There are many instances in life when a person feels guilty for treating themselves to something. It may be that they had a cheat day during their diet, or they just couldn’t resist buying something expensive and extravagant while out shopping. In any case, life is too short to be feeling guilty about every little decision. In a cosmic sense, these things are not that important. They may change your life for a few hours, or a few months, but over time they will fall into insignificance. However, there are some things that are important. While life is short, there are certain things that make it more comfortable and the decision to skimp on them is certainly wrong. When it comes to the things that will stay with you for a long time, you should be willing to pay a little more to ensure you get something that is exactly right for you. Here are a few things in which you should invest so you can properly indulge yourself:

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Many people see cars in a rather reductionist utilitarian sense as just machines that can allow you to get from one place to another. They do manage that as long as they don’t break down, but they are a lot more than that too. Whatever you may think about the modern era and its rather shallow emphasis on appearances, the fact remains that cars are a status symbol and the car that you choose is said to reflect some aspect of you. Even if you decided on a car for no other reason than its reliability and convenience, other people will still look at you and look at your car and come to a decision about you. It may be unfair but it also happens to be true. Besides other people’s perceptions, another important facet to consider is how comfortable it is. If you just use it to get to work and back, it still needs to be a pleasant experience, and this is especially true if you plan to go a little further. Driving across country for the trip of a lifetime can be completely ruined if you pick something cramped and hot. The last thing to think about when choosing a new ride is how up to date it is. With new technology coming out all the time, you cannot afford to be left behind. Just driving a car off the lot will result in it losing 11% of its value. Buying an already outdated model is a sure fire way to make a bad investment. When buying a car, you should make a conscious decision to spend a little more to ensure that you get something that will be worth the investment. Everybody needs a car so getting a decent one is imperative

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It is thought that if you live to be around 78, the average life expectancy in the United States, then you spend about 4.3 years of that time driving in your car. By comparison, you spend 25 years, a quarter of a century, asleep. Some may consider that time to be wasted because you do not get all that much done and if human beings did not need to sleep, we could be a lot more productive. Others would probably suggest that 25 years is not enough and they could do with just five minutes more. Either way, since you are going to be spending a lot of time in your bed, you should definitely get a good mattress. It could possibly be the most important purchase that you have to make besides your house or apartment. However, it is easy to develop choice anxiety when it comes to mattresses. There are so many types (check out www.Mattress-Guides.net), including memory foam, with springs, airbeds and maybe even waterbeds if you’re feeling adventurous and you miss the 70s. Then you have to consider which size you need. They range from cot to super king and all the options in between. Picking the right one is not just about how it fits your room though. It is about comfort and the health of your back. Picking the wrong one can result in long-term problems that may necessitate you seeing a chiropractor. If you want to avoid all sorts of costs and pains, you should consider spending a little more on the right mattress. Besides, if you get a bad mattress, what are going to look forward to all day at work?

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While it may not seem as more obviously indulgent on a personal level, when it comes to your home, you should never skimp on fitting it out correctly. With energy bills set to rise by 28% this year, the last thing that you want is for all of that money, in the form of energy, to just leak out of your house through your roof and your windows. Insulating your loft is not a difficult task but it can be quite harmful to your health, especially if you have conditions like asthma. You should hire professionals who will be able to do it in no more than a day or two. The insulation itself is quite cheap as well. Your windows are another wasteful part of your house. If you have the heating on, you should obviously keep your windows closed to make the most of the money that you’re spending, but many old style windows are inefficient when it comes to keeping the heat in. Investing in energy efficient models makes good sense for your monthly bank balance as well as the environment. Global warming may sound like a good idea, because who doesn’t like the weather when it’s warm? But it is actually quite serious and doing everything you can to help slow it is your responsibility, if not for your own sake then for the sake of your children and grandchildren.

While these things may not sound conventionally exciting, they are a lot more fulfilling than something like a chocolate bar, and their benefits last a lot longer too.