“Not Guilty” Budget Splurges | YNAB

November 4, 2023

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Although a lot of people think of budgeting as restrictive, those of us “in the know” (that makes us sound so much cooler, don’t you think?) understand that keeping a budget actually allows us to buy what we want—without the guilt.

Most of us have costs that could be cut, but sometimes it’s the little conveniences or pleasures in life that keep us going and that has value that’s hard to put a price on. As silly as it is, mine is buying cut fruit from the grocery store.

Could I cut the fruit myself for considerable savings? Yes.

Should I? Yes.

Will I? No. And, frankly, I’m tired of pretending that I might.

But I still want fruit, so I pay a premium for someone else to do the work. And I have no shame about it.

Your spending should align with your priorities and we’re not here to judge your priorities. But we are curious (and maybe a little nosy) about your “not guilty” budget splurges, so we asked on Instagram. Here are some of your answers:

I budget for massages from my “medical expenses” category! I mean…it’s for my health!
Direct Flights!
As silly as it sounds: dessert! My wife and I love a solid ice cream sandwich or Drumstick ice cream cone after dinner, but we don’t have to feel guilty about it because we budget that into our groceries for the month!
Paying for healthier food even though it’s more expensive. You can’t purchase your health later on.
I love having a category for home improvements. Whether it is for new throw pillows or a new smart switch for the lights, being able to splurge on home stuff is awesome!
Vacation!!
Spontaneous craft supplies or patterns!
Ordering pizza for an after work game night with coworkers…and not asking everyone to pay me back!
It’s happened over time and we don’t make purchases every month, but we’ve built a pretty nice garage gym. Sometimes right after a purchase for some piece of equipment is made I feel a little buyer’s remorse, but it’s totally been worth it for the sake of time, ease and not having to spend on a gym membership!
I get my nails done every two weeks. I love the way my nails look when they’re manicured so I budget for the service and don’t feel guilty when I take the time to go get them done!
Our best not guilty splurge is our cleaning crew. Neither my fiance nor I like to clean, but we have 2 dogs and I have allergies so regular cleaning is a must. Being able to budget for a cleaning crew is a lifesaver!
I buy Babybel cheese at Costco. I can get really hangry as I’m making dinner, and those mini cheese wheels save me from accidentally snacking through a whole box of cookies I meant to share with my husband. They’re also an easy little hit of protein during those open-the-fridge-to-casually-snack moments.
A bi-weekly house cleaning service.
I buy flowers every week at the grocery store so I always have something fresh on my coffee table.
A quarterly housekeeper! It’s something that feels like such a luxury, but because of YNAB I can plan for it so it’s manageable. And knowing I don’t ever have to deep clean is the greatest feeling!
I’ll always splurge on books!
Getting an iced oat milk latte at least once every week because I have a separate coffee budget!
My not guilty budget splurge is work meals. I’m a flight attendant so I love to try different foods from the different locations I visit! Meal prepping involves making sure I have my Chase Sapphire Preferred in my wallet to get those points!
Landscaping. Yes we have all the yard tools, yes my husband and I can tackle it and accomplish it on our own and we do during the winter…but come summertime in Arizona at 120° or hotter I gladly pay to have someone pull weeds/trim trees and save our backs and sanity.
High quality running shoes. Getting injured isn’t worth a “deal!”
Groceries! Cooking is my therapy, my entertainment, and my food.