Unnecessary indulgences that you cannot and will not stop purchasing during recessions

What won't you give up?

Drugs and booze.

you said it

gasoline

Decent coffee beans.

bell's two hearted ale

faberge eggs

Components to build dodgy homemade musical instruments with.

Tobacco.

LP records.
sweet marijuana brown.
brunch.

the No.1 biscuit brand in France

Fresh local fruit&veg from the markets (and hell its prolly cheaper anyway!)
Booze n smokes
Quality deli goods like cheeses, olives, etc etc though I am looking towards trying to make my own preserves of eggplant/capsicum etc.

the internet

I've practically given up several other things but you can pry my cigarettes out of my cold, dead fingers.

broadcast television (i sure have spent a lot of money lately to continue to receive it)

beerz, internet

Red wine, internets, my season ticket for Celtic.

Massage...Better than therapy.

On a similar thread I started last summer I said I wouldn't stop buying good beer.

This has proven false.

beer
tomato bisque
burritos

I don't think the Internet is an unnecessary indulgence anymore; it's virtually (ha ha) required a 'normal life' these days.

Drugs and booze, sure, but the one thing I refuse to pass up ever are Goya sugar wafers because they're only $0.99 a package and you get so much of them! I'll leave all the things I don't need at the checkout but refuse to put back the Goya wafers.

On a similar thread I started last summer I said I wouldn't stop buying good beer.

This has proven false.

― been HOOS, where yyyou steene!? (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver)

How far have the mighty fallen? I assume, of course, that you are still buying SOME beer.

faberge eggs made me lol.

i pretty much haven't changed my habits at all; due to the fact that i still have a job and my notably poor impulse control.

I don't think the Internet is an unnecessary indulgence anymore; it's virtually (ha ha) required a 'normal life' these days.

Yep. I'd be a lot more than sad without internet. I'd be screwed.

Tho I am broke this week, so I won't be able to stop by the smoked salmon shack for this month's purchase.

Quite disappointing, as dude won't be back down here for another 5 mondays or so.

I assume, of course, that you are still buying SOME beer.

― kenan, Monday, March 2, 2009 11:20 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark

Oh yes. The cheap stuff + I have discovered the wonders of CHEAP SCOTCH.

wonders? do tell. rather drink cheap irish in my experience.

Cheap bourbon (and "bourbon") will make you renounce your faith in God and man and swear off of kindness. Avoid.

Although "Early Times" is a hilarious name for a drink you're most likely to purchase when you're down so low you think it's breakfast.

netflix

soap
mimolet
weed

I don't think the Internet is an unnecessary indulgence anymore; it's virtually (ha ha) required a 'normal life' these days.

I'm living with my brother at the moment, and he suggested giving up the internet and the thought sent me into a blind panic and I hit the roof. Dunno if internet really belongs here though, as it's relatively cheap.

Good Quality Beer.

Although I am buying meat a lot less often I am still buying organic well raised meat, won't compromise on eggs either.

American Spirits although now more so than ever cost should be further incentive for me to quit.

Yuengling has got to be the perfect beer for a recession. It's pretty inexpensive (~$5.50/6pk) and it tastes great.

"He killed all the Yuenglings."

Smoking's not all that expensive if you switch to rollies - everyone comes round to them being nicer than pre-rolleds eventually as well.

This thread is causing me to wonder what, if any, recession sacrifices Ilxors have been making.

I got nuffin

Smoking's not all that expensive if you switch to rollies - everyone comes round to them being nicer than pre-rolleds eventually as well.

^^^ I've been rolling Drum long enough now that a Camel Light makes me dizzy and nauseated, even though it's less tar and nicotine. It's just so much more... other.

http://www.iconocast.com/S00009/Q0/News9A_3.jpg

x-post

Yeah, I can't really smoke anything other than american spirits any more. Anything with additives gives me a headache now but I'm completely shit at rolling anything so I can't see myself making that switch unless I get really desperate.

Get one of those nifty baccy tins that rolls the cigarettes for you.

Why not get tubes and that nifty plastic apparatus? Theyr'e so much fun to assemble, too!

Beer and going playing snooker.
Just spent last money I have for 2 days on 3 packets of crispy bacon wheat crunchies and 6 cans rather than proper food.

Stupid credit crunch!

x-post Would probably smoke less if I had to make them every time I wanted a smoke. Hmmmm. Might not be a bad idea.

I support not_goodwin's irresponsible purchases.

Might not be a bad idea.

Rolls too tight. Only good for dried out tobacco or... ahem. Fresh tobacco, you can hardly get a draw off it if you rolled it with a machine.

I really enjoy the ritual of rolling, you kind of feel like you've earned it. Can be a bit of a pain when you're spannered, though.

yes rolling cigarets takes a bit of practice, especially if you use filters, but once you get the hang of it it's quite pleasing.

i haven't gotten rid of cable yet but that's only because I have a kid and a wife. if it were just me I'd watch everything on the computer.

really unnecessary indulgence I haven't given up: buying lush bath bombs (not every day, mind, but a few a week); made worse because they finally opened one in the east bay.

I dont think Ive ever had anything drycleaned except maybe a large wool coat, once. But I dont wear suits. I'd never ever send clothes off to be washed/cleaned for the heck of it - handwashing's not that hard!

it's awful, like ironing

No, but I don't have garment steaming facilities in my apartment. Hell, these days I don't even have an apartment. And my iron is in storage. Plus, in a ironic twist, I got all my nice clothes so incredibly on sale that I couldn't afford to replace them if a laundry experiment went wrong, so dry cleaning is probably the way to go.

hand drying a shirt? are you doing the mr miyagi thing?

Whatever you call it. Laying it carefully on a towel in a well-ventilated room.

Wearing clothes until they have cartoon stink lines emanating from them is one of my tricks.

I'm thinking of Bill Murray in Stripes laying out his laundry philosophy: "There's not just clean and dirty, there are many shades." I'm totally like that with sweaters and hoodies.

Besides, the dry cleaner charges a lot more for sweaters, because they KNOW you do that.

American Spirits
fancy cheese and bread from the Whole Foods store

buying books

In a new city, with actual restaurants in it, my spending on take-out is projected to rise.

booze
manicures (i know, i know!)

hahahaha tza wins

i actually never even started manicures til last summer but i quickly realized that they are relatively cheap and provide me with a nice stress relief + my hands look more professional (LOLOLOL). though i am getting them less now and starting to look less and less prof.

lol i am clearly a lush

buying books

― just1n3, Tuesday, March 3, 2009 1:30 AM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark

I just buy all my books at the salvation army now.

an occasional steak
an occasional couple of expensive beers
an occasional meal out
weird and wonderful condiments

I felt way more on top of my life in general when I acted on the realization that I will not take clothes to the dry cleaner and took the "waiting to take to the drycleaner" pile of clothes, shoved them in a bag and gave them to Goodwill. But then I don't have a "professional" dress code at work.

*gasps*

I could never part with my dry-clean-onlies. I put way too much creative effort into purchasing them.

xp yeah but you can't buy books like these from the sallies':

http://vampandtramp.com/newarrivals.html

ok so here is the problem:
i've had a bag of stuff to take to dry cleaning for ages but i keep running late or not dropping it off and then i'm like 'hey i have no clothes!' and i went out and bought new clothes last weekend and then was like 'drurrrr.'

i have done that more often than i care to admit

I try to only do that with socks and underwear. Which has worked out ok, since now no matter how long I go without doing laundry, at least I have more socks and underwear.

I realized that those creative efforts were essentially stillborn, because I'd wear the dry-clean-only once and invariably spill ice cream or soup on it. I've pretty much given up on buying anything I can't machine wash and dry. Nothing to do with indulgence, mostly because I'm lazy and spill things on clothes.

I have few indulgences and those few I have are crazy cheap, like buying used books from charity shops or tent camping. M. White would have an apoplectic fit and die if he were forced to drink the stuff I drink. I dress, as I say here often, like a better grade of hobo.

Behold me. I am the walking cheapness. I am recession proof.

I try to only do that with socks and underwear. Which has worked out ok, since now no matter how long I go without doing laundry, at least I have more socks and underwear.

I do this. I now have over a month's supply of socks and underwear.

Just a month? I must have 100 pair of socks. Most of them don't even have holes.

i do NOT get this bc fuck if i wanna wear some chemically treated underwear w/out washing it first. just do your laundry!

i do NOT get this bc fuck if i wanna wear some chemically treated underwear w/out washing it first. just do your laundry!

You do not get this because you are smarter and less lazy than I am.

It's a value, not a skill.

I don't mind giving up anything, honestly. Getting sacked has led me towards quitting drinking and smoking, for which I am very grateful.

i actually never even started manicures til last summer but i quickly realized that they are relatively cheap and provide me with a nice stress relief + my hands look more professional (LOLOLOL). though i am getting them less now and starting to look less and less prof.

― yur twit (tehresa), Monday, March 2, 2009 8:36 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

OK yeah, me too and I get them for the same reason + it's the only way I can keep from biting my nails. If they look nice I leave them alone. I have cut back though and am getting one every three weeks now and doing the in between maintenance on my own.

Mr. and I have been relatively spared by economic woes--we both have pretty secure jobs in a relatively well-off city (DC); we have, however, cut out a spring vacation, and will take just a week's vacation rental in August instead of the two weeks I'd originally hoped for.

water
valerianella locusta
hd's
gaffer tape

will take just a week's vacation rental in August instead of the two weeks I'd originally hoped for.

Oh god this sounds like entitled yuppie bullshit. We've been very lucky, that's all. And have have chosen to live within our means. Which is still pretty damn well off.

So, </vacation whine>

Ben & Jerry's seconded. I'm pretty cheap otherwise and ice cream is my favorite food, so I don't feel too bad about it.

The occasional $5 indulgences, like good ice cream, hardly seem irresponsible IMO. Do these things actually qualify as "indulgences"? Or is the term best applied to things that one cannot responsibly purchase?

. . . but yet purchases anyway?

Drycleaning is not that expensive, you guys. (Though without a day job, I have little need for such crispness.)

I went to the same drycleaners for ten years and it was relatively affordable, then they went out of business and I went somewhere else (after not getting anything dry cleaned for a month); one suit, three sweaters, some blouses, two pairs of trousers: $100. FUCK THAT.

kombucha
buying Hermes ties on ebay
dry cleaning

my roommates grew kombucha at home for a while; do you like strange fetus-looking things living on top of the microwave?

i'd say wine and coffee except those are more like staples than indulgences. plus my standby these days is a $4 malbec, which i can't really feel bad about.

we have a housekeeper come once a week, that feels pretty indulgent. (not at all my idea, so i consider it sort of a domestic harmony fee.)

Although I am writing this while suffering from fuzzy head from champagne reception for Edgy Style Magazine at an auction house last night, which also meant CANAPES FOR DINNER, I live pretty frugally in monetary terms.

My family were not well off at all after my parents divorced and I'm deadly in charity shops and sale situations as a result (charity shop find of 2008: Martin Margiela jacket, black, £5). There's no way I could ignore those lessons as I'm hardwired this way. I am not going to downscale AT ALL from Marks and Spencer or Waitrose, as I know the rewards of shopping at both when the red sticker squad comes out and suddenly wahey, inexpensive posh food. I also check the special offers before I do anything else and stock up on necessities when they are on sale as supermarket loss leaders.

When spring comes I work one morning a week on a farmer's market veg stall, so I am paid to cart my own body weight home in vegetables after a lucrative four-hour shift.

Massage...Better than therapy.

― Bob Six, Tuesday, March 3, 2009 10:17 AM (9 hours ago)

lol happy ending

I am drinking more lager and less ale than usual which means it must be a crisis.

Ugh, I was shocked at the price (and the wait) last time I took something to the dry cleaners. It was like £20 for a pair of suit trousers, and nowhere would do it within a day. So I fully endorse the route of over-wearing stuff or just not wearing nice things.

I thought I wouldn't give up CDs, but I've hardly bought any lately. Not so much because of the $$$ but because I have way too much clutter and have begun to feel kind of guilty about the sheer amt of non-recyclable petrochemical products I own. Going to keep buying music magazines, and I hope I'll still go and see bands, though if things get that depressing I won't feel like leaving the house at all.

The local deli which sells nice hams and paté would be my downfall, except they've decreased their open hours so I barely get to go in any more. Shd probably stop buying pre-packaged sandwiches but it feels worth £1.45 not to have to get up 15 minutes earlier.

The reduced-to-clear fridge at the local supermarket used to be a goldmine but gets cleared out pretty fast these days.

Sometimes wondered if I should feel bad abt buying stuff there, if I shd leave the bargains for people who were really struggling money-wise. I still have my job, for now, and seeing reduced-to-clear deli counter goods does not mean the difference between me eating and not eating that day, so maybe it is pretty shitty of me to buy it anyway when some people probably are in that category.

My local clearance seems to uh clear faster these days but I figure I don't do a sweep every day so it all balances out in terms of need. I cruise the Waitrose deli counter looking for ham that's on clearance for less than £1/100g and the chorizo picante they had on sale for £2 for a few weeks has been just great in terms of heating up slices of it in the frying pan for huevos con chorizo. Which I just ate. Goodbye, burgeoning hangover.

Recession, what recession? I'm sort of embarrassed to say it but I'm about £350 a month better off than I was 12 months ago, what with mortgage, fuel and loan costs down, and iirc, paying less tax for some reason I'm not entirely sure about, and so I'm pretty much spending more. Sorry. But I am surely not the only one here whose income has gone up this year?

i just bought a flat! scary. well, assuming i can get finance. my income hasn't gone up (yet) but my expenses have definitely gone down.

I am making more money somehow this year than last although my salary is actually less (so are my pre-tax benefits that I paid), but I also work about ten times harder than I did a year ago and am constantly afraid of losing my job here as well, so it's not any kind of consolation for some reason. I'm so freaked out and disgusted by my frivolous spending over the past ten years that I've become the cheapest bastard alive.

I'm making more than I was a year ago, with about the same expenses... but they just announced salary freezes at my current job so I'm a little nervous about what the future holds. Horrible timing on this, as I'm coming up on some serious professional accreditation that would normally mean a sizable increase for me.