Our Frugal Ways
When I published the article on our savings rate over the past seven years, some of your reactions were that my husband and I have been living a very frugal life. And I can understand how you might’ve jumped to such conclusion. Even our closest family (including our parents) and friends asserted that we live a frugal lifestyle. My husband and I can spend hours trying to prove them wrong (btw, we are super proud of our frugal ways; frugal does not equal cheap), but most people believe what they want/choose to believe.
We’re willing to share our strategies with those who are willing to take the time to read (the articles published on this blog) and/or listen. We have no room for doubters and skeptics. We’re not trying to convince anyone that our way of life is better. Our goal is to show you another way of life and what can be financially possible for you. The choice is yours.
New Series
With all that being said, I’ve decided to start a series where every month I share five things/experiences that we splurged on and five things we’ve decided to wait (which will wait for a later post). Each article will include our thought and decision-making processes, too. My hope is that this series will give you another peek into how my husband and I structure our financial life. Our lifestyle is conventional in some ways, but not so much so in other ways (I shared a little bit about this in an older article).
Five Things We Splurged On
Puffer Coat
I wanted the J Crew Wintress belted puffer coat since last Winter. J Crew is one of few clothing retailers that carry outerwear in petite sizes. For a few years, the thought of wearing a puffer coat brought me warm and cozy feelings (especially during the Texas winter). Yet, for years I resisted buying one. Puffer coats in general aren’t flattering on the body. Then, a couple years ago, I started noticing other women wearing puffer coats over beautiful and delicate skirts and dresses. I liked the style–functional and pretty. Since then, I started my search for a puffer coat.
When I noticed the J Crew Wintress coat, my size was already sold out (I’m usually a size 0 (PXS) in J Crew size). As soon as the company released this year’s version of the coat, I waited patiently for a big sale. The day came on November 23rd and I purchased this coat (in size PS) at about 40% off retail price. I also received 6% cash back through Mr. Rebates (see my review here). The coat fits as expected. I purchased one size up to account for extra layers. This year’s version is more flattering without the faux fur on the detachable hat.
The final price came out to be around $189 for a high-quality coat. I have been wearing this coat two to three times a week so far this season. This coat is everything I want in a heavy winter coat: warm, cozy and flattering on the body. I already have my holiday outfits planned for the upcoming two weeks, and each includes this coat! With this coat, I feel all bundled up even when I’m wearing something delicate underneath it. Considering how frequently I have been wearing the coat and how much joy I get each time I have it on, I love the cost-per-wear!
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum
I’m very low maintenance when it comes to my beauty routine. I purchase most of my products from drugstores. The Estee Lauder Face Serum is one of few items I splurge on (The other ones are my eye cream and lipstick). I love this serum. My face feels extremely supple and smooth to the touch shortly after application (night time use) and when I wake up in the morning. This effect is certainly not due to my moisturizer. I have been using Cetaphil lotion for over 10 years and didn’t notice the same effect before I introduced this serum to my night routine.
At $92 a bottle (1.7 oz/50 mL), it’s an expensive item. However, a little product does go a long way. I use 4 drops each night and that’s enough to cover my face and neck. I hope Estee Lauder will continue to manufacture this product for many years to come. I can see myself using the serum into my 50s.
Chukka Boots
For years, my husband has been wearing Vans slip-on sneakers (almost daily). He has three pairs of fancy oxfords that he rotates for going out and was looking for a causal version that he’d be able to wear from weekday to weekend. We started looking back in early October and finally decided on the Chukka boots style. The pair we purchased was from Banana Republic when the retailer was offering 50% off one full-price item. We also received 8% cash back through Ebates (they were running holiday promotions; see my review here).
Both my husband and I love the look of the Chukka boots. The style is causal, yet sophisticated and goes well with jeans and pants. One of my favorite date night look? A pair of dark jeans, a patterned shirt, a scarf, a long navy coat and the Chukka boots!
In my husband’s words: “I feel one inch closer to the sky”.
Pampers Diapers
In an attempt to lower our expenses, my husband and I decided to give Kirkland brand diapers (Costco) a try. We purchased a box, used it up and have no plan to go back to it. The absorption is nowhere as good as the Pampers brand. While having the Kirkland diaper on, my daughter’s crotch area always looked like it was full even though it was within an hour after we changed her into a new diaper. Sometimes, she woke up with wet pants. We never had this issue when we had her on Pampers diapers.
We don’t splurge on cute and/or expensive items for our daughter, however, we care very much about her health, safety and comfort. We don’t compromise on those purchases.
Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven (2-piece set)
As soon I found out I was pregnant with Ruby about three years ago, my husband and I stopped using non-stick cookware. We only cooked with stainless steel. It was a pain trying to cook eggs or fish or anything delicate on stainless steel. The cleaning was so bad that I avoided having scrambling eggs for months (and I love scrambled eggs!). I knew about cast iron at the time, but I didn’t want to bother with the cleaning and upkeep process. I also somehow felt intimidated by cast irons (I had a bad experience once).
A few months ago, I finally decided I had enough (with the cleaning) and wanted to give cast iron a try. After having done extensive research on cast irons and the various brands that offer them, I purchased the Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven. I wanted to make stews, casseroles, frittata and cornbread. I love the idea of being able to transfer the cast iron/Dutch oven inside the conventional oven to finish cooking a dish. I got so excited about all the delicious cast iron and Dutch oven recipes!
Nowadays, I enjoy cooking eggs and fish on the cast iron (the key is using enough oil; we cook with coconut oil). The food actually tastes better. Have you tried cooking bacon or sausages on a cast iron? My mouth is salivating as I’m writing this! I feel great knowing that the food my family and I eat are prepared using safe cookware.
These cast irons are supposed to last through decades. I can totally see myself passing this set (and my recipes) to my daughter and that moment would be very precious!
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