Post by newnamesameperson on Feb 13, 2023 16:49:50 GMT -5
Vacations... we didn't really travel much when I was younger and once I was on my own well I didn't have much money for travel. Then I went on a trip with my husband who had been working for a few years before I entered the workforce and it was mind blowing. I remember we stayed at this amazing hotel and I'd never stayed anywhere that nice in my life.
Younger Me would probably be the most surprised at how much I spend on my hair and skin. I used to get haircuts (just the cut) for $19.95 — I was so cheap about my hair, I didn’t even pay extra for a blow dry and got the leave-with-wet-hair special. Now my last cut and color was over $500.
ETA: The first time I felt like I had turned a corner financially was when I was able to buy the female version of products. I always bought men’s shaving cream and razors, for example, because they were cheaper. I actually feel like some of that “pink tax” has been equalized (which is progress) but men’s stuff used to be at least a full dollar cheaper for the same thing.
I’m another opposite person here. Before I got married I regularly paid $300 for cut, tri-lights and styling. It took like 3 hours. Since then I have developed allergies to the vast majority of hair care products and dyes. So now if I go to the salon I have to bring my own shampoos and they can’t use their awesome products and it all feels pointless. So I started cutting my own hair during CoVID and I haven’t gone back since. I will have to learn how to grey naturally because I am super limited on dye options, and there’s only one salon in my city who use the dye I am not allergic to (Goldwell).
I too used to buy men’s products. I remember getting mad at DH when we were dating if he used my stuff because sometimes it was so much more expensive.
My true answer that I haven’t seen yet is art. I am now buying for our forever home, and am being much more conscientious in my selections, and buying directly from artists I appreciate. Younger me would faint at the idea of spending over $1000 for a piece of art. And then the cost of framing! (I die).
Post by Doggy Mommy on Feb 13, 2023 17:03:25 GMT -5
Concerts and hotels. Gone are our days of cheap general admission tickets. Now we'd rather not go than have crappy seats. If we're going through all that work to go to a concert, it better be worth it. Spending way more on hotels kind of crept up on us.
Yes, house stuff. Our deck was 20k and had to be done because it was about to collapse. We need to replace windows too and I'm dreading it. We'll probably have to do that in stages starting with the worst windows and the sliding door that barely opens.
Post by wanderlustmom on Feb 13, 2023 17:20:02 GMT -5
I haven't changed. I still drive a basic car that I keep as clean as possible on the inside but will drive it until it dies and have basic furniture (with the exception of a good mattress but even that is only 1K), we have no fine art in this house, I have very little clothes or shoes and I don't have nice purses. Really no fancy house things at all. But in my twenties and now, I liked a good dinner/lunch out, vacations, spa treatments, nice haircuts, nice make up, cocktails, experiences. If someone asks me to go do something, I say yes as much as possible
I forget who I was recently telling, but xh and I went to Vegas for our honeymoon in 2004. We went to a fancy to us steakhouse (I was 22) and our bill was over $100, like $125 or so. I remember feeling SO fancy. Now, that’s just like a Tuesday nigh out with drinks, lol.
This is actually something that I found out was less expensive than I always assumed it was. My family wasn't a drinking family so I had NO reference point and when I got my first office job, I wanted to get the guy who helped me a bottle of wine as a thank you. So I went into a local winery's shop in the mall and told them and he asked how much I wanted to spend and I was like "Idk, $50?" and he was like "Yeah, you can buy just about anything in here then." lol
Right, but fill a wine fridge 🤣.
There’s def cheap wine that I drank when younger.
Are you saying that my current favorite, Snoop Cali Red, is not a high class, sophisticated wine at $15/bottle?
Ok douche, go ahead and call it mud. My husband DID have halitosis. We addressed it after I talked to you girls on here and guess what? Years later, no problem. Mofongo, you're a cunt. Eat shit. ~anonnamus
Post by imojoebunny on Feb 13, 2023 19:32:41 GMT -5
Just about everything. I cringe at all the things I did not to spend money in my 20’s. The worst was refinishing my own hardwood floors. Never doing that again, but I do have deep respect for all trades from all the work I did back then on my first dumpster fire of a house. I loved that place. Good to know that the Snoop and Martha wine pack I got at the white elephant party recently is worthy @jit19.
Clothes. I'm not at all extravagant, but I use to be clearance only at forever 21. I've moved up into more clearance at Banana Republic territory 😂
We've also invested some good money into furniture. We got married young and bought everything super cheap/free. We've replaced it all at this point and the prices we paid would've done younger me in. But it has shocking help up much better lol so worth the investment.
We're out of daycare now, but only recently, so that's a fresh wound. Even when DD1 was a newborn, I was scoffing at center pricing and convinced I could find an in-home for a reasonable price. Joke was on me, as I couldn't find one at all (and they're not even that much cheaper). I'm still pained when I think of the prices we paid; young me would faint.
Now, summer camp could be a close second.
I don't tend to spend a lot on myself. I can relate to UMaineTeach's point about current me being appalled at old me's spending! When I was 24, I switched jobs, got a big raise, and immediately bought $5k in new clothes, including a *white* wool coat. lol
Oh, maybe groceries count! That's not fun, but we're not super careful with food costs, so that plus inflation make it an appalling amount.
There’s a STEM-focused summer day camp for kids at the local university. It’s $1100/week. For DAY CAMP. At least they get to eat lunch at the dining hall? But parents still have to pack snacks….
Oh and taxes. I would be amazed at how much we pay I taxes. 😳
This. Our accountant sent me a draft of the taxes last week showing we’ll owe an additional $24k at filing time….and I was relieved! Younger me faints just thinking about it.
We're out of daycare now, but only recently, so that's a fresh wound. Even when DD1 was a newborn, I was scoffing at center pricing and convinced I could find an in-home for a reasonable price. Joke was on me, as I couldn't find one at all (and they're not even that much cheaper). I'm still pained when I think of the prices we paid; young me would faint.
Now, summer camp could be a close second.
I don't tend to spend a lot on myself. I can relate to UMaineTeach's point about current me being appalled at old me's spending! When I was 24, I switched jobs, got a big raise, and immediately bought $5k in new clothes, including a *white* wool coat. lol
Oh, maybe groceries count! That's not fun, but we're not super careful with food costs, so that plus inflation make it an appalling amount.
There’s a STEM-focused summer day camp for kids at the local university. It’s $1100/week. For DAY CAMP. At least they get to eat lunch at the dining hall? But parents still have to pack snacks….
DD is going to a week long swim camp that is overnight and all 3 meals included for $750 at a Big10 College. You'll have to post photos of what your kid makes at this camp, ha! I'm sure it will be fun. DS2 attended a STEAM camp (that's arts included) and they did projects that crossed 2 disciplines each, so welding and drama, cooking and weather etc.
There’s a STEM-focused summer day camp for kids at the local university. It’s $1100/week. For DAY CAMP. At least they get to eat lunch at the dining hall? But parents still have to pack snacks….
DD is going to a week long swim camp that is overnight and all 3 meals included for $750 at a Big10 College. You'll have to post photos of what your kid makes at this camp, ha! I'm sure it will be fun. DS2 attended a STEAM camp (that's arts included) and they did projects that crossed 2 disciplines each, so welding and drama, cooking and weather etc.
Lol, I’m not spending $1100/week to send my kid to day camp! He’s going to $200/week day camp at the Y instead. And maybe a week of sleep away camp (price TBD). I was floored at the price! Just for comparison, an entire semester of undergrad in-state tuition at this same university is only $4500.
And all kinds of dog training/sport/doggie daycare activities.
I feel this. Younger me would be shocked that I have not one, but two dogs. I'm pretty sure what I pay for dog sports/training these days is about equivalent to what my parents were spending on riding lessons for me in the 90s. I'm not positive, but I think entry fees for dog sport competitions are way higher than when I was showing horses. I hadn't thought about that before, but that's pretty astounding.
Post by lilypad1126 on Feb 14, 2023 9:14:35 GMT -5
I wouldn’t say my younger self would be appalled or have sticker shock, just like shocked in general that I can finally afford some things without going into massive credit card debt.
Like my hair - I go this Friday and I’m guessing it’ll be $400 (color/highlights, cut, Brazilian blowout treatment). I’m ready for more Botox. Clothes - I no longer calculate how much each item is and decide which of the 4 fabulous items I can afford, I just buy all of them even if they aren’t on sale. My H and I are going away next weekend and not only are we driving but I didn’t look to see if the hotel charges for parking AND I plan to Uber.
Younger me would definitely be wide eyed and shocked that I am finally in a financial position to afford this.
Sofa prices get me. I couldn’t even find one I really liked! They are all so huge so that might add to it.
Food has always been expensive here but paying $12+ for a sandwich is rough.
I am surprised in the opposite way sometimes, I’ve noticed the price of some higher end or niche products hasn’t gone up as much as you’d think.
I’ve been paying roughly the same amount for my foundation for about 18 years at Sephora (looking back over old orders) but Cover Girl has more than doubled in price in that time.
I found some old craft supplies with the receipt still in the bag from a class I took almost 20 years ago and I paid only $1-2 more for similar items last week which was a very small increase percentage-wise.
Oh and taxes. I would be amazed at how much we pay I taxes. 😳
Yup +1 I remember getting so many benefits when I was younger for education spending, student loan interest, etc. etc. - and of course, eventually, a nice refund check. I almost got sick in my mouth at the check we wrote uncle sam this year....+ penalties
Bras. The 2/$40 price at VS used to be a big splurge for me when I was younger. Younger me would likely have a heart attack at the prices I pay for good, supportive and well-fitting bras now.