If we all had unlimited money, we would probably indulge in every luxury under the sun. But since we aren’t, a few choice luxuries make our lives so much better. 

I am all about being frugal. I see people on Reddit saying that you need to make $200K to afford to live in NYC as an individual, and I live every day trying to prove them wrong. I take the subway, buy the cheapest groceries I can find, and I still manage to live a pretty incredible life here. While I live within my means, I still allow myself some luxuries! I pay for a nicer gym, both because I enjoy the more luxurious vibe and because spending more on it motivates me to go. If I’m paying $16 for a gym membership, it’s easy to skip it. But if I’m spending over $100 on the gym, I don’t want that money to go to waste!

Once you start making more money than you did in your early 20s, it’s easy for lifestyle creep to happen. You didn’t used to be able to afford business class, but now that you can, you splurge on it. That’s all well and good, until you start spending more in every area of your life. If you buy an expensive car, buy more groceries than you can ever eat, go out to eat every day, and spend top dollar on entertainment, your money will be gone faster than you can say, “I’ll take the upgrade.” That’s why some low earners with discipline have higher net worths than higher earners who spend every penny they’ve ever made. 

The kind of luxuries you are willing to integrate into your life really depend on what kind of person you are. For some, affording a ticket to a Broadway show every weekend is a luxury well worth the cost. For others, buying a new car makes their life so much better than it was when they were driving a beater around. If you have a couple of bands that you desperately want to spend, these luxuries might give you some ideas for how to spend it.