning smell. I actually bought this a while back on my sisters shopping day at a pop up barn craft/consignment shop only open a few weekends a year. It was a luxurious bargain at $10 for a homemade candle. Give me a quiet night watching a good movie, enjoying a glass of wine with a candle burning  and I say it is a good night.



Avocados-all to myself: I did not grow up eating avocados. This was not an item my mom ever would have bought, or known what to do with. I think I had guacamole for the first time after high school. Most often these babies run upwards of $2.49 a piece in my part of the country. However, despite the relatively high price point, indulging in these on occasion, more often if they are on sale, feels decadent, while being healthy. The environmental impact helps me keep my indulgence focused on occasion as well since they consume a lot of water to grow and must be transported. Maybe it's the pretty staged avocado toast pictures displayed in magazines, but I get a sense of luxury when eating on for breakfast or lunch, and not sharing with anyone. 

Goodness. I am a real suburban/small town bumpkin. Still, if these are the things that add a little spot of decadence in my life, I'm not complaining that they are simpler than other folks definition. How about you? What do you occasionally  indulge in? Have you changed to a more expensive, but one you feel is worth the added expense, product?  Does anyone have some extra truffles and coffee brewed and want to invite me over to talk about this? 

18 comments:

  1. Since DS and DH started keeping bees, I have become a candle snob. Nothing but beeswax candles will do. We sometimes pour our own, but I also splurge on pre-made from the bee keeping supply store. There is nothing quite like them! I especially like the tea lights in my Himalayan salt candle holders. I light those every Friday after the kids get home from school, and then again on Saturday evening. The glow they emit with the beeswax tea lights is entrancing!
    I also insist on good quality, white, 100% cotton sheets for all of us, with real down comforters and pillows.
    We use Tresemme here, but that's because we get it very inexpensively at Rite Aid. I have long, straight hair, and don't notice much difference at all in shampoo and conditioner, other than fragrance, so I don't pay much attention to what I use. Yes, yes, yes to fresh ground coffee made in a French press and half and half! No morning starts without it here. We also have a Keurig, which was a gift to DH. While it's a ridiculously expensive way to drink coffee, we do frequently find the cups on clearance. It's certainly less expensive than a Starbucks habit. In fact, I tell my kids that we are paying for their college educations simply by me not going to Starbucks, or getting my nails done with their classmate's mothers!

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    1. Oh, I am a fan of bee's wax candles as well. A friend started keepign them and I'm hoping that is on her list of potential products. I do buy Keurig pods sometimes but have a refillable for my own fresh gorund beans.

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  2. I love nice splurges. For me, a nice bottle of wine at home with my husband while we make dinner. Way cheaper than a date night out, and so lovely to chat & spend time together. Also, a massage! It's an expensive splurge, but I love it.Coffee with fresh cream is a treat I allow myself when I'm traveling for work, and it's amazing!

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    1. Wine in my home or a firends with a great catchup is a special treat. DH and I rarely are int h kitchen together-I get annoyed, but later, he is welcome to join in.

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  3. Country bumpkin here as well. When my mother switched from margerine to butter we kids thought we'd died and gone to heaven - what a luxury. Good coffee with real cream is an indulgence of mine as well and one I don't have nearly enough. Craft beer instead of the cheap stuff, single malt instead of a blend, and picking up a roasted chicken once a month - divine!

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    1. I haven't found a real craft beer I like, but if you count Leinejuegal Hoeny weiss instead of Coors light, that is an indulgence-oh and Stella Artois.

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  4. I don't think we used to import as much as we do now as when I was a kid. I don't recall seeing avocados or watermelons in winter time. Asparagus was the real luxyury spring item in our household back then. We had corn on the cob at $1 a pop this weekend, that was our bit of luxury

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    1. Yes-steamed asparagus. I had some at the college we toured th eother day-so good,a nd so short a time to buy it.

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  5. I keep a variety of candles at home for spiritual purposes. Candlelight definitely uplifts the spirit and soul.

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    1. Candles are so wonderful for decompressing. As you say-uplifting.

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  6. Have you tried sliced avocado on a piece of toasted bread with a tomato slice and a little salt for breakfast?? HEAVEN on a plate...and I am not a big fan of tomatoes, somehow the combination is just wonderful.

    It is so funny when you talk about the price of avocados - my first thought was where is she buying her avocados for $2.49 - DUH, I live in California where we pay about 50 cents for them on sale but believe me, that is the ONLY thing we get cheap around here!!!!

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    1. My son was aghast at what I spent on Avacados as he gets them from a local grower for half what I can. I've not tried tomato on my avacdo, but tomato on a ccumber, over hummus on tast-wow.

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  7. Indulgences are wonderful gifts, especially since they seldom happen. Occasionally (twice a year at most) I buy big beautiful diver scallops and that is one of my biggest luxuries.

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    1. I don't eat seafood due to an intolerance, but DH loves salmon, so I indulge him a few times a year. A really big perfect orange is also a treat for me.

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  8. I had a good coffee with real cream yesterday while bird watching. Thanks for the push!

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    1. Now that sound slike my kind of morning!

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  9. My indulgences here in the Pacific Northwest would be wild salmon and nursery plants for my yard and gardens. I also enjoy really nice planters for my yard.

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    1. Great way to treat yourself. I'm a brown thumber person, but woudllike to ave great planters outside.

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