10 Bougie Buys That Pass the ‘Worth It’ Test, According To Humphrey Yang and Taylor Bell
Those who spent a lot of time deep-diving into YouTube’s crowded personal finance space have likely heard of both Humphrey Yang and Taylor Bell, two popular personalities who have attracted large audiences (a little under 2.1 million subscribers for Yang, and over 900,000 for Bell) interested in their wealth-building expertise.
In a recent channel team-up video, Yang and Bell collaborated on the subject of 10 expenditures that were worth every cent of the buy-in despite sounding somewhat luxurious, or at the very least nonessential. Let’s take a look at the list provided by Bell (though Yang only agreed with six of her picks).
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A $5,500 MacBook Pro Is Worth It (Especially for Content Creators)
With the video taking place in Bell’s well-appointed NYC apartment, she was quick to highlight the importance of her MacBook Pro. She noted that her previous computer kept crashing, and that Apple’s 12-month 0% interest financing allowed her to splash out $5,500 on the luxe MacBook Pro.
“As long as it works smoothly, I’m in no rush to upgrade to the latest model,” Bell said, noting she’d already had the laptop for three years.
Yang shared that he, too, was a MacBook fan — his being somewhere off-screen — and he endorsed Bell’s choice, adding that it was vital to opt for the maximum RAM option provided by Apple.
Kerrygold Butter Is a Delicious (but Pricey) Ingredient at $13 to $15
Switching gears to a more culinary-driven mode, Bell raided the fridge to produce a box of four unsalted Kerrygold butter sticks. The Irish dairy product is a kitchen staple for her — and many others, if a recent Chowhound ranking is to be believed — and “the best butter you can get.”
Yang wasn’t onboard, even though he acknowledged it was a highly personal choice.
Houseplants Give a Wholesome Sense of Ownership at $35 to $45
Taking a trip to her bedroom to show off her most-prized plants — “Eduardo,” the fiddle-leaf fig and “Ying,” an unidentified smaller plant — Bell waxed philosophical about the nature of plant ownership.
“You do form a relationship with them, figuring out what they need and what they like. You take ownership,” Bell said, admitting that before she’d picked up the plants, she’d be skeptical of the gushing exhibited by plant enthusiasts. Yang agreed.
Travel Can Be a Valuable Purchase (With Certain Caveats)
Bell also underscored the idea that travel could be a very worthwhile investment, although one of the first remarks she made on the subject was that going too expensive for too little return — she cited fancy hotels such as Four Seasons as definitely a bad buy — wasn’t her style.
“For me, it’s about buying the plane ticket in the first place and going and exploring the world,” she said, reiterating that budgeting according to one’s means was of central importance — and that she would personally pay more to avoid red-eye travel, and that experience was king in this category.
Humphrey agreed, by and large.
The other six items that were absolutely worth it, according to Bell, included:
A coffee setup ($500): She pointed out that this was more expensive than standard, causing Yang to opt out.
Artisanal cinnamon rolls from L’Appartement 4F ($8.50 each): Termed as "delicious," Yang cheekily agreed with this choice given he had been treated to them.
A nice apartment (price varies): This was cited for reasons of comfort and the simple fact that you are likely to spend so much of your time there. Yang concurred with this reasoning.
Pets, particularly dogs for Bell (again, price varies): Deemed a very worthwhile investment, as they are a source of love and companionship all in one. Yang disagreed (but only because he’s not a pet owner).
Stoneware and glassware ($100 per set): In terms of “upgrading the small things… you interact with on a daily basis” to make a happy moment for yourself, Bell emphasized this purchase as worth the cost. Yang thought that pricier stoneware and glassware wasn’t his cup of tea.
Fitness expenses: Yang and Bell strongly agreed with this being worth every penny. After all, one’s health is of prime concern no matter the budget.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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