Stole this from Julie Rains over at Wise Bread. I found it to be an interesting post.
In no particular order:
1. High Speed Internet
If not only for blogging purposes, but for my excessive use of email to stay in touch and get information from anyone and everyone. That, and Google Maps to help my directionally-challenged self.
Plus I NEED it as a consultant. You can take my cellphone away, but not my laptop or the internet.
2. Good Food
I’m talking sometimes organic, fresh farmer’s market fare. Nothing too processed (except the Haagen-Daaz ice cream I have grown addicted to), and nothing frozen like a frozen dinner, or out of a box.
She makes a good point in her post too – it will help on healthcare costs for the future.
3. Medical Expenses (Dental, Health)
Duh.
It costs more in the long run if you DON’T take care of yourself.
4. My Palm Tungsten E2 (or now my new baby, the T|X)
It’s the only thing that keeps me sane, organized and paperless. I keep all my contacts in there, information, recipes, memos, and agendas.
5. Laptop
Goes without saying. I need money. And it’s handier than a Desktop. If I HAD to choose between a Windows PC and a Mac, I’d pick the Windows PC because of my job. The Mac doesn’t seem to be properly supported on client sites, and it’s just not cut out for the corporate world. Unfortunately.
6. Contacts
I know I can wear glasses and they last for many many years over contacts, but goddamnit, when you’re out in the cold and you come into a warm place, you’re BLIND for a couple of seconds, and it’s really annoying. Plus, with contacts, it feels like ‘my eyes’.
7. Education
I’m really happy I paid $60k to get my education. Now I’m properly set in my career and I can see it lasting for a long, long time. And if not, I can switch into something else fairly easily.
My education really prepared me for the real world, and I’m glad that I learned important lessons about school and life while in school instead of floundering now with a less expensive degree.
8. Biking and its accessories
I absolutely need to bike. It’s healthy, I’m used to it now, and it’s really nice to do something fun and free like that with BF. Too bad it’s winter already š
9. All my external hard drives and USB Keys
They keep me backed up, on track, current, and feeling SECURE that things are fine and will be fine – as in I won’t lose my data in a heartbeat and have to start from scratch.
10. Organizing supplies
Folders, accordion profiles, labels…. Without these things, I would’ve been lost trying to organize myself to get out of debt, deal with my life and start a company + incur a ton of expenses within the first couple of months of moving to a new city.
I can forego a TV (I have the internet), a car (I have a bike or public transit if I need to), and anything else that may seem essential to others. Granted, if I lived in the country, a car would be essential, but I plan on being in U.S. cities.
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
oooo… I am doing this too.
Thanks for sharing. :*)
Just found your blog and love it! I’m currently trying to get myself out of debt, but it’s hard. I’m pretty much out of credit card debt, but have lots of student loans (thanks to graduate school, which everyone told me was “good” debt.) I haven’t been able to save much, but your tips will definitely be helpful! I’ll be checking your blog regularly for sure!
1. High speed internet — My husband and I both do a lot of work online, so it’s not going.
2. Good food — It’s not always organic, but most of what I eat I buy as fresh, whole foods. I steer clear of most processed stuf, but now also high-GI carbs like potatoes, rice, and bread.
3. Medical expenses — Right with you with that!
4. My Helio cell phone — I won’t give up having a cell phone and I’d really hate to give up mobile internet.
5. Laptop — I need it for both work and play and I’d hate going back to a desktop.
6. Contacts — Yeah… I’m blind as a bat without lenses and I’m not a big fan of glasses.
7. Education — Well, this works in theory, but then I got my bachelor’s on scholarship and sometimes I wonder if I’d be getting a masters right now if I had more money. Still, I do value education very highly and do see it as a lifelong investment.
8. Music — Whether it’s singing, playing in jazz band, or bellydancing, I like to have something musical that I do outside of the house. That’s how I meet people IRL and my husband has even joined me in chorus this semester.
9. Pretty stuff — Superficial perhaps, but I like to feel good when I look around and in the mirror. Fortunately, I’ve learned that that is more about choosing stuff wisely than spending money. And I don’t mind going without stuff till I find just the right thing.
10. Eco-friendly stuff — I may not always do/buy the greenest thing, but I will spend more to be green. Fortunately, many frugal choices are also green ones (i.e. using homemade cleaning products, repurposing items, buying less, etc.).
11. Last but far from least — This is probably an obvious include, but I wouldn’t give up my hubby, our kitties, friends, family, etc.
Some things I have (or have mostly) given up: using our clothes dryer, using the AC/heat as much as we used to, our gym memberships, separate hair-conditioner/face-wash/body-wash/makeup-remover/makeup-brush-cleaner (I just use my shampoo instead), and department store makeup.
We hardly ever rent or go see movies, we eat out much less, and we’ve almost stopped buying books entirely since we use the library.
I’d still be open to cutting off cable, but my husband isn’t quite as enthusiastic about the idea, lol.
This is a great idea to do .. I have to create my 10 must-haves list too š Thank you….:)
High speed internet, Biore Face Wash and unlimited usage on my cell phone. Biore Face Wash seems cheaper to me than say Clinque but at six bucks a bottle, some people think I’m insane. And I only pay 60 dollars for unlimited usage in my area. I would spend more money if I didn’t have it as an option. š