#151: When Is It Worth It To Splurge?

If you’ve ever stood in the aisle at a home store asking yourself, “Do I really need the nice version of this, or will the cheap one do?” then you’re in exactly the right place. Episode #151 of the Young House Love podcast digs into that question with a focus on value-driven spending: when to splurge, when to save, and how to make your home (and bank account) feel good at the same time.

Sherry and John Petersik have built a whole DIY universe around smart upgrades and realistic budgets, so it’s no surprise that “When Is It Worth It To Splurge?” has become a fan-favorite topic. Add in the ideas of money experts who talk about “money mission statements” and intentional spending, and you’ve got a blueprint for choosing the right projects to invest in and the ones you can happily cheap out on.

This guide walks through how to apply those splurge-or-save principles in real life especially around home decor, renovations, and everyday comfort with practical examples, a little humor, and zero judgment for that fancy light fixture you’re still thinking about.

What Does “Worth It to Splurge” Actually Mean?

“Splurging” gets a bad rap because it usually conjures images of impulse buys and credit-card regret. But a thoughtful splurge is different. The goal isn’t to spend more just because you can it’s to spend more where it genuinely improves your life, your home, or your long-term finances.

Personal finance writers often point out that some purchases deliver more lasting happiness than others. Money spent on meaningful experiences, comfort, or items you use every single day tends to pay off more than fleeting, trendy stuff that loses its sparkle in a week.

On the home side, it’s the same story. Designers and real estate pros suggest that certain upgrades like a well-planned kitchen facelift or a curb-appeal refresh can offer strong returns when you sell and make your home more enjoyable while you live there.

So, in plain English, a splurge is “worth it” when:

• It gets used constantly (daily, or almost daily).
• It adds real comfort, safety, or joy to your life.
• It holds up over time and doesn’t need constant replacing.
• It supports your bigger money goals (or at least doesn’t sabotage them).

The Young House Love Lens: Spend Where You Actually Live

Young House Love has always leaned toward a simple rule: spend your money where your life happens. Their projects focus on hard-working spaces like kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms, with occasional strategic splurges like radiant heated floors in basements or bathrooms to make cold spaces cozy for the long haul.

That approach lines up with what many interior designers preach: prioritize foundational pieces and surfaces that take a beating think sofas, mattresses, flooring, and main light fixtures and save on accessories you can easily swap out when your taste changes.

In other words, it’s less about having a “fancy house” and more about having a house that quietly does its job well every day. If your back, feet, and eyes are happy, you probably made good spending choices.

5 Smart Places to Splurge in Your Home

1. Your Sofa and Mattress (Where Your Body Lives)

If your sofa feels like a potato sack and your mattress feels like a medieval torture device, no amount of cute throw pillows will save you. These are high-contact, high-use items. You sit or sleep on them for hours every day, so comfort and durability really matter.

A quality mattress can improve your sleep (and your mood). A well-made sofa with a solid frame and durable fabric can last for many years, especially in busy living rooms. This is classic “cost per use” territory: a slightly pricier piece can end up cheaper over time if it doesn’t need to be replaced as often.

2. Kitchen Workhorses: Cabinets, Countertops, and Key Appliances

Kitchens are where a lot of life happens cooking, hosting, homework, midnight snacks and they’re also one of the highest-ROI spots in the house. Real estate data shows that a minor, mid-range kitchen remodel often recoups a large portion of its cost at resale, and in some markets can even deliver more than 100% of what you invested.

That doesn’t mean you have to go custom-everything. It means you should think carefully about:

• Sturdy cabinets that won’t sag or peel in a few years.
• Countertops that can handle heat, spills, and chopping.
• Reliable appliances that won’t die right after the warranty ends.

Splurge on the pieces that are hard to change later (cabinets, counters, layout), and save where you can swap things out more easily (hardware, paint color, lighting style).

3. Bathroom Fixtures You Touch Every Day

In bathrooms, people often focus on the big visual items tile, vanity style, mirror shape and forget how important the “daily touchpoints” are. A cheap faucet that drips, a showerhead that feels like needles, or a toilet that constantly runs will drive you up the wall faster than an outdated tile pattern.

Consider spending more on a solid, water-efficient toilet, a good-quality faucet, and a showerhead that makes your morning feel like a spa instead of a car wash. Save money on decorative extras, like towel hooks or trendy mirrors you can upgrade later.

4. Flooring and Lighting in Main Spaces

Floors and lighting have an outsized impact on how “finished” and inviting a room feels. Durable hardwood or quality engineered flooring in living areas can boost your home’s value and stand up to daily life. Strategic lighting overhead fixtures plus lamps and sconces makes everything from reading to cleaning easier (and often prettier in photos, which, let’s be honest, matters).

Data on home value repeatedly shows that refinishing hardwood floors, updating worn flooring, and refreshing lighting can offer strong returns and big boosts in buyer appeal.

5. Systems That Save Money Over Time

Some splurges don’t look glamorous, but they quietly make your bills smaller. Energy-efficient appliances, water-saving fixtures, smart thermostats, and well-sealed windows can all reduce monthly costs. Financial and lifestyle experts note that sustainable appliances and energy-efficient upgrades can pay for themselves over time through lower utility bills and fewer repairs.

It’s not as Instagrammable as a new rug, but future-you will be thrilled when the power bill lands in your inbox.

When You Should Not Splurge

1. Super-Trendy Decor and Fast-Changing Styles

That neon statement chair? Those hyper-specific themed pillows? The wallpaper that screams one very particular year? These choices age quickly. Designers often recommend saving on trendy accent items and investing instead in timeless big pieces you can dress up with inexpensive accessories.

If you’re itching to try a trend, do it with pillows, art prints, or paint (which are easy and relatively cheap to change), not fixed cabinetry or pricey stone.

2. Rarely Used Rooms

Formal living rooms you walk through twice a month, guest rooms that host people twice a year, or bonus rooms nobody has really committed to using these are not prime splurge territory.

You don’t have to ignore them, but think budget-friendly: secondhand finds, DIY projects, and “good enough” solutions instead of high-end pieces that rarely see the light of day.

3. Things That Are Easy to Swap Later

A Reddit thread on best and worst home improvements is full of people raving about affordable tweaks like new switch plates, fresh paint, or simple lighting upgrades that made a huge difference for very little money.

These are great spots to save because:

• You can change them out as your style evolves.
• They’re usually DIY-friendly.
• They offer high visual impact for low cost.

Spend strategically on items that are difficult, messy, or expensive to change later (electrical work, layout, plumbing runs), and give yourself permission to experiment cheaply on the cosmetic stuff.

Simple Rules to Decide: Splurge or Save?

1. Use a “Money Mission Statement”

In the Young House Love episode, personal finance experts talk about having a “money mission statement” a short, guiding phrase about what you want your money to do for you (like “buy more free time” or “create a cozy, welcoming home”).

When you’re considering a splurge, ask: Does this purchase fit my mission? If your mission is “travel more,” then maybe you don’t splurge on the highest-end tile when a mid-range option works and frees up money for your next trip.

2. Try the 0.01% Rule for Smaller Purchases

A recent personal finance guideline called the “0.01% rule” suggests that if something costs 0.01% or less of your net worth, it’s probably safe to buy without agonizing over it.

For example, if your net worth is $200,000, then purchases under $20 fall in “don’t stress too much” territory. This doesn’t mean you should buy every $19 thing in sight, but it’s a helpful mental cue: save your decision-making energy for the big stuff, like a couch or renovation, not a soap dispenser.

3. Do the Cost-Per-Use Math

Take the price of the item, divide by how many times you realistically expect to use it, and see how it looks. A $1,200 sofa you sit on every day for eight years comes out to pennies per day. A $400 accent chair that you only sit on when you’re mad at your spouse and want a different seat? That math might feel different.

4. Balance ROI and Joy

Some projects are great for resale, others are just great for you. Landscaping studies show that lawn care, basic maintenance, and thoughtful outdoor upgrades can deliver impressive ROI and big boosts in homeowner satisfaction. At the same time, features like pools and fire pits may not recoup all their cost but can score extremely high on “joy” for the people who live there.

So ask two questions:

1. Does this upgrade offer financial or functional return?
2. Does it significantly increase our day-to-day happiness?

If you get a “yes” to at least one ideally both it’s a strong candidate for a splurge.

500-Word Experience Section: Real-Life Splurge Stories Inspired by Young House Love

Principles are great, but splurging decisions really come to life in real homes. Here are a few “could-be-your-neighbor” stories that echo the spirit of Young House Love’s episode and show how smart splurges (and smart saves) play out day to day.

The Radiant Floor That Saved a Basement

One couple had a perpetually chilly basement that they wanted to turn into a hangout space. At first, they planned to toss down a rug, add a TV, and call it done. Then they discovered radiant floor heating. The price tag made them gulp, but they ran the numbers: they used the basement almost daily, it would become their main family room, and installing it later would be messy and expensive.

They decided to splurge. Two winters later, they say it’s the single upgrade that changed how they live at home. They host movie nights, the kids actually play downstairs instead of dragging toys through the whole house, and everyone fights over who gets to lie on the “warm spot” near the couch. Guests never comment on how much the radiant floor cost. They just say, “Wow, it’s so cozy down here.”

The Budget Couch That Backfired

Another homeowner did the opposite. Determined to be “good with money,” she bought the cheapest sectional she could find for her new living room. At first, it looked fine in photos. But within months, the cushions sagged, the fabric pilled, and every movie night ended with at least one person saying, “My back hurts.”

Two years and one chiropractor later, she admitted to herself that the “frugal” choice actually cost more. She finally invested in a mid-range, well-built sofa nothing ultra-luxurious, just solid quality and immediately noticed the difference. The new couch didn’t just look better; it made the whole room feel more inviting. That’s when it clicked: she wished she’d splurged once instead of “saving” her way into two couches and a grumpy spine.

The Kitchen Cabinet Compromise

A third family tackled a kitchen update with Young House Love energy: lots of planning, lots of spreadsheets, and lots of DIY. Quotes for fully custom cabinets made them want to lie down on the floor (which, ironically, also needed replacing), so they found a middle ground: solid, modular cabinets from a big-box store with upgraded hardware and a thoughtfully designed layout.

They splurged on soft-close hinges, full-extension drawers, and a quartz counter they truly loved. Then they saved on cabinet style (a clean, classic profile) and did the painting and backsplash themselves. The result? A kitchen that looks custom to most visitors, functions beautifully, and didn’t require a second mortgage.

It wasn’t the cheapest possible route. But every time they open a drawer that glides smoothly, or wipe down a stain-resistant counter after a messy baking session, it feels like money well spent.

The Guest Room Glow-Up (On a Budget)

Finally, there’s the guest room that went from “storage unit with a bed” to “actually kind of lovely” without major splurges. The homeowner flirted with the idea of a designer bed frame, custom drapes, and high-end art then remembered that guests visit a few times a year, and the family spends 99% of their time elsewhere.

Instead, they bought a simple but decent mattress, used a basic metal bed frame, layered in pretty bedding, thrifted nightstands, and DIY art. They splurged only on a good blackout shade (sleep matters!) and saved on almost everything else. Guests rave about how comfortable the room is, without realizing the “headboard” is actually a clever arrangement of pillows and a secondhand mirror.

All four stories share the same theme: splurges shine when they’re tied to real life your habits, your comfort, your values not just to price tags or trends. That’s exactly the balance Young House Love encourages: be thoughtful, be practical, but leave room for the things that genuinely make home feel like your favorite place.

Conclusion: Splurge With Intention, Not Guilt

“When Is It Worth It To Splurge?” isn’t really a question about money; it’s a question about how you want to live. If a purchase supports your everyday comfort, aligns with your money mission, and either holds its value or brings serious joy, it’s probably a splurge you won’t regret.

Take a page from Young House Love and focus on the spaces and items you use constantly. Do the cost-per-use math. Consider both ROI and joy. Save on trendy, easily swapped pieces, and spend more on things that quietly work hard in the background.

In the end, the “right” splurges aren’t about impressing anyone else. They’re about building a home that feels good to live in warm floors, comfy sofa, solid fixtures, and all.