Several years ago an acquaintance made a remark that has stuck with me. She was eating a Dove ice cream bar and mentioned that it cost $4. Someone in the group expressed astonishment that she would spend so much for an ice cream. She replied, “how else can you treat yourself like a queen for four dollars?”
As for me, I’ve recently discovered quality everyday-type socks. I now (and always) will only buy Carhartt or Timberland socks. They are so much nicer than the bargain brands I’ve used all my life, and every morning when I slip them on my feet I notice the quality.
Coffee. I have no problem paying $20 to $30 a pound for my cuppa joe. I have over $500 invested in my equipment to make it, why should I scrimp on what use to make my coffee.
Last night with dinner I enjoyed a bottle of an imperial stout, **Evil Twin Brewing’s **Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break. The bottle was cellared a while, and the price tag read $21.00 (which surprised me a bit).
Sushi for lunch. It’s pricier than a Subway sandwich, but it’s not a massive indulgence like going to a four-star French restaurant.
I go about twice a month to a sushi bar and get about four or five pairs of nigiri for lunch. Now that I think of it, it has been a couple of week since I indulged, so I believe it’s sushi day today.
Honey, if I can get proper cut-comb local honey wherever I am in the world then I’m a happy bunny. (as is the family).
My favourite so far is Austrian high meadow honey last summer. They kept semi-wild uncultivated hives and break off chunks of the comb to sell.
Utterly wonderful, spread on fresh baked bread and alpine butter it is a thing of beauty. A crunch of creamy wax and a deep, deep flavour. It costs about 2 euro per 100g so enough honey for 4 hungry people for 2 breakfasts set us back about 5 euro. In the great scheme of things that is about the price of a single fancy coffee-style drink in Starbucks.
I came in to say, tea, honey and Timberland socks, only to find that my luxuries are not that uncommon.
Fair enough.
I’m going with, Whole Foods guacamole. Sure, it’s $7 for a medium sized container, and sure, I could (and have) make my own. But it’s just so convenient and tastes so damn good…
I’m on board with paying more for good ice cream. I also consider Land’s End polo shirts to be a bit of a splurge, altho I do get them when they’re on clearance, so maybe not. Still, I do pay more for them than I used to shell out for casual shirts.
Shoes, also. Not fancy-name designer shoes, but I’ll go with Skechers instead of no-name cheapie shoes from Payless. Nothing can make me feel quite as bad as achy feet, but decent shoes prevent that.
Shoes, tools, and food are my big ones. Shoes, you really get what you pay for most of the time. You don’t have to buy the outrageously priced ones, but $20 discount store shoes will not last and will not be comfortable. Same with tools. You can buy the cheap Harbor Freight stuff, but you’ll be buying the same tool dozens of times over, and eventually spend more on the cheap ones than you would have a decent one.
Food is on a case by case basis. Most cereals and such the store brands are fine. Things like mayo or peanut butter, though, there is a big difference between brands.
It’s not so expensive as to be out of reach, and definitely adds to our grocery bottom line. We’re half into retirement now and I anticipate, in years to come, either we’ll possibly be unable to eat them as digestion often changes when you age. Either that or they will become truly prohibitively expensive as time passes. So we’re having them now while our gut and our wallet can still both tolerate it!
The winter is so much easier to take when you’re snacking on yummy fruit!
A chef friend has gifted us some of his recent ice creams, asking only for honest feedback. Last week it was pink peppercorn ice cream. The one before that was blue cheese ice cream. Both were out of this world.
Cookies. The pricier ones are usually lighter and simpler, yet equally as tasty.
Eggs. Free-range, organic, backyard… it’s all yummier than the bulk-package, mega-mart stuff.
Not necessarily Sushi, but i try to have a decent lunch a couple of days a week. In fact, I’m going out today. Sure it costs more but I’ve no problem justifying it. Of course, tomorrow i’ll probably have a #3 combomeal from McWendys.
I know you said “relatively inexpensive”, and these are expensive, but shoes from San Antonio Shoe Co. I have a pair I’ve had for over a decade that still look good enough to wear to formal occasions. And they’re super comfortable.
And for “relatively inexpensive”, I’ve recently discovered Michael Morgan extra large socks, (for my extra large feet). They’re comfortable and don’t try to slide down into the heels of my shoes. Unfortunately they only come in black or white. I need brown. Do you her me, Michael Morgan?!?!?! shakes fist
Hot dogs. I almost always buy them from a local butcher and notice the difference between them and even the premium grocery brands. They cost more than the Oscar Meyer or similar though probably not more than the kosher deluxe ones (though they also require an extra trip to the butcher). Plus I feel less guilty about the amount of them that my kid consumes.
**Bumba **- I’m on board with SAS shoes also. I have a pair that’s easily 25 years old. They’re too ugly to wear in public, but they’re still as comfy as ever, so they’re great for chores around the house and I don’t care if they get paint or stuff on them.
Amish made goat cheese at the farmers market.
Zeus needs & gets top of the line ‘no grain’ dry food and real meat & real cheese. He shares his pricey vanilla ice cream with us. I don’t share the chocolate with anyone.
Printer paper. There is something special about 32 lb top quality paper.
My kids would tell me that their college professors admired the paper they used. And anyone else who has received a printout of something from me usually comments on how they like the feel of the paper.
Expensive clothes, shoes, tools etc are not necessary ‘relatively inexpensive’. Depends your situation. I do go for good tools if I’m going to use them a lot, I agree with that. But Harbor Freight is OK for some plumbing tool for a particular DIY job I’m not going to do again for years if ever. Sometimes cheap tools are OK if they can get the job done once. I also don’t entirely agree on clothes and shoes. I don’t wear suits often nowadays so the few I have are relatively expensive. But for everyday sneakers I don’t find I get enough extra wear, or comfort, from expensive ones v good value pretty cheap ones when Costco has them.
With food it’s a matter of taste obviously. But I like cheap beer sometimes, and expensive craft beer sometimes, etc.
I don’t care that my car takes premium and it’s worth it to me to seek out 93 octane since you can feel it in my car v 91. I don’t know if that counts, since relates back to having a more expensive than necessary car which isn’t so minor.
For it has to be energy drinks. I hate the taste of coffee but I can’t live without my caffeine. Two bucks a pop for sugar free red bull sustains my addiction without the sugar that Mountain Dew has (and sugar free mountain dew tastes like lemonade that went bad.)
