Daria

Five Frugal Things and a few Splurgy Things

I am a cheapskate when it comes to these five things:

I rarely buy coffee. I make my instant coffee in a travel mug and I take it with me.

I always bring a packed lunch to work.

I never get takeout on my own accord. We order takeout only via the initiative of my husband.

I scrimp on heat. I would like the thermostat to stay nice and low (a point of great contention in my marriage).

I gawk at credit card yearly fees. I don’t have credit cards with fees but my husband does. He swore that it is worth it to him.

We waste very little food. Thanks, Soviet childhood.

I never buy books opting for my library instead and their Libby app.

Okay, that was more than five.

I am a spend drift when it comes to:

Travel. I love adventure and I love exploring.

Stock market shares. I am one of those people that is always buying, especially as the market is slowly going down, for example, this week.

Kids’ activities. Just as expensive as the above mentioned index fund shares. Nevertheless, I happily keep paying for them. Irrational rationale: I’ve never had these experiences when I was a kid so my kids will have them.

Clothes. Many of you have seen my closet and how small it is. I do not own a lot of items. But when I purchase a piece of clothing or shoes, I tend to keep them for a quite a while. Example: my Thursday boots and my Blondo boots have been re-soled.

I’d like to know: what do you happily spend on, and in what areas are you a tightwad?

Pic: a beautiful photo of the sunset I saw today.

This month I am participating in #NaBloPoMo2025. A running list of participants can be found on San’s NaBloPoMo p a ge as well as more information about this lovely initiative on this NaBloPoMo p a ge.

Posted by:

Daria

Mother, teacher, partner, friend. I love coffee, books, and travel with and without kids. I dislike exercise. Nothing glamorous here but do have moments of insight.

18 responses to “Five Frugal Things and a few Splurgy Things”

Tierney8

November 5, 2025

I love the Libby app! So convenient and definitely a cost-saver. I, too, spend a lot on travel…not really on airfare or even hotels but daily expenses do add up especially when there are still back home costs too!

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Sarah

November 5, 2025

I also pack my lunch on the regular, and I also spend a lot on kid activities.

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1. Daria
  
  November 9, 2025
  
  Kids activities are expensive aren’t they?..
  
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Sue Peterson, MA

November 5, 2025

I tend to spend money on coffee out. Not every day, but at least once or twice a week. I love coffee out. For frugality, I hate spending money on furniture. We have a lot of hand-me-downs from my sister and parents (who have passed away). And that furniture is way better than anything I’ve bought.

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Tina

November 6, 2025

I’m with you on the heat. I like keeping it a bit cooler because I hate paying those high bills. But, the downstairs is much cooler than upstairs and my daughter and grandson live down there and I don’t want him to get sick, so I have grudgingly turned the heat up.

I spend way too much on home decorations, especially seasonal and holiday decorations. I switch everything out during the fall and Christmas. When January (or February) comes around, I switch to spring stuff.

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J

November 6, 2025

I hate spending money on the heater or the air conditioner, much to the dismay of my family. Constant battle around here. I wear my clothes for a long time. I hate wasting food, but I am fine with spending money to get certain ingredients that I prefer (favorite brand of eggs, bread, OJ, milk, meat, that kind of thing.)

I would rather not turn the heat on all winter, just be cold, and spend the money on a nice trip somewhere. Not that we literally do this, we turn on the heat. But travel is one thing I’m happy to spend on.

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J

November 6, 2025

I hate spending money on the heater or the air conditioner, much to the dismay of my family. Constant battle around here. I wear my clothes for a long time. I hate wasting food, but I am fine with spending money to get certain ingredients that I prefer (favorite brand of eggs, bread, OJ, milk, meat, that kind of thing.)

I would rather not turn the heat on all winter, just be cold, and spend the money on a nice trip somewhere. Not that we literally do this, we turn on the heat. But travel is one thing I’m happy to spend on.

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Melissa

November 6, 2025

I think taking your lunch and limiting takeaway is not only smart financially but also much better healthier. I also argue with G about the thermostat (for both heating and cooling), but I always win! I make him go and put a jumper on, and if he was really cold in winter he could go and put long pants on because most of the winter he’s running round in shorts. I also love to spend on travel. I limit my clothing purchases, but I don’t scrimp when I do buy something.

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NGS

November 6, 2025

I will happily buy coffee a few times a week because we don’t even own a coffeemaker. It’s my splurge for doing adult chores that I don’t want to do like . I have tried to disentangle food/drink reward for being a responsible person, but if it’s $20 a month, I’m going to give myself a pass. YOLO, you know? I pack my lunch and very very rarely eat out.

I’m like you with clothes. I have a small wardrobe, but everything is quality. I pay money for shoes and resole and repair them. I never have trouble deciding what to wear because I love every item of clothing I wear.

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Ernie @ nosmallfeetblog.com

November 6, 2025

Daria, I am on the same page as you for most of these things. Well, I don’t drink coffee, so that one’s easy. I just wore a shirt that I’ve had for probably 15 years to a funeral on Tuesday. I plan to blog about how I have so many clothing items that I’ve had for decades. I never buy books either. Where would I keep them all? Plus, the library is free. No brainer for me. We fill our thermoses up with dinner food when we go to watch our kids play sports. We rarely eat out, although lately Coach and I will go out for a drink and an appetizer whenever possible on a Friday, because that’s when our youngest two go to therapy and we have a break.

We don’t travel often, but when we do – I don’t mind paying a bit more for a hotel or accommodation in a great area. I’ve been known to spend more on tailgate parking passes, because our kid attends the college for almost nothing thanks to her scholarship. A good parking spot at a tailgate really makes the experience. Other than that, I do spend more on clothes, but I’m really good at buying things on sale. I don’t mind paying more for things that are built to last. I am very particular about comfortable/supportive shoes, so I’ll spend more on that – but my back thanks me.

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Nicole MacPherson

November 6, 2025

Good quality clothing is always a good way to spend money, in my opinion. I also never buy coffee, but I do like to buy books – but only if I know I’m going to read it more than once. I love rereading favourite books, so I have a lot on my shelf. But! I read well over 100 books a year, so I mostly use the library. If I didn’t I would be a) broke, and b) drowning in books.

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San

November 6, 2025

Am I a cheapskate because I rarely buy coffee at a coffeeshop or a splurgey because I do buy decent coffee beans to make coffee at home? Your call? (Instant coffee will work in a pinch, but I prefer fresh coffee beans!)

Like you, we waste very little food as well. We have a great meal planning routine and it really works out great. We usually eat everything we buy. I imagine though the planning is a little more difficult with kids!

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jennystancampiano

November 7, 2025

I always bring lunch to work. But I do get Starbucks several times a week (although- I don’t get a fancy drink, just tea, and it’s not that expensive. Still more expensive than making it at home!)

Brr- i’m remembering my mom used to keep our thermostat low in the winter and I HATED it! Now I guess I would say I don’t mind the house being cold, but it doesn’t happen often down here. I’m willing to splurge more on AC, because I HATE being hot.

I use the library a lot, but I do like to splurge and buy books occasionally.

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Coco

November 7, 2025

I love this topic. I’m quite like you, spurge in travels, kids activities, quality clothing, quality things that I use regularly, and help to do things I don’t want to spend time doing.
eating out is something I don’t like spending money because I rather eat at home if I can.

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1. Daria
  
  November 9, 2025
  
  I know you spend on house helper and I WISH I could do that. Both my husband and I work full time but the majority of housework sadly falls on me since I get off work at 3pm versus 6pm for him. But if we were to hire a house helper here, in the US, we would have to shell out around $50,000 a year. I’d rather use that money to travel or invest…
  
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Stephany

November 7, 2025

I definitely splurge when it comes to electricity – I want my home to be comfortable so I don’t mind having a higher energy bill. I’m a little more stingy when it comes to heat. I’d prefer never to turn my heat on if possible (I live in FL so it’s not 100% necessary, even on our coldest days), but I don’t want my cats to be freezing so I make that sacrifice.

Eating out is my biggest money splurge. I am trying to get better about it, but it’s so hard when it feels like a regular part of my routine now.

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Tobia | craftaliciousme

November 9, 2025

I love these kind of posts.
I am having an issue spending money on things I want and would even use. Like a new Apple Watch. Or a new phone as my camera is broken and I need it for work and my photography. I am postponing this for two years now.

I am not sure there is anything I am really splurging. I guess it is travel. I want to travel and the husband has very expensive travel tastes (for my opinion) so it’s either no travel or expensive travel. I will always pay It but I might complain a bit.

I tied to buy better clothes but even the cheap ones are in my closet for half a decade and more.

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Rachel

November 11, 2025

I definitely prefer to cook rather than go out, but I will spend money on ingredients (particularly stuff for my kids that I think is healthier). I will spend more for a date night though because I rationalize that as an investment in my marriage :).

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