We have spent a lot on home improvement in the last few years. This was due to a combination of our house turning 20 years old and needing a new roof and windows and wanting to update now that we are no longer making tuition payments. We also anticipate leaving the area when we retire in 2-4 years so thinking resale.
We are very fortunate to be able to spend on travel, dining out, entertainment, etc.
As of this month we no longer have a mortgage payment. Yay!
Ugh, I’ve realized I do have a “spend most” category: home and yard maintenance and improvement. I think I buried the thought of this because it causes me distress. Lots of stuff was left in not very good condition by my ex-husband and I’m slowly figuring out what I can deal with myself and what I need to hire professionals for.
I forgot one category of high spending … our dog. She’s getting older and has some health issues that required several surgeries just last year. Now she’s on expensive medications and follow up visits every three months. Toss in her high end food, treats, monthly spa visits, petsitting when we travel, and annual costs are quite high.
I also forgot one… donations. If one only includes the “eating out” category to mean eating out at home and tosses eating out while traveling to the “travel” category, donations come in second - and sometimes first. It depends upon the year and where we traveled to.
Still no regrets. If the “consumer society” depended upon our family to “buy” things our society would be in trouble! The only stores that get my regular business are two local grocery stores and they don’t get much each week (or each other week). Now that my lads are finished with college we don’t even buy much online (other than plane tickets/lodging or other travel reservations). Previously we used to get used books via the net. I suppose that answers my question as to why it’s difficult for me to find clothes I like when I do need to replace something - so few of my “type” buy things that businesses don’t cater to us. I sometimes have better luck at thrift stores.
@Creekland ah, yes! the dog!!! Food, spa visits, doggy babysitters, and doggy MEDICAL INSURANCE @$170/mo. H insists on this
@momo2x2018 Methinks you tagged the wrong poster. 
We don’t own a dog anymore. We still have some of our ponies - Creekland Farm breeds them, though far more in the past than now - but the income we get from them offsets their expenses. We have a cat, but even though he’s spoiled, he doesn’t rank very high on our expense account.
@Creekland HaHa! Yesterday, I got in trouble for tagging - today, I tag the wrong poster! Sorry! It was for @itsgettingreal17 I think I should go back to the last century where the only thing I had time for was sleep, after sleepless nights of crying babies!
1.travel
2.insurance
- Health insurance
- Home maintenance and renovations ( only this past year)
- Eating out
- Travel (although hoping it moves up the list)
I totally one area - spa treatments (facials and massages), face creams (masks, day night creams, serums), botox, hair products.
I kind of forgot because I felt they were necessities, like paying taxes.
- Concerts/Theater
- Travel
- Eating out
Gas to work and gas to hobbies. Gas makes up most of the credit card statement. Hobbies add up too, considering the cost of places to stay. My work at one hobby nearly offsets the cost.
Home improvement will beca huge cost this year as we do needed repairs and update the house for eventual sale. It sounds like a lot of us are in that boat.
Well…2018…single big ticket item…a wedding. Plus travel and/or gifts for four other weddings. It was a big wedding year! So worth it.
We decided to stay in the house we’ve had for 27 years so this past year we’ve spent a significant amount upgrading and making the house a place we WANT to be in for the forseeable future. After that, and in most typical years, travel is #1 by a significant margin. We do pay for medical insurance so that’s probably #2. We only eat out every 2-3 weeks but dh is a foodie so we eat high end which adds up and we go to a lot of theater. I don’t track it but I’m guessing those are the top hits.
I agree with @oldfort that, if I added in hair maintenance, make up, beauty products, facials, etc., that could add up too. And our 14 year old dog has his expenses. Oh, and we have a 3rd car that really comes in handy just often enough to keep in but, if we add up maintenance, registration, etc., that’s another expense that’s pretty discretionary.
I would have to say our cottage (that IS our vacation $$), tuition and living expenses for D2 which will continue for 3 more years and it seems like, our phone bill to Verizon!!! 
We need to be spending more on home improvements on our main home. That’s a point of contention in our house right now…
Not sure I spend the most on this, but a good chunk of change splurging on handbags. Figure I don’t buy expensive shoes (maybe a couple designer pair, otherwise basic “good for your feet” shoes), or upscale clothes since I don’t go into an office anymore, so I make up for it in a pretty large handbag collection. It’s the one “me thing” that I allow after putting 4 kids (still putting actually) through college. So I may look like a slob at times, but a slob with a great purse.
Travel and home improvements
Clothes! I’ve lost 69 lbs in the past 15 months.
Home improvement. Looks like a high budget item for 2019 also.
It has been for us. We remodeled a bathroom last May and are in the midst of a kitchen renovation now.