How do you define "luxury"?

MercyL

MercyL

Member
A catalog from a pricey clothing store arrived in my mail box. The company probably got my email from a list, sold like so many are, or I fit some nebulous demographic. The clothing is pricey but unique, and I made 3 purchases over a year. I always wait for items to hit the "outlet" store before really paying attention to them.

I made one purchase that I consider a true luxury. I bought a perfume oil that smelled simply divine. The price was scandalous, but I have never smelled anything like this oil and I stretched that little perfume bottle every way I could, saving it for special occasions. Near the end of the bottle, I cheated a couple of times. I wore it to a movie and while shopping at a pricey mall.

It was a small bottle but I felt incredibly special whenever I smelled its contents. It was luxury, walkin' and talkin'! I shared my score with a friend and, while she was happy for me, she was not impressed by the perfume.

The same friend called and could not wait to share big news. Her husband finally bought her "upgrade". It took a while, but I realized she was talking about her wedding ring. Apparently, you can upgrade your setting with more diamonds or something similar. I was not impressed, even tough I was happy for her. She flashed that ring whenever she could.

We define luxury differently. For me, it is an experience that, once paid for, is shared. For my friend, luxurious items are paid for, then shown for bragging rights.

Think over the last decade. There must have been one or two items in your "luxury" column. What was the item?

Based on the item, how do you define "luxury"? What is luxury, to you?
 

I too, find jewelry boring. Have never gotten excited over diamond rings and other assorted sparkly things that cost a fortune. In the minority I know, but to me it's a big waste of money. I pick up a clunky bracelet or watch on the cheap every once in a while, but that's all you'll ever see me wearing.

I define my "luxury item" as that new car that is just out of reach.
 

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Good health would be a luxury to me. As far as things, a nice cabin on a pristine lake with lots of fish...and family members nearby. Oh, and a huge garden, of course.
 
It is a very relative thing based on a lot of factors. Plus what I think is a luxury today may be vastly different that 30 years ago or 30 years in the future. Right now I would love some time to relax.
 
Waking up in the morning and realizing that I don't have to get up and beat the clock...after working since I was 16, this is my daily luxury.

As Phil mentioned, a roof over my head, food and good health...I don't get too excited over material things much anymore...I would like a tractor with a brush hog and a backhoe. if I'm wishing..

I've had the jewelry, it's somewhere in my closet and the last time I saw it was when I packed it to moved here. Don't go anywhere to wear it and don't feel like getting knocked in the head for it if I did. Someday I may need to trade it for a loaf of bread.

If I ever hit the lottery a head to foot massage several times a week would be high on my list. Oh, and an exquisite Arabian horse or two would be nice.
 
Ozarkgal said:
Waking up in the morning and realizing that I don't have to get up and beat the clock...after working since I was 16, this is my daily luxury.
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:dito:...My feelings as well Ozarkgal. My hubby bought me a diamond engagement ring almost forty years ago when we got married, but the ring is usually in the safe and I just wear the band every day. I'm also a jeans and t-shirt gal, never was much for fancy jewelry or clothes. Already been said, having my health and a loving husband is a luxury to me. If I won the lottery, regular quality massages, saunas, etc. would also be high priority...nothing like feeling good. :cool:
 
The wife and I have had very little as far as luxuries go in our lifetime. We were married very young and the wife, being from a family of 15 children, had just the basics of living and working the farm as the whole family was involved in providing their food and clothing. Hand me downs was a popular trend in her family.

Myself, after being tossed around a bit, while divorces were being decided, never wanted for much as my basic needs were met. After becoming a smart- ass teenager, It was suggested that I enter the Army. Shortly after, got married and started having the three little ones.

To this day, we are stay-at-homers and enjoy the simpler things in life. We both have IPads and enjoy them a lot. An occasional supper out and visiting with our fellow campers. Not a lot of extra income to party-hardy but we are content with the situation and still very much in love after 57 years. Win the lottery? Geez, what do I need? I guess make the kids, grand kids and great grand kids rich.:)
 
SifuPhil said:
"Luxury" to me is having a roof over my head, food in my belly and good health.
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This is about it for me, also. I look at the beautiful houses, and new cars, and think that it would be nice to be able to at least afford a better car, and to own my own place again, even if it were just a plain little trailer like we are renting.
But, really, we probably have it as good as anyone just what we have right now. Our landlord simply wants someone to caretake his property, and even though the trailer is old, the property is beautiful, and now that we have it pretty well cleaned up, and are keeping it mowed, it is almost like living in a park.
We are on the edge of a smaller town, so close for shopping, and yet far enough out to not have any close neighbors except for our landlord.
So, while I may not have everything that I would like, I pretty much have everything that I need, and I live in peace.
 
Luxury is a relative term to me too. I was raised on a tight household budget but we ate well, and dressed well enough to be seen in public, but no glad rags. We didn't need them, we didn't go places where we'd need to wear them and didn't miss it. Still don't.
I quickly caught on to the fact that we could only sleep in one bed, drive one car, or eat one meal at a time. Anything more was surplus to requirement really.

Those who have to flash luxury items around to make them noticeable are kind of sad to me, but if it makes 'em feel good, then fine. I'm probably better off than many of them but they'd never guess that to look at me. :glee: I'm not into diamonds, I like cheap, gaudy chunky junk jewellery just for the 'art' of it, too old to wear it now but I still make it for other 'rednecks'. (or Bogans as they're called here.) But it sure ain't a luxury item and doesn't impress many.

I've had expensive French dinners, but prefer a Chinese take-away, or fresh fish in batter and a few chips. I can well afford a new car but drive a 1999 Vectra/Vauxhall/Opal depending where you live, with a front fender that's been hanging by a screw thread for 6 years and hasn't been washed for around 5. It still purrs like a Rolls, costs peanuts to run and gets me to the same place in the same time as a Ferrari could without bringing the Highway hounds down on me. Why would I need a new car? Not that I don't drool on looking at something sleek and shiny, I just don't need to own one. I love looking at Bengal Tigers too, but I don't want one in the yard.


To me luxury is like a few others here. Having my own time to do my own things and 'having a good day' relatively pain free and mobile.
The one luxury I did indulge in was buying one of those adjustable beds. Press the button and it sits you up to watch TV, or raises your legs when they ache with no effort at all... now that is pure blissful luxury to me. :cool:
 
OooOoh how I miss my Lincoln :notfair:
Since my divorce, I've had to become realistic with giving up such luxury items... and have to settle on useful & dependable now.
No biggie, it actually gave me the kick in the ass I needed to realize what's really important anyway :encouragement:
 
To me, luxury would be staying in a 5 star hotel in a resort city for two weeks.

Until that happens, I'll be happy with a Holiday Inn for 3 nights.
 
Luxury would never come in the form of jewelry to me. I would wear a $10 strand of pearls far more often than I would ever wear anything diamond, unless it was an engagement/wedding ring. It means so much to some I know, but luckily not to me.

Luxury to me realistically, and being my age, would be not having to ever worry about money again. In day to day life luxury is being able to afford to go to a very nice restaurant once in awhile and to take my daughter & g'children for a week's vacation every summer. We don't go far, Wilmington, NC, 3+ hrs away. We've been doing it for 20 years and I save all year for it.....making the most wonderful memories I can think of.
 
Katybug said:
Luxury to me realistically, and being my age, would be not having to ever worry about money again.
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That's a good point. Without that worry life would be far easier.

As an example - just saw a Craigslist listing for a house rental in Fort Pierce (FL) - 3 acres on the beach, your own dock, enclosed swimming pool, beautiful architecture, maid and lawn service ...

... all only $2,300/mn.

If I had that kind of money to blow on a rental then yes, life would be sweeter by far. :D
 
MercyL said:
We define luxury differently. For me, it is an experience that, once paid for, is shared. For my friend, luxurious items are paid for, then shown for bragging rights.

Think over the last decade. There must have been one or two items in your "luxury" column. What was the item?

Based on the item, how do you define "luxury"? What is luxury, to you?
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I have to agree with you MercyL. At different stages of my life luxury has had different meanings. Each new experience involving the senses has seemed luxurious to me at the time but not if indulged in by myself. The experience needs to be shared. My long term luxury is my French perfume which I have used now for about 35 years, except for one year when I was boycotting the French over nuclear testing in the Pacific.

Jewellery and fine clothes don't do it for me but smells, tastes and rich visual experiences are at times very luxurious. A garden of roses in bloom, for instance, or the aroma of good coffee. Luxury doesn't have to mean spending heaps of money.

I have made it my role to ensure that each of my children and grand children have experienced the luxury of some world class theatrical performance to open their minds to the richness of human creativity. That is luxury too.
 
SifuPhil said:
That's a good point. Without that worry life would be far easier.

As an example - just saw a Craigslist listing for a house rental in Fort Pierce (FL) - 3 acres on the beach, your own dock, enclosed swimming pool, beautiful architecture, maid and lawn service ...

... all only $2,300/mn.

If I had that kind of money to blow on a rental then yes, life would be sweeter by far. :D
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That place sounds like heaven, Phil. A mansion with maid, pool, private beach, lawn service -- now that is big time luxury.

One of my favorite shows is Millionaire Listings/LA. Three realtors who list some of the most expensive real estate in the country. It blows my mind at the grandeur of these homes and now that the economy has improved, people are paying gazillions for them.
 
Katybug said:
That place sounds like heaven, Phil. A mansion with maid, pool, private beach, lawn service -- now that is big time luxury.

One of my favorite shows is Millionaire Listings/LA. Three realtors who list some of the most expensive real estate in the country. It blows my mind at the grandeur of these homes and now that the economy has improved, people are paying gazillions for them.
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The economy improved?

Hmmm ... I didn't get the memo ...

La-La Land has always been the home to excess - those kinds of sales just prove it. Still, it's a nice fantasy to think about buying one ...
 
Luxury to me would be a holiday with hubby,its eighteen years since we have had a holiday so we hope to go away in thenot too distant future.
also a bottle of Lilly of the valley perfume would be a luxury as that brings memories of my dear mum who used to love it.
 
View attachment 2377Luxury to me would be to go on a cruise. Not even a long cruise, but just to be gone for a few days, and enjoy life, with no cares or worries , just sunshine and blue skies, and a huge swimming pool.
I have never gone on a cruise, or even on a real vacation, but this has been a dream for a while now, and how I would love being able to do it just once.
I would go to the Bahamas and back, and just enjoy the scenery as we cruised along the coastline, and after a wonderful buffet dinner, then I would lounge on the deck for hours and look at the stars above.
 
Do it, Happyflowerlady, it is indeed luxury, even in the cheapest cabins.
Do you have someone to go with you because it is an experience that is good to share with someone.
 

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