LBYMs what do you splurge on?

[NW-Bound]

Electric vehicles are definitely my splurge item.
Travel is relatively cheap as we only take driving vacations.
And $3500/year gas savings covers vacations nicely.

How long is your extension cord?

 

[audreyh1]

I will be the nosy one. What did it cost if you don't mind saying?

I'm not used to spending $300 a night on hotels. This is not the most expensive hotel in the old city area by any means - more mid price range.

Actually, in Europe, $250 or more a night is not uncommon at all for downtown city hotels.

We could easily double the price of our Europe trip by flying business class instead of economy+ .

 

[Totoro]

Actually, in Europe, $250 or more a night is not uncommon at all for downtown city hotels.

Amsterdam list prices for a not-so-nice hotel is about that. Would guess Paris or London on par.

As usual, one can shop around (or airbnb) to get to $100 usd or so but without due diligence, you get fleeced

 

[eta2020]

I'm not used to spending $300 a night on hotels. This is not the most expensive hotel in the old city area by any means - more mid price range.

Actually, in Europe, $250 or more a night is not uncommon at all for downtown city hotels.

We could easily double the price of our Europe trip by flying business class instead of economy+ .

Or you can rent private apartment which will come with kitchen, washing machine etc. I stayed in Vienna Center 6-7 years for about 70-80 bucks a night. Prices are probably higher now.

I am European and always prefer apartment to hotel...... I can cook my own breakfast and wash my laundry.

 

[aja8888]

I'm not used to spending $300 a night on hotels. This is not the most expensive hotel in the old city area by any means - more mid price range.

Actually, in Europe, $250 or more a night is not uncommon at all for downtown city hotels.

We could easily double the price of our Europe trip by flying business class instead of economy+ .

Come out to West Texas....last week I paid $280/night in a Holiday Inn Express, but it came with a free breakfast! (and I was smarter in the morning)

Under $300 a night is cheap and hard to find, even in places like Alice, Texas! I have paid as much as $400/night in Midland when the only spot in town had a room. Same goes for N & S Dakota.

 

[REWahoo]

Come out to West Texas....last week I paid $280/night in a Holiday Inn Express, but it came with a free breakfast! (and I was smarter in the morning)

I have paid as much as $400/night in Midland when the only spot in town had a room.

+1

DD#2 and family live in Midland where the cost of living - especially for housing - is nuts.

 

[NW-Bound]

Of course RV'ers know that we spend much less than the amounts quoted above for campgrounds. And many were able to boondock for free, and I mean real boondocking, not at Walmarts.

I have always reminded myself of this saving when standing there at the pump, waiting patiently to fill up the cavernous gas tank, under the glare of the poor motorists behind me.

 

[aja8888]

Of course RV'ers know that we spend much less than the amounts quoted above for campgrounds. And many were able to boondock for free, and I mean real boondocking, not at Walmarts.

I have always reminded myself of this saving when standing there at the pump, waiting patiently to fill up the cavernous gas tank, under the glare of the poor motorists behind me.

Drag your camper/RV out to Midland/Odessa (or anywhere else nearby) and see what happens when you pull into a campground, if you can find one that has a an opening.

 

[NW-Bound]

No, I do not think I want to go to Midland/Odessa, or some places in North Dakota where they are drilling.

I am a retiree on a vacation, remember?

 

[REWahoo]

Drag your camper/RV out to Midland/Odessa (or anywhere else nearby) and see what happens when you pull into a campground, if you can find one that has a an opening.

Yep, we used to stay in a Midland RV park for a couple of days to visit the grandkids on our way to and from New Mexico, but no more. Now we park the RV at the SIL's workplace (secured equipment yard, no hookups) and stay with them.

 

[pjm-7]

Travel through west Texas. Yikes it's expensive (energy boom) and the food is all fried. There is a neat old hotel in Big Spring. The Settles is a restored 1930's (Deco style). It does have a decent restaurant and not all fried.

 

[REWahoo]

Yikes it's expensive (energy boom)...

+1

... and the food is all fried.

Only if you eat where all the oil patch workers eat.

 

[NW-Bound]

Recently, my future son-in-law needed to go to Fort Stockton to meet his relatives, who drove there to meet him half way. They thought they had to spend the night in their cars.

Last year, on the way back from N.O., we stopped and overnighted in a rest area on I-10 not too far from Fort Stockton. It was in May, so still cool, and so nice in my motorhome.

 

[nash031]

I'd say probably dining out, though not like when we were dating. We go to more inexpensive places now, but we still like a nice dinner with good wine/cocktails periodically. Travel would be next, but we still hunt for the best deals when we go. Wine is probably in there as well.

Fortunately, even after all that we're still able to live well below our means...

 

[anethum]

I'm not used to spending $300 a night on hotels. This is not the most expensive hotel in the old city area by any means - more mid price range.

Actually, in Europe, $250 or more a night is not uncommon at all for downtown city hotels.

About a month ago, I had to find accommodations for 4 nights in Paris just 6 days before we were going to arrive. (We were going to stay with friends but at the last moment, there was a major health issue in their family and we didn't want to impose on my friends in those circumstances.) I know a bunch of semi-reasonably priced hotels in Paris, but none of them had availability at that late date. I contacted several places on airbnb and we found a small 1 bedroom apartment in a nice neighborhood in the 11th arrondissement. The price, including airbnb fees, was $79/night for the apartment. We were very pleased with the apartment, which we had to ourselves.

 

[Tailgate]

just spent plenty on a new book and a slip at the marina

 

[NW-Bound]

The last time we were in Paris, in late 2007, we stayed at a small hotel that I found on Venere, I think. My wife had been retired for some time, and we used up all the good deals and credits that she had accumulated during her work travel, so we stayed at low-cost hotels that did not conflict with our LBYM philosophy.

We paid less than €100 I am sure, maybe €90. The hotel was an old building, had perhaps 20-30 rooms on maybe 3 floors, and was odd-shaped so no two rooms were alike. Our room was small and narrow, the size of a closet in many new US homes. However, its bathroom and bed were clean, and that was all we needed. We were out on the streets in the city all day anyway.

By the way, in all our travel, we have not brought back bed bugs with us. Fingers crossed!

 

[Zathras]

How long is your extension cord?

About as long as the gas pump we last used a bit over a year ago was
Last month we used it to travel to CA, back through the SW and back to MN.
Fuel cost us $3

 

[NW-Bound]

Nice! I wonder how much an electric motorhome would cost. Well, I guess I won't be able to afford it, since I ask.

 

[audreyh1]

Well in Amsterdam we are staying in an apartment/B&B as it happens to be down the street from my brother's place. €99 per night including breakfast. Makes up for Vienna.

In general we don't really care for B&Bs, but this place stocks your fridge and leaves fresh bread/pastries outside your door in the morning, and you make your own breakfast so that works.

 

[Spanky]

travel to CA and Hawaii.

 

[kaudrey]

Good wine. To the OP - $20 is NOT a splurge on wine....

We travel but do it fairly frugally, so I am not sure it is a splurge. But definitely something we do as often as possible.

Also, we are foodies, and we splurge on "name" restaurants, probably 4-6 times a year. Such as Alinea in Chicago last month, and Minibar in DC coming up in August (for my hubby's 40th). We also plan to hit Boston in September, so I am sure we'll eat somewhere good there.

 

[audreyh1]

just spent plenty on a new book and a slip at the marina

I hope you are keeping a boat in that slip LOL!

 

[Walt34]

I just spent ~$500 on picture framing stuff. Not as bad as it sounds, half or more of that is tools that will last the rest of my life if I don't lose them and the rest is materials that will be consumed slowly.

The thing is, even with buying the frames instead of making them, after I mount and frame about four or five photos I'm well ahead of what it would cost to have it done at a frame shop.

 

[FIREd]

I just spent ~$500 on picture framing stuff. Not as bad as it sounds, half or more of that is tools that will last the rest of my life if I don't lose them and the rest is materials that will be consumed slowly.

The thing is, even with buying the frames instead of making them, after I mount and frame about four or five photos I'm well ahead of what it would cost to have it done at a frame shop.

I have a map that I wanted framed. Went to a local frame shop for an estimate... Basic plexi with no UV protection, simple black wood frame, no matting... $620 and a 2.5-week turnaround.