I know, I know. Everyone has their own long list of guilty pleasure – anywhere from traveling to food to even some fetish things that they have nicely lined up for themselves, and so do I.
Being in pursuit of financial independence does not mean the list is going to be way shorter than one who does not pursuit financial independence. In fact, I believe everyone has their own guilty pleasure of joy and happiness, irregardless of what they are.
“Happiness consists of living each day as if it were the first day of your honeymoon and the last day of your vacation” – Leo Tolstoy
So how do I line up in terms of my own guilty pleasure?
1.) Tasting different types of food
Food is one of the category list which I have a soft spot on. I have been indulging myself on nice and tasty food over the past couple of years, some of those may have been a little too extravagant to my liking.
The thing is when it comes to food, I usually will think less of the price than I would when buying clothes or accessories, unless they are priced at ridiculously Michelin price.
Even as I probably would have realized that anything that goes into the digestive system would go out twice as fast, I chose to remain bedazzled by the serenity of food chain.
2.) Itching to make a betting on outcome
The rationale for this is to ultimately test my own strength of intelligence against the higher oddmakers out there and to beat the system. For 15 years now I’ve been consistently trying to do this and it was unsuccessful, as you would have expected it to be. Luckily for me, I know when to draw the line and not go overboard on this. Habits are just hard to change.
3.) Going for a good massage
Massage in Singapore is as expensive as hell but we still sign up for it for the indulgence. I guess it is due to the stressful environment from work that we decide to call massage parlor a gift from heaven.
At times, when I think back about how many times the massage package price is relative to the other cheaper countries, I feel the pinch. But by then, it was too late.
4.) Watching movies on the big screen
The price for movies has been escalating rather quickly over the past couple of years.
The last I checked was $13.50 for weekend tickets at Cathay.
Some of the friends I had decided on boycotting the big screen due to the exorbitant price increase. Still, I liked watching movies on the big screen, which gives me a very different feeling when watching a similar movie on the laptop.
I am pretty sure that I would have friends who has much more guilty pleasures relating to drinking, clubbing, traveling, IT gadgets, comics, cosplay and many more. I am just glad that despite having a few of these guilty pleasures, I am able to watch my budgets and I would urge everyone to do the same. Once the box is ticked, the world suddenly looks much brighter than we imagined it to be π
Do you indulge in more guilty pleasure than I do? Please share along if you do and how you overcome it?
Except number 1, our indulgence are quite similar, for the movie, I liked to watch movie in IMAX too.. Talk abt movie, going to watch Transformers Age Of Extincrion this Sunday in IMAX 3D π
Hi Richard
I dont usually watch movies in IMAX though as I find the price too expensive especially since we frequent movies quite often.
I guess like you said different people embodes different meaning of values π
Spent a few hundred dollars to go fishing in Batam to catch fish worth less than $50 even taxi driver in Batam also laughed at me. π
Hi Uncle CW
Fishing to promote peace and patience, might be a useful trait to have over the long term π
One, Two & Four for me, but one is sometimes so that I don't have to cook or wash dishes
And as for Movies, I "save" by getting a stored value HSBC GV movie card, that allows me to watch weekend movies for $8.50
– momo
Hi momo
Sounds like we've got pretty similar guilty pleasures here.
I usually used either my uob card or purchased the cathay card when watching movies at cineleisure. I think that saves a dollar or two but I didnt know gv movie card was that cheap at 8.50. I might consider to change vendor now.
I have to control spending on gadgets. The latest phone, the large TV etc. I just like technology stuffs. For movies, I always try to spend below $10 even for weekend movie tickets. Safra, passion and ntuc card is enough to give me the necessary discounts. All memberships are free anyway except for Safra which I signed up more than 5 years ago for only $200+. It can last another 3 years.
Hi SGYI
Ahh you hv a soft spot for the latest IT gadgets π
I do not own a safra card but I do hv passion card. It used to give some discounts but not anymore. They should promote long term loyalty customers.
B,
Mine is Toto.
Highest strike is a few hundred dollars. But every week, religiously queue up with the 80 and 90 years young uncles and aunties for a little bit of "hope".
What's life without a little bit of "vice"?
LOL!
Hi Smol
For a sick person, hope for tomorrow is the most important factor for the will to live on.
For a normal person like you and me, hope is an equally important reason why we live our day to the fullest today.
Hi B
I just got myself a nike soccer boots which is 49.90 , original price was 79.90 ( over 30 % discount ) , i still deemed it an impulse trade as the number of times i get to utilise the boots are perhaps minimal ( few months a kick .)
Thanks to the recent channel 8 show ηε¨δ½ θδΈ and the on going World Cup that triggers this impulse .
Oh well … What's life witout a tiny bit of "vice " ( kopped from SMOL haha ! " )
Hi STI
Ahh watching the drama and world cup entices me to buy a world cup jersey as well.
I guess once in a few years we like this kind of vice going on in our lives. Without it life wouldnt be so interesting isnt it π
Hi B,
For me, it's really about visiting restaurants instead of cooking at home or going to the hawker centre/food court.
And both of us own an iPad each… =p
But are all these really vices, or just some simple additional pleasures in life?
Hi 15hww
Based on your monthly expenses I know you hv a soft spot for food as well. Hahaha
I guess since both you and your wife are contributing to the household income it should be fine spending more on each for expenses.
Hi B,
Guess traveling and that really cost a bomb. Sometimes I make use of my business trip to extend so that I can have savings on flights!
Hi Rolf
Thats a good idea!!!
In fact, my boss does that whenever he is posted for overseas travel. Too bad I don't travel as much as I would like it to be.
Food, movies and massage! Recently I splurged on a massage package which caused me to exceed my budget for the month. Sometimes I wonder why I try so hard to scrimp and save. Is life all about scrimping and saving to improve one's financial position?
I try to look for great offers to do those things at much cheaper prices. Sometimes, even the service staff have to check with their manager about the discounts that I have found. lol
a) 1 for 1 coffee at Dr Cafe if you use your AMEX card
b) 1 for 1 coffee at Spinelli if you use your SCB card (Haven't tried yet)
c) Eat at food centres instead of restaurants (Cheap and good mantra)
d) Make use of HSBC Movie card so that weekend movies at GV costs 8.5$
The list goes on … lol
Hi PIB
How sales marketeers would love people like you π
In our affluent society, the benefits that marketeers are going to implement will only get better in the eyes of people who are willing to shop. Have taker have giver. Fair.
I splurged much of the times as well so definitely I don't scrimp on just so I can save an extra couple of bucks π
Definitely clothes and traveling.
JW
Hi JW
That's the two most popular activities of a Singaporean : Shopping and Traveling.
You hit it right on the nail π
Hi, Nice site I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing. Would it be possible if I contact you through your email? Please email me back. Thanks!
Aaron Grey
aarongrey112 at gmail.com
Hi Aaron
Sure will do π
Thanks for visiting.