As much as I love saving money, there are a few things in life that I believe are worth spending money on. Most of the time I’m more than happy to buy generic products or forgo buying something altogether, but when it comes to a few areas in my life, quality services and products are non- negotiable and here’s why.
Skin care products
Since I was a teen I have struggled with various skin issues. Acne as a teen, sever pregnancy-induced rosacea as an adult and still, as a non-pregnant adult, oily acne prone skin is still present. I can’t even begin to tabulate what I’ve spend on internal and external products looking to help me with my skin issues, almost always being dictated by the bottom dollar.
In the last while though I have started paying more attention to quality products instead of just how much they cost and have noticed a huge difference in my skin. I’m not spending hundreds of dollars or anything, but my $40 cream and $25 facewash is about 5x what I was spending on my cheap stuff which I used for years. It didn’t take long to convince me that spending the money is well worth it.
Bedding
Have you ever slept in a bed with crappy bedding? The kind of bedding that can actually keep you awake because it’s rough and scratchy or doesn’t stay on the bed and rolls up around you? It’s incredibly annoying and considering how much time we spend in bed, quality bedding is worth it!
Quality bedding doesn’t have to cost boatloads of money though. Sure you could easily spend $500 on a nice sheet set but when you can buy name brand sets at discount department stores, why would you? Stores like Marshalls and Winners sell name brand bedding at a fraction of the cost. Just this past summer I bought new sheets which originally retailed for $199.00 for the set, I paid $69.00. While I could get cheap generic sheets at Walmart for probably half the price it’s just not worth wasting the money.
Vacations
Vacations and time away are important to our family. We enjoy spending time together and making memories during our new experiences. We make sure we have the funds to enjoy a little time away every year. It doesn’t mean we’re going on international excursions every year though. Some of our best memories have been from quick road trips not far from home. While we’re working on major financial goals (for us right now it’s debt repayment), lavish vacations aren’t an option but we still make sure we have some money in our budget for something, even if it’s a quick weekend away. Vacations as a whole though are an expense we prioritize and when we do plan a getaway (even if it’s a camping trip) we make sure we don’t leave ourselves feeling short and enjoy time away. Here are 7 great tips to save money on vacation.
This list has changed drastically for me over the years. It wasn’t that long ago that I would have included hair cut and color, something I used to do religiously every six to eight weeks. I stopped doing it when funds were short while I was on maternity leave, I found a cheaper haircut option and let my natural color come back, four years later and I still don’t miss spending the money.
We all have different priorities and I try my hardest not to judge how anyone does or doesn’t spend their money what is important to me may not be for another person.
What are areas that you don’t mind spending a little more on?
Catherine is a first time momma to a rambunctious toddler. When she isn’t soaking up all that motherhood has to offer, you can find her blogging over at Plunged in Debt where she chronicles her and her husbands journey out of debt. You can also follow her on Twitter.
