I was recently quoted in “4 Ways to Trim Your Spending” by Laura Cohn in the January 2010 issue of Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine. Laura and I discussed that having one or two areas of luxury in your life is not a bad thing — it’s actually a good thing because it helps avoid a sense of deprivation that can lead to seriously blowing your budget. But choosing an area or areas of indulgence that makes sense given your income, other expenses, and goals is important. Where we can really get into trouble is allowing the indulgence to spread to too many aspects of our lives. The luxury vehicle, a nice home, designer clothes, fine dining, spa services, wine and grocery purchases, and lots of travel are some of the areas that can be just fine if we have one area of indulgence and it’s supported by our budget. But these same areas can lead to spending trouble for all but the wealthiest if we enjoy too many on a regular basis.