3 Splurges I Refuse to Feel Guilty For

Like many people I know, I'm in the habit of making New Year's resolutions for my personal finances. And one of those resolutions is almost always to spend less so I can save more.

This year, however, I made a tweak. I decided that instead of focusing on spending less, I'd rather focus on spending more mindfully -- meaning, making sure the things I pay extra for are really worth the money.

Now there are a number of expenses I splurge on to make my life easier and more fun. But these three in particular are ones I won't let myself feel bad about.

1. Coffee

I have a Keurig coffee maker at home, and thanks to my Costco membership, I can brew my morning coffee every day at the very affordable price point of $0.32 per pod. Instead, most days during the workweek, I pick up a large coffee at Dunkin' on my way back from dropping my kids off at school. That coffee costs me $3.29 (it cost less last year, but, you know, inflation), which is almost $3 more per cup than what I'd spend making coffee at home.

Now if we do the math and assume I buy a Dunkin' coffee 20 times a month, that's an extra $720 a year I'm spending on store-bought coffee compared to the price of brewing it at home. That's a lot of money.

But my fresh Dunkin' coffee is just so much more enjoyable than the coffee I can make at home. And I also legitimately consider it an investment in my productivity as a freelance writer who runs on little sleep. So while I am potentially spending an extra $720 a year, I'm buying myself 240 enjoyable pick-me-ups in the morning.

2. Good sneakers

Between the walking, jogging, and running I do, I probably pound the pavement to the tune of 40 miles or more per week. As such, I need decent sneakers. And I also have to replace them once they start to wear down -- which happens often given how much walking and running I do.

But again, I'm not going to make myself feel bad about that. Staying active is good for you, so I consider the sum I spend on sneakers an investment in my health. Also, while I don't buy the cheapest sneakers out there, I also don't buy the most expensive ones, either. My sneakers almost always cost under $100 a pair and are sometimes as low as $60 or so if I spot a sale.

3. Cable

A lot of people I know have cut the cord with cable. But I hang onto it for one big reason -- sports.

I have not found a way to get full access to my favorite hockey team's games without giving up cable. And because of that, I'm keeping it, despite the fact that it costs me somewhere in the ballpark of $60 to $80 per month (the price has fluctuated based on deals we've been able to snag and the bundles we've signed up for).

Now my husband likes to make the argument that cable is a waste of our money because I really only watch the sports channels. I like to point out that a single night out can easily cost more than a month's worth of cable. And since having access to cable allows me to enjoy one of my favorite forms of entertainment, I don't feel bad paying that bill.

You deserve to treat yourself

If you're down to your last $100 in your savings account and you're carrying a massive credit card balance, then in that situation, you may want to cut back on non-essential spending until your finances improve. But if you're in good shape financially, there's no reason to feel guilty over the small (or even large) splurges you make that add value to your life and make you happy.

On my end, I have my savings automated so that I'm socking away a decent chunk of money each month before I spend a dime. And that helps me not feel bad about the purchases above.

If I were falling behind on savings goals, I'd consider making more coffee at home or canceling cable and dealing with more limited access to my sports games. Well, okay, to be fair, I'd probably sell my blood for cash before giving up access to hockey. The point, however, is that if you're doing well enough financially and are saving regularly, go ahead and buy the things you love, and don't beat yourself up over it.