Last weekend I enjoyed my annual mountain getaway with girlfriends. As we were forced to find different accommodations this year we decided to splurge.
While we’re grateful for the borrowed chalet we’ve used for many years, in retrospect it came with a few downsides. We got used to having one small bathroom, a shortage of real beds, and worst of all – cleaning the place top to bottom before departure. Ugghhh!
This year we enjoyed luxurious bathrooms, king size beds, two balconies, room service, as well as complimentary wine and chocolates. Yes!
While it’s important to live within our means, it’s also important to cut loose, be indulgent and feel special now and then.
What less than ideal situation have you gotten used to? When was the last time you spent a little more on yourself? Are you waiting to have extra money? If you’re highly practical and thrifty, it might never feel like there’s enough extra. You might just have to spend some anyway. You can never get all the work done either, but at some point you need to stop working and go to bed. Let it go and take a break.
10 ways to splurge for different budgets
1. Send yourself flowers.
2. Hire a service for something you normally do yourself.
3. Plan a weekend getaway.
4. Enjoy a spa treatment.
5. Buy a quality article of clothing that is normally out of your budget.
6. Pass up the no-name brand at the grocery store for the best brand.
7. Buy a hardcover book, even if paperback is available.
8. Choose great seats for a concert or sporting event if you typically get the cheap seats.
9. If you normally choose three or four star accommodation, go for four or five stars.
10. Skip Netflix for the theatre.
Let your imagination soar. What would feel special to you?
I must admit, I have some difficulty parting with my money. That must be why my peeps pressured me into buying a pair of pants this weekend. I wouldn’t have even tried them on, based on price. And I love them – the pants and the peeps.
Why is it important to splurge now and then? Though it’s hardly a panacea for perpetual joy, a little splurge is important because it makes you feel good, important, or special, even if just for a short time.
Whatever you call it, splurging, celebrating, treating or rewarding, it’s useful to recognize milestones, a hard day, or just because. It doesn’t need to be food or drink, which is often the first thing we think of. There are unlimited ways to bring about good feelings. You get to decide what investment the moment warrants. You’re worth it. So live a little. It’s good for you.