Guilty Pleasures. Splurges. “Treat yo self.”
*Note – if you haven’t seen the “Treat yo self” video from the show Parks and Recreation, stop, click on the link above, and watch it several times before reading any further. Then proceed to use the phrase generously with friends and loved ones.
I may have been raised by two accountants (and married to an accounting major), but there are certain splurges that I just can’t live without. Some are about saving time (which I learned from my dad) and others just make me feel oh-so-good. Today I’m fessin’ up to habits that aren’t great on the wallet but keep me smiling, and I’m worth it right?
Dry cleaning. I tried to get into hand washing more of my clothes but that lasted about three two one month. Our dry cleaner picks up and delivers to the office. It’s pricey but the convenience factor keeps me coming back week after week.
Manicures and pedicures. I’m not the girl who goes weekly but now that I am ADDICTED to shellac I find myself ducking into a nail salon every two to three weeks to maintain. I am not proud of this recently adopted splurge but I love how much nicer my hands, in particular, look on a weekly basis.
Starbucks. I don’t go daily but once a week (and then at least once on the weekend) you’ll find me pulling through the drive-thru. Cutting out Starbucks is one of the easiest ways, they say, to put a little extra cash back in your checking account. But have you been around me when I am not properly caffeinated? It’s not pretty.
Grocery shopping. Yes, this is a technically a necessity but I overindulge here without question. I don’t clip coupons and I am the WORST grocery store impulse buyer on the planet. A new drink with chia seeds for $5 in the fridge case? Yep, it’s in my cart. I blame it on years of doing PR for consumer goods and natural foods.
House Cleaner. We only get her once a month right now because of our budget but I am trying to find a way to up it to twice monthly (maybe if I cut out shellac manicures?). A clean house makes me giddy. It truly elevates my mood ten-fold and I would grin ear-to-ear if my house smelled like a Pine-Sol explosion every other week.
Before our house purchase, shoes and clothes would have topped this list. I’ve really learned how to restrain myself and overall, am doing a much better job of living within my means. I think much harder about purchases but also refuse to cut corners, because you end up just spending more in the end. Case in point – every time I try to buy cheap workout clothes I am disappointed and end up back at Prana or Lululemon. Those clothes make me feel good and last so much longer.
At least that’s what I tell myself when I am justifying a $50 workout top…
TREAT YO’ SELF!
