<p>Ah, I am definitely with mom2collegekids:</p>
<p>Real butter</p>
<p>Real maple syrup</p>
<p>Ah yes, only real butter & real maple syrup in our home as well, as well as BF Real Mayo! Also LOVE the very high threadcount all cotton sheets. We have one set from Ross and will use it until it falls apart and then start shopping for another. It has spoiled us for other sheets.</p>
<p>hm
there is always something that at one time or another I have skimped on.
Last year- ( to the derision of my bookgroup who couldn’t care less- I did not see Pearl Jam play at all- even though I have friends who went to two or more! concerts)</p>
<p>However- this year I will attend the festival in the middle of the country- no matter where it is.
I skimp on food ( usually just means eating less- but still good quality- I also grow lots in the summer- sometimes I barely have to go grocery shopping except for milk & coffee.
I don’t buy magazines- I already buy used clothes & my clothes are so well used that the consignment stores won’t take them.
We virtually do not heat our house ( not so that you would notice) & don’t even run fans very often in the summer.</p>
<p>I think you can skimp on things without actually giving them up- but I don’t see any area where I don’t cut back at all-</p>
<p>Natural or organic foods, good wines (drink less if it cost more??), educational toys/books/activities for my kids (mine are still young). I rarely buy for myself; in fact I was just at my mom’s house and she took me shopping for clothes because she was sick of seeing me in the same clothes I’ve been wearing for years! Thanks Mom!</p>
<p>Good beer. Usually Northern European where I learned to drink beer.</p>
<p>For DH, Northern TP and Brawny paper towel.</p>
<p>I try to be generous, as possible, with my kids and with charities; otherwise, I skimp on everything.</p>
<p>High quality tennis racquets, tennis shoes and new tennis balls every time I play a match. (I like tennis…)</p>
<p>Snow skiing- if you are going to go- go to the best mountain!</p>
<p>I think it is the snow- not the mt that makes the difference</p>
<p>a wide variety of fruits and veggies, good coffee, trips home.</p>
<p>elemenope, that probably saves you a bundle on PT clinic visits 
</p>
<p>We do not skimp on berries, quality meats and wild caught fish. As someone said, quality produce is still cheaper than the doctor’s bills.
My personal luxury item: Marie Jo bras. If I have to wear something for 16 hours a day, it better be COMFY!!! H’s: Ecco dress shoes. Ds’: unlimited texting (sigh…).</p>
<p>How I roll…</p>
<p>Where I splurge:
education and activities for children, health care, charities, art, travel, entertainment, restaurants, books, hobbies, friends and extended family, shoes, hair cut and color, home improvements, produce, meat, cheese, make-up (I’m allergic to everything but Clinique), linens, clothing items that are basics (to get better with age), cleaning products (I prefer natural), a Dyson, athletic equipment and related toys, etc.</p>
<p>Where I skimp:
all other clothes, cars (I only let ones which are thrifty to own into my life, I drive them forever, and then I suffer when we part company), furniture (we have a hodge podge of things from parents and grandparents, as well as old stuff of our own), prepared foods (I prefer real food made from scratch, also much less expensive), wine (I don’t drink enough to know the difference), shampoo and conditioner (simply cannot see any difference), paper towels, toilet paper*, house cleaning (I used to have someone weekly but as I aged I weirdly started liking it - I am not joking, and I like the way I do it best), turning off lights when rooms are not in use, etc.</p>
<p>*Gosh after reading this thread I better have some fluffy stuff on hand for guests…and quilted roll lovers should be aware that linty bottoms can result from paper which is too soft!</p>
<p>Speaking of PT visits, bunsenburner…sometimes scrimping on your doctor or dentist or lawyer can be penny wise and pound foolish…</p>
<p>For me, its coffee - preferably Starbucks. Over the years, a few female friends and I have done several long weekend get-aways and short vacations together, and we have been known to select our hotels based on the location of the nearest Starbucks or next best option (or bring our own), and when traveling with work colleagues I tend to be the one who tracks down the nearest Starbucks and when others might get up early to work out in the gym, I will make the time to go out for a grande latte before we start our day - of course, I usually end up making coffee runs for the rest of the group as well!</p>
<p>Having a house cleaner. That is my luxury item I will not part with.</p>
<p>I used to skimp on clothes, but you really can tell the difference, so now I’m trying to buy more quality clothes, less pieces.</p>
<p>Good fruits, vegetables and meats. We’ve eliminated almost all processed, pre-frozen, etc.,etc.,etc., from our diets. I working on eliminating the diet soda…so hard to do! :)</p>
<p>Ditto that I won’t skimp on groceries or household items, health care for family, haircut and color, DSs’ education, but DH and I are frugal – use coupons and Groupons for everything, brew our own daily Dunkin Donuts coffee, do everything ourselves (no cleaning service, lawn service, snow removal service, etc.), and use rewards points for hotel rooms and to exchange for gift cards.</p>
<p>Btw: there is a brand new “chip” on the market that was just unveiled in January. It is hitting the stores now in March.</p>
<p>It is delicious!</p>
<p>CHIPINS all natural popcorn chip made by the Popcorn Indiana Company. (The Popcorn Indiana Company is located in New Jersey! 
)</p>
<p>There are 4 flavors. I tried the White Cheddar…very yummy. Look for it!</p>
<p>ah I can’t eat wheat & I am trying to reduce additives, but I buy good coffee, organic milk, etc.
We also splurged on a ski vacation every year ( x-country skiing which is much cheaper than down hill), for 20 years while the kids were growing up, even when my H & I were separated & even when ( a different year) he was laid off.
It was worth it.</p>
<p>
Ditto on this, for us it was either a cleaning service or marriage counseling. A cleaner is way cheaper.</p>
<p>We keep the house at 71 degrees all winter, and only down to 65 at night. And in our computer room, all the computers keep it even warmer.</p>
<p>I skimp on alot of things, shop at thrift store or garage sales when possible, althought I am still picky about what I will buy from there. I also shop the ads and plan meals accordingly for the week and stock up on things that are on sale when possible as well.</p>
<p>I won’t skimp on healcare, education, coffee, toiletpaper and alot of the other things that above posters have mentioned, but here are some that I haven’t seen posted yet…</p>
<p>Victoria Secret bras and panties</p>
<p>Dyson vacuums ( don’t have the pleasure of hiring someone to clean for me)</p>
<p>Holidays…food, gifts, whatever else they entail, the best memories are made and I do all I can to make them as perfect as possible.</p>