My goodness, you all are so frugal and budget-conscious. Just a different type of question. Hopefully, we all have some discretionary income to spoil ourselves once in a while. I'm genuinely curious. I won't judge

For myself, I have gotten more comfortable with treating myself and spending money. Some small examples include tolls and spa visits. Feel free to judge me

No judgment. Only hearty approval. Tolls are what they are. Spa visits give us someone who can help because they literally reach parts of us that we can't get to, even on a good day. Spa visits should not be just a luxury. !

I miss spa visits.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2025 04:11AM by Shop-et-al.

Good real Ice cream

Being frugal since childhood, I view almost everything as a commodity. Wants vs needs. Replace vs repair. It's why I own a truck with 352k miles on it. Could I buy a new truck with cash? Yep. Do I need to? No. I know how to maintain and repair it. Those assets are better served, in my opinion, staying invested as long as possible creating more income so I don't have to work.

Having said that, now that our assets continue to grow faster than we consume them, we like to travel. If I travel by plane, I'm willing to pay more for additional legroom within reason. We don't go out to eat locally as much since we find most restaurants serve food that's not of value. I find I can make fresher tasting food at home. I do own an antique upscale cooking range.

I like to do a lot of planning before traveling and seek out food that's better or unique vs home. When I go into the club warehouse, twice weekly, I usually buy fresh fruit and produce, unsalted nuts, some dairy items, gasoline, and occasionally tires and motor oil. It's rare we buy other items there.

I would never buy a spa visit, a cable / streaming subscription, an app, designer clothes, or lawn services. I can do or find the equivalent of all these things myself or at commodity prices. Never overpriced Apple products or services. I prefer to own investments like Apple stock and profit from the fools who overpaid for iPhones. LOL

I avoid debt like the plague. Credit cards are used for benefits, and paid off each month. No mortgage. So what mentality is this?

It allows me, when the time comes, very infrequently, like it did around 2009, to buy a car that's no longer available. I bought it with cash. It sits in a garage, usually covered. It still has less than 3k miles on it. Then there's 3 motorcycles...

Frugality and sometimes poverty, got me to where I am today, but it's not taking me to where I am going tomorrow.

What do I spend on? mostly travel and people and causes I care about. As well, I look at the cost of hiring someone vs doing it myself for certain life jobs. With each passing year, we're ALL aging and time flies...my time becomes more precious with each turn of the clock...I value it highly and that decision is personal to each of us.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2025 09:36AM by BarefootBliss.

I'll share a quote: "Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving."

Time doesn't exist; you can't see it or touch it. You can't save it either. Yet people talk as if they are saving time by do this or that...hogwash!

i am convinced that at some point, mankind will be able to travel in time, almost routinely. But that will take time. Well, unless we are in a black hole...

Is this getting too deep to comprehend?

[www.youtube.com]

Skiing is one of my treats. When other teens were off to buy the latest 45, my every spare penny was for skiing.
Frugal to have what I really want!

Travel for pleasure, no working while doing this.

Flowers, shrubs and trees for my landscaped beds. This year I got pink and white flowering dogwood trees and several perennial hibiscus with jewel tone blooms the size of salad plates. Now is the time for good bargains if you know where to look.

Massage, pedicures, vacations, expensive grocery items to cook at home.

For you spa ladies, let me place this here for your reading pleasure while in the spa...

...aka, the "Twig & Berries Spa." ROFL

[www.zerohedge.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2025 11:19AM by maverick1.

Well, not going to apply to me. I'm not going to be at a spa where anyone is nude. Other women don't want to see this 70 year old saggy body either.

We might have different ideas about spa visits. I like (well,liked) my own little massage in a calm, quiet room. My purpose was to relax. Groupie nudie stuff sounds yucky!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2025 04:57PM by Shop-et-al.

1. Coffee.

I am enthusiast when it comes to craft coffee. Single origin or blends. Typically espresso.

While I make my own at own, I also in pursuit in finding go to shops that can produce an espresso as good or better than me.

2. Sushi.

I am also a sushi snob. So fresh, overnight flown fish.

3. Traveling for leisure.

Don’t dissuade yourself from getting bodywork due to the nudity thing, age or body composition. There’s such a thing as ‘towels’ and most women use them when in an all female spa. I don’t see any women looking at other women in the locker rooms, sauna, steam rooms etc. Most of the time you have the latter mostly to yourself.

I dabbled a bit with spa work after I sold my business, kind of for a career change, but mostly for my own benefit. I lived on Oahu for most of my 40s, which is pretty much the spa capital of the world. I knew my previous schooling in massage was pretty basic and went there to learn Lomi Lomi massage and esthetics. Native Hawaiians for generations have passed down their LL knowledge among their families and the most gifted will work on their whole family to this day. It utilizes mostly the arms for long muscle work and is very beneficial to keep them from tightening, which can change your posture over time. This is especially good for older people who don’t utilize their muscles as much as they age.

When you do this work you don’t give a RA what people look like. I found it easier to work on people on the heavier side. My favorite customers were the native Hawaiian females who’s goodness/kindness was a pure as a ray of sunshine. They may have looked stocky but underneath was pure muscle. I found many of the males were very stiff when doing the stretching techniques, especially with legs and back.

There are so many masters there in all modalities that there is no competing with them. It would take decades to be at their level. I was drawn to the Korean establishments without realizing for a while their nationality or training. Their schooling is far superior anmong Asian modalities. Most are ‘intuitives’ and will know exactly what is needed before they start. It’s deep tissue but with no soreness afterwards.

At the time there were so many deals on Groupon and the like that I tried it all including the kind that uses the feet while supported by overhead bars. (Forgot what it’s called). I’m pretty sure the work I had done there prevented my body from declining more rapidly. I can regain muscle quickly, heal better etc. Don’t deprive yourself of this if you can afford it.

When friends came to visit the first thing I would do is drop them at a small Korean spa for a 1/2 day deal and they loved it. It gets rid of jet lag quickly. It had a pink Himalayan salt cave, cold plunge and all the rest. 1.5 hr. Scalp and full body massage and use of the spa for $100 including tip. The practitioners are top notch and they’re all in top shape. Many are 50+. Thankfully there age isn’t even on the radar, nor should it be anywhere. Own it and be grateful for it.

That sounds like someone's idea of wonderful. Even if funds materialized and I could afford luxury, I would only want my own little private experience. Spa services will probably become cost prohibitive, and I do not foresee returning to spas. The only thing to do is continue to refine my diy efforts. At home, I use my few accumulated gadgets, time, visualuzation, will, and intention. My efforts will never be the same as spendy services, but I learn new things and help myself as much as possible. There is some value in this rustic and non-luxurious approach.

Now, I would consider it the grandest luxury to learn to sew and tailor. Make my own clothes and make them fit me. I have absolutely nothing to support that notion, but perhaps someday...

@prince wrote:

Well, not going to apply to me. I'm not going to be at a spa where anyone is nude. Other women don't want to see this 70 year old saggy body either.

I am 63 and I certainly don't care. I was a massage therapist when I was in my 30s and I didn't care then, either. And yes, the lights are dim and there is a sheet covering the body.

See if there is a massage school near you. Students have to do so many hours of hands on massages. Ten years ago I could get an hour massage for $20 in Dallas. It wasn't deep tissue and some were better than others.

And if you're really daring or cheap, see if there's a cosmetology school near you. They need hours performing different procedures. Free men's haircut for Veterans.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2025 10:25PM by wrosie.

I love love love Korean spas and their body scrubs in particular. Used to live near such a place....now I have to search them out. We'd go to the pool, then get a body scrub, then the salt room, then to the cafe for boiled eggs, barley tea and cold salads...great experience.

I have a mind to travel to one of those places, usually in Asia where they offer body work, but with the exchange rates and so forth, they would be inexpensive for Americans. I need to ask around for places that haven't been exposed yet by the social media influencers.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2025 09:34PM by BarefootBliss.

My fiancee and I give each other massages But agreed, nothing can replace a professional one

@paniconmon wrote:

My fiancee and I give each other massages But agreed, nothing can replace a professional one

Sure, "massages"... ROFL

Right now is not a great time in my life. My SO is sick. Eventually, they will die. I have chronic unrelenting pain.

One of the rooms in our house is my office. After my accident, I had to quit online teaching. I have not really used my office since. I just revamped it to my cozy room. I moved the tv from the den. I “splurged” on curtains and scarves st Goodwill. The curtains line the walls, as well as blocking out window light. The scarves cover side tables and the surface under the tv. The couch was hard, and with my chronic pain I needed comfort, so I ordered a memory foam section to cover the entire couch. I got cheap glow in the dark stars for the ceiling. I also bought some furry pillows at the thrift store. Those are also on my couch.

I splurged on a feeling of calm and being safe. Using things I already had and adding some extras, I think it may have cost me $50. (That includes the 2” thick memory foam) the peace it has given me is priceless.

@yknottnc wrote:

Right now is not a great time in my life. My SO is sick. Eventually, they will die. I have chronic unrelenting pain.

One of the rooms in our house is my office. After my accident, I had to quit online teaching. I have not really used my office since. I just revamped it to my cozy room. I moved the tv from the den. I “splurged” on curtains and scarves st Goodwill. The curtains line the walls, as well as blocking out window light. The scarves cover side tables and the surface under the tv. The couch was hard, and with my chronic pain I needed comfort, so I ordered a memory foam section to cover the entire couch. I got cheap glow in the dark stars for the ceiling. I also bought some furry pillows at the thrift store. Those are also on my couch.

I splurged on a feeling of calm and being safe. Using things I already had and adding some extras, I think it may have cost me $50. (That includes the 2” thick memory foam) the peace it has given me is priceless.

Positive thoughts are with you!

I now understand chronic pain after a fall from about16' about a decade ago. Broke 4 ribs, got knocked out and ruptured the membrane around the brain. Emergency room doctor said I was lucky to survive. The back pain was the worst pain ever and I thought if there was a machine keeping me alive I would pull the plug. I couldn't sleep or get into, out of bed without help. In discussion with my doctor he said, "now you know what other people are going through with severe pain." Thankfully, after many months the pain has gone away.

I wish you peace and freedom from pain.

yknottnc, I'm glad to hear that you were able to carve out a space for yourself to rest that brings you peace! So many things that you've done and incorporated, I've done or incorporated something similar. I love the touch with the glow in the dark stars

For myself, while it's convenient to use the same hardware and peripherals for personal and work-from-home laptops, I've used separate rooms for fun (like a man cave!) and work. While the bedroom only functions as a bedroom, for rest and recovery

Thank you for sharing!

As far as spas go, they aren't generally my thing. I do NOT like being touched. So my money will stay firmly in my pocket if going to a spa is part of the deal.

At home, I buy CDs and DVDs to play, and I crochet. Usually cotton, and mercerized cotton, so that I don't have to worry about anyone being allergic or sensitive to what I make for them. I made my mother a beautiful hooded cape for Mother's day several years ago. When I'm bored or need to keep my hands busy, I'll knock out a little cotton hat.

I found out a few days ago that my oldest adult grandson has cancer, and he's just started chemo on Thursday, so I'm going to order a couple thousand yards of mercerized cotton and make him a cap or three for when his hair falls out. He's a generally healthy, handsome young man (my opinion matters because I'm Grandma Cappy), so I have little doubt that he'll beat it.

Wishing your grandson a speedy recovery, MLZ.

Anything I want or what my loved ones desire as long as I can afford it.

My ladies and I visit a spa for a day of pure enjoyment at least 2X a year. Yes, way expensive. The pools, saunas, treatments are none to be surpassed. Super clean, no shoes allowed, you must wear clean socks. The deep tissue massages are the best. Top skin care products that we have purchased as well. We love it. Last January, it was freezing. Went out on the rooftop pool with great views as well as others.

I treat myself and my family to sturdy comfortable shoes.