Splurge vs. Steal

[catnapper]

I enjoy reading the magazine sections that show trends as expensive designers present them and how they get reinterpreted for normal people. They'll show one look complete with $200 shoes, $1000 handbag, $600 skirts, etc. and then they'll show a similar version in $40 shoes, $70 handbag, and a $20 skirt. Voila -- Reality!

While at the docotr's office yesterday I was reading a magazine I never look at. Their splurge vs. steal section.... welll..... $180 for a grey and orange jacket is a steal? I thought that was the splurge! A bunch of ladies and I had a great time laughing about it in the waiting room. None of us would even consider spending that much on a jacket that wouldn't be worn every day (it was a work-type blazer) and we especially wouldn't get it with bright orange piping

I am the Queen of bargain hunting. I have to be! Most of my tops/sweaters are under $10 and are brand name... Preswick & Moore, Jones NY, Izod, and my favorite: Van Huesen. I just search the racks once a week or so..... and only buy once it hits the right clearance price. I might walk out with nothing for a couple weeks at a time, and I might hit paydirt and walk out with 5 new tops for $5 each when the original price was tagged somewhere between $40 and $80. I hit the mother-lode last month when I bought 3 pairs of tailored Briggs pants for $1.99 each (size 12 at that -- I'm a size 12 and started at a tight size 22!!!! insert happy dance here)

My idea of a splurge is spending $15 for a sweater I really wanted and watched the price since the day it came into the store. I was soooo mad at myself when it hit $7 and still had my size AND color but I wanted it so bad that I wasn't going to take the change it sold out in my size.

What is your outlook on shopping? I just can't justify spending money on clothes and shoes. I have no problem spending $60 on cat food each month. I don't balk at $30 worth of litter. I HATE spending money on clothes when I know I can always find it cheaper!

[Alysser]

For me, it depends on what I want. There are certain things I KNOW won't ever be on sale but those are few and far between. My current watch is water-proof and shock-proof and cute and I really like it so I spent $80 on it. THAT was a splurge. I really like the Olympic Team Oakleys and they are $200. That is ALOT for sunglasses but I plan on buying them eventually. If I have them I'll never spend money of sunglasses again LOL.

Clothes and purses I don't splurge on much. If I really like a shirt I'll buy it. But I am mostly a clearance buyer. I got a pair of REALLY nice Sperry's for $35 a few weeks ago. I got a pair of Cowboy boots for $50 rather than $90 at TJ Maxx. I got my hiking boots on clearance ($40 from $80) at Bass Pro Shops. The guy said they were being discontinued and was wondering if that bothered me. LOL, why do I care about that? There was no real reason aside from them not selling well.

[pomtzu]

I refuse to pay full retail for anything. I was in Penney's yesterday and came out with a $5 tee (regular $25), a $15 pair of nice knit capris (regular $25), and a $10 handbag (regular $45).

But I recently got a SUPER bargain on a toaster oven that I bought my granddaughter for her apartment. When I got it home and checked it out, 2 little rubber feet were missing from legs on the bottom, so I called the manufacturer about it. After about an hour of arguing with the customer service person, I finally gave up and decided I'd just look in Lowe's or Home Depot for feet that would fit, since I couldn't exchange it where I bought it since it was the last one in stock. Anyway, about a week later, I had this big box delivered by FedEx. What was in it???? - a toaster oven - the same model that I had bought that had the missing feet. No paper work - no nothing!!! So now I had 2 ovens - and the one that I had delivered to me also had 2 feet missing. So now granddaughter and Grammy have matching toaster ovens which is kinda nice, since I didn't have one before. How about that - BOGO?????

[Taz_Zoee]

I hate shopping! So much that sometimes I can't wait for something to go on sale because I need it so badly. I wear my pants until they get holes where my thighs rub together (or I fall and rip them). My shirts have holes in them and are faded before I get new ones. I find a pair of shoes I like that are comfy and I wear those until they fall apart. Gee, I sound lovely don't I? LOL
I'm not a slob, I swear!

A couple years ago I went to Tahoe and the outlets up there were having HUGE sales because it was "between seasons". I got a $75 purse for $14, $120 boots for $34, a $80 jacket for $23 and a $12 scarf for $4. That's when I actually felt shopping was FUN!

[smokey the elder]

I refuse to pay full price for most clothes. Because I have funky feet, I'm very picky about shoes but still can often find ones that fit at a reasonable price. I find for leather stuff (shoes, purses, jackets) you get what you pay for to a point. I expect leather goods to be durable. I paid handsome coin for a leather biker jacket 25 years ago. The fail point is the zipper; once I get replaced it will be as good as new!

[momcat]

I hate shopping, especially for clothes. It's something I do when I absolutely have to. Since I wear what I like instead of whatever might be the style trend of the moment, I go in the store, get what I need, then leave. If it's on sale, fine. If not, get what I went for and get it over with.