Post # 1

Member
747 posts
Busy bee
Morally guilty. Not financially. If you can afford to spend money on a nice designer bag do you feel guilty for the fact that it’s a trivial thing to spend money on?
I love louis Vuitton and my favorite purse was around 1500. I don’t use it often, just when I go somewhere special and want to feel extra pretty/dressed up.
My daily bag is a Burberry tote that was under 1000.
So here’s where I’m at. I have 2 more LV bags on my wish list. It wouldn’t be a financial issue at all. But I find myself feeling guilty for having the desire to buy such expensive things. I could take 3 grand and put it towards an extra vacation. .. but that’s not where I want to spend my money. I really love purses lol. Can anyone relate to having a “want” but your rational side tells you its silly?
I tell myself some people love shoes and buy fancy shoes or gadgets and purses just happens to be my thing. I never spend over 200 on a pair of shoes.
Post # 2

Member
1066 posts
Bumble bee
Yes, but on a much smaller budget. For me, an expensive designer purse is in the 250-400 range. Once a year I buy myself a new bag but I feel like I get the use out of it to justify the pricetag. I just feel like I’ve wasted my money if I spend that much and don’t use it daily.
Post # 3

Member
1334 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: September 2005 - A Castle
I felt guilty spending $98 on lululemon yoga pants…I probably would feel morally guilty even if I was rolling in dough, but that’s a result of my upbringing. My parents were working class people with not a lot of extra money, therefore extravagant purchases weren’t really made.
Purses aren’t my thing anyway.
-
This reply was modified 4 years ago by
dracarys.
Post # 4

Member
11520 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
LovesBeingAMrs: for me it would be shoes. I wantd a $1000 pair of shoes for our wedding, we could have afforded it but I felt too guilty spending that much on something so silly.
Post # 5

Member
859 posts
Busy bee
It’s all about perspective. People will say “Oh if you can spend that on a purse then you could feed starving children!” However, if your income is 150,000 the purse is only 1% of your income. On the other end, if you are 150,000 in debt, the purse is a little silly lol
Post # 6

Member
2251 posts
Buzzing bee
Well, I do understand your pain. I could easily spend over 3k on a pair of ruby diamond earrings from Effy. Would not blink an eye. Purses are not my thing though, my most expensive one was a gift from Darling Husband, $350 Micael Kors, and would be probably my most expensive one ever.l
Post # 7

Member
5954 posts
Bee Keeper
LovesBeingAMrs: If I could afford it, yes I would feel guilty. I just couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t put it towards an “extra” vacation either. (I can’t afford vacations) I make very little money and some of the extra I actually do have I give to my favorite dog charities and other random dogs in need. I wouldn’t live my life any other way than helping out the less fortunate.
Post # 8

Member
4943 posts
Honey bee
I’m too frugal. I personally can’t stomach spending that much money on a purse myself. In the back of my mind I’m thinking “that could buy a new sofa” or whatever. ๐ I have no problem spending $1000 on something for the household, but I couldn’t ever spend it on purses/shoes. ๐
Post # 9

Member
6272 posts
Bee Keeper
I totally get that youre saying.
I love my bag collection. But they are bags. I keep a grip of that. And then enjoy them.
I know they aren’t really what’s important in life.
I feel blessed in so many ways. the fact I have a home, and plentiful food, means I’m better off than the millions of people who don’t know when they’ll next have a mouthful eat, never mind the people who are in peril and fear for their lives everyday.
Does me buying/not buying a bag help them? I don’t think so. But trying to live kindly and generously and with graditude within our material world hopefully gets the wheels spinning the right way.
feeling ‘small’ in the grand scheme of things can either make me feel helpless or humble. I think I’m more useful being the latter. So I try to do that. And carry my bag, wear my diamond, drive my car, knowing I’m exceptionally fortunate.
Post # 10

Member
720 posts
Busy bee
I do not feel bad About it. I buy expensive bags way less then some people I know that buy a $50-200 purses a lot more often. The way I see it is you either buy nice bags every so often or you can buy a ton of less expensive bags that don’t hold up in my opinion. As long as you can afford it and your bills are being paid. I don’t see any reason to not own them! There is certain things I would never spend a lot on though. So when it comes down to it to each his own. ๐
Post # 11

Member
372 posts
Helper bee
Some people travel (me), some people buy shoes (also me – lol!), some people buy loads of jewelry (ahem, bees ๐ ), and you buy purses.
If you have the money to do it and aren’t hurting anyone, i.e. Going into debt over your shopping habits and not paying your bills, then you aren’t doing anything wrong, in my opinion.
Sure, you may get people who say it’s crazy to spend that kind of money especially when there are homeless and hungry people in the world – but YOU didn’t make them homeless and hungry. Not saying that they deserve to be homeless or hungry by any means, nor am I saying that giving money to those in need is not an excellent and selfless thing to do – but I AM saying that feeling guilty for treating yourself to something you like because you can afford it is unnecessary.
You work hard for your money, I assume. (otherwise, youre a trust fund baby, lottery rich or married well, in which case someone in your family worked hard for the money, you’re lucky and a gamble paid off, or congrats on your advantageous marriage) No matter what though, your money is yours to spend as you see fit and I feel a little bit like having guilt about it somehow cheapens the experience of luxury goods.
Sidenote- have you seen the LV Neverfull? My bestie has one in Mimosa (yellow) and another in gorgeous navy – SO pretty!!
Post # 12

Member
1229 posts
Bumble bee
I bought my LV Neverfull to celebrate a major accomplishment. I feel a little guilty about it. But I also love it and carry it all the time. It was/is well within my means.
Post # 13

Member
1980 posts
Buzzing bee
It’s all relative. I feel guilty buying purses over $100 haha. I would much rather go on a $3k vacation than buy a purse. If you love purses more than vacations, and aren’t being financially irresponsible, go for it.
Post # 14

Member
40 posts
Newbee
I think it depends on your lifestyle and the people your around and why your buying the purse. I kind of have a materialistic sister in law (not a bad thing) and for her she doesn’t buy anything that’s not designer ,even though she buys it for the name and to put pictures of it up not necessarily for the quality.) however she doesn’t make the money her husband does so she feels less guilty spending his money. She told me that since he makes so much, an additional thousand here and there he won’t notice lol so if your making the money buy it! Live within your means, if it’s your desire. And please buy for the quality of your purse if your going to buy it you might as well get your money’s worth and wear it Too!
Post # 15

Member
4891 posts
Honey bee
I think if you can afford it, go for it. The most I’ve ever spent on a purse (MK) was $150 – but had coupons or gift cards to use for the rest of the purchase so I wasn’t forking over all of it. The most I’ve ever spent on shoes was $100.
I usually buy a new purse every couple of years, but literally use the one I get forever… so to me, that’s worth the money. If you are planning on using them daily, then I don’t see it that big of a deal. Again, if you can afford it.
But, I’m also not one to bat an eye spending $30 on a mascara or lipgloss. But, those are my main vices in life. I like purses, but the need to get a new one all the time has decreased over the years.