Forget frugality!! What’s your luxury?

Good make up. I have recently been converted to Nars but still love Bobbi Brown and have just ordered my Christmas present to myself from John Lewis - eye palette and a lipstick - never bought lipstick on line before so lets see how that works out. Definitely a year to treat yourself as well as everyone you love.

My Kindle and my iPad are my essentials , no luxuries

Heating, I’m a chilly soul, if I’m cold, the heating is on. Phone calls, to friends and family, staying in touch is import to me. Lastly, anything to do with growing veg, planning a greenhouse next.

I needed new slippers and could have asked for some for Christmas, but decided I wanted a more expensive pair than anyone would buy me. So I've bought them myself.
They're from Shepherd and they're a red sheepskin bootee style and cost £65. The rave reviews on Amazon convinced me to buy them and I am so glad I did, they feel like someone is giving my feet a hug ?

Decent face cream and cashmere, but always in the sales or on offer. It used to be Jo Malone, but I’ve made do with the Aldi rip offs recently (and no one’s noticed).

Charbonnel et Walker truffles when someone else is buying. DD1 sent me some on my birthday and rang to check that they’d been delivered on a silver tray by a butler wearing white gloves.

Callistamon
Fenjal shower gel. One of the many things I miss since I lost my smell and taste with that odd little germ that was going around before last Xmas.

My kindle account - a book instantly whenever I need one!
I lose myself when reading. I find it very relaxing. My handy companion.

Himself has just returned from an appointment with the dental hygienist. £50 for 15 mins! I think that has to count as a luxury these days - no quick polish and scrape by a dentist at a routine check up. How times have changed eh?

Good food and a warm house. I would not notice if I used an expensive shower gel or a cheap one so I buy the latter. I do not think I buy anything and say OMG that really should go back on the shelf. If I want it I will buy it- that is the reason I worked for 40 + years.

Gabor shoes; chocolate ginger biscuits; Lindt chocolate spread. Would five waterproof coats/macs count?

Occitane shower gel and hand cream is vital to my wellbeing. Also cashmere. I've bought a few jumpers and have decided I'll not wear any others now. I was amazed to find that M&S have cashmere loo roll but that's maybe a step too far!

So the things I cannot bring myself to do are I won’t have cheap shower gel, because it doesn’t last anyway and smells like washing up liquid and I won’t have a plastic handbag!

I don't like really cheap shower gel (Fenjal is nice) and I have been using my one non-leather Fiorelli handbag a lot because it is neat so I must be very mixed up.
I do have a lot of leather handbags so why?

I want to save enough to go Business class if we get to Australia again.

Last but not least is Geeta’s mango chutney - a very small luxury, but 100% better than all the alternatives.
Yes, we've just discovered that too, it's very good.

Some L'Occitane shower gel for myself but then gave it to DH to give me for Christmas.

I am saving a lot on hairdresser's bills so I could spend more on myself.

Food quality. I've never scrimped and don't intend to.
If you don't feed well on the best of everything how can you be expected to enjoy everything else in life if your health isn't up to scratch ?

Good food and nutrition starts as soon as you're born---even before. It's the building material and scaffold as to how your health is going to hold up for the rest of your life, from the earliest start possible.

I can't say I've been frugal with anything, or I'd be fabulously wealthy .

I think having had lean times over the years that the luxury items become more meaningful.

I have fresh flowers in every room downstairs. I spend a lot on my Face Cream and perfume. Apart from that I am quite frugal.

Mine is a regular visit to the hairdresser to have my fringe trimmed every 4/5 weeks, it grows so fast. The rest is trimmed every couple of months, just the ends as i have a bun.

Also i have to have butter and i dont buy cheap toothpaste, soap or any other toiletries.

Seldom have flowers but i have several pot plants which just keep giving.

Oh yes and the heating, it is on first thing until we go to bed.

These two threads, and Maws* post, have set me thinking about what constitutes indulging in luxury or being frugal.

I posted that my luxury is fresh flowers in the hall (everywhere else too but definitely the hall) but in reality it is a necessity to me. It makes me feel good.

We always eat good quality food but drink wine that costs about a fiver or so per bottle.

On the other hand, I do some of the things in the frugal thread just because I do.

I'm overthinking now aren't I?

Neals Yard face cream/red wine/thorntons chocolates.

Hear, hear!
The difference for me has always been whether frugality is a choice - eg saving up for something like a holiday, remember those? Or forced on me like the time a friend’s au pair lifted my Family Allowance money from my purse, leaving me with a £5 note and some coppers to feed us for the week!
I once read one of those self-help books with one chapter headed “Eat good food, drink real coffee” ie don’t scrimp to the point where it depresses you.
What occurred to me is how the rich (like the Queen) can choose a two-bar electric fire among the splendours of Balmoral, or keep her cornflakes in Tupperware containers on the breakfast table.
So the things I cannot bring myself to do are I won’t have cheap shower gel, because it doesn’t last anyway and smells like washing up liquid and I won’t have a plastic handbag!
And I won’t drink instant coffee either!

I love GG’s mention of Jo Malone shower gel.
I haven’t seen my D and GC since January, all our plans have been thwarted for various reasons.
I decided to treat them this year so, sent them money for expensive items up decided to send them a parcel to open.
One of the things for my D was Jo Malone shower gel, I didn’t look at size just ordered it with Hugo Boss for GS from JL.

When it arrived I thought it was a mistake as the box was so tiny, it wasn’t, £20 bought 10mls of gel.
Enough for one shower probably.
I have supplemented it with good night cream.

My luxury is good food and wine, I have enough clothes to “see me out” especially now when I seldom leave the house.

My must have is fresh flowers in the hall!

I’ve got a few must haves too - decent coffee and my bean to cup coffee machine is top of my list, makes me happy every single day!
I love nice candles, Jo Malone, The White Company, and Neom are my favourites.
Last but not least is Geeta’s mango chutney - a very small luxury, but 100% better than all the alternatives.

Cashmere

Always have fresh cut flowers in downstairs rooms

Jo Malone shower gel, body cream and fragrance

Regular manicure/pedicures