How to Afford to Splurge {and still save!}
When you are someone who has a tight financial situation, you may think it is impossible to ever splurge on anything. The idea is to trick yourself into thinking you are doing it and to make a plan for it. Here are some tips to be able to afford a splurge now and then and still maintain your budget.
How to Afford to Splurge
Save your change in a jar. Even adults can benefit from a piggy bank. You won’t really feel the sting of saving money if you are on a tight budget. When the jar is full, cash it in and use it to splurge on something fun.
Go on “cheap” spending sprees. Often, just the idea of shopping for fun can be what we are wanting to do in order to satisfy our spending habit. This can be satisfied by spending little and getting a lot at places like thrift stores or dollar stores. Set a limit on spending such as $20 and stick with places that allow you to get a lot for this small amount.
Budget for it. If you know you enjoy shopping for fun, budget for it. Just like budgeting for your other bills, set aside money out of each paycheck for the splurging. This way, it is already accounted for and considered an expense.
Splurge on things that make sense. In other words, make priorities for the things you should splurge on that make sense to spend more on. For instance, if you use something frequently, it makes sense to buy a better quality item because it will be a practical way to spend the way you want and have it be worth the money. Know what doesn’t need to be bought in an expensive manner and stop splurging there.
“Pretend” to splurge. In other words, buy things that you consider luxury items or services that you get for much cheaper. One example of this tactic is if you like getting your hair professionally colored and your nails professionally done, don’t go to the salon. Instead, go to the beauty college or buy a groupon for a good deal. You don’t have to pay full price in order to feel like you are treating yourself.
Reduce expenses in other areas of your life. If you really feel like splurging is important to you once in a while, get rid of less important things you pay for in your life that might be extras. In other words, make room in your budget to splurge by getting rid of things like eating out, cable TV or other things that are not as important to you.
“Splurge” with coupons. If the idea of splurging is just buying brand name products instead of generic ones, try couponing. Not only can you get many of the band name products you crave for low cost, you can often get them for free. Plus, this gives you a chance to try brand name products you never thought you could afford to splurge on for low cost.
Only use cash. Using credit to splurge is never a good idea. It sets you up for paying more than you intended because of interest and spending more because it is harder to see in concrete terms how much you are spending.
What do you think about these tips? Do you love to splurge?
**************Tell me one thing that you’ve splurged on in the last 6 months?**********
I always splurge with coupons! How else would I have a bathroom full of Nivea products?! lol Great article!
I love to splurge on myself when ever I have a chance- I deserve it for all the hard work I do! I gather up coupons and hit my local mall.
We fall into the tight budget category. We have an app that coordinates both me and my husbands purchases. We live as tight as we can and anything “leftover” we can use as fun money. It is great for small splurges!
I guess the way we splurge is when things that are going to be around for a long time. The most recent one was a gorgeous entertainment hutch we bought when we moved.
We ‘splurge’ by buying things at yard sales or thrift stores. Why pay retail when you can find new ones for 10% of the price!
I splurge all the time. I figure that I work hard for my money and can’t take it with me, so why not?
Great tips. I have dishes all over the house where I collect coins. I just took them to the bank and I had over $100. We wound up splurging by going out for a family dinner & ice cream!
I love to splurge at thrift stores! Coming home with an armload of clothes for $20 bucks… that’s my kinda shopping!
I love thrifting!
We are really good on the saving and not so good on the splurging. Our recent splurge was a big one, though….we took our family of 6 to Disneyland.
Now that is a fun way to splurge!
I do splurge with coupons! Haha! Even if I’m splurging, I do it as cheap as I can. I don’t splurge too often, but when I do it sure does feel good!
These are really great tips. I do have to admit, I love to splurge!
I’m really not one for splurging. I’m usually pretty practical, and shop for necessities first, then if anything is left spend it on my boys.
I do like to splurge every now and again. I just make sure it’s within reason.
And that’s the best way to do it!
All great ways to feel like you are treating yourself every once in a while.
These are good tips. My hubby always puts his change in a big container and then cashes it in every so often. He’s done that for as long as I’ve known him. 🙂
I love your tips! Just because you are on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t plan to have fun or be extravagant!
These are great tips. Splurging with coupons is a great way to guilt free splurge!
Yup, I’m a couponer. I have a giant closet full of products I could not afford if it weren’t for coupons!
I need to splurge more often. I do use coupons to help save though.
Great ideas! There are a few things I love to splurge on, but I’m trying to cut back.
These are some great tips for splurging responsibly – coupons are my BFF! Love saving when I splurge. 🙂
I use my coupons all the time to help me save. Then when I splurge, it doesn’t hurt my wallet! Great tips
The hubs and I are working on not splurging so much! Figure out the priorities and save for it!
These are great tips! I save change in a miniature hat box LOL
These are great tips! Makes me feel better about shopping! LOL!
I try to use coupons whenever I get the things I want.
Great tips for economical splurging! I usually splurge at the sales.
I love the idea of splurging with a small amount of money. I am really good at saving as much as I can.
I’m working on a cash system now. It is so hard to track my spending!
My husband and I save all of our change- we then bet on how much it is and whoever got the closest gets to use the $$ to splurge on something just for them!