I had so much fun with you all when I posted 38 things I never spend money on, I thought I’d come up with a list of the things I do spend money on.
Obviously, we spend money on more than just these 31 things – I mean, bills! So this list is more about those intentional spending decisions we make beyond normal living expenses.
Just like choosing not to spend money on certain things, the things we do spend on are unique and individual. Everyone is different. I’d love it if you’d join in the comments and share what you spend on!
31 things I spend money on
Gym Membership – it works for me. I had a gym membership in college (that I used!), but spent 20 some years since then exercising on my own (which was sporadic). Two years ago we got a family membership at the local YMCA and haven’t looked back.
Netflix – no cable here. I actually like Netflix better (no commercials!). The downside is that when I actually do find a series I like (right now, it’s White Collar), I watch 2 episodes in a row (though I still only watch about 5 hours/week).
Organic/Healthy Food – I decided to go mostly organic in February. Surprisingly, our grocery bill only went up about 20% (hovering right around $350-400/month). Thank you, Costco!
Vacation – even when we were paying down debt, we didn’t sacrifice vacations. I don’t regret it at all. The secret? Plan ahead and save.
Martial Arts – we love everything about Tae Kwon Do – not only the exercise, but the mental and physical challenges.
Quality dog/cat food – our cat, Shadow, taught us that this one thing saves hundreds in vet bills.
Zip Lock Bags – used sparingly, they are a wonderful convenience.
Pet insurance – there are many new pet insurance companies, like Bivvy, that offer affordable deals to their customers.
Paper Plates – for when the dishwasher is full, dinner is late and I just want to go to bed. One package lasts several months.
Drywall – we hired this out when we finished our basement. It would have taken us 20x as long to do it ourselves. This one was worth it to us.
Tools – despite the drywall, we typically DIY everything. With the right tools (and a few youtube videos), you can fix, build, or maintain almost anything yourself.
Grass seed – we over-seed our lawn each year to keep the weeds to a minimum.
Gas – we drive more than I would like. We chose to move out of the metro, which means a longer commute. Thank goodness for the late Costco gas hours. That said, I plan to experiment with biking most of the time this summer – we have access to great bike trails.
Climbing Gym – we own our own equipment and use a punch card to save as much as we can. It’s a challenging activity we enjoy doing together.
Books – there are some books that I end up renewing or checking out over and over again. Those are the ones worth owning, in my opinion.
Going out to eat – we go out to eat about twice a month, on average. We budget for it, plan ahead and treat it as entertainment.
Knives – never underestimate the utility (and safety) of a good quality, sharp knife. A must for anyone who cooks. (I like and use these.)
Online Courses – I admit, I’ve probably spent too much on these in the last year. I’m on a ban – no more courses until I complete everything I already paid for.
Giving/Charity – we give to charitable causes, but also give random gifts to strangers, family and friends.
WiFi – I have a blog!
A/C – we keep it turned up in the summer to save on the cost. On those 100 degree days, I am grateful for the option.
Coffee – coffee is always an option at our house (we have decaf too!).
Alcohol – cocktails are usually an option at our house, though not a wide variety.
Vitamins – Vitamin C (for one teen that doesn’t eat as healthy as I would like), Vitamin D in the winter, and probiotics (though Linda pointed out the probiotics might be a waste of money – I need to check my brand).
Beds – never underestimate the value of a good, quality mattress. Sleep is a glorious thing.
Garden supplies – because I love to play in the dirt and watch those seeds grow into beautiful plants that feed us tasty food.
Health care – we’ve recently dropped a pretty penny to travel out of town for health care (besides our high deductible). Totally worth it.
Home improvement – we are home improvement addicts. We have officially banned ourselves from any big projects this year. (But we have a rental property – which will provide an outlet for our passion.)
Family photos – every 1 ½ years, we have family pictures taken, as well as individual shots of the kids.
Life Insurance – the rest of the family won’t have to worry about finances if one of us were to die. We chose term insurance and will re-evaluate our needs a few years from now.
Amazon Prime – mostly for Amazon’s two day shipping (because I don’t like to shop. At. All.), but there are many other perks.
Deodorant – otherwise life would kind of stink!
Your turn! What do you choose to spend on?
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, at no additional cost to you, I’ll receive a commission if you buy products through these links. See the full disclosure here.
Centsibly Rich is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
We spend on organic food as well. Thankfully, we have access to a regional co-op so we basically get our food at organic prices. Most things are cheaper than Aldi, Costco, or the grocery store.
We also like spending on “mini vacations” to take a 3-day weekend two or three times a year with our little children to create special family memories.
A co-op is a great way to save on the organic food! Great idea. And, I love mini-vacations too. In fact, that’s all we’re taking this summer. Thanks, Josh!
Ziplock bags and alcohol! Indispensable items although I usually buy the generic bags!
Thanks for sharing. We all need to live a little even when practicing frugality.
I just ordered probiotics on Amazon. Although I used a gift card, if they help me feel better I’ll pay the $30/month for the good brand.
Thanks, Mrs. Groovy! I buy the Aldi brand of bags, but I call them Ziplocs! 🙂 I guess I feel like the probiotics help – even if it’s a placebo effect, I’m okay with it.
We buy so many of these same things: quality pet food, exercise costs and organic food. We also bought a high quality mattress for me and Rick’s bed, and it was SO worth the cash. It’s due to be replaced now, and we’ll buy a high quality one again. Same for the kids’ mattresses. Some things aren’t worth sacrificing.
The mattresses! They are soooo worth it. We bought ours 3 years ago and both kids got new ones last year. They didn’t cost a ton (around $250 for the twins) and the kids are so much more comfortable now. Though I’m not sure that’s always a good thing – they spend a ton of time in them, especially on weekend mornings! 🙂
We spend on similar things. Quality human and pet food. Pets in general. We are a dog family. We have always had a dog, among other pets too. We spend on experiences for the family like vacations. All about spending on the things you value most.
Our pets get the good stuff, but I really think it keeps the vet bills to a minimum. Plus, we want them to be healthy and around for many years to come. You’re right, Brian, it’s all about prioritizing your values!
Pretty much everything on your list! Minus martial arts.
Our dog is spoiled, he sometimes gets homemade dog food (much less often now though)
I run the AC more than we should, if it’s hot I crank it until our second-floor bedroom is cold enough to sleep in.
I think you should add the martial arts, Mr. AE! Wow homemade dog food! That’s one spoiled pup. 🙂
It’s a thought provoking list Amanda, because I can tell where you are coming from by the things you chose to include. Obviously we all buy lots of things we don’t have to. Some things we feel a little guilty about, others we don’t. I am with you on the paper plates and ziplock bags. I use them very sparingly because I have a bit of guilt associated with those conveniences. Yet sometimes, the relief they offer is indispensable! I actually just finished writing a comprehensive list of every single company that makes every single product I buy and service I use. It took me weeks and I thought I finally had everything. But reading this I realize I forgot plastic baggies, aluminum foil and parchment. Lol! I spend money on many things I would like to curtail, especially after making my list, but there are still some things I have no guilt over whatsoever. My fancy, healthy Lavanila deodorant, my delicious elaborate salads that I buy for lunch on the days when I’m in the office. Pizza every Friday night of my life, just like when I was a kid. Love this!
Thanks, Linda! That list sounds pretty amazing – are you going to publish it? That’s some dedication, lady! 🙂 I love the idea, but it seems overwhelming to think about. Yet, if we all did it, we’d be more in touch with what we buy and where it comes from. And then we could discern the overall effect those purchases have on ourselves and others. This might change our shopping and spending habits too. This is so interesting to think about! You have me intrigued with the fancy deodorant…where do you get it? And why do you like it so?
I evangelize my deodorant to everyone – lol. It is Lavanila and you can get in on amazon.com for $14. It is natural, not anti-antiperspirant, it feels great (powdery, not sticky), and especially smells amazing (vanilla coconut) – unlike every other “natural” deodorant I have ever tried. I buy very few toiletries (and honestly I get many free pr samples at work). This is one of the few personal care items that I am willing to spend money on.
Great list! Healthcare is a big one on our list (multiple chronic illnesses will do that), and along with that we spend on vitamins/supplements and a gym membership. I’d like to start spending on travel again as it’s been awhile, but need to cut back on some other expenses to make it happen.
Thanks, Gary! Healthcare is a big one for us this year too. I would never have gotten an accurate diagnosis if we hadn’t spent the money to travel to Mayo, so I was happy to do this. Without health, what good is wealth!?
Yay, another climber! I spend less on the climbing gym now that I’ve got more opportunities to climb outside, but I’m always happy to invest in better and safer gear!
As we’re travelling currently, my biggest outgoings are accommodation and food. Having to go out to eat for nearly every meal gets a little tiring, not to mention expensive! We just try to choose local places that tend to be a lot cheaper.
That’s great, Yaz! 🙂 I am a complete amateur with climbing, but am always trying to get better – and I LOVE it. I wish we had more outdoor climbing opportunities around here.
When we’re traveling, we like the local places as well. We also like to hit the grocery store to pick up some quick fixes, like sandwiches.
Netflix! Food! Health/medical! Our dogs! Those are the main ones I think 🙂
Thanks for chiming in, NZ Muse!:)
Both my boyfriend and I are martial arts enthusiasts (although we practiced different m.a. in the past). We’re actually thinking about re-joining, we’ll have to see how we’ll manage to make time for it.
Other than that, we also spend money on quality food, vacations, kitchen utensils (I cook at home almost every day, it helps to have quality items to cook with!) and also, hobbies. We care about money and savings a great deal, but without pursuing a hobby or two, life would be so boring 🙂
That’s great that you have a shared interest in martial arts, Adriana! It’s something Alan and I enjoy doing together – it’s almost like a date sometimes. 😉 Plus, we love our taekwondo community.
Those hobbies are soooo important! I love having a few creative outlets. I think that’s why I don’t feel the need to “go out” as often.
Great list! It looks long, but I think these items are important to our lives (i.e. deodorant, wifi)! I just don’t feel confident hanging out with or talking to other people without knowing for sure I’ve used deodorant on that day.
The deodorant is so important. 😉
I also find a gym membership worth the expense. Like you, I exercised in a more sporadic way when I didn’t belong to a gym. My husband and I both go to the same gym – usually the same classes, so it’s good together time for us too. (It’s cardio-kickboxing, and once, he really got me with a kick, so I choose other partners. A slight limit on that “together” thing. Oh well.)
Alan and I tend to go to the gym on the same days. Though it’s not always at the same time, it keeps us accountable. I love the idea of taking classes together though. We take (and teach) martial arts classes together. It’s funny you choose other partners in kickboxing! It always gets interesting when Alan and I spar in Taekwondo!
Netflix is a must! It’s incredible the amount of content you get for their monthly fee. I think cable TV is going to continue to struggle over the next few years.
Agreed, DC. Really, the only reason I can see to have cable would be for the sports, but it’s not enough of a reason for us to have the extra expense.
I look at this list and see a lot of very simple items that can really enhance one’s life. I love that your family go wall climbing, such a healthy and unique group activity. Coffee is a no brainer of course…brewed in a french press is my preference. : )
Coffee is a no brainer! Thanks, MMM! 🙂
My wife and I have been debating joining a climbing gym. They recently opened one walking distance from our apartment and we did the intro class and really enjoyed it. We’ve been struggling with deciding whether to join (it’s an expensive monthly fee!) and if so, whether we should rent equipment until we know we will stick with it or buy it up front.
Do it! Climbing can be expensive, but if you really enjoy it, it’s a great workout (for your mind and body). We rented for the first few times we went, but buying has saved us quite a bit in the long run. I’d definitely make sure you like it first, but then again, you can always sell your equipment if you change your mind.