I wouldn’t call myself extremely frugal, but for as long as I can remember I’ve been pretty conservative with my money. I would always try to save as much as possible and even as my income — and after I got married, my husband’s and my incomes — grew, I refused to spend a lot more money. I like to look nice but I rarely buy full-priced clothes, opting instead to find awesome bargains, even if it takes a while. Even when we lived in New York and were surrounded by endless awesome restaurant options, my husband and I chose to eat in a lot more than eat out. I’ve never been big on famous brands and I am sure a few of my friends still remember my claim that there can’t be enough difference between $50 jeans and $150 jeans to make the money worth it.

I am sure my attitude towards money has something to do with how I grew up - first in the Soviet Union, where no one had much money and then as an immigrant in the US, where our family built a life from literally nothing, including living on food stamps and welfare for a while after we got here. I’ll go as far as to say that in many ways I am thankful for having had this background because it’s taught me to be very smart about managing my money. But everything is good in moderation and in the past few years I’ve realized that always trying to save money might not be the smartest idea — there are a few things that might be worth a few extra bucks. This is not an exhaustive list, but I thought I’d share:

Great jeans. Yep, I am going on the record here against my earlier proclamation that there is no difference between $50 and $150 jeans. There is. A big one. Not to say that you need $150 jeans. But if you can swing one pair, it’s worth the investment in my not-so humble opinion. (My favorites? Honey by Joe’s.)

Fresh, unprocessed food. Fresh, organic, high-quality ingredients are more expensive, that’s just the deal. But they are worth it and they are an investment in your health. I still cringe when I see the price of the organic salmon we’re buying, but I know it’s the right decision.

Good shoes. I ignored this advice for years. One great pair, even if pricey, is worth five cheap ones that don’t look, feel or hold up well.

A meal out with my family. I cook a lot and I’m a big proponent of eating home-cooked meals. It’s less expensive and healthier. But you know what? It’s such an awesome break to go out to eat as a family. I loved Lylah’s take on this.

One thing, just for you, that makes you insanely happy. I love crazy weird unique funky rings. It’s my thing. Seeing them on my fingers makes me giddy. I used to see all these awesome rings and never buy one because I couldn’t justify the expense. But I don’t need a ton and I don’t buy them often and I’ve learned that a few splurges here and there are not a crime.

So, now it’s your turn: What are some things that you feel are worth spending a bit more money on?

Subscribe to blog via RSS