There are always expenses that are deemed more intellectual and better than others, examples:
Intellectual:
- Books
- Travel
- Higher Education (MBA)
Not-Intellectual:
- Clothing
- Cars
- Electronics
What’s funny is I buy/bought in every category, and while people are okay with me spending $$$$$ on traveling for a year, or having spent to the tune of $60,000 in debt for education, they aren’t so cool with my also admitting that I like wearing nice clothes and having lots of electronics.
I don’t see the difference.
Spending $30,000 on shoes or $30,000 on traveling is the same to me — it’s still $30,000, and it was the choice of the person to do it.
They obviously get the same pleasure out of either task — traveling or shoes, and what do you care? It’s their money, not yours.
Where I do judge, is if you spend $30,000 when you didn’t have it to spare, or you go into major debt for something that was not an essential expense (medical expenses = essential, shopping = non-essential).
Even paying for higher education (an MBA) or buying a home is not necessarily considered an essential for me, but it’s a choice that people make, and so long as you can dig yourself out of that hole and are able to make more money to get a good return on investment, then why not?
However if you spend $100,000 on shopping and trips, you will have to still dig yourself out of that hole but you have NO HOPE of recuperating that “investment”.
Think before you buy.
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 
What I find ironic is that an acquaintance decided last minute to go on vacation overseas to visit with family. Great, I don’t begrudge them one bit. I’m a firm believer in family QT. Because it was last minute they didn’t research nor plan anything and paid ‘full jacked up retail last minute price’. To add insult to injury – upon their return, it will be non stop “I wish I had money for x” and “The trip cost more then I thought it would” aka the whole ‘Woe is me…pity me…I have no money management skills so I’m going to whine about my decision to everyone.’ bit.
Talk about think before you buy!
I so agree I have never understood the difference. I have never travelled but I am currently studying for an English lit degree via distance learning, but as I am in the UK and started before the student fees increased. . .I actually don’t pay anything for it. If I had to pay the new fees I wouldn’t have been able to justify the cost