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Aside from bling, what's your "big ticket vice?" Part 2

Big ticket? Nothing is quite as big ticket as my passion for jewelry. Maybe travel, but that's something that's enjoyed by all members of my family so I don't think of it as big ticket....plus we are not luxury travelers. We usually stay at middle to upper-middle range hotels (Hyatts and Marriots....no Ritzes or Fairmonts for us!!), and we only fly coach.

We do go out for fine dining about once every 5-6 weeks (outdoors only these days!), so maybe dining out qualifies as big ticket.

I used to be into designer bags but completely lost my hunger for that about 8 years ago. In the late aughts I went through an Isabel Marant phase that lasted 3-4 years but that faded too.

My love for jewelry has never waned and I expect it to plague me for the rest of my life!
 
It used to be handbags and makeup but I think I am permanently satiated on them now. I maintain my collection and haven’t bought anything new in years.

In the last couple of years, my other vice has been Kpop. I have a buy-digital-only policy but I don’t know why I have a glass cabinet that has mysteriously filled up with albums and merchandise. If not for Covid, I might be tempted to fly to Korea for concerts and spend even more money.
 
Bags would have to be my number two vice after jewelry. I am an absolute sucker for the designer label when it comes to handbags so each bag is painstakingly saved up for and I treat my bags with utmost care. My collection is still kind of small, but it’s reasonably well thought out.

A third would be scarves, which I truly love.
 
lilmosun said:
Admittedly. that's where my money goes. Live shows (concerts and theatre)...not just Springsteen but when he tours, it is not uncommon for me to see a dozen shows many of which include travel with friends.
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you are so lucky :appl:
 
Anything related to fashion. Clothes, shoes, bags, accessories etc...
 
I think mine might be coffee (small cost but it adds up as I consume/order a couple of cups a day), my husband's is travel so we used to spend on that as well.
 
I am not sure I view any of our expenditures as vices but here's what we spent/spend money on that is expensive.

Past:
Before 2010 we spent a fortune on eating out and traveling.
We are foodies and we loved eating at the best restaurants.
We spent over a decade eating at the finest places at least three times weekly.
Per Se, Bouley, Le Bernardin, Masa, etc.
And we traveled several times a year to beautiful places.
Wonderful memories all of them.

Present:
Now we spend the money on good food but cooking and eating it at home.
It's pricey to eat well so yeah when I look at our grocery bills I wince but it is worth it. I don't think it's a vice though.

Maintaining our two homes is pretty expensive given our property taxes at the shore and maintenance charges in NYC.

Cycling is an expensive hobby that is worth every penny.

Taking care of the ferals adds up but again completely worth it.

We give substantial donations to organizations we want to support.
Mainly animal organizations but we have a few people organizations in the mix.
Not a vice though but I don't feel any of what we spend money on is considered a vice. IMO.

Other than that no "big ticket vices" for me.
I love boots and clothes but I don't really spend a lot on those as I love bargains.
I am not into designer anything so that saves us money.
And I am low maintenance. I rarely get my hair cut, I never get it colored and I never get pampering services like massages or manicures or pedicures etc. It's just not my thing. So no money spent there.
Greg used to collect watches but hasn't for many years.

Everything we spend money on IMO is well worth it and I wouldn't change a thing.

I don't even miss eating at the fancy restaurants (or even eating out in the past 2 years).
It was fun when we were eating out 3 times a week at the best restaurants but honestly I was tired of it and am much more of a homebody now. I almost don't recognize the life we led before. But it was fun at the time. And when it stopped being fun we stopped.

That is basically our philosophy with money. My DH struggled when he was a student living like a pauper and when he graduated he said that's it. No more. And he enjoys life and money is a means to an end not the other way around. And so I adopted his philosophy for the most part and we use our money to do things we enjoy and help causes we believe strongly in and that's how we live our life.


"Wealth is a means to an end, not the end itself. As a synonym for health and happiness, it has had a fair trial and failed dismally. John Galsworthy."
 
missy said:
I am not sure I view any of our expenditures as vices but here's what we spent/spend money on that is expensive.

Past:
Before 2010 we spent a fortune on eating out and traveling.
We are foodies and we loved eating at the best restaurants.
We spent over a decade eating at the finest places at least three times weekly.
Per Se, Bouley, Le Bernardin, Masa, etc.
And we traveled several times a year to beautiful places.
Wonderful memories all of them.

Present:
Now we spend the money on good food but cooking and eating it at home.
It's pricey to eat well so yeah when I look at our grocery bills I wince but it is worth it. I don't think it's a vice though.

Maintaining our two homes is pretty expensive given our property taxes at the shore and maintenance charges in NYC.

Cycling is an expensive hobby that is worth every penny.

Taking care of the ferals adds up but again completely worth it.

We give substantial donations to organizations we want to support.
Mainly animal organizations but we have a few people organizations in the mix.
Not a vice though but I don't feel any of what we spend money on is considered a vice. IMO.

Other than that no "big ticket vices" for me.
I love boots and clothes but I don't really spend a lot on those as I love bargains.
I am not into designer anything so that saves us money.
And I am low maintenance. I rarely get my hair cut, I never get it colored and I never get pampering services like massages or manicures or pedicures etc. It's just not my thing. So no money spent there.
Greg used to collect watches but hasn't for many years.

Everything we spend money on IMO is well worth it and I wouldn't change a thing.

I don't even miss eating at the fancy restaurants (or even eating out in the past 2 years).
It was fun when we were eating out 3 times a week at the best restaurants but honestly I was tired of it and am much more of a homebody now. I almost don't recognize the life we led before. But it was fun at the time. And when it stopped being fun we stopped.

That is basically our philosophy with money. My DH struggled when he was a student living like a pauper and when he graduated he said that's it. No more. And he enjoys life and money is a means to an end not the other way around. And so I adopted his philosophy for the most part and we use our money to do things we enjoy and help causes we believe strongly in and that's how we live our life.


"Wealth is a means to an end, not the end itself. As a synonym for health and happiness, it has had a fair trial and failed dismally. John Galsworthy."
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I love this missy- but all that stood out to me was: omg no massages??? Nothing quite like a good massage!
 
diamondyes said:
I love this missy- but all that stood out to me was: omg no massages??? Nothing quite like a good massage!
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Hahaha none that I have to pay for…8)
 
Jewelry is my largest discretionary spend by far.

I'm not into bags, clothes, shoes, etc.

I like travel, but do it in a way that is usually pretty budget savvy for the most part. We have not done much of that in a few years.

I was thinking that this year, maybe whenever I want to buy a discretionary item of any nature, I instead save the money. I don't think I'd last long...
 
Mine would be art classes and pottery (and supplies) in particular. Not hugely spendy but it's the one thing I buy for myself and hand over my card while trying not to look at the cost.
 
I don’t have any other expensive hobbies, thankfully!

I could easily see photography getting up there but I’ve made a point to stay away from fancy lenses - I don’t want to get sucked in!! Instead I take great pride and pleasure in inverting cost-per-shoot - the skimpier the setup, the less ostentatious the camera, the more I prize a fantastic photo :bigsmile: And I have to say that doing it this way has made me learn a LOT about how my cameras work and think - and has also made me very opportunistic about finding props and filter substitutes ❤️
 
diamondyes said:
I love this missy- but all that stood out to me was: omg no massages??? Nothing quite like a good massage!
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I have NEVER had a massage in my entire life. I'd probably punch out the masseuse (I'm super ticklish) and dislike physical touch from a stranger. That is why I don't get mani/pedis or spa treatments. Can tolerate a haircut a couple times a year, and that is the extent of having a stranger touch any part of me.
 
Handbags and accessories and food. I’m such a foodie and all these home food delivery services have made it so easy for me to order (DoorDash, Grubhub…). I’ve been ordering a lot lately.
 
jaysonsmom said:
I have NEVER had a massage in my entire life. I'd probably punch out the masseuse (I'm super ticklish) and dislike physical touch from a stranger. That is why I don't get mani/pedis or spa treatments. Can tolerate a haircut a couple times a year, and that is the extent of having a stranger touch any part of me.
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Omg. This. Is. Me.
 
Begonia said:
A decent haircut every 2 months, and Cowichan sweaters. I adore them. I rehabilitate and wear them 7 months of the year. Pic of my latest one.
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I never knew these sweaters had a name and history!
 
lambskin said:
I never knew these sweaters had a name and history!
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There are a lot of rip offs, but true Cowichans have a label with a serial number. Many of the tags in older sweaters have been removed, but there are other ways to try to identify true Cowichans. I find them wearable artwork, and I'm a bit obsessed LOL.
 
Begonia said:
There are a lot of rip offs, but true Cowichans have a label with a serial number. Many of the tags in older sweaters have been removed, but there are other ways to try to identify true Cowichans. I find them wearable artwork, and I'm a bit obsessed LOL.
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How do you rehab them? I had one and it was so yellowed with age it didn’t look great. I donated it.
 
diamondyes said:
How do you rehab them? I had one and it was so yellowed with age it didn’t look great. I donated it.
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I handwash with lanolin soap, and then soak in warm lanolin water for a while. A lot of wool is dried out from being machine washed, with laundry detergent. The wool gets conditioned and the colors deepen with a good lanolin soak. I'll spot treat any stains, then use towels to remove the water and block to keep the shape, or to stretch them a bit if they're too small.

After air drying for several days, I'll darn or repair any holes, and repair cuffs. Cuffs take a lot of wear.

Then I'll depill. I love cutting pills off. If the sweater has felted badly, I try to remove a bit of the felt. On average, I'll depill for around 8 hours. I find it very meditative. Weird, I know, but it's how I roll.

I find it very rewarding to rehabilitate 30, 40 or 50 year old sweaters, and can recognize some of the knitters by their work.
 
Begonia said:
I handwash with lanolin soap, and then soak in warm lanolin water for a while. A lot of wool is dried out from being machine washed, with laundry detergent. The wool gets conditioned and the colors deepen with a good lanolin soak. I'll spot treat any stains, then use towels to remove the water and block to keep the shape, or to stretch them a bit if they're too small.

After air drying for several days, I'll darn or repair any holes, and repair cuffs. Cuffs take a lot of wear.

Then I'll depill. I love cutting pills off. If the sweater has felted badly, I try to remove a bit of the felt. On average, I'll depill for around 8 hours. I find it very meditative. Weird, I know, but it's how I roll.

I find it very rewarding to rehabilitate 30, 40 or 50 year old sweaters, and can recognize some of the knitters by their work.
Click to expand...

What a cool hobby! Thanks for sharing
 
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