Five Things I Absolutely Refuse To Cheap Out On For Myself

Just because I’m a mother, and obviously should be saving my money for my kids, it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t invest in myself. I’m sorry, but there are certain things that I absolutely refuse to cheap out on… for myself.

According to this article in the Huffington Post called, “Cost of Raising A Child” the average cost of raising a child born in 2013 until age 18, for a middle-income family in the United States, is approximately $235,340. Roughly, parents shell out between $12,800 to $14,970 per child per year, in a two-parent household with a median annual income between $61,530 and $106,540. (The statistics are approximately the same in Canada.)

Yes, us parents may often feel like a walking ATM machine, when it comes to our children. Often, something needs to go – like buying expensive coffee pucks, a gym membership, or eating out – in order for our children to take competitive dance, hockey, or, you know, have food in their stomach and a roof over their heads. That being said, there are certain things that I absolutely refuse to cheap out on…even with kids. Here goes…

Toilet Paper

I absolutely refuse to cheap out on toilet paper. Is there anything worse than going into a restroom stall, like in an office building or a mall only to realize that the toilet paper is so super thin that you need to use about 20 squares? I need the good (re: expensive) kind of toilet paper, the four-ply kind, the soft as a cloud kind, along with a brand name. When it comes to my washrooms at home, I will cheap out on shampoo, conditioner, and even body lotion. But I refuse, at all costs, to give up good (re: Cottonelle Ultra Care) toilet paper.

Facials

I go for facials about once every other month. I can do without massages, manicures, pedicures, and even haircuts (I probably get my hair cut three times a year.) But, oh how I love getting facials. I find them incredibly relaxing. And, yes, I’ll do pretty much anything that will make my face shine and (hopefully) keep me looking younger, without any kind of plastic surgery. My facials cost $125, which is a steal, and includes everything from a chemical peel to microdermabrasion to lasers to get rid of sun spots. It’s well worth the splurge, isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong. I don’t go to fancy hotels or expensive dermatologists. No, my facials are done by an Israeli woman, in the back of a hair salon, where she rents a space. (I *might* give you her contact, because she is THAT good, and super reasonable for all she includes in her hour-and-a-half facial, but I also don’t want her to get too busy, for fear she’ll be too full to fit me in!)

Line Ups

Yes, I may sound like a diva when I say I hate waiting in lines. But who does? When it comes to my annual trip with my daughter to Canada’s Wonderland, while I’m not exactly thrilled to shell out even more money at this amusement park, I do anyway so we can get the fast pass, and then, on top of that, the V.I.P. fast pass, for the two super awesome roller coasters. I’ll pay the extra charge, especially if it’s busy (which it always is) and also if it’s hot and sunny, or for that matter spitting rain (Why don’t they have shade or some sort of covering in lines?) I don’t mind spending the extra dough, to make sure we don’t have to wait for the best rides, because I detest standing in a 45 minute line up, in the blazing sun with no coverage, only to enjoy a 30 second ride. Thankfully, we only go once a year. If my daughter goes with her friends, well, she has to line up.

Eggs

I can cheap out on coffee or wine or pretty much any other kind of food, but for some reason, I need to buy Large Brown Organic eggs, the ones that come in the plastic container. I’m not sure why I have an aversion to eggs that come in a cardboard container, but I do. So, no, I will never cheap out on my large brown eggs, because it’s how I start my morning. Yes, it’s strange, perhaps, that this is the one food I refuse to cheap out on, but, hey, don’t we all have our vices?

Blankets And Throws

I can cheap out on towels, cable, and even some furniture. But I can’t get enough of large, soft blankets. I refuse to cheap out when it comes to extremely soft blankets. I have at least two in every room in my house. Since I’m always cold, I love having comfortable blankets wherever I am at home. Sometimes the blankets are not so cheap (Four Seasons Blankets are to die for!) but so are the blankets I love and buy at Indigo. I can never have too many blankets, but they must be super soft, comfortable and large enough to wrap my entire body in. My latest purchase was a blanket from the Bay. It looks fantastic and is large enough to wear as a coat!

So, now that I’ve shared with you the five things that this mother refuses to cheap out on, for herself, what are some of the things you absolutely refuse to cheap out on for yourself, even though you have children? The stranger the better!