Splurge means to spend money freely on something you want but don't really need, often as a treat or celebration. When your family splurges on dinner at a fancy restaurant instead of cooking at home, or when you use all your saved allowance to buy that special video game you've been wanting, that's splurging.

The word suggests spending more than usual or more than is strictly sensible, but not in a reckless way. It's different from wasteful spending because a splurge is usually intentional and enjoyable. Your parents might save carefully all year, then splurge on a beach vacation. You might pack simple lunches most days, then splurge on pizza with friends to celebrate the end of the school year.

Notice that splurging feels special precisely because you don't do it all the time. If you bought expensive treats every single day, it wouldn't be a splurge anymore, just regular (and probably unwise) spending. A splurge is that occasional moment when you decide something is worth the extra cost because it will bring real enjoyment or mark an important occasion.