Most outrageous purchase?

Weren’t you the one with a $500 pocket knife as well?

1 Like

Your post reminded me that we once splurged on airline ticket and extra hotel nights so I could accompany hubby on a Kyoto visit trip. (Hmm… I think we paid in frequent flier miles, but it used a lot more miles than our typical frugal exchanges). It was fantastic, even though I had to fend for myself as solo tourist a few days. Zero regrets - it was a lifelong memory, including the splurge (of time and money) for high speed train daytrip to Hiroshima.

4 Likes

I bought a 3 carat diamond at a pawn shop 30 years ago. It’s still on my finger. I don’t remember why I was in a pawn shop and don’t think I’ve been in one since.

11 Likes

@hebegebe You are correct.

@anomander I don’t, but I can tell you it is a pre-Civil War knife considered one of the Holy Grails of Semi-Bowie knives. Many at the time were made by knife makers in Sheffield, England, but this one was hand made in Massachusetts.

3 Likes

Silver is my downfall. I recently purchased a dessert knife and fork set in it’s original storage box by the English silversmith Paul Storr. It was a splurge, but I love it. I have some pieces by Hester Bateman, but now I need something by Paul D’Lamerie. Of course, I have to win the lottery to do that!!!

4 Likes

Fun and interesting thread to read.

A reminder of privilege though often on CC.

Hopefully the message received though to people reading is “splurge every once in a while” - whether that means a $5 latte here and there, the best ice cream money can buy, a $300 blanket…or more. :slight_smile:

11 Likes

We splurged on a fabulous dinner for 6 at Picasso in Las Vegas. We were seated outside, essentially in the Bellagio Fountain (what a view of the displays!) with 2 very nice bottles of wine. It was a $$$$$ but a memorable family meal.

3 Likes

A cheap splurge is my Kindle Unlimited subscription so that I always have a book to read at night when holding a hard copy book (I prefer a book with paper pages to turn!) is cumbersome when it’s midnight and I have insomnia.

I honestly don’t think I have any outrageous purchases. As many have already said the closest I come to that would be to tell S he can attend college anywhere as long as it’s a good school. (He could have stayed in state and attended UF completely free but he wanted OOS.) But again, that’s not an outrageous purchase per se.

I don’t have anything I really want. I’m pretty simple. I love books, puzzles, my dogs, sleeping, sitting by the pool, and going to the beach.

6 Likes

Great message! Absolutely agree!

I want to see a picture of the blanket when it comes in!!

The title is outrageous purchase. Not splurge purchase.

I splurge on an occasional latte, or ice cream, both $$ and calorie wise. But they are occasional and do not have to be budgeted for. I may think about it but an occasional purchase out of the ordinary it not something I waste a ton of time agonizing over.

Now an outrageous purchase, that’s one I have hemmed and hawed over. Something that will make an impression that I bought it years later. Definitely out of the ordinary

And yes, I am always aware how privileged I am.

Good point. I saw the word “splurge” mentioned so often in the thread that’s what “stuck” for
Me.

But I think the same concept
Still fits - whether splurge or outrageous.

One persons splurge can be another persons outrageous!

2 Likes

For me the splurge and the outrageous can be one and the same. Though we splurged on a cruise for the family (paid for 12 people with cabins with decks for a week cruise to Alaska) but that was for DH’s birthday and it meant a lot to him and was well worth it. So it was a BIG splurge but it wasn’t outrageous. The $$$$$$ dinner was definitely a splurge, but it was kinda outrageous too. Can’t think of anything else that was “outrageous”.

4 Likes

Next week I’m going on vacation to Hilton Head. My friends live a much more expensive lifestyle than I do so every time we go out it will be more than a splurge to me, it will be outrageous spending. I’m okay with that for a week as I used airline points for the trip and I’m staying with them and I’m happy to treat them to meals and drinks at their budget, not mine.

I’m going to try to enjoy every minute at those expensive restaurants because that’s what they enjoy. This friend also has a lot of jewelry, has her hair done once a month or so, has a personal shopper at Nordstrom, has a designer dog. To her those aren’t outrageous purchases because she enjoys them. To me they are outrageous only because I wouldn’t enjoy them. I’m very happy that she does.

8 Likes

I would have a much harder time spending an outrageous amount on a fancy dinner than I would on a tangible object.

I think food is just not that important to me… maybe???

3 Likes

I still remember the first time we spent over $100 for dinner for two - at Lutece in New York in the 70’s. We’ve now passed $200 many times, but I don’t think we’ve gone over $300, probably because I’m not a big wine drinker. I would be willing to pay that much for the right food and ambiance - I would indulge, but not outrage.

3 Likes

We are just the opposite now. We don’t need “stuff”. The kids don’t want “stuff”. They much prefer “experiences”. So for instance, for older s’s upcoming anniversary, we are paying the woman who runs the daycare that older child used to go to and now younger child attends, A nice amount to watch both kids on a Saturday so DS and W can have the day to go to brunch and whatever they want to do. Sometimes the experience may be a low key one, if it’s what they want. But knowing them, they’ll probably go running or surfing or something.

4 Likes

True! I don’t want, “stuff,” anymore either. I do still like clothes.

4 Likes

Hoggirl - I am the same with food. I just don’t care that much and while I enjoy a nice ambiance and something tasty - it’s almost never worth the price to me, even if it’s not all that much. I keep thinking what I could have purchased (tangible) with that amount (a week’s groceries? half a plane ticket? a rug? LOL).

3 Likes

Don’t care about clothes. Rarely spend a lot on them. Even the dresses I wore to both s’s weddings were very reasonably priced. The family dinner we had at Picasso was so worth it. The memories are priceless. We went right from dinner to see the Michael Jackson Cirque de Soleil show. Those tickets weren’t cheap either. I fell asleep!

2 Likes