Unfortunately for my budget, my appreciation of quality and my lack of time to hunt down a bargain seem universal!
Typically means I do without many things most people consider normative in order to fund a better product elsewhere. These include:
- of late, shoes. Have found a couple of cheaper brands that work for me, but for comfort and aesthetics both, I end up going to mid-range brands (even Clarks stretches my budget awry, yes, so I do need to compensate elsewhere --- like T-shirts)
- cosmetics/toiletries that are kinder to the planet and gentler on the skin (not necessarily pricey, as there are small cottage/home manufacturers, but for sunscreens and deo and facial moisturiser I do have to set a bit more aside)
- coffee and chocolate. I drink one cup and nibble a tiny bit each day. I adore really good chocs, but keeping budget in mind, again go mid-range (Schogetten, Green & Black etc) and choose dark in 'regular' (still pricey here) brands like Toblerone or Hershey's pearls
- some organic or traditionally grown veg and fruit, since can't afford organic across the board
- most meals made from scratch, often using a few (for us) non-mainstream ingredients like homemade soy milk, tofu (bought), cheese, a few 'new' fruit and veg, I occasionally get an imported product or produce; but we try to keep it balanced in favour of local, so I'll only buy Indian eating apples for example, though US apples are far more common in urban markets now, but I do buy Granny Smiths which I can't find a local equivalent for, and I do buy South African pears because there is no local counterpart either...
- non-plastic containers for food, non-Teflon non-stick pans, heavier gauge copper/stainless-steel and cast iron, better quality knives (not necessarily expensive, more like Tramontina or Victorinox rather than top-end, but often carbon steel from cheaper Asian brands that are still great quality)
- a few non-essential indulgent appliances, like the Kitchenaid, as well as a dedicated juicer, electric kettle, microwave, smoothie maker --- they do make life easier and meals a lot more interesting, and we do make them multitask (the smoothie maker is great for churning our cold soups and sorbets too)
- solid wood or cane or wrought iron furniture (we have enough pollution in our life without adding an excess of off-gassing bits and pieces of particleboard or plastics)
- travel (though it's still carefully planned budget trips and short ones and very few as we scarcely have room in calendars after all the work-related travel we do)
- location-independent work life, which entails investing in the necessary tech (laptops for each family member still not the norm in India, but suits us better, and one of them is an Apple because many people we work with use Macs and compatibility is easier)
Because this picture is incomplete without adding where I compromise, so...
- I don't buy books any more, much as I love them, and depend on the library and gifts and hand-me-downs instead
- no TV, so no subscription
- movies a rare treat
- eating out, even a fast-food meal, as rare
- no toasters, waffle or sandwich makers, ice-cream makers (when I can afford it, I'll get the Kitchenaid attachment), yogurt makers, bread machines (last two are made every week at home without these contraptions)
- no desk! (when we find the right one, we'll get it; no interim MDF solutions)
- no bed in one house (again, till we find one we can live with the rest of our lives and within our budget, it's a mattress on the floor)
- no cut flowers (we grow a few potted plants on a balcony in one home, and have a small yard in the other place)
- I get a couple of haircuts a year... after every couple of years! In between my hair grows long and messy as you've seen before
- bought cleaning agents are minimal: toilet cleaner and dishwashing liquid is all we get from the supemarket; we get a green laundry detergent from a small local ethical store. For the rest, it's vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and microfibre cloths aplenty!
- compared to the average Indian woman of my income, I have very little 'real' jewellery! I get lots more wear from my small collection of silver than gold, and can't wear other metals on my sensitive skin, so 'costume' is rare, but I have a few glass, wood, shellac, fabric etc pieces
- no buying coffee or water etc on the go; we bring our own or plan ahead
- no packaged snacks
- clothing basics bought during sales as much as possible; occasionally from export surplus outlets, when we're in the right towns
- I've lately started aiming for a smaller wardrobe too... oh and I don't have any wardrobes and closets yet!
