What Small Luxury Would You Treat Yourself With If You Had Extra Money?

Internet forums and social media are a great source of inspiration for getting ideas on small luxuries to treat yourself with. I don't know about you but I have an Amazon wish list of things I'd like to buy - or, even better, receive! - if I have extra cash to splash (here's the link just in case you feel generous). I got the idea from a friend, as I was struggling to think of a good present to give her for her birthday.

Just like a wedding list, a wish list is a great way to think of ideas of lovely things you'd like to buy or to receive, and it could even become a motivational tool to celebrate an accomplishment – for example, you can reward yourself for hitting your savings target or, if you run a business, for hitting your sales target.

Whichever way we look at it, writing down a list of small luxuries we'd like to indulge in is a bit of fun. It's also fun reading about what people consider as small luxuries on social media and internet forums: I had a snoop around and this is what I found.

What small luxury would you indulge in?

In online conversations massage seems to be very popular as a little luxury to indulge in when you have extra money. In a way, this is a shame because massage shouldn't be considered as a luxury. Just like healthy eating and exercise, massage can be a fantastic ally to keep healthy and prevent injuries. If you consider massage as a luxury, then I would suggest putting some money aside now and plan your next one.

Many people mention they would like to get “a good haircut” in online forums as an item of luxury. That means not going to the cheapest barber's or hairdresser's available but to a high-end salon and asking for a senior stylist. Now, that's a luxury!

Manicures and pedicures are popular luxury items – busy mothers in particular mention getting a manicure or pedicure as something a little extravagant that makes them feel better about themselves.

Games consoles, TVs, smartphones... the list goes on. The haves and have nots. These are big ticket items that require smashing your piggy banks into smithereens.

Mountains of towels, bedsheets, clothes in your laundry basket? Do you wish they will all magically disappear and reappear as freshly washed and pressed items of laundry? Having your laundry done for you is one of life's little luxuries.

Getting a cleaner to do a house clean once a week is considered as a small luxury. While not everybody feels comfortable on inviting a stranger to clean the house and prefer to do it themselves, others wish they could afford to get a professional to get their house spotless.

Busy professionals, but also people who aren't good at cooking, mentioned on internet forums that they would love to have all their meals prepared by a professional cook as their preferred item of luxury. Depending on disposable income, even getting one meal a month cooked by a chef would be fantastic.

Yes, you read that correctly: when asked about what favourite item of luxury, many people have replied they would like to buy good quality woolly socks, preferably cashmere or mohair. Remaining on the subject, a lot of people also replied they would like to be able to afford to buy new high quality underwear every day. Box fresh seems to be the name of the game here.

We spend a third of our lives sleeping, and yet we neglect our beds and mattresses. We put up with old mattresses that give us an uncomfortable night's sleep, which in turns will make us cranky and, even worse, can cause back pain in the long term. A good mattress shouldn't be a luxury but many people postpone upgrading their mattress because of financial constraints.

Having fresh flowers in the house every week is considered to be a small luxury, but having fresh flowers can bring colour, fragrance and more interest to a room.

Talking about fragrance, a good bottle of perfume can cost a small fortune so we usually wait for Christmas or birthdays to either treat ourselves to our favourite scent or ask friends and family to buy it for us as a present.

Going to see your favourite band live, a musical at the theatre, a football match all cost money. Not everybody can afford these luxuries so they go without (and often regret it). The pleasure from attending a concert cannot be described: it is really priceless. It is a shame then that many will not allow themselves to have these life-enhancing experiences due to lack of money.

Oh yes, let's break this luxury item business to its nitty-gritty: sometimes even asking for extra guacamole on your taco is an extravagant luxury. Extra toppings on pizza stood out as an item of luxury in online discussions, so these items have made it to the list.

Being able to buy books regardless of how much they cost and being able to afford a Netflix subscription are at the top of people's wish list when it comes to small items of luxury.

Having access to professional services like counselling is considered to be a small luxury, especially if you need to book a course of sessions. Psychologists, analysts, coaches all charge a premium for their valuable time, and booking an appointment with them is perceived as a luxury (see also: How to Be Happier in Life in which I discuss the value of having a support network).

Giving money to charitable causes is unfortunately perceived as a luxury when you are living paycheck to paycheck. Sure, you can donate your time and volunteer in your local community, but many of us would love to donate part of our income to causes that are close to our hearts.

So, this was the list of small luxuries we'd love to treat ourselves with if we had a bit extra money. Did I miss anything from the list? What would you buy?