# What are your Best Life Impact Luxury Items / Services / Habits ???



## Golder

My wife and I are in our mid 30's and in the past few years our income has grown substantially. However our life is still a challenge with two kids under age 6 and a third on the way. We both work full time so commuting, work, taking care of the kids, cooking, and trying to keep the house from descending into cluttered messy chaos is a challenge. 

The question I have is what luxury purchases or services have you purchased / used that have made your life better, easier, more enjoyable, increased happiness? Allowed you to spend more time relaxing or with your kids?



Things We've done/bought so far:

Pay for a cleaning service twice a month, lawn care, get groceries delivered (this one is amazing).

Stop worrying about small purchases like "Oh we could use some more of these better charging cables but they are expensive we can get by" no more just buy the thing that will make life easier.

Generally in the past few years I've very much tried to use my increased spending power to purchase higher end items that will last much longer or even forever. I hate throwing things away and buying replacements. Examples: Tumi luggage and All Clad cookware.

Paid for a decorator, some women like to decorate and my wife does too but we just don't have the time and it ends up not getting done. This one is expensive but worth it.

Better vacations - We have started spending significantly more on vacations. We work really hard, whats the point if you spend your precious vacation time worrying about spend. We are thinking about a major international trip next year.

We currently pay for the best and most expensive local full time day care for our pre-k kid and after school for the kindergartner. This is great for the kids but doesn't help much with the house (not sure if nannys really help keep your house clean or not).


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## brdet

It's not perfect, but my robot vacuum was one of my better spontaneous purchases. 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Mayhem421

brdet said:


> It's not perfect, but my robot vacuum was one of my better spontaneous purchases.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Congrats on Kiddo #3!

+1 for the robot vacuum. It's maddening to watch how inefficient it is, but gives it two hours and it should get most of the dog hair and cheerios off the floor.

I'm in almost the exact same spot, minus kid #3 on the way. I've been thinking a lot about this as well.

- We like Blue Apron for food delivery every now and then. Spices things up for the kids and exposes them to new kinds of foods, and makes it easy for us to avoid a trip to the grocery store.
-Looking at the maid service to clean the house
-Do grocery store delivery, or have your order ready at the store. That's another time saver.
- We've started using a babysitter more often so that the wife and i can get out for a dinner together w/o the kids

Interested to hear what others are doing.


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## Toothbras

Golder said:


> My wife and I are in our mid 30's and in the past few years our income has grown substantially. However our life is still a challenge with two kids under age 6 and a third on the way. We both work full time so commuting, work, taking care of the kids, cooking, and trying to keep the house from descending into cluttered messy chaos is a challenge.
> 
> The question I have is what luxury purchases or services have you purchased / used that have made your life better, easier, more enjoyable, increased happiness? Allowed you to spend more time relaxing or with your kids?
> 
> Things We've done/bought so far:
> 
> Pay for a cleaning service twice a month, lawn care, get groceries delivered (this one is amazing).
> 
> Stop worrying about small purchases like "Oh we could use some more of these better charging cables but they are expensive we can get by" no more just buy the thing that will make life easier.
> 
> Generally in the past few years I've very much tried to use my increased spending power to purchase higher end items that will last much longer or even forever. I hate throwing things away and buying replacements. Examples: Tumi luggage and All Clad cookware.
> 
> Paid for a decorator, some women like to decorate and my wife does too but we just don't have the time and it ends up not getting done. This one is expensive but worth it.
> 
> Better vacations - We have started spending significantly more on vacations. We work really hard, whats the point if you spend your precious vacation time worrying about spend. We are thinking about a major international trip next year.
> 
> We currently pay for the best and most expensive local full time day care for our pre-k kid and after school for the kindergartner. This is great for the kids but doesn't help much with the house (not sure if nannys really help keep your house clean or not).


I know not everything is going to work for every person, but I am the same age as you also with two kids (6 and 5). My wife stays home so we don't have to pony up for the best and most expensive daycare, though I understand some people don't want to be home with kids all day, but for us it works very well.

I am a cheapskate with everything else. Neither of us have any desire to go to fancy foo-foo restaurants or wear expensive clothes, our vacations are wherever we can get a great deal (I work in sales so neither of us have to worry about vacation days or time off). I'd rather do cheap vacations and have more time with my kids than work extra hours to earn extra money to spend on a big bucks getaway.

Also would never pay for someone to come to my house and do things I can do myself (decorate, mow, grocery shop, etc) and my luggage and cookware are from TJ Maxx.... haven't yet had my suitcase rip open or my mac-n-cheese suddenly explode off the stove.

Anyway, different strokes and all. I spend way too much on watches, and understand everyone has certain things they enjoy and will allocate more funds towards those things, so I can totally understand where you're coming from.

Congrats on your upcoming kid, they're quite a lot of work at this age but soooo worth it!


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## TheWalrus

It's not sexy, or particularly ground breaking, but: buying higher quality foods at grocery stores.

I've always found it so easy to 'save' money when grocery shopping. Lower quality meat, the 'basic' fruits and vegetables, and so on and so forth.

By 'spending up' - buying fresh fish straight off the boat, for instance. Or indulging in some of the rarer, more exotic fruits and vegetables. And actually looking into good recipes. Food prep has gone from a chore (that was usually easily replaced by our local pub's fair) to something I look forward to and enjoy. That means I eat in far more often. Use all the food I buy. And honestly save a lot of money (and time) by avoiding the restaurant scene. Unless I'm really craving it. That this is also significantly healthier is a nice side benefit as well.


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## Toothbras

Crap, just remembered what I was going to say in my original post: I use travelzoo for most of my vacations, not exactly a luxury but I wish I knew about it years ago, would have saved a ton of money


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## steadyrock

My wife and I are 40 and 41, with four kids aged 18, 15, 13, and 11. In the past three years our income has doubled to what most would consider a substantial sum. By far the best life impact / luxury thing we splurged on was having her stay at home for the first 15 years, followed closely with homeschooling through around grade 8/9. Probably not the answer you were looking for, but the luxury of having that much togetherness and investment in our family has paid dividends beyond imagination. 

Other than that, I'd say probably a Keurig. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## knowwears

As a young divorcee with no kids and a more than necessary income, I try to focus on quality over quantity.

Filling one's life with statement pieces that spur conversation or artifacts that come with historical/familial meaning or at least a good story or origin IS for me the meaning of luxury. The alternative is filling my life with stuff for it's own sake; which inevitably leads to a hollow existence with inputs defined by others.


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## Mayhem421

+1 for Quality over Quantity. Seems to be the guiding principle as you age and have more disposable income. Spend money on items that will stand the test of time; things that you can hand down to the next generation but also enjoy yourself.


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## Rivarama

I have a house keeper come three times a week. Not doing dishes, laundry, garbage and general cleaning saves a lot of time. I use meal prep services and food delivery services which means I don't normally have to go to the grocery store. 

I buy custom clothes too, as screwing around finding a good fit and then having it tailored is an awful experience for me. I have most of my pants made by Luxire (jeans, chinos, dress pants) and get shirts from Luxire and Proper Cloth. Using these companies are not anywhere near as expensive as brands that traditionally do custom and you get the choice of fabrics from great mills in Switzerland, Italy, Japan, etc. and with Luxire I can specify hand stitching throughout a lot of the construction.

I have a problem with accumulation. Giving away things I don't use has made a big difference for me.

Neorest toilets.


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## Peterroehrich

Better vacations for the win! 

We've found that a higher quality hotel and better room add marginally to the cost of the trip but substantially to the enjoyment. We have found that the slightly higher price brings better views, quieter stays, and usually amenities provided at no additional charge from the hotel. 

This may sound funny, but we always rent from Hertz, which is a little more than other rentals, but zero headaches. Having status with Hertz often gets a better car.

We rarely drink, so that money goes straight into better restaurants without a drop of regret. We do like to eat, and a good meal is great value for us.

On another note, no cheap paper! I like heavy weight printer paper, usually 28 or 32 lb with a nice buttery smooth finish. I also use Crane stationary. 

-- Peter


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## Golder

Toothbras said:


> Crap, just remembered what I was going to say in my original post: I use travelzoo for most of my vacations, not exactly a luxury but I wish I knew about it years ago, would have saved a ton of money


Ha, I was wondering what the point of the original post was. You know, other than to take a few passive aggressive shots at my families lifestyle choices . . .


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## Toothbras

Golder said:


> Ha, I was wondering what the point of the original post was. You know, other than to take a few passive aggressive shots at my families lifestyle choices . . .


I apologize if it came off that way, just have different views than you on a few things and expressed them, though you didn't ask for advice and in no way am I saying one way is better than the other. I got sidetracked and forgot what I came to say, but check out travelzoo next time you're booking, and specially one company they frequently list called Great Value Vacations, we do most of our trips through them and have only had excellent experiences


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## Golder

Rivarama said:


> I have a house keeper come three times a week. Not doing dishes, laundry, garbage and general cleaning saves a lot of time. I use meal prep services and food delivery services which means I don't normally have to go to the grocery store.
> 
> I buy custom clothes too, as screwing around finding a good fit and then having it tailored is an awful experience for me. I have most of my pants made by Luxire (jeans, chinos, dress pants) and get shirts from Luxire and Proper Cloth. Using these companies are not anywhere near as expensive as brands that traditionally do custom and you get the choice of fabrics from great mills in Switzerland, Italy, Japan, etc. and with Luxire I can specify hand stitching throughout a lot of the construction.
> 
> I have a problem with accumulation. Giving away things I don't use has made a big difference for me.
> 
> Neorest toilets.


Now this is what I'm talking about, I think changing the housekeeper from once every two weeks to maybe twice a week where they do dishes, laundry, and general clean up would be the real game changer. However I feel like the market for this type of service is much smaller than the folks that come once every two weeks to clean all the floors, counters, and bathrooms. How did you find your housekeeper for this? Was it typical word of mouth type deal where you find a local person or do you use a service?

That $10k toilet looks pretty awesome also but that one may need to wait for a few more big bonuses.


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## Mayhem421

Someone may need to enlighten me on the 10k toilet! I did a quick google search but didn't see a big difference between it and a normal porcelain throne...


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## Rivarama

Golder said:


> Now this is what I'm talking about, I think changing the housekeeper from once every two weeks to maybe twice a week where they do dishes, laundry, and general clean up would be the real game changer. However I feel like the market for this type of service is much smaller than the folks that come once every two weeks to clean all the floors, counters, and bathrooms. How did you find your housekeeper for this? Was it typical word of mouth type deal where you find a local person or do you use a service?
> 
> That $10k toilet looks pretty awesome also but that one may need to wait for a few more big bonuses.


I live in a high rise building in a big city so there are several cleaning companies at my building ever day. I've had the same housekeeper for over 8 years now. It is definitely best if you have the same person every time.

The Neorests are well under $5k if you buy from a plumbing supply. I think my 550H models were like 3.5k and the 700H (which I do not recommend) was maybe $4.5k


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## Rivarama

Mayhem421 said:


> Someone may need to enlighten me on the 10k toilet! I did a quick google search but didn't see a big difference between it and a normal porcelain throne...


This is one is basically the same as the ones I have but it has a ultra violet light in the lid.


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## whineboy

Never tried a Neorest, but found all the 'basic' Totos in Japan amazing. I came home and realized I am a barbarian.
+1 on travel splurges, I find they lower the hassle and stress and lead to more memorable vacations.


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## Camdamonium

I'm going to have to +1 for the robot vac. I don't know if you have a dog or not, but if you have a Great Pyrenees like I do, this is the only way to keep the floors clean without vaccuuming 2+ times a day. It allows us to much better use our time for other activities, many that are monetized.


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## BostonWatcher

I did all of the things you did, so to me, sounds like you are doing just fine. I always buy the best in quality for almost everything, not because I want "things", but because I like quality and longevity and buying it once instead of five times.

I once had a two year old Weber grill for sale, I mean I was going to sell it, that I paid $800 for two seasons before, to a guy across the street for $250. He is the cheapest guy I know and he had purchased three grills in 10 years at a total of say, $600. This would have lasted him 15-20 years, and instead, he went and bought another $150 grill. 

I buy my clothes at Nordstrom Rack and my groceries at Whole Paycheck, because I like good clothes but don't like the price tag, and I've purchased Canali and Hickey Freeman suits for $300 and had them tailored for another kilobuck. This suits retailed for $1600 and $1400 respectively, so I like a bargain too.

Furnishings....I love better quality American made items like Stickley and others as they last a lifetime...so basically, my frugal nature is the catalyst that makes me desire quality items that last all around.


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## Rivarama

Watch out for Vietnamese Stickley. I like George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Wendell Castle, and some Vladimir Kagen for American makers. Baker and Bassam Fellows is good too for bigger brands. 
Almost all my furniture is European though as they do modern style much better than American brands.


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## Mayhem421

Rivarama said:


> This is one is basically the same as the ones I have but it has a ultra violet light in the lid.


Good to know. I didn't even know that I didn't know anything about these toilets. Pretty cool, and I too am a Barbarian.


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## Specific_Pacific

No one has mentioned physical fitness. Find time to stay in shape.


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## player67

Specific_Pacific said:


> No one has mentioned physical fitness. Find time to stay in shape.


Health is the best luxury of all.

But I go Large from time to time in the drive thru. You only live once.


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## rtsaintly

Just had a local contractor build a small screened in porch. I would never have thought of it, wasn't too expensive, adds another room to the house. Would have taken me 10 years to find the will and skills to do something like that.


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## imaCoolRobot

1. buy the better real bacon as opposed to the crappy national brands (wooorth it)
2. U15 scallops instead of the cheap small ones (so good)
3. iPad Pro instead of a cheapo Android tablet computer
4. good polarized sunglasses 

best decision is NOT to have kids


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## imaCoolRobot

Specific_Pacific said:


> No one has mentioned physical fitness. Find time to stay in shape.


I dance 3 to 4 days a week. I don't consider it a luxury. My GF says it's a necessity. If I don't dance, I get hyper and annoying and bouncing with energy and not the good energy.


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## brdet

chuasam said:


> 1. buy the better real bacon as opposed to the crappy national brands (wooorth it)
> 2. U15 scallops instead of the cheap small ones (so good)
> 3. iPad Pro instead of a cheapo Android tablet computer
> 4. good polarized sunglasses
> 
> best decision is NOT to have kids


+1 for being childless. I bought myself a vasectomy for my 35th birthday and it was the best present I've ever gotten.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## imaCoolRobot

brdet said:


> +1 for being childless. I bought myself a vasectomy for my 35th birthday and it was the best present I've ever gotten.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


being childless in your 30s is like being 20 but with a lot more money.


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## Denver1911

For my wife, it would be the Audi Q5 with all the sporty stuff they make, special ordered from factory because none in the US inventory had all the driving enhancements she wanted. She loves the driving experience yet the SUV is a practical choice. This was her most expensive car ever, and by a good $25k. If has been a great pleasure to her for three years and will likely be for another five or six. Me? I could drive a Ford Festiva and be happy.

My luxury item? The decision to start spending money on salt-water fly fishing trips. Four years ago, I decided to take my life-long fly fishing hobby on the road and to the salt. Been to Belize four times, Kiritimati, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, and elsewhere. Sooo glad I’m doing it!


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## Nessun Dorma

My wife and I have no kids (with no intention of ever having any) and a significant income between the two of us. We realized long ago that children were an emotional and financial burden that just wasn't worth it. So we got a dog instead. Problem solved.


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## yankeexpress

Sailboat


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## rtsaintly

In person shoe shine.


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## Nessun Dorma

brdet said:


> +1 for being childless. I bought myself a vasectomy for my 35th birthday and it was the best present I've ever gotten.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Ha .... +1 on the vasectomy, except I had it done at 20. People kept telling I would surely regret it, but 34 years later they were all wrong.


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## big_slacker

It's kinda funny, for me as I've gotten older and made significantly more money I'm less and less interested in luxury toys. I drive a 10 year old SUV, wear jeans and a T or shorts, don't eat out that much. IMO the things worth spending money on are:


A nice house that feeds your ideal lifestyle, whatever that is. For me it's small and peaceful, close to the mountains and NO BIG COMMUTE. I've got that, so I'm happy. 
A really nice mountain bike or two. MTB is one of my lifelong passions. DGAF if someone thinks a $5k bike is ridiculous. Worth it!
Travel and experiences. Take the damn trip!
Good, natural food. If you don't have your health, you don't have .....


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## imaCoolRobot

Staying in bed till 10am on your day off. 
Ultimate luxury.


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## Cdxl

Growing up was really tough for me, parents didn't have much and me and my sister weren't able afford about 99 percent of things our mates had but i looking i am proud i am able to provide for my kids beyond there imagination.


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## Tricky73

I paid £300 for a cordless dyson. With a dog and two young children its great. Very convenient as it’s constantly on charge on the wall ready to access. Saves time and hassle. 

As small as it sounds a Netflix subscription as my young son loves it and it’s worth every little penny it costs each month. 

Solid wood furniture, I’ve found you get what you pay for. I always buy solid wood the best I can afford so it lasts and lasts


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## ABQAnthony

Not sure these are luxuries but am usually ridiculed for "frivolously" spending money on unlimited car wash service and organic food.


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## yuji

I live in Southern California and my last 3 cars have been convertibles. Driving to work with the wind in my hair on a brisk morning with the heater and heated seats running is the most amazing feeling ever.


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## FloridaTime

For us it has been:


Membership at a nice gym with lots of classes/activities to stay engaged because neither of us are naturally fitness loving people!
Travel, like others have said just take the trip and go. Work and other things will survive you not being there for a few day.


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## BreguetBrat

My USD$15,000.00 Pinarello Italian Road Bike..















- - - Updated - - -

My USD$15,000.00 Pinarello Italian Road Bike..


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## RichG

Having a nanny for our daughter was well worth the extra money and we regret switching her to day care. The flexibility, one-on-one engagement, head start on meal prep, tidying up, etc., were all things that made it well worth the extra money. We've also invested in time share vacations (DVC) and make every effort to go as often and as long as possible for the most quality family time, and to splurge while we are there with spa visits, upscale dining experiences, etc.


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## elconquistador

I have a full gym in my basement, treadmill, elliptical, stationary tri bike, recumbent bike (great for reading) free weights and bench and a speed bag. Have a huge ceiling fan, a decent TV and a Tivo.
Working out is easy and pleasurable, never an excuse and never a time suck. If I have to work, I use the recumbent bike or I can watch a movie or watch Colbert.

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk


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## TheWalrus

I'm going to throw another one in here - a pricey one - and that was giving up my job in Edmonton as a lawyer and taking a big pay cut to move to Victoria. A more expensive city. While this was a costly move, I look at it as a luxury. I had the education and experience to get a job (somewhat easily) in a city which is notorious for having hundreds of applications for every reasonably well paying job that comes up. I have the luxury of returning to my previous profession when I want to, if I ever want to. And most importantly, this move has improved life in innumerable ways - from fitness (paddling, surfing, running, cycling are all year long activities with hundreds of unique options available right next door), to food (granted it helps that I love sea food and craft beer), to scenery (surrounded by the ocean, mountains and temperate rain forest) and climate which allows us to grow a lot of food, and get outside all year round (the only Mediterranean climate in Canada, with mild wet winters and warm, dry summers). 

The increase in cost of living and the decrease in wages is, in my opinion, the equivalent of a luxury purchase. We bought a lifestyle out here that we love.



.


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## Pastextian

brdet said:


> It's not perfect, but my robot vacuum was one of my better spontaneous purchases.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Sort of in the same vein, bought a cordless Dyson vacuum. It's lightweight and not having to mess with a cord every time I clean is something I didn't know I needed in my life.
Also, that suction. It'll nearly suck the carpet up off the floor right along with the pet hair and dirt.


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## Londongirl

Seat 4A, Etihad apartments A380 LHR-Sydney via free 5* Abu Dhabi stopover. Done it a couple of times now, and I haven't experienced any other travel experience that can compare.


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## Londongirl

Forgot the photos. On my route in March, there was no-one in 3A, so I got to drop the dividing wall, which meant one apartment for sitting/dining, another for sleeping, and 6 windows for myself. Lols. I was heading out to speak at a conference, but frankly, the journey was the best bit.


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## greedy

Walking to work in HCOL city


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## wjhoffmann

Cleaning service coming to the house once a week as well as weekly gardening service has been a time and marriage saver. Impossible to live without once you go there.


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## farmerboy

Language instructor about 30 years ago told of a time of living in the crumbling USSR when they found toilet paper for sale.
They bought all they could and not having bags large enough, they used shoe laces to make a "rope" of the toilet paper rolls.
Her and her husband wore this toilet paper necklace walking down the roadway to go home.

One US student asked if they were embarrassed. Teacher said in no way were they embarrassed. To get toilet paper was nearly a miracle.


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## wjhoffmann

Very good point - we have to remember just how good many of us have it. I personally have been struggling with trying to instill in my young daughter just how well she has it and that her lifestyle is not the norm and is not a given.


farmerboy said:


> Language instructor about 30 years ago told of a time of living in the crumbling USSR when they found toilet paper for sale.
> They bought all they could and not having bags large enough, they used shoe laces to make a "rope" of the toilet paper rolls.
> Her and her husband wore this toilet paper necklace walking down the roadway to go home.
> 
> One US student asked if they were embarrassed. Teacher said in no way were they embarrassed. To get toilet paper was nearly a miracle.


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## narchibald

Im approaching 40 - and I'm getting less obsessed with Stuff (House, stuff in the house etc) more into buying a few expensive things that I can enjoy. golf clubs, car/truck, watch, hobby items. 
The amount of money I save on smaller house and less stuff in the house and outside the house (landscaping can go on and on and on) I spend on vacations which are worth more to me as I get older in terms of memories.


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## dan360

massages.
pedicures.

When you work hard and are on your feet a lot, they're worth every cent.


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## NapoleonDynamite

Mayhem421 said:


> Someone may need to enlighten me on the 10k toilet! I did a quick google search but didn't see a big difference between it and a normal porcelain throne...


You sit on a Rolex Sub bezel.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## NapoleonDynamite

Regular cleaner for us too. Time saver. We have a robo vacuum we run as needed too. This combination helps us overcome a child that constantly leaves crumbs and sand everywhere. 

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## LuxuryRevolution

A nice big house with a ton of glass lol


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## ryanwatchcollection

Membership at a luxury gym 3 minutes away from my house. Waaaay better than 24 hour fitness.


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## MikeJ99

A full time nanny has been a god send for my wife and I. We have a 10, 6 and 1 year old. Our nanny makes sure the kids get on the bus to school. Cooks and cleans. Gets kids from bus. Then run around to soccer/ baseball/ tae kwon do. Then we arrive and meet her and she goes home. Once we arrive st home with the kids. There’s dinner waiting to get heated up and our life has been a lot easier because of it. 

Oh and the nanny has gone on vacation with us. So mom and dad can get some alone time as well! I suggest a nanny to any one with multiple kids.


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## gward10

+1 for quality over quantity. I think you're on the right path. Pay for services that give you more time for family and traveling. Bravo on the success 

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## Texex

Car service to and from the airport. Town-car shows up 5 min before arrival time backed into the driveway with the trunk open. I set the bags outside the front door and they end up in the trunk. When you return home and are exhausted from your travels the car is there waiting for you and you can decompress on the ride home. I actually look forward to it when I get off of the plane. It's a godsend now that we are traveling with a toddler, someone on both ends to help carry all of the extra stuff like a carseat and stroller. Feels like a splurge and that we are spoiling ourselves but it's only $50 or so more than self parking at the airport or taking a taxi or uber. It's a no brainer.


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## Texex

TheWalrus said:


> I'm going to throw another one in here - a pricey one - and that was giving up my job in Edmonton as a lawyer and taking a big pay cut to move to Victoria. A more expensive city. While this was a costly move, I look at it as a luxury. I had the education and experience to get a job (somewhat easily) in a city which is notorious for having hundreds of applications for every reasonably well paying job that comes up. I have the luxury of returning to my previous profession when I want to, if I ever want to. And most importantly, this move has improved life in innumerable ways - from fitness (paddling, surfing, running, cycling are all year long activities with hundreds of unique options available right next door), to food (granted it helps that I love sea food and craft beer), to scenery (surrounded by the ocean, mountains and temperate rain forest) and climate which allows us to grow a lot of food, and get outside all year round (the only Mediterranean climate in Canada, with mild wet winters and warm, dry summers).
> 
> The increase in cost of living and the decrease in wages is, in my opinion, the equivalent of a luxury purchase. We bought a lifestyle out here that we love.
> 
> .


+1 on this one. We did something similar moving from inexpensive Houston and its ridiculous summers to very expensive Seattle. We the same weather as Vancouver, Average winter lows of 40 and summer highs of 75.


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## Egsise

Having a job where I can notify my boss that I'm going on vacation/hunting/party etc.
I tell him this at least a month before and I get the vacation I asked.
Atm I work four days a week plus ofc have six week paid vacation every year.

Next summer I planned to travel few weeks in june, go to festival etc.
Yesterday my brother and I planned to take a week to go duck hunting next august,
from this years hunt we spared a moose calf shoulder that we plan to cook in earth oven during that week.
With my gf I go to weekend vacations every few months. 

I consider my job a luxury, I have a decent income by working just about 190 days a year.


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## Moondancer

For me to consider something to be a luxury item or service, I have to get a little bit of pleasure every time I see it or use it.
So my top item is yard service, followed by: my six year old 3 series BMW, seeing my wife drive her little Mercedes, eating her cooking, drinking good coffee with her every morning for these last 35 years, playing with our two Bichons, wearing my Tag Heuer watch, and using my Chris Reeves pocket knife. 


Most products and services become rather mundane after awhile. When you come across something with "staying power" hang on to it.


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## Blue Note

My wife and I are older than the OP but we worked hard and achieved a modicum of financial security. The things we did to make our busy lives a bit easier included:
Getting a financial advisor we can trust who we pay a flat fee to so he works for us versus is driven by commissions and consolidating all our investments in one firm except some workplace 401k accounts. 
We saved and invested through our whole working lives, paid off the mortgage and other debts; living comfortably but within our means gives us financial security and peace.
We have a lady come in to clean the house every other week even though my wife is retired, she worked hard too and this helps lighten the load. 
Paying someone to cut the grass, we have a pretty big lawn and contractors have the larger equipment to get it all done in short order. When the lawn looks neat and tidy the Mrs is happier than she was when she had to nag me.
We got a nice treadmill we keep in the family room and an elliptical in the basement. I love going to the gym but having someway to workout at home gives me more time to spend with wifey and the kids.

Good luck in your quest.


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## seedubs1

Best thing I learned: Good shoes aren't cheap. Cheap shoes aren't good.


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## meking

Pastextian said:


> Sort of in the same vein, bought a cordless Dyson vacuum. It's lightweight and not having to mess with a cord every time I clean is something I didn't know I needed in my life.
> Also, that suction. It'll nearly suck the carpet up off the floor right along with the pet hair and dirt.


This. My wife mentioned that she wanted one, and I was giving her a hard time about it (jokingly) for a while. Now that we have one, I tell her she was right every time it comes off the wall charger. Super convenient.


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## SJ77

deleted - sorry, had opened a few different threads and posted in the wrong one


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## CaptainCustard

My 10c: Travel - before the world changes for ever. 

I have been incredibly lucky, my work has taken me to places most people will never visit, and which have changed immeasurably since I first visited them. I lived and worked in Europe during the Cold War. I went through Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin, to see life under an authoritarian socialist regime. 

I worked in Asia in the late 80s and through the 90s, when it was very different. It was a different Indonesia, still living its Year of Living Dangerously under Suharto. The Philippines were just out of martial law and shoe collections under Marcos, and were struggling to put the Fifth Republic together. Thailand was all girlie bars and military coups. 


More recently my work took me to the Pacific region, places like Tuvalu, Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru and Vanuatu. they are changing now, as well. 

See the World, before it changes. It will change you.


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## Synequano

Agree to the advice to travel and see the world 

Now my watch fund have been eaten by my travel expenses but I do think I get a better experience through travelling the world


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## CallMeJarob

Number one expense and best life impact for me is travel. My wife and I travel internationally 2-3 times a year for 2 weeks per and locally (CONUS) once a month even if its just a quick weekend getaway. Nothing in life can impact you they way experiencing other cultures can IMO.

Oh, and we just spent $500 on the Litter Robot cat box - best purchase ever.


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## raptorrapture

I'm all for quality over quantity as well - and the "buy once, buy it for life" mentality. So whenever I try to buy something I need, I try to buy the best and generally support American-made as long as its within my means to do so.


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## jalquiza

Free time, minimal debt, bottomless interests, health via fitness/self care.


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## Jhchr2

One of my self indulgences is to get away from everything in a float tank. Gives me time away from everything and makes me feel refreshed.










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## carlosimery

jalquiza said:


> Free time, minimal debt, bottomless interests, health via fitness/self care.


Amen

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## jz1094

keurig, roomba, sleep number bed.


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## jz1094

raptorrapture said:


> I'm all for quality over quantity as well - and the "buy once, buy it for life" mentality. So whenever I try to buy something I need, I try to buy the best and generally support American-made as long as its within my means to do so.


same here!


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## jz1094

CallMeJarob said:


> Number one expense and best life impact for me is travel. My wife and I travel internationally 2-3 times a year for 2 weeks per and locally (CONUS) once a month even if its just a quick weekend getaway. Nothing in life can impact you they way experiencing other cultures can IMO.
> 
> Oh, and we just spent $500 on the Litter Robot cat box - best purchase ever.


I have 2 cats, this is something I have looked in to, havent pulled the trigger tho.


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## toxy

A plus vote for quality over quantity to ensure you spend more quality with your family especially the kids and traveling too (Vacation) is also an integral part.


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## Specific_Pacific

I'm going to say traveling. Not just traveling but traveling well.

Once upon a time I was a broke college kid who scraped pennies to travel. Often times that included spending nights at train stations to save a couple bucks when moving between destinations. Now, the wife and I are still sometimes frugal about travel but also understand how bad travel can be. Example: instead of taking the train all over Europe we rented a car to see smaller, less tourist-impacted places. After doing that a couple times I can't stand the sight of a freaking tour bus... but still don't mind the extra hours at a train station (lol.) I guess it's a nostalgia thing.


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## wristplug

Stuff - Dyson vacuums and hair dryers, bidets (biodbidet) around the house, 0 gravity massage chair in the living room.
And like most people mentioned.. vacations.


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## RideCRF450

Cleaning service twice a month is worth every penny. 

Also, a good bed. We use a temperpedic. God I love sleep. 

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## Fred Fiore

Oh wow, in agreement! Congraz!


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## nicholascanada

Not really luxury but buying a commercial Rug Doctor for the cat vomit. Lol


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## wspohn

Best personal luxuries are things that no one else ever sees, much less appreciates.

When I moved a few years ago, I had the room to build a stand alone wine cellar so I was able to catalogue all my wine and to find it when I wanted to. No more stacked cases and hunting for hours after particular bottles.

Was also able to add some sports car storage for the summer use cars, and upgraded some components in my primary stereo system.

Oddly enough I didn't buy any more watches or fountain pens as I already have enough to do me for a few decades!


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## ryanb741

Vorwerk Thermomix TM6 literally changed our lives in the kitchen. If it was 5x the price I'd still buy one. 

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## meking

RideCRF450 said:


> Cleaning service twice a month is worth every penny.
> 
> Also, a good bed. We use a temperpedic. God I love sleep.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


Sprung for a California King a few months ago. I'm very tall, so finally having some extra room in the bed is super nice.

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## adam_svt

I'm simple so I gotta say having my nice watches lol


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## yankeexpress

adam_svt said:


> I'm simple so I gotta say having my nice watches lol


What watch will you be selling after speed-posting to 100 posts?

Yeah, it's that obvious.


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## TheoTheQ

The best luxury is having no consumer debt with a couple of year's living expenses in the bank. That kind of daily peace of mind is with more than any cultural or gastronomical experience.


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## Airlyss

Robot vacuums changed my life. It’s like having a real life Rosie from the jetsons. We went all out and bought the roomba i7, which empties itself into another bag after cleaning. I haven’t vacuumed in 12 months, other than stairs. 


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## dino888

quality over quantity always


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## kip595

Always buy quality whenever possible, which it's important to remember doesn't necessarily mean expensive. 

My advice for those with better buying power than they're used to?
- Eat well. Ramen and McDonald's are what we ate to get to where we are; now buy the filet, the beautiful organic salad, the fresh fruits and just-baked bread. 
- Travel. Doesn't matter if it's expensive, but see the world, and other cultures. It's even better to share these with your family and loved ones. 
- Make your money make time for YOU. Stressed from kids, work, and the general grind of life? Book a trustworthy sitter, use some of that well-earned PTO, and go sit in the shade a while, smoke a cigar, drink some lemonade, read a book. My point being, remember that you're living, not just existing. 

That's just my thoughts.


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## kip595

Always buy quality whenever possible, which it's important to remember doesn't necessarily mean expensive. 

My advice for those with better buying power than they're used to?
- Eat well. Ramen and McDonald's are what we ate to get to where we are; now buy the filet, the beautiful organic salad, the fresh fruits and just-baked bread. 
- Travel. Doesn't matter if it's expensive, but see the world, and other cultures. It's even better to share these with your family and loved ones. 
- Make your money make time for YOU. Stressed from kids, work, and the general grind of life? Book a trustworthy sitter, use some of that well-earned PTO, and go sit in the shade a while, smoke a cigar, drink some lemonade, read a book. My point being, remember that you're living, not just existing. 

That's just my thoughts.


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## MDNoobie

Golder said:


> My wife and I are in our mid 30's and in the past few years our income has grown substantially. However our life is still a challenge with two kids under age 6 and a third on the way. We both work full time so commuting, work, taking care of the kids, cooking, and trying to keep the house from descending into cluttered messy chaos is a challenge.
> 
> The question I have is what luxury purchases or services have you purchased / used that have made your life better, easier, more enjoyable, increased happiness? Allowed you to spend more time relaxing or with your kids?
> 
> Things We've done/bought so far:
> 
> Pay for a cleaning service twice a month, lawn care, get groceries delivered (this one is amazing).
> 
> Stop worrying about small purchases like "Oh we could use some more of these better charging cables but they are expensive we can get by" no more just buy the thing that will make life easier.
> 
> Generally in the past few years I've very much tried to use my increased spending power to purchase higher end items that will last much longer or even forever. I hate throwing things away and buying replacements. Examples: Tumi luggage and All Clad cookware.
> 
> Paid for a decorator, some women like to decorate and my wife does too but we just don't have the time and it ends up not getting done. This one is expensive but worth it.
> 
> Better vacations - We have started spending significantly more on vacations. We work really hard, whats the point if you spend your precious vacation time worrying about spend. We are thinking about a major international trip next year.
> 
> We currently pay for the best and most expensive local full time day care for our pre-k kid and after school for the kindergartner. This is great for the kids but doesn't help much with the house (not sure if nannys really help keep your house clean or not).


The service providers who provide(d) the most value for me were:
1. Boarding school - Far and away the most valuable service; provides lifelong value to the kids and allows parents to have a life.
2. Personal trainer (one who provides nutrition-lifestyle consulting as well as fitness training) - Keeps you fit and healthy, thus reducing illness & infirmity, which pays off in every other aspect of one's life.
3. Maid (live-in or 3-5 days a week, depending on how active your home life is) - Takes care of life's mundane tasks so you don't have to. A good maid is part housekeeper, part personal assistant and part cook.
4. Aesthetician - It's important to keep your face in good condition. It's the 1st thing everyone notices, so keep it looking healthy and youthful.

#1 is for you & your kids. #'s 2 & 4 are for your body. #3 is for your peace of mind.


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## MDNoobie

dino888 said:


> quality over quantity always


That maxim doesn't always yield the optimal outcome.

Take watches, for instance. How long will an inexpensive quartz GADA watch (say a $100 Timex) accurately tell time & hold up physically, under normal use, without breaking? 3 years? 5 years? 1 year? Assuming one lives for 85 years, one can buy such a watch every year, spending a total of $6500 over one's lifetime. In contrast, buying a supposedly high quality quartz watch - FPJ, PP, AP, etc. - or a Rolex DateJust will cost one more and yield no materially better time-telling outcomes.

Of course, if one uses/buys a watch for non-time-telling purposes, well, that's a different matter.

Watches aren't the only items for which one can perform that sort of cost-benefit analysis. Clothing, appliances, cars, furniture, some services, and more work that way.

Why? Technology. Advances in materials & production make it possible to deliver these days at low prices many goods & services that used to be available only in high price and high quality, so-called luxury, items, amenities & services.

Where we find ourselves, as consumers, today is in the position of applying a 20th-century and b4 paradigm - price (a price range) is a fair proxy for and indicator of existential and relative quality - to our analysis of competing alternatives. That methodology doesn't nearly as much hold true now as it used to. For instance, as a transportation machine, a Camry is a better solution than a BMW M5 - the Camry is more reliable, less expensive to maintain, yet gets passengers safely & comfortably from A to B in the same time period, etc. - but the latter costs far more. However as an automotive entertainment machine, a toy, the BMW M5 delivers driving thrills the Camry simply cannot. When one buys an M5, one isn't buying better transportation; one is buying features and capabilities that have little to do w/transportation and much to do with emotional satisfaction.


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## Screwtape

The most impactful luxury of my life has been remaining child free, my wife and I have far more time and money than would be possible otherwise. It's not for everyone but it's excellent for us.


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## GrouchoM

Screwtape said:


> The most impactful luxury of my life has been remaining child free, my wife and I have far more time and money than would be possible otherwise. It's not for everyone but it's excellent for us.


If you could time travel back, would you advise your parents to save money by not having kids, too?

If there are any typos in this post, I blame Tapatalk!


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## princecheatwood

In this day in age, I feel that subscriptions can be categorized as a luxury item(s) or service(s). Having subscriptions such as Apple Music, Netflix, Disney + etc., offers an alternative to traditional TV services for example and that’s just in the entertainment industry. There’s a shaving razor subscription, a clothing subscription, it seems there’s a subscription for almost anything you could think of. I could go on and on with the types of subscriptions that are out there. 

Research shows that the average American spends $237/month on subscriptions, that’s almost 3k/yr, while not extremely expensive that’s a premium price for something that you will never own and is an ongoing cost until you cancel the service(s).

Ok now to get back on the topic of how luxury items or services enhanced my life, by subscribing to some of these services I feel has saved me time overall, by allowing me to have access at my finger tips at all times, or not having to physically go to the store knowing my items will be in the mailbox instead. Long story short, some subscriptions has enhanced my life one way or the other.


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## Sam K

GrouchoM said:


> If you could time travel back, would you advise your parents to save money by not having kids, too?
> 
> If there are any typos in this post, I blame Tapatalk!


I imagine if I could persuade my mum not to have children, it would save her and me both a great deal of work


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## Screwtape

GrouchoM said:


> If you could time travel back, would you advise your parents to save money by not having kids, too? I ask dumb questions.


That's a stupid question. Why should I create a human so that I can avoid feeling bad for the person that isn't real? Why is someone else's decision (my parents) any business of mine? Not to mention, if they didn't produce me I wouldn't care because I wouldn't exist. Stupid.


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## wgarbo

The "I never thought I'd have" grail purchase: 2015 Audi S4, manual, stage 1 tune. Bought new. To this day I get in and see those 4 rings on the steering wheel and say "Yes!"


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## SolarPower

At the moment it's gold equity investment.


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## d__emerson

Easy one: the best luxury is time off, spent with my family. Nothing else compares.


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## princecheatwood

d__emerson said:


> Easy one: the best luxury is time off, spent with my family. Nothing else compares.


That's the best one I've heard yet!

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## spectre6000

1) Location. Back in 2011, I quit my fancy finance job with the corner office and all the trappings, and my new wife and I picked up everything and moved to the mountains. We live in the vacation destination, and are thus a mindset away from vacation always. We're close enough to Denver for my wife to commute (by choice, mind) to her office in the trendy RiNo district, and 

2) Employment. I'm self-employed working from home. When I want time off to do something, I just do it. I do what I love, and never work as a result.

3) No debt. We have a mortgage payment, a single car payment, and no other debt. 

4) Self-sufficiency. I like machines (i.e. watches) and making things. When I need a tool for a job, I buy it and I buy a good one. My primary tool box is longer than I am tall. I have two shops (mechanical and wood), and an office (electronics and software) on the property. Over the years I've learned a wide range of skills and disciplines, and I'm always looking for another skillset to play with. I can repair just about anything, and make a lot from scratch. I like to play with cars, and nearly every one has paid ME for the pleasure.

5) Dream car. I'm sure some would argue I have a funny set of dreams, but I bought the tippity top spec of the best of breed of the variety car (truck, actually) I decided was the best fit for me after many years of "dating" many many different cars. I love getting in it, and look for excuses to go for a drive at every opportunity. I'm slowly building it up to be even more badass, and loving every mile. My wife has her dream car as well; same approach.

6) Hobbies. George Arents Jr. (famous book collector) said he took up book collecting at the behest of his uncle who advised him to take up many hobbies while he was young, because as he aged life would force him to abandon some. If others were there to fill the void, he'd always have something to live for. My work is sort of a hobby, so that's always fun. I look forward to when I get off work, when I pick up others. On the weekends, there are yet other projects that excite me and occupy my mind throughout the week... I got in a really bad car wreck a few years back, and classic cars sorta... lost their appeal. Fortunately, I've not had any trouble keeping busy and excited for life!

7) Self-awareness. It's pretty simple. Know thyself. You can never be happy if you don't know what it is that makes you happy. Figure that out, and everything else will fall into place.


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## mikemark

Meal delivery services have been the single best luxury.

Grocery delivery is amazing. But meal delivery takes it to the next level.

I personally HATE cooking and cleaning.

So it’s a great way to eat healthy and save time on food prep/cleaning.

There’s a really interesting study on how to spend money. From most to least rewarding it goes:

1. Charity and Gifts
2. Avoiding drudgery
3. Percent experiences
4. Material things

Wife and I traveled the world for 2 years. And it was weird. Just got numb. No experiences would do it anymore.

At that point paying to escape drudgery really increased our quality of life big time.


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## iuniusbrutus

I bought a couple pairs of quality, repairable boots for daily wear. This honestly shouldn't even be a luxury, but the cost is pretty prohibitive. Having some extremely comfortable shoes that fit my goofy feet perfectly and will last for years is impossible to put a price on.


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## elchuckee77

For right now only enjoying time with the family. Both my wife and I have decent incomes but we have 2 kids under 14 and we spent most of our time off enjoying it with our kids. Both kids play club soccer and have both in music lessons so most our money goes to these activities for kids. Here and there will save money for a timepiece.


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## spectre6000

iuniusbrutus said:


> I bought a couple pairs of quality, repairable boots for daily wear. This honestly shouldn't even be a luxury, but the cost is pretty prohibitive. Having some extremely comfortable shoes that fit my goofy feet perfectly and will last for years is impossible to put a price on.


I did this as well at one point. I got a set of Danner boots for doing stuff outside (work and adventure) and a set of Shell Cordovan brogues. You typically get three soles per welt, and three welts per upper by conventional means without any special care, so an expensive pair of repairable shoes can be amortized as 9 pairs if you follow through. The local cobbler (down in Golden) figured out a way to stretch the Danners pretty much until I wear through the uppers (regular oiling should prolong that further). I'll probably have those boots until either I'm done with them or the world is done with me. As for the dress shoes, I've had them resoled once, and the damn guy (different cobbler in NYC) must have been red/green color blind because he polished my #8 Cordovan BROWN! He also changed the color of the sides of the soles to brown. I was livid. He redyed the soles, but the deep rich red is still pretty brown... Eventually, with enough work and wear, they'll be #8 again, but damn...


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## ktg09

1. proper childcare 
2. a nice dinner once a month
3. Not questioning expensive purchases, life is too short to regret things


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## bradbaldwinfitness

I’m with you on meal delivery services. I have an online fitness coaching business but if I have a really busy week then I’ll order meals


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## Atom_99

I agree spend money on vacations when you can take them. 

I think spending money to live close to work is key. Even a 10-15 minute savings each way will dramatically reduce negative energy in your life.


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## horrij1

My wife and I are heading in the opposite direction of the OP, in that when our kids were young we had Lawn service, cleaning service, and other “luxury” services to allow us to Free up our time, and have more time with our kids. I don’t really consider those things “luxury” if it frees up your time, and if you are both working, free time is most likely the most scarce resource. With our kids gone, we are actually finding a renewed pleasure in doing many of those things ourselves again.

As far as the purchase of luxury goods making your life better, I personally don’t think that buying any material good will make your life better, but that is just my opinion. Spending money on personal trainers, personal chefs, nutritionist, private instruction (in things you enjoy), or life coaches will have a MUCH bigger impact on your personal and perhaps even professional well being. Again I am aligning Happiness with personal wellbeing, the enlightenment and/or improvement of your mind, body, or spirit.

I typically don’t provide opinions about material goods, those are very subjective to one’s own personal taste. But Here is one I can’t pass up, Tumi Luggage. Simply put, overpriced junk. I see the parade of corporate wanna-be’s parading their Tumi luggage through the airports, but there are a WHOLE LOT Of better bags out there, at a MUCH more reasonable price. If you love the design, more power to you. They present themselves as a luxury product, but I honestly don’t see it. IF you want a GREAT bag check out TAD Gear or RedOXX, WAY better and more durable / useful bags. FWIW


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## Maverixk

For myself, 

Since I was 19, I knew I shouldnt waste money on crap that would degrade and spoil easily. 

So I hustle and with what I earn, I try to give myself and my wife a comfortable life. 

For luggage and travel, I Use Tumi and Rimowa. 

I rarely carry bags, But when I'm overseas for the easy of convenience, I carry a gucci sling bag ( Gift) 

For small leather goods, I use Louis Vuitton ( Wallets and so on ) 

Belts, ( I wear one everyday for work and being a high wear good, I just buy a cheap one and change the leathers every few months, ( I cant afford to do it with Louis vuitton or Hermes ) 

Travel, I'm young and love to travel, I fly budget everywhere, ( its retarded cause I fly budget and wear an AP, but every dollar saved on the flight, I put towards not worrying about what I spend on during the trip ) 
We stay in Airbnb's and rent cars if we are roadtripping, if in japan we learnt that its better to stay in one city and just use trains, but we dont want to spend too much on hotels where we only spend the night. 

Cars, I live in Singapore, so the minimum I spend on my car is around usd 50-60k, but I buy used and usually grab a continental.


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## AutomaticTime

Im a fairly big guy; 6', 250 lbs. One of the things I really like is flying first class when I fly. If I sit coach I'm rubbing shoulders with people and hating my life the entire time. Paying for first class actually allows me to have a big enough chair to be comfortable in. Theres other perks obviously as well but having a seat that actually fits me matters more than I thought it would.


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## wspohn

When I retired we moved and I got to refurbish the new house the way I wanted to, adding features I had wanted for a long time, including:

- dedicated wine cellar plus cataloguing thousands of bottles, many of which had gone to ground somewhere in the old cellar (cases stacked 6 high etc.)

- custom kitchen designed by myself with premium finishes and appliances

- dedicated library (plus sub libraries for audio, cooking, and wine in their respective areas)

- proper shelving for 4000+ vinyl LPs and a network drive to rip all of my (similar number) CDs to.

- dedicated audio/video room (plus subsidiary systems in three other rooms)

- lockable two car garage

- big chunk of my old garden moved to new place and rationalized

- bought myself a BMW sports car as a retirement present to self (had just sold three other cars to downsize for the move) 

- switched from ties to T shirts!!


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## cowboyjack

When I was working full time... laundry service! Every other week I dropped off a bag and picked up a bag with clean underwear, socks, towels and sheets. Worth every freaking penny!


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## kypt

Lawn service. I hate cutting grass and having someone do it for me saves hours a week where I can be out doing something enjoyable while the weather is nice here.


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## texwatch

Shoes. I tend to buy Allen Edmonds. They have beautifully crafted shoes that can be restored once you wear out the soles. I have pairs of shoes that are over 10 years and been resoled a couple of times. Once you find a good pair you don't want to simply throw them away. When they get recrafted they come back to you and your foot just slips in. No break in period. It's a great feeling.


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## Tekkamaki

The Yacht... no question.....


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## OmegaP99

"Generally in the past few years I've very much tried to use my increased spending power to purchase higher end items that will last much longer or even forever. I hate throwing things away and buying replacements. Examples: Tumi luggage and All Clad cookware."

THis is a major one, always buy the best you can afford, regardless of brand. By that I mean there are many "expensive" brands that don't really represent value such as Breville and Tiffany & Co. 
Buying quality items will last longer and as you said, be cheaper in the long term. Also, they can often be repaired when they do fail, and many luxury items maintain their values and may appreciate over time. I only buy original art or editions, no open ended pieces or posters, and in every case I tend to sell the piece on once it's hit 10x appreciation, which doesn't take long if you buy known artists.


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## wspohn

OmegaP99 said:


> THis is a major one, always buy the best you can afford, regardless of brand. By that I mean there are many "expensive" brands that don't really represent value such as Breville and Tiffany & Co.


And don't buy Montblanc pens when Parker and Waterman give equivalent performance, and never buy Rolex when Omega (for instance) gives the same performance for significantly less money. I other words, if you pay more, make sure it is for performance, not name recognition. Leave that to the guys that shell out megabucks for Cadillac SUVs that are really nothing more than a tarted up Chev Suburbans.


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## watchRus

wspohn said:


> And don't buy Montblanc pens when Parker and Waterman give equivalent performance, and never buy Rolex when Omega (for instance) gives the same performance for significantly less money. I other words, if you pay more, make sure it is for performance, not name recognition. Leave that to the guys that shell out megabucks for Cadillac SUVs that are really nothing more than a tarted up Chev Suburbans.


Recently gifted a Montblanc pen to a graduate, and I can assure you, it looks far better than any Parker. It is not just about the name, but the whole package.


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## wspohn

Either you are looking at the wrong Parkers and Waterman, or for you/him it is at least partially about bling and name recognition..

Alternative pens:
Waterman









Parker


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## watchRus

wspohn said:


> Either you are looking at the wrong Parkers and Waterman, or for you/him it is at least partially about bling and name recognition..
> 
> Alternative pens:
> Waterman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Parker


Here is a stock picture of the one I purchased:


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## Herb53

Fine art. I grew up in a home where art was important and it remains important to me.


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