It’s hard to save all the time. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself.
In this new era of penny-pinching and keeping a scrutinous eye on our bank accounts, we’ve learned to go without certain luxuries. Don’t buy a new car – fix the one you’ve currently got. And a staycation sounds like a perfectly good idea this year, right? We clip coupons and buy in bulk to reduce our food costs. But according to a new study, when it comes to the little luxuries, we just can’t resist a little treat from time to time.
The products that have seen a boom amid the bust are not expensive, but they’re not essentials, either. Market research firm SymphonyIRI Group found that premade cocktails saw a 24 percent increase in sales. Baked goods saw a double-digit sales bump (cheesecake alone went up 22 percent), and wine sales rose 6 percent.
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Unexpectedly, cosmetics saw huge gains as well, a byproduct of the famed “lipstick index,” which notes the correlation between lipstick sales and economic hardship. Simply, lipstick sales increase during rough financial times as it’s an easy pick-me-up, and a quick way to feel better. The New York Times reports that Kohl’s department store also saw sales increases in handbags and shoes – small splurges, though mood-boosting, to be sure.
“People have a limited supply of energy to put toward controlling their urges,” Kathleen D. Vohs, marketing professor at the University of Minnesota, told the Times. So sip that premade margarita and paint your nails. Just consider it a reward for being good – well, most of the time, at least.
Nick Carbone is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @nickcarbone. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.