Reply to What is your splurge-worthy item/service that you never regret spending?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Twice a week cleaning service. Hourly rates for any domestic chores. These ladies have worked for me for past 10 years.

Lawn mowing and lawn treatment services.

Organic milk, poultry, fish, meat and soft skin fruits.

Kids EC activities, coaches and tutors at home.

Weekly massages at home.

Expensive haircut every three weeks with 30% tip.

Hired help for serving food for all at home dinner parties.

Home renovation and maintenance.

Annual big vacation.

I am very frugal in ways that does not show to others.
[/quote]
What other ways are left to be frugal?  Cheap gifts?[/quote]

I’m going to go with “cheap in regards to others”.

So no tipping, no staff bonus, no savings for college. [/quote]

LOL. I told you that my frugality does not show. Read the list below. Many of you will pay for these costs and not think anything of it.  My splurge is paying for service mainly. (and some organic food and one overseas vacation).  I could go on for a long time but here is a partial list.

1) I cook all/most meals. I do not get catered food for large parties that we host frequently because of DH's job. I cook for 60-70 people at a time.   (how often do you pay for prepared meals during the day?)
2) Kids go to public schools in well regarded, highly competitive programs.  (ie no private school cost)
3) No designer clothes or accessories. I source amazing pieces from overseas because my sister is in garments and accessory business, for next to nothing or for free.    
4) I color and highlight my own hair, do all my beauty treatments at home with homemade products - wax, facials, bath scrubs.  Mix my own lotions and oils. My own mani, pedi, peels, microdermabrasion. I buy all prescription strength skin care products (serums, creams) from overseas. 
5) Shop for every day clothes on sale  at Macy's, Kohl's, Amazon, Land's End, Costco. 
6) Shop at Walmart, Aldi's, Costco, Asian markets for most groceries and booze. We entertain a lot.  Most food bought at wholesale prices.
7) Grow my plants from seeds. I have a lovely garden overflowing with flowers. My costs is  less than $20 a season. I have fabulous houseplants that I divide, grow and gift.  
8) All drycleaning at a wholesale drycleaner. 
9) House at a low COL area. 
10) State college tuition prepaid for all three. Pension and retirement on track. No private school costs. 
11) Never fly first class.  Get the lowest airfare, use ff miles, always economy. 
12) Nice but not expensive cars.  Nothing above $35K. Drive it till they are on their last legs.   
13) Green lifestyle- solar panels, hybrid cars, compost, rain barrels,  free-cycle.  
14) Refinish and reupholster most furniture.  I used to work in an interior design company. I can make a house look high end with ordinary things.  
15) Never paid for - IVF, therapy, cosmetic surgery or procedures, prepackaged meal plans, botox, anti-anxiety meds, hair extensions, fake nails, fake tan, hair blowouts, eyebrow shaping,  gym memberships, spa day.  
16) No pets.  (Yes, this is a huge hidden cost that no one thinks about. Pets are expensive). 
17) No clubbing, no drugs, no gambling, no going to topless bar, no smoking, no drinking except during parties. 
18) Vacation in moderately priced hotels, friend's homes, airBnB.  Never stay at resorts.
19) [b]Marriage is intact so - no attorney's fees, no alimony and child support.  Maintaining only one household[/b]. 
20) While raising kids - hardly used diapers or formula. Kids wore disposable diapers only at night and out of the house.  BF the kids. Cloth diapers. Kids were potty trained very early.  
21) No Starbucks. 
22) Great dental hygiene. Did not have to pay for dental work that stems out of poor hygiene.  All usual dental cleaning for the entire family is covered by insurance.
23) Meet all my health care deductibles during the first two months of the year by scheduling the entire family's well visit during that time. 
24) No debt except a very low mortgage. 
25) Used my employer's benefits to go to school part-time for years. If your employer will reimburse tuition (even a measly amount) then use that to go to school for a certification or degree. It is free money and eventually you will have the credits required to get your degree or certificate. 
26) I will always try and find a deal for any merchandise/service that I can. 
27) Selling at eBay.  I started because I am always decluttering my home and electronics and now this has become an easy way to make money, instead of hosting a garage sale.
28) No swimming pool at our house. 
29) No beach house. 
30) Simplified holiday gift giving with family and friends. We only do the one gift per person rule through a secret Santa gift giving.  We are not going crazy buying tons of stuff for everyone. 
31) Full house remodeling done under $50 K (labor and material) and we did not have to move to a hotel when the work was going on. I sourced all material from wholesale vendors and through connections from builders etc. The same would have cost at least $150 on the open market.  I got the work done off-season (winter). 
32) Wash and detail all my cars by myself. Kids help.

[/quote]

Wtf?  This is you being frugal?

Here are the ways I am frugal:
I am not a drug addict, so no money spent feeding my habit
I don't have family overseas, so I save TONS not flying to another country
I do not have a debilitating medical condition, so I save A LOT on hospital bills
A tree has never fallen on my house, so I don't have to spend money on repairs
My kids have never gotten in trouble with the law, so I saved on bailing them out of jail and hefty lawyers fees[/quote]

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