I have had a septic for 20 years and I use Scotts regular. This is the brand that was recommended by a plumber and my septic guy. It is like using sandpaper on your skin but it doesn't clog the septic. You can see for yourself if you wet the Scotts it immediately falls apart. You can look at other brands and just put some water on them and see how fast they break up or just go with tried, true, rough and cheap Scotts. When my kids complain I just tell them that when they use a puplic restroom they will fell more at home because the paper is usually equally as rough as the Scotts.

Splurge Coffee - like French Roast but buy Costco Kirkland which is a good deal. Beer - DH likes small breweries beer or imported. It is one of his few expenses and he works hard so deserves it. Food - Occasionaly we will buy something special like the expensive creamy blue cheese or lobster. But only a couple of times a year. Egyptian cotton sheets/towels - After 32 years of cheap towels and sheets I finally broke down and got some nice ones. My old skin appreciates it. Kitchen Appliances - Finally remodeled our 1971 kitchen and since we DIY, we splurged on the appliances but nothing else. Hobbies - DH occasionally has to buy new tools for the remodeling projects. I buy tools and materials for my metal and glass art projects. Dog - Elvira get special diet food, she needs and deserves it. Anything she needs medically she gets and once a year teeth cleaning (so expensive!). More expensive TP - My old B*t can't take the scratchy stuff anymore. Don't Clothes - I buy a lot of them at Ross and other discount places as well the thrift store. Shoes - Buy them at Payless or Kmart. I hate shoe shopping! Purses - Buy them at the thrift store. Books & DVDs - check them out at the library. Dinners out - we only go out on special occasions. DH says I cook better healthier meals at home. Wine - $2 Chuck is fine with us. Latest electronics - I wouldn't have any of it if we didn't need to but DH does need a cell phone for work, got the cheapest prepaid we could fine. Basic Satellite - We are in a rural area in the mountains so we get nothing without it and keeps DS happy, but again got the basic package. Manicures & Pedicures - I finally got a manicure at 56 YO and wasn't impressed so never again. Haircuts - Go to the cheap chain places. I had my haircut by a stylist 28 years ago and I am still in sticker shock. Hair color - out of a box when on sale. Furniture - All bought used or unfinished (32 years ago) and refinished. Vacations - Haven't had one in over 8 years. DH uses the time off to work on the place and do remodeling projects. (Should remodeling go under the Splurge category?) Cars - We buy the less expensive ones that have been returned to the dealer after a short period. You save a bundle that way. And keep them 11 to 13 years. House - Bought a small place on 2.5 acres that needed a lot of work and have been doing that for 22 years. We could have got a mega mansion and really gone into debt forever but don't need the space. Veggies & fruit - I have a big garden and fruit trees. I can, freeze and dry a lot of what I grow plus have a garden all year long with the basics like lettuce and carrots, etc. Hired Help - Never use any, do all the work ourselves. Have only hired someone when it required big or specialized equipment. We dug out our septic tank, cut down 80Ft trees, ran our own trench lines for watering. You get the picture.

I have splurged on cars. Our first Jaguar sedan was second-hand, then we bought new or nearly new sedans and an untitled XJS second-hand. DH replaced my Austin Healey 3000 that we sold as newlyweds. I'm agree with Minnie about living *below* one's means. I woke up one day and wondered why we were still living in our 'starter' house thirty years later! We'd saved TOO long! DH retired, and we built a new house in a nicer community -- more than an hour from the city, since he no longer had to commute. Our 'starter' and the neighborhood were fine, but...not AS fine. We're only sorry we didn't move sooner. I still delight in driving along the pretty road to our house, ten years on. I'm not sure what 'splurge' means to me. I'll never be the person who charges a vacation because she can't pay for it up front, but I am an advocate of living AT your means, not far below it 'just because'.

2many, here the restrictions have been loosened, the nurseries and greenhouses are opening and "non essential" businesses are opening for curbside service. Garden centers are opening and the fishermen are happy because motorized boating is allowed again, as well as golfing, as long as the 6 foot distance is reserved. No carts allowed, ticked a bunch of guys right off, we wouldn't want to actually get some exercise while golfing, now would we? (grin) There is a mandate that all people who can medically do so safely wear face masks. There is no criminal penalty, the police will not enforce, etc., BUT businesses can refuse to do business with you unless you wear your mask. Grocery stores can refuse to let you enter, etc. "They" have little to no power over me in this instance, I'm happy here at home and seldom need to go anywhere, I just want to stay here and play in the dirt. I've been admiring my new baby laying hens, starting my garden plants, taking care of mother who is here with me for a while, cleaning barns and chicken coops. My car has been out of the garage once in the last five weeks. Elery says it's like being a teenager, gas is cheap and we're grounded, LOL. My local store still has no soft margarine, although there's plenty of butter, I'm not sure what that is all about. I have enough of everything I need to last a couple of months, at least, and I'm holding an election on May 5, just like nothing unusual is happening, except I'll be using gloves and face masks. A local small brewery is making hand sanitizer instead of booze, so I can always buy some there if I feel the need. The only wrench in the works would be if I needed a doctor's appointment, right now the local health care facilities are taking emergencies only. Annie