$$ Justifications

[hz80408]

Do you think of spending money on F&B items (or others) in "terms" of things?

For example, the sale No 2 skirts, when they went down to $25, I decided to get another because in my mind it was a better deal and longer lasting than a week's worth of Starbucks. Anyone else think like this?

(Although I really should be thinking, this skirt cost me ## of minutes of working, shouldn't I? Then maybe I'd be more stringent on my spending)

[birkbop]

Absolutely. I have a justification process for everything.

I'll pick up an item, look at it, think of what else I have that is similar or not, how I can incorporate in my wardrobe, then I set it down and move on and if I can't stop thinking about it, I'll go back and get it.

[hz80408]

Jun 18, 2012 15:34:48 GMT -5 birkbop said:

Absolutely. I have a justification process for everything.

I'll pick up an item, look at it, think of what else I have that is similar or not, how I can incorporate in my wardrobe, then I set it down and move on and if I can't stop thinking about it, I'll go back and get it.

That's great. I wish I could do that. Similarlly, my mom has a rule of 3: if she can't think of 3 things to wear with the item, she usually doesn't buy.

I'm the opposite, I buy somethign and then think, oh shit, I should totally buy this too to go with....fail

[birkbop]

Jun 18, 2012 15:37:02 GMT -5 hz80408 said:

Jun 18, 2012 15:34:48 GMT -5 birkbop said:

Absolutely. I have a justification process for everything.

I'll pick up an item, look at it, think of what else I have that is similar or not, how I can incorporate in my wardrobe, then I set it down and move on and if I can't stop thinking about it, I'll go back and get it.

That's great. I wish I could do that. Similarlly, my mom has a rule of 3: if she can't think of 3 things to wear with the item, she usually doesn't buy.

I'm the opposite, I buy somethign and then think, oh shit, I should totally buy this too to go with....fail

Lol, but if you do come to this realization do you usually return the item or no?

[hz80408]

Jun 18, 2012 15:37:45 GMT -5 birkbop said:

Lol, but if you do come to this realization do you usually return the item or no?

Yes; well one is sitting in my room to be turned. I don't really need the $50 Aqua necklace from bdales if it requires me to buy a new top or bottom to match now do I?

[birkbop]

Exactly! See that's not so bad -- it sounds like you're rather rational after all :-)

[FormerCityGirl]

I barter things in my mind. I wanted a metallic hobo and really wanted a RM, but couldn't see spending $300 on one bag unless I really loved it and wasn't sure how in love I was. In exchange, I found a Tano for $150 and plan to get the MAC mini in leopard for the bars for about $140 at Off 5th. I get 2 bags and saved $30. I also traded dinner at The Palm for Margaritaville and a pair of Chloe sandals at 75% off.

[joanis018]

The weirdest is when I'll drop $100 no problem on something and then can't do it with something else and feel really guilty about the purchase.

I definitely justify, but lucky for me my hubs spends almost as much money (and he's the cheap one) so I don't feel too bad about clothing purchases.

[bethaboo]

I tend to shop sales so I will justify my purchases with "well, I spent x amount of money, but I COULD have spent y amount so it's worth it." If I buy something not on sale, it's usually because it's unique and I can't find something similar for cheaper. In that case, my justification is that I usually regret the things I didn't buy far more than what I did.

[maddysmum]

Wow. I do all of these.

And also - how many times will I wear it/use it? If it's a $100 item and I will use it 100 times (had to keep the math easy! ) then it's only $1/use and that's totally worth it!

[brewalexa]

Jun 18, 2012 19:47:44 GMT -5 maddysmum said:

Wow. I do all of these.

And also - how many times will I wear it/use it? If it's a $100 item and I will use it 100 times (had to keep the math easy! ) then it's only $1/use and that's totally worth it!

I do that all the time! If I buy this skirt I have to wear it at least 60 times to get my money's worth haha, it all makes total complete sense in my mind


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[narockshard]

I just try to shop at cheap places like F21, Charlotte Russe, Target, etc. I'm careful with my clothes so by the time they wear out I'm sick of them or they are out of style anyway. It's probably totally taboo for this board, but I've never gotten anything from J. Crew. I've been really tempted, but I can usually find stuff that looks the same for a fraction of the cost and just can't justify spending so much on clothes! So that's how I justify

[Alwaysabridesmaidf]

If it's a more expensive item I give myself a time frame. Like if I still want it in 3 months, then I can get it. Shopping makes me happy so I tend to over shop. The time frame has helped me curb that. I have wanted a bicycle for over a year, so this summer I will most liekly buy one. I figure if I still want something after a few months, then it's not just an impulse buy.
S&B creates many impulse buys!

[honeydew1894]

Whenever I shop, I have a silly rule: I must put back one item from my cart. This has benefitted me more times than not bc I will either put back something that is already just like what I already have or something that it too far outside my comfort zone, either in price or fashion.

[glendi]

I don't really justify for stuff under, say, 75$ (unless I've been on a spending tear). Generally, for bigger-ticket purchases, I'll let it percolate for a week or two, make sure our finances can support it, and then pull the trigger if I'm still interested.

(interestingly, I didn't follow this strategy for my last "big" purchase, and I was feeling really conflicted about it- See by Chloe booties at Century 21 that I'd pinned last fall and had obsessed over... they were such a good deal, and I was only in the city for the weekend, so I just bought them without thinking twice. Luckily, the guilt has passed, and now I just get giddy at the thought of wearing them in the fall.)

[esynergy]

I have no problem piddling away $200 on random crap some months...but then if I want a $200 dress or shoes, I stress about it. I'm slowly learning to NOT piddle away $$ at Target or random sales, and just save up for the stuff I really want!

[Deleted]

I always think about it in terms of work. I have to work X number of hours to pay for that. Is it worth it?

[Deleted]

Jun 20, 2012 5:25:39 GMT -5 @kjewell said:

I always think about it in terms of work. I have to work X number of hours to pay for that. Is it worth it?

This is exactly what I do.

[harleysnhorses]

I'm the opposite, I buy somethign and then think, oh shit, I should totally buy this too to go with....fail[/quote]

This is me too a T.

[nsl]

Jun 19, 2012 7:47:19 GMT -5 Alwaysabridesmaidf said:

If it's a more expensive item I give myself a time frame. Like if I still want it in 3 months, then I can get it. Shopping makes me happy so I tend to over shop. The time frame has helped me curb that. I have wanted a bicycle for over a year, so this summer I will most liekly buy one. I figure if I still want something after a few months, then it's not just an impulse buy.
S&B creates many impulse buys!

This. I'd been lusting after the Le Metier de Beaute blush quad since Christmas, but forced myself to hold off on buying for 6 months. It arrived yesterday. Most of the time I do this I don't even remember what it was I wanted to buy when the time comes around, so when I do I know it's something worth the price tag.