Five Splurges That Might Actually Be Worth It (When You Finally Get That Bonus)

I’ve never been good at spending money. I mean, I can spend it (don’t get me wrong) but doing it with intention? With a sense of occasion and maybe even joy? That’s something I’m still learning in my 40s. I’ve been socialized, like many of us who came of age during at least one financial crisis, to squirrel away bonuses, windfalls, and surprise refund checks like a doomsday prepper stockpiling canned beans.

But what if we let ourselves indulge (just a little) now that your long-awaited bonus has arrived in your paycheck? What if instead of doomscrolling Zillow for homes we can’t afford or letting the money sit untouched in a checking account like some frozen symbol of responsibility, we picked one thing (just one) that brought delight?

Here are five luxuries that aren’t just shiny, impulse-fueled purchases but possible investments in joy, identity, and even connection. Consider this your gentle permission slip.

1. A Boat. Yes, Really.

OK, hear me out. You’re probably rolling your eyes. “A boat? In this economy?” But that’s precisely why I bring it up. A boat is impractical. A boat is showy. A boat is also, if you’re the kind of person who likes salt air and your children shrieking happily over the sound of an outboard motor, an anchor for memory-making.

There’s something about a boat that says: I have decided that my free time is worth celebrating. It might be a pontoon for lake days with family, or something zippier for date-night sunset cruises. Either way, a boat is a way of asserting that nature and leisure aren’t just for other people with trust funds and weatherproof duffels.

And no, you don’t have to buy a yacht. There are plenty of Premier boats for sale that offer comfort without the mega-yacht tax bracket. Plus, boats don’t depreciate the same way as, say, your impulse-buy Peloton. They give back. In time. In memories. In the sheer ridiculousness of saying “we’re going to the marina” like it’s your regular weekend routine.

2. A Watch That Outlasts You

If you’re like me and never learned to enjoy jewelry (everything tangles, everything scratches, everything somehow ends up at the bottom of your kid’s sock drawer) then may I suggest a different kind of heirloom: a watch.

Not a smartwatch, mind you. Not the kind that beeps at you to stand or tracks how poorly you slept. I mean a timepiece. Something classic and built to last. A Rolex or an Omega or a Patek Philippe, if your bonus has commas in it. A statement, yes, but also a story. One you’ll wear on your wrist and maybe hand down someday.

Unlike the kitchen gadget du jour, these watches actually appreciate over time. They also make great conversation starters. There’s something wildly comforting about wearing a thing that ticks in real time, completely detached from push notifications and battery life.

And if nothing else, a good watch reminds you: You worked hard for this time, literally. Let it count.

3. A Kitchen That Loves You Back

Now let’s pivot from the aspirational to the very practical. I want to talk about the kitchen. Or more specifically: what your kitchen could be.

There’s this myth that fancy kitchens are for people who host elaborate dinner parties or film their meal prep. But as a family that cooks at home 4–5 nights a week, I can tell you: a well-designed kitchen is not a luxury, it’s a survival tool.

Imagine a stove that heats evenly, a fridge that doesn’t freeze your greens, a built-in espresso machine that delivers joy with the push of a button. These are things you’ll use daily, not just admire from across a marble island.

And here’s the kicker: kitchen upgrades aren’t just for you. They’re one of the few luxury investments that genuinely benefit the whole household. Spouse? Gets better coffee. Kids? Get fed faster. You? Get to feel like the kind of person who has their act together, even if there are still mismatched Tupperware lids in the drawer below.

If you’re going to drop some bonus money somewhere, why not the room where your life actually happens?

4. A Vacation Where You Don’t Feel Like a Sherpa

There’s this moment on every family trip when I ask myself why I bothered. I’m juggling a heavy bag, gate changes, and navigating a crowded airport, and it feels like the opposite of relaxing.

But then I remember: I booked the budget option. I booked us into the experience, not the vacation.

Let’s reframe that. A first class vacation — the kind where someone brings you a drink with a little umbrella and no one needs to build IKEA bunk beds upon arrival. It’s not frivolous. It’s medicine. Especially if you’ve been burning the candle at both ends for months (or years).

Maybe it’s the Maldives, maybe it’s Tuscany, maybe it’s just a cabin with a hot tub where your phone finally runs out of battery. The point is to invest in a pause. A real, luxurious, put-your-phone-down-and-breathe kind of pause.

Bonus points if you do it without checking Slack once.

5. Clothes That Fit Who You Are Now

I’ve recently realized that half the clothes in my closet are from jobs I no longer have, bodies I no longer inhabit, or versions of myself I’m not entirely sure I want to revisit. And so, when a friend suggested using part of his year-end bonus on a wardrobe refresh, with an actual tailor, no less, I was intrigued.

There’s something very adult (in the best way) about custom clothing. Not just suits, though those are great too. Think: trousers that hit just right, a coat that makes you feel like the lead in your own Netflix drama, shoes that were made for your feet and not just mass-produced at the cheapest overseas factory.

Dressing well is more than vanity. It’s about showing up in your life with confidence. It’s about not yanking at your waistband during meetings or wondering if your blouse is sheer under fluorescent light. It’s about dignity. Comfort. Presence.

Let your bonus reflect who you are now, not who you were five promotions ago.

The Case for the Occasional Splurge

Here’s the thing: you don’t have to spend your bonus. You can absolutely sock it away in a high-yield savings account or make an extra student loan payment. Those are smart, safe choices. No judgment here.

But I’d argue that if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that delayed gratification only gets us so far. A little bit of joy now can fuel a lot of hard work later.

So, whether it’s a boat or a bespoke blazer, I hope you give yourself permission to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Just a little. Just enough to remember that the point of all this striving isn’t just the striving, it’s the living.