Non frugal vice

[JMacDonald]

I buy fresh cut flowers for the house a couple of times a week, and started a season ticket at the Santa Fe Opera.

This year I will add an expensive CPA to do my taxes -- I don't feel obliged to do it myself since the IRS is no longer mailing out forms.

If I wanted to be really extravagant I'd have the flowers delivered.

Hi,
If you really want to spurge on opera tickets. try orchestra or parterre seats at the Met: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ ... perf=11038
I will be at that performance, but with a balcony seat.

[SDBoggled]

Hi,
If you really want to spurge on opera tickets. try orchestra or parterre seats at the Met: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ ... perf=11038
I will be at that performance, but with a balcony seat.

Orchestra Ouchy! Should at least get a second violinist for that.

[TxAg]

I probably spend too much on hunting, but I'm very thrifty otherwise. We don't have much public land in Texas, so we lease land...it's like having a mini vacation anytime I want.

Also, I bought a custom made recurve last month for $600. A dozen arrows was another $100. Anything else hunting related gets bought on sale...at a steep discount.

[Steevo]

Tools.
I never cheap out on tools.
Well, almost never, but when I have bought the cheap tool, I invariably end up also buying the good one when the cheap one fails to do the job.

[John Bailout]

Good single malts - hmmmh

Food - don't believe in minimizing food cost, esp. meat, fish, fresh produce. Prefer to go to Whole Foods or local specialty stores with stellar quality. Nothing nastier then buying a random piece of meat or fish shrink-wrapped on Styrofoam in an anonymous meat display that reeks of chlorine desperately trying to cover the smell rotting meat. I shop with my nose.

Custom shirts - need to wear dress shirts 5-6 days/ week. I don't really fit well into any standard size combination of off the rack stuff. Custom is soo much nicer. Prob. 50% of my shirts are custom, the rest off the rack that I wear when not at work or when in the office and not with customers.

Buy lunches - schedule is very unpredictable, so I always eat out for lunch (cafeteria, sandwich etc)

Help out family members - hence the screen name. Although not really enjoying this so it will not last.

All in this stuff doesn't really move the needle. We save >50% of gross income, so while there is room to save even more, I feel like that is not really necessary.

[OnFire]

My biggest vices all revolve around me being an adrenaline junky. Torn ACL skiing the moguls in Colarado, broken shoulder mountain biking down a volcano in Maui, torn rotator cuff at the fire academy, plantar fascitis from competeing in triathlons. And all the subsequent surgeries, physical therapy, and missed work.

Traveling, SCUBA diving in Cozumel, the Keys, Hawaii, and San Diego. All part of my love of adventure. Most of that is gone now that I'm married and had kids.

But I can't get days at the racetrack in my BMW 335i out of my system.

I swear I am a Boglehead. Just not as hardcore as I should be.

[Christine_NM]

If you really want to spurge on opera tickets. try orchestra or parterre seats at the Met: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ ... perf=11038
I will be at that performance, but with a balcony seat.

I will be listening to that performance on the radio at home.

My real splurge was to buy an orchestra season ticket and stay overnight in Santa Fe rather than drive back late.

[Balance]

Good quality food and vacations.

[Bulldawg]

GA Football games

Summer and Fall travel baseball league for my son

[Padlin]

Expensive cigars, fishing gear, and my home theater that I'm too cheap to pay cable for.

[jbdiver]

Underwater photography and music synths. Both would probably qualify for coverage as part of an addition treatment program.

[modal]

10+ years ago I had an addiction to music producing gear (computer, samplers, synthesizers, recording/sequencing software, effects, mixers, studio monitors, etc).

[JupiterJones]

We splurge on the arts: Season tickets to the symphony (which is excellent here, btw), season tickets to the opera, memberships at our local museum and our local art-house cinema. Toss in a few musicals when a good touring production comes to town.

Booze-wise, we're willing to be frugal on daily drinkers. But we'll happily cough up the dough for a good bottle of wine or whisk(e)y when the occassion merits it.

I used to have an expensive flying habit, but have had to prioritize that a bit lower these past few years. Once I renew my medical, I'll probably start tossing money down that hole again. 8)

Never cheap out on the three T's: toilet paper, tampons, and tools.

JJ

[nhdblfan]

Fine gun collection (although it does seem to more then keep up with the S&P as long as I buy right) and few expensive watches,love my Prez and Sub,even have the wife convinced to join in.

[Sam I Am]

Message deleted.

[Sriracha]

Another + on kitchen stuff and even the vitamix blender. I've had the thing for almost eight years and can puree just about anything without overheating. Fantasically smooth soups and sauces that you'd swear contain copious quantities of cream without using a drop.

Food, too. I'm happy to buy some stuff in bulk at Costco or wherever to save cash, but for me food is like data to a scientist ... garbage in, garbage out.

Wine, too, sometimes. Happy to keep the frequently consumed stuff under $15/bottle, but recently haven't felt I needed special dispensation from a higher power in order to buy something better and more costly when the occasion merits it.

[jeff1949]

I paid $550 for our Saeco automatic coffee machine, but after a few years of making each cup to order, the cost/cup just isn't that much. Between my wife and I, we brew 5 cups of coffee every day, each made when we want it, the beans freshly ground.

In fact, I'm going to make a cup right now!

Life is way too short to drink crappy coffee!

Sam I Am

We have a Saeco also but it sounds like you got a better deal. Our machine was on sale through Costco online but was still $850 (ouch). Agree with everything you say about paying for itself and all the enjoyment we have received from it.

[Sheepdog]

Non frugal vice?
Occasional best steak or best lobster in the best, most expensive restaurant with a more expensive (but not the most expensive) wine after a name brand manhattan start. If the bill for two is not well over $100, I would feel letdown.

Season tickets at the symphony with the best orchestra seats. Season tickets at the Indy Colts and at the local university show series. Always buy the best seats available for ballet, opera, and plays several times a year in Indy and Chicago.
Other than those, I am cheap. I buy used cars and keep for years. I shop at Aldi's for groceries and look for bargain prices on almost everything else and buy only when necessary.

[upsydaisy]

Like many others, travel is a big one for us, but I don't see it fully as a vice as most of our family lives in Europe, so it's almost essential to ensure the kids have a relationship with their grandparents and cousins!

The other big one for us is food. Before the kids, that meant nice dinners out at michelin starred restaurants, now it means the occasional expensive gadget (I just got my first sous vide machine!). Compared to what I see some of our neighbors get (expensive luxury cars on credit, golf club memberships they barely use), I think we're doing ok.

[jmg229]

For us it is food and drink (especially coffee and beer/bourbon). We're coupon clippers and always looking for the best deal, but we still want to eat healthy and will pay for that as well as the occasional nice dinner. We don't go out often, but when we do, it's always something we really enjoy and are willing to pay a bit extra for.

I second the thought on splurging on camping gear. This is one area where I look at it as an investment that pays off given the fact that we camp quite a bit in situations that are not always kind on our equipment.

This mentality really aligns with our goals of not acquiring stuff and trying to minimize waste. If we had the option of a piece or equipment that was $50 and would last 1 exactly year versus one that was $200 (or even a little bit more expensive) and would last a guaranteed 4 years, but were otherwise identical, we'd go with the more expensive one from a sustainability perspective.

[TomatoTomahto]

The kids' hockey gear - its all pretty expensive, but I had no idea how much it would cost for my daughter to switch from playing D to goalie. But, better safe than sorry. Offset to my daughter is my son, who told me his old stick was fine, even though he had grown 4 inches since buying it (hockey sticks are sized relative to the player's size).

Can't have the kids playing hockey and not take photos. Ice rinks are relatively dark and hockey moves quickly, so need fast glass and high ISO camera. I have so far resisted replacing my Nikon D700 with a D4 (trying to be sensible, trying to be sensible, trying ...)

Travel

Espresso machine, beans, etc. - agree with the sentiment previously stated that life with crappy coffee doesn't make sense

I can't attend as many pro hockey games as Default User BR, so I have a DVR to record games and a 70" HDTV to watch them on. I used to have a 110" screen with an overhead projector, but that was a PITA and I sold it on eBay.

It's not my vice, but my DW likes expensive cars.

Private school for the kids.

Am I going to be thrown off this site for non-frugal behavior?

[FlyingMoose]

$5,000 wristwatches...

[terpfan122]

the upcoming arrival of my 2012 F150 FX4


and of course, Beer

[Juniormint]

Concerts, food, and "experiences."

Experiences like swimming with dolphins, scuba-diving lessons, tennis, camping, sky-diving.

[VictoriaF]

I rent. The price of not having to deal with the ownership is worth it for me.

Victoria

[Petrocelli]

I think people are unclear on what a "vice" is.

If you are a ham radio operator, or amateur florist, that is not a vice.

If you like really good wine, or you take a yearly junket to the Chicken Ranch, that's a vice.

My vice: Gambling. I like to play poker, fantasy football, and fantasy basketball for money. This year, I've won about $4,000 so far.

Edit: Things that Bogleheads consider vices: I drive a Mercedes, belong to a country club, wear a $98 watch, and call directory assistance for numbers I could easily look up myself.

[Sam I Am]

Message deleted.

[blaugranamd]

Good booze and beach vacations. Granted, we do the latter as cheap as possible (drive down, eat in, etc.) but we like to stay in a decent place right on the beach.

Ditto:
Vices are definitely scotch, beer, and food. I can't help it, my tongue is my master.

Don't got cheap on: scotch or beer.

[terpfan122]

Nuttin like a good single malt followed later by a dark red ale or an IPA

[femtoman]

Flying is my expensive hobby... I budget for it and made myself wait until I was out of debt (debt was for a car) before starting lessons. I got my license two years ago. Now I save year round so I can fly about every other week during the nice warmer months.

What not to skimp out on.. well, flying instruction . I don't fly much during the winter and I go up with an instructor a couple times at the start of spring/summer to make sure I'm safe and current.

[investor.saver1]

Golf equipment. Can't seem to find the perfect clubs but I'm trying. And of course...training aids in my attempt to improve. It all adds up!

Am I the only golfer on the board?

[Petrocelli]

Golf equipment. Can't seem to find the perfect clubs but I'm trying. And of course...training aids in my attempt to improve. It all adds up!

Am I the only golfer on the board?

Nope. I play every weekend. We play teams/skins for 25 cents a hole. (I won $1.25 last week.)

I started golfing late in life. I went from a 36 index to 18.4 today.

However, exercise cannot be a vice.

[norookie]

[sunnyday]

Not really a vice, but along the lines of where not to go cheap on:

Healthy living:
I spend a bunch on healthy foods and fitness activities -- bikes, paddleboards, tennis gear, sports leagues. Cool thing about it, is that it will likely have a much better ROI when I'm older than my portfolio

[mslaw]

So non frugal vice - boat 1, boat 2, and boat toys.

Not cheap on- easy answer - spouse!

[Petrocelli]

Not really a vice, but along the lines of where not to go cheap on:

Healthy living:
I spend a bunch on healthy foods and fitness activities -- bikes, paddleboards, tennis gear, sports leagues. Cool thing about it, is that it will likely have a much better ROI when I'm older than my portfolio

I think we need a defintion of vice.

"1. an immoral or evil habit or practice. Synonyms: fault, failing, foible, weakness. Antonyms: virtue.
2. immoral conduct; depraved or degrading behavior: a life of vice. Synonyms: depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, corruption. Antonyms: virtue, morality.
3. sexual immorality, especially prostitution. Synonyms: wantonness, degeneracy, licentiousness.
4. a particular form of depravity.
5. a fault, defect, or shortcoming: a minor vice in his literary style. Synonyms: flaw, blemish, imperfection, foible, weakness."

Healthy foods and fitness activities are not vices -- unless you dine with hookers, and smoke meth while exercising.

[Petrocelli]

Golf ... is that a vice? I'd suggest something one cannot afford, but constantly indulges in might be considered a vice. Be it expensive jewelry, or a supplying a eating disorder with a fridge you can barely close because its so full . I think it's a personal issue. I think "disorder" and financially burdensome are the key terms here. JMO

Golf is not a vice, unless you take Mulligans.

[sunnyday]

Not really a vice, but along the lines of where not to go cheap on:

Healthy living:
I spend a bunch on healthy foods and fitness activities -- bikes, paddleboards, tennis gear, sports leagues. Cool thing about it, is that it will likely have a much better ROI when I'm older than my portfolio

I think we need a defintion of vice.

The OP aslo asked "Also any buying advice where going cheap is NOT a good value? " so my response was towards that. That's why I said "not really a vice but along the lines of where not to go cheap on"

Notice that the OP also listed Saran wrap as something not to go cheap on

[Sunny Sarkar]

Comedy clubs. I love stand up comedy - the tickets and food add up, but great fun!

[Mrs.Feeley]

When everyone in the house is asleep I go to the grocery store, buy junk food, pulp novels, and Starbuck's mocha in pricey little bottles.

[gofigure]

It would have to be groceries...it's by far the largest monthly expense and we rarely look at prices when we shop. We eat fish about 2x per week, lots of fresh fruits and veg, we both enjoy imported cheeses of all varieties, expensive coffee, even the cats eat high on the hog.

[l2ridehd]

Wine, golf and motorcycles.

[SnapShots]

Creative photography is my passion and some travel gets you where the photos are.

Photography buffs check out LensBaby.com. And the ultra wide angle lens - 11-16mm - made by Tokina. Better than Nikon and cheaper.

With digital photography comes expensive PhotoShop software and computers. (Find - a student elementary through college - and you can buy PS and Light Room cheap!) Learn how to use the software at Lynda.com - online learning - Five Stars!

Oh! I forgot about our dirt bikes. Gas is cheap and they're paid for. DH works on them.

I wanna be frugal

[Petrocelli]

I will come back to a point I made not-so-artfully before.

Spending money is not a vice. Money is meant to be spent.

As an example, I spend many thousands of dollars a year on golf. Yet, regardless of how much money I spend, golf itself is not a vice. Indeed, I don't see how exercise can ever be a vice.

In contrast, when I am in Vegas at a poker table at 4 in the morning, bleary eyed, and on my 10th gin and tonic, I realize that's a vice.

Am I missing something, or have the Bogleheads now deemed spending money on hobbies a "vice"?

[TomatoTomahto]

Petrocelli,

I'm not the OP, but I think the emphasis in the title is on the non-frugal rather than vice. I guess it's the self-indulgent component that makes it feel a little like a vice.

[Petrocelli]

If that's the case, my vice is over-tipping for pizza delivery.

[foxfirev5]

Lake House with two boats. Fun but not very Bogleheadish. I did sell one boat which is getting me closer in line.

[John151]

DVDs. Why rent when you can buy? I've got about five hundred.

P.S. I no longer need HBO, Cinemax, or Showtime, so I cancelled them. Does that make my non-frugal vice frugal?

[Jake46]

Tipping pizza delivery guys.

[nonnie]

California

Brilliant! +1