Big Splurges

In my previous post, I wrote about small splurges and now it’s time to look at the other end of the spectrum. Big splurges.

I would classify a large splurge as something that costs thousands (or depending on the item) hundreds of dollars. Anything that is not necessary for a reasonably comfortable survival I consider to be a splurge. Moreover, things that I would consider to be an extravagance. Now I’m talking a luxury vehicle, designer bags, expensive experiences- anything along those lines that’s not entirely necessary (or when you could get by with a cheaper version)

I love to travel, it’s one of my biggest splurges. It’s not necessary by any stretch but I have a strong belief that travelling is an educational and culturally enriching experience. Travelling the world is an eye opener and allows us to form educated opinions and have insights into the lives of other people. Sometimes I find you can learn more from travelling than you can in a classroom and the experiences and memories last forever. But, it’s an expense and usually a fairly major one at that. As a result, I make a hard effort to sacrifice small splurges at every opportunity in my daily life in order to re-direct those funds for a big travel splurge. The reason being is that for me travel is important, it’s something I love. It’s also minimalist and the less I spend on stuff the more I have free to travel with. I’m happy to take my lunch to work everyday if it means I can travel overseas frequently. It’s a compromise.

I don’t always travel in the cheapest possible way either. I don’t backpack or stay in hostels or couch surf because I simply don’t want to. That’s not the way I want to travel and when I do I like it to be at least a little bit comfortable. Sometimes I feel a touch guilty at splurging on myself. But I’ve come to realise that as long as it’s not everyday, it’s alright.

Everyone will have different big splurges as what’s important will differ from person to person. I used to splurge on frequently purchasing pairs of shoes, however I have come to realise that shoes are not as important to me as travelling. Shoes also take up significantly more space than my passport full of stamps. It was a slow process to get to this point but I am happy to spend my hard earned on wonderful travel adventures instead of stuff. It’s just my thing.

What are your big splurges?