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You know what I don't get. Why people care what other people buy. It is of no concern to me what other people spend their money on. In a way, it is good for the economy, and manufacturers don't build things to last forever intentionally.
I think that kind of mentality is what gets some people in trouble. I had a girlfriend ( a best friend) when I was first married, who's husband made a good living, and we made barely enough to get by. She was big into decorating, and I remember her coming home from the department store one day with three small silk pillows that she paid a weeks salary for (my week's salary) I remember shaking my head and thinking she was crazy, but it didn't bother me.
I was big on decorating myself. I have always been this way, and everyone tells me how talented I am. But my furniture came from the auctions at ridiculously low prices. , piece by piece. Many pieces need to be stripped down and minor repairs made. My kitchen table was hand made putting large planks together and finishing the wood. It was supported by two antique sewing machine bases.
The long and the short of this story was - my home was also a "show place'
and everyone thought it was beautiful. My friends house was beautiful too, but in a different way. Only her decorating cost an arm and a leg, and mine was of fraction of her cost. I didn't envy her. I took pride in my ability to turn a sow into a prince. I got excited with my purchases for $5.00 because I saw the potential, and the effort in the transformation gave me great satisfaction. I can't help feel that you are suffering from "other peoples money syndrome". Get over it. Learn to make lemonade from lemons.
Everyone would like to have more money, but it is not something that bothers them or they think about all the time. Other than for environmental reasons, your concern with what someone else does with their money should not have any effect on you. Stop comparing yourself to others, and start to enjoy your life. If you must compare, then compare yourself with the homeless people out in the street. Just my recommendation.
It still amazes me what people pay for cable TV. Just can't do it. A nice antennae cost me $25, and between free Hulu and free borrowing DVDs from the local library.... really, what more do you need?
But I realize people have different pleasures/values for their time, so if they can afford it, it's certainly their choice.
However, I see too many people on the edge... where they really can't afford it. At a minimum, people should be paying off credit card bills, not filing bankruptcy, and saving for retirement. Yet they see smart phones with unlimited minutes/text etc.. and delux cable TV with perks as part of basic monthly utility expenses.
I have to disagree with you on this issue because I have bones out of alignment in both feet, a very high arch and other issues with my feet so I spend a lot for these boots:
Last time I bought 2 pair they were $250.00 a pair, now up to $300.00 but I bought those two pair 9 years ago and they are both still going strong and they get worn every day for many hours each day. These truly are a necessity for me.
But that big screen TV that I occasionally hanker for and could easily afford....well I can't justify replacing the 24 year old set I have since it works just fine.
My ex was a wildlands firefighter with USFS and BLM for ten years. He bought White's boots and, back in 1990, they cost about $250 a pair. They were hand built to fit his feet and well worth the money. After a couple of years hard use the company actually rebuilt them, free of charge...but it was a one time deal only. He had three pairs that lasted him nearly the entire ten years.
I hear you about the TV. I keep thinking about a flat screen but I can't really justify it because my older 27" Sanyo still works perfectly. Not sure how old it is because my mom gave it to me about six years ago after using it for years herself. I can afford to get the flat screen too but why??
This past summer I finally replaced my '86 Honda Accord with nearly 300,000 miles on it. I bought it at 10 years and drove it for 15. Not bad! I don't expect the Buick I bought to last that long, or do that well, but when it's time I'm going back to Honda! I bought the Buick because it fit what I wanted perfectly...price/interest/payment...all except make/model.
My friend is buying a house and plans on "getting rid of" the existing appliances because they are "green" and they don't like the color . The appliances are in perfect working order.
My mom got rid of a perfectly functioning dryer and bought a new one because it "matched" her new washing machine (that had broken).
Another friend spent her last remaining dollars painting her kitchen because it was "yellow" and she couldn't "take it anymore". She was unemployed at the time and hired someone to do this.
These are not rich people by any means. I guess I just can't relate. There are weeks I can't even go to the grocery store and I see things like this and I guess it's just hard to comprehend. Does anyone else feel this way?
If I had that kind of money, I think I would just put it in savings or a matching 401K or something. I would never get rid of something expensive because of the color.
Your post makes me think of House Hunters on HGTV. Some of those homes would be sooo perfect for 'me' but the people buying are really 'out there'...to me. Granite and stainless steel will go out of vogue someday and they'll have to start all over. I guess it keeps the big box stores in business though and that's not a bad thing. lol
I have a good friend who buys a LOT of stuff from those home shopping networks on TV. She is on disability, gets around $600 mo., but lives with her mom and pays no rent. She does help with the utilities, etc. She thinks she's getting 'good deals' on makeup and hair products but I think it's a waste of good money. So...to each their own but I do get tired of hearing how broke she is all the time.
More than just sometimes. However, folks in the frugal forum often tend to hold money to a higher value than themselves. Which I find strange.
I don't think I hold money to a "higher value" than I do myself but I can tell you I have learned some really hard lessons about money and, yeah, it can really change your feeling about it. It still amazes me that I did so well, with so little, but it made me appreciate having money a whole lot more. When you've been so down and out you're almost homeless it gives you some different priorities. Or should. I've always been a big saver, no matter how little I earned, but now I'm positively hyper about it. lol I hate being caught with an emergency and not have the money to pay for it. Luckily that hasn't happened in a really long time.
You know what I don't get. Why people care what other people buy. It is of no concern to me what other people spend their money on. In a way, it is good for the economy, and manufacturers don't build things to last forever intentionally.
I think that kind of mentality is what gets some people in trouble. I had a girlfriend ( a best friend) when I was first married, who's husband made a good living, and we made barely enough to get by. She was big into decorating, and I remember her coming home from the department store one day with three small silk pillows that she paid a weeks salary for (my week's salary) I remember shaking my head and thinking she was crazy, but it didn't bother me.
I was big on decorating myself. I have always been this way, and everyone tells me how talented I am. But my furniture came from the auctions at ridiculously low prices. , piece by piece. Many pieces need to be stripped down and minor repairs made. My kitchen table was hand made putting large planks together and finishing the wood. It was supported by two antique sewing machine bases.
The long and the short of this story was - my home was also a "show place'
and everyone thought it was beautiful. My friends house was beautiful too, but in a different way. Only her decorating cost an arm and a leg, and mine was of fraction of her cost. I didn't envy her. I took pride in my ability to turn a sow into a prince. I got excited with my purchases for $5.00 because I saw the potential, and the effort in the transformation gave me great satisfaction. I can't help feel that you are suffering from "other peoples money syndrome". Get over it. Learn to make lemonade from lemons.
Everyone would like to have more money, but it is not something that bothers them or they think about all the time. Other than for environmental reasons, your concern with what someone else does with their money should not have any effect on you. Stop comparing yourself to others, and start to enjoy your life. If you must compare, then compare yourself with the homeless people out in the street. Just my recommendation.
I don't think I compare myself to others...or not much anyway. Most everything I own was bought in thrift stores or given to me by family members as they replaced things. Perfectly great couch, chairs, end tables, bed frames, dressers, etc.. Even my entertainment center. Even coming from so many directions everything 'fits' together in my little house just fine. Nothing clashes...just a little eclectic. lol I've bought a few things new but nothing expensive.
I like to refinish furniture too. I have a desk I need to do when it gets warmer so I can work on it outside. I got it for free and it's a really nice small desk.
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