99% of money advice out there is about frugal living and how to save money on everyday things you can live without. I get tons of comments how I afford that lifestyle of spending money on such “unnecessary/decadent/frivolous” things like designer handbags and expensive candles. They are luxuries to me, and I treat them as such. Things that I could live without but just decide not to. Since we are doing things a bit differently around here, I’d to spill the tea on what don’t save money on, although I easily could. 

Here we go, here’s my everyday luxuries I am happy to pay a premium for: 

#1 Heating

My grandma is so frugal, she gets refunds every single year on her heating bill. And I used to do the same. 

My house is 120 years old with very high ceilings (3,50m and I love every inch of it!) and the first thing people ask me when they walk in is how I don’t go bankrupt heating that place. 

I could easily save money on heating, but I don’t. Or I could sit under a blanket freezing my bums to save a few bucks on heating very month, but I choose not to. I could move to a more efficient place, but… no.

Why do I choose to live in such an inefficient place with old, not entirely airtight doors and wooden-framed windows and old-school technology, wasting so much money? Because I love it. (Btw, my place is not old, it’s vintage 😉 )

I am absolutely in love with my home. It was actually a little fixer upper when I moved in. I spent a lot time and money renovating and decorating it to my liking. And I don’t regret a penny spent on creating the home of my dreams. Did mention I rent?

I leave the heating on in my bathroom 24/7 because stepping into a warm bathroom in the morning and having fresh, fluffy, warm towels on my towel rack makes my day. Just as much as my completely impractical light beige furniture. Guess I always valued beauty over practicality.

I love my home and spending time there. Being warm and comfy makes it even more enjoyable for me. Priceless.  

#2 Fresh Fruit 

I recently saw an Instagram post where someone was ranting about the price of raspberries. $8 for a tiny container, outrageous! 

Food doesn’t have to cost the world and there are a million tips out there how to save money on food. Honestly, I find it a bigger waste buying tons of food you’ll throw away or order takeout every night than spending a few bucks more on something as delicious as raspberries or a juicy mango.

Adding fresh berries to my oatmeal every morning is a little decadence I like to treat myself with. I am not skipping my berries any time soon. They make me berry happy 🙂

#3 Good Skincare

I have always been a beauty gal but I have changed how I shop for products over the years. Giving my skin the best treatment possible is literally a treat for me. 

Now, there are so many affordable options nowadays, you don’t have to spend 300 bucks on a pot of La Mer to get the same (if not better) results. (Check out my entire blog post reviewing The Ordinary skincare). It is so refreshing to see so many new beauty brands making amazing products. I have definitely jumped on the clean beauty bandwagon.

I have worked in the beauty industry for many years, so I know the power of good marketing. Not to go as far to say that every expensive jar is a waste of money. But if there is a product that gives me results, smells amazing or adds that extra pampered-ness, take my money! I don’t spend a second cringing to splurge on a good foundation and a regular facial.

I’d have fewer, but amazing products I actually enjoy using and make me look and feel fabulous. 

#4 Scents

Surrounding myself with beautiful scents is pure luxury to me. I consider myself an olfactory nerd. Scents and perfumes rock my world and they simply… make me happy. Scents are part of my decor, so they are staples in my home.

Jo Malone is my favorite brand for home scents. Their products last me ages and it is a pleasure every single time. 

I could buy a $3 candle, but I choose to buy the expensive stuff. Who pays that much on a candle? Yes, it is pure decadence and it may be completely irrational and irresponsible. But so is a shopping spree on the high street purchasing tons of cheap clothes that I get zero use from. I’d rather spend my money on something I can truly enjoy every single day. 

I have a small selection of perfumes, as I tend to stick with things I fall in love with (aren’t I loyal) but the ones I have I use and will repurchase anytime. 

#5 Hairdresser

I recently joined my sister in law to an appointment at a premium salon. The bill was a whopping 350 bucks. To her, it was worth every penny. Not only did she look amazing, she also felt amazing, started to wear her hair down more, it became way more manageable which now takes her half the time to get ready in the morning. 

Now isn’t that worth spending money on? 

I could dye my hair myself. (okay, not entirely because I like my balayage and that’s a bit more tricky, haha). Anyway, I am more than happy to spend a few hundred bucks for having amazing hair and a job well done.

Going to a good salon and having a colorist you can trust, who knows how to make the most of your hair is priceless. 

#6 Coaching and Courses 

It is insane how much great information is available for free on the internet (Youtube, podcasts, blogs,…). 

However, the way I see it, time is the only finite resource we have. In a world of information overload, it is hard to weed out the bad ones. You can go and figure it out by yourself, find out through trial and error, OR you can speed things up and learn from someone who has the results you want. 

One of my girlfriends recently signed up for a course. She admitted it hurt a little spending that money. But the results she got just from following the course were worth 10x the price of the course. It opened her eyes to unconscious thought patterns and behaviors she was not aware were stalling her progress big time. 

It will take you way longer to get the same result trying to figure it out on your own. Isn’t is amazing that you can just trade money for learning from someone who knows what they’re doing?

Life does not have to be hard and we don’t have to struggle our way to our goals. Pro athletes have coaches for a reason. Organizations hire external consultants to give them a fresh perspective and identify potentials for efficiencies they didn’t see. Sometimes you just need to hire a professional. That’s because you cannot read the label from inside the bottle.

If you want to get real results in a certain area, invest in a course or coaching.

Since starting investing in myself, I perform at a completely different level. I can make back money easily, but I cannot get back my time. I value my time so highly nowadays that I don’t think twice paying an authority in that field to help me 10x my results.  

Learn from the people who have the results you want. Do your research, find a teacher you like and trust, and don’t be scared to spend money on yourself.

#7 Luxury Accessories 

Designer handbags are my go-to accessories that I can wear always and with anything.

People ask me (with a on occasional judgmental undertone) how much I paid for that bag and how much wear I really get out of it. Like it matters.

Not all my fashion items come with a hefty price tag. But leather goods like bags and belts, and accessories like scarves, jewelry and watches are items I consider worth spending money on. In a world of fast fashion, I appreciate good craftsmanship. It’s just my thing.

I invest in (almost) timeless pieces that I won’t ‘outgrow’. They elevate any style instantly and I enjoy them for years to come. I prefer to have three amazing bags I love rather than twenty mediocre ones that make feel meh. 

#8 Travel

Lastly, travel! The world is so big and beautiful, I want to see as much as I possibly can of it for as long as I can. Nothing educates and humbles as much as travel.

Whether it’s a backpacking trip or a five star hotel: I cannot think of ever regretting going on a trip, I come back richer every time.

I will rarely say no to an opportunity for a trip, even though it means extra expenses. The experiences I make, nobody can take from me. Travel makes me go totally YOLO.

Voilà.

#9 There’s more…

Turns out this is not an entirely extensive list, so more things I love to spend money on are: flowers, treating my loved ones, long hot showers, technology (iPhone, good laptop, or anything that makes my life easier), books….

Spending More Money Can Save You Money (Sometimes) 

I don’t say that to justify what people consider a “ridiculous” amount on “indulgences”. You can spend tons of money on a crappy product. Been there. 

Still, over the years, my approach has helped me reduce the total amount of items which is more aligned with my more minimalist (I like to say ‘curated‘) lifestyle.

Next to that, I save money on the other end. Example: A great haircut makes my hair look good as it is so that I end up spending less on styling products and tons of tools, not to mention time. 

I Focus On Value, Not Cost.  

Spending is all about intentionality. There is absolutely no problem ‘wasting’ money on things that bring me joy. (That hasn’t always been the case – but that’s for another day.)

Some may see it as totally unnecessary spending, I see it as a huge value-add in my life. To me, value matters more than cost.

I like to think that I have found a good balance of things I love to splurge on and things I just don’t spend money on at all. So more often than not, I can justify the premium on things that I consider valuable. But I am so aligned with my spending choices today that I don’t even feel like like justifying them at all.

Most people could not care less about luxury products. I do. In fact, I value them so much that I am happy to pay for them. Just because.

The money I spend on what matters to me I consider always money well invested. What makes me feel better, makes me be better and perform better. 

Once I stopped being ‘cheap’ on myself, I sent a powerful signal to the universe what I value and that I consider myself worthy of these things. And in return, I get to live this amazing life with all the luxuries I choose to afford. 

I created that life for myself, very intentionally. I wanted to live a life where I allow myself to spend money on luxury. And every day, I am grateful for it. 

I’m Evelyn. And I am a proud luxury lover. 

What do you love to spend money on? What does luxury mean to you?