What is luxury?

Suppose you have a bunch of extra money to spend and you decide to buy little, nice things for yourself that you don’t already.  This might be a latte every day at Starbucks, to use an old example, or Charmin 3-ply Extra Plushy instead of the tree bark variety.

It’s interesting that a lot of times we think in terms of the luxuries we’d like to add to our life (”Gee, if I had a little extra money I would stock ice cream in my freezer all the time” or “Gee, if I could afford it, I’d love to have brand-new towels on hand for guests and a guest room all ready for out-of-town guests”) but sometimes we forget how many of these we’re already doing.

Ok, so in all likelihood you are already doing a lot of these “little luxuries” which is fine.  Remember, not spending money isn’t about cutting out everything in your life that you like, it’s about recognizing what you already have and enjoying it.  So try this:  Every time you bump into something you enjoy or something you’ve spent a little extra on or something that you’re glad doesn’t cost a little extra, write it down and build a list of all the little luxuries.

Chances are, one of two things will happen:

a)  You will realize that you are indulging in a luxury that you don’t particularly need or appreciate, or

b)  You will enjoy that luxury even more now that you are aware of what it is.

So, your list might look something like this, depending on what you choose to spend money on or enjoy:

• 2-ply toilet paper
• Shampoo from Bath & Body Works that smells yummy
• Clean sheets twice a week
• A cell phone in addition to or instead of your land line
• Drinking out of glass glasses instead of plastic cups
• Having matched dishes
• Having mismatched dishes, but enough to serve all your friends
• Having hot water whenever you want it
• Using Kleenex instead of toilet paper for your runny nose
• Buying a book you want instead of checking it out of the library
• Having a library nearby
• Working at an office that provides hot coffee every day
• Splurging on hot coffee every day at the coffee shop
• A water filter or ice maker in your fridge
• A dishwasher
• Free time to read or relax
• A nice place near you to go jogging
• Having a pet that you love
• Not having a pet to clean up after
• Being able to afford to leave a light on for yourself when you’re away
• Being able to afford cable
• Having a nice outdoor space to enjoy
• Having a really good heater or air conditioner
• Having your own bathroom
• Having your own set of fresh, clean towels in the bathroom
• Watching your favorite show in the evening
• Hearing birds in the morning
• Getting to shovel snow
• Not having to shovel snow
• Having an umbrella when it rains
• Walking in the rain
• Fuzzy Bedroom slippers
• Bare feet on soft carpet
• The ability to play music wherever you go

Some of these may not seem luxurious enough to spend some time appreciating, or they may seem too luxurious to waste money on.  The thing is, finding the right balance is completely up to you.