ever feel guilty about spending?

[Seething Tortoise]

I pretty much buy quality stuff thats going to last me, and I only buy if I really really like it.

That's what I do, but I've just spent so much, it's ridiculous.

[valastexile]

I never feel bad, just broke! Seriously though sometimes I feel like a robot just spending on clothes,shoes and hats. When I think off all the proverty in the world buying clothing alll the time seems kind of silly, but then I think it's not my fault and the governments of the world should be taking care of this stuff not taxpayers!

The economy will probably collapse soon anyway so just think of it as something to kill time until then;)

[dismalfuture]

I hate myself a little for it every now and then. It's always kind of shocking to see where everyone's priorities lay. Over at HF a while ago, within roughly the same time frame, there was a thread on how much everyone spends each month on clothes, and another thread trying to raise $750 or so for cleft-lip repair surgery for a Vietnamese girl. We hit $1000+ actually, in just a couple of days, which was pretty awesome, but it took like 40 people to do that, which, minus my own contribution, worked out to under $25/person.

Meanwhile, in the other thread, there are a fair number of people putting their clothing budget at a couple grand per month. And, see, I'd like to think that if I had that kind of money, I'd be a little more magnanimous about it, but I'm not sure that I would, and that, oddly enough, is what leads me to doubt the moral value of my current habits.

I like this post because it hits pretty close to home for me. I am pretty frivolous with my money and always have been, because since I've had to be responsible for my spending I have always done my personal expenses by splitting them up the middle and making sure I always eat and sleep well, and everything personal, including my rainy day money, was taken care of before the fun money took effect. I graduated college debt-free amongst a bunch of people I knew who were not, and have some money to pad my pillow at night and smoothen out the road ahead, so I have never felt too bad about spending my earned money, or buying myself luxuries, but this post reminded me of better ways to spend money. I often forget things like this in my daily life. Browsing Supertalk is not really bringing any philanthropic tendencies out of me either, unfortunately.

Another side to this, I am always curious and interested to see what people's personal expense sheets would look like if we could compare monthly. I always feel bad because my fun spending is always seeming to be higher or lower than everyone elses, but I am surprised that people's spending is not at all unlike mine.

Lately, I've been trying to re-do my wardrobe that has been lacking and not been updated since I was in Japan a couple years ago, so that right now is kind of a money-swilling project that I normally don't do. I hadn't really bought clothes seriously for a couple years, so I've been spending about $1500 a month for the past 3 or 4 months working on that, and I might be satisfied pretty soon, and my spending on clothes will drop dramatically and I may go months again without buying new stuff, barring some small seasonal updates. Currently I feel I need a few more regular wardrobe items to be set, and I would like to re-do my formal clothing with some really solid, classic (literally) pieces as I haven't worked on that in years, but beyond that, I think my personal spending will slow down, the clothes are just my current phase, probably because I have little else to worry about currently. I'm 24 now, by the time this dies off I'm sure the obsession of pouring money into a larger home and all the associated effects will turn my monthly fun money into real expenses and liabilties, but for now I feel I'm in no danger so I am not feeling much remorse about any of it. I buy everything in cash, never carry any debt, and am always up at the end of the month, so I sleep well at night.

[sarlo]

I never feel guilty when buying clothes or denim.. i like having enough clothes so.. and i work for the money i spend so i don't have a prob spending it

[timmy32]

i spend more money on others than i do on myself so i usually don't feel bad when i buy something for myself. when i do feel bad is when i put on my $2200 croc boots. i really liked them so i bought em, but i always feel like shit when i put them on

[whorishconsumer]

The only time I feel guilty is if I end up never wearing them. Case and point: my Baggy Bjorns. I bought them 2 sizes too small as recommended, and should have only gone one size too small. Now whenever i see them I shudder, cuz the rise is waayyyy too long in the back, yet the leg opening can hardly be classified as baggy. Not only that, but they look tapered. What a mess, I'm going to have to do some serious work to these to get them up to snuff.

THAT is what guilt is. I should have just bought some LVC 47s

What size are they? What wash?

[whorishconsumer]

It kind of pisses me off when I hear people say the clothes I wear are too expensive. My standard reply is to tell them to look at their bar-tab from last night (guys) or to tell them those $4.00 lattes add up (girls).Plus if you look at cheap clothing (Gap, Old Navy etc.) there are issues concerning production that you really don't want to know about.

The best line about spending on denim was by an Austin 'zine Misprint (check it out online - funny as shit!) - those $190 Nudie's WILL get you laid/get you a girlfriend and that's when things get expensive...

no surprise that i'm not the only one from austin here.

[dismalfuture]

This thread has me feeling like putting some stuff up in supermarket....

[False Prophet]

I'm trying to mix/max my clothes expenditure at the moment. I dropped about $450 on some (handmade) boots on my last holidays, on the one hand; on the other, I am steadfastly refusing to spend more than about $30 on a tshirt.

This is made easy when local designers sell their wares at the market for $15-20, as they're no longer seemingly able to profit in an atmosphere of $100 designer tees and retailers expecting concomitant profit margins from them (but without the name recognition).

What kills me still is when I impulse buy stuff. Especially dressy stuff (for work etc) that I don't end up liking that much. A $180 dress shirt picking up dust makes me feel bad - spending the same on jeans that I'll literally wear til there are holes in them, not so.

[sinnah]

I always feel guilty about buying stuff, even if its relatively cheap things. I'm usually good with the impulse buying too, I will never buy anything without careful consideration and research. I hardly ever drop more than $250 on clothes per month either... only exceptions being if I've budgeted the money for a trip (dropped around 4 bills on clothes in nyc last week, with half of that coming from the xx-005's i picked up). I try to limit myself to 1 big item per month or a couple smaller items.

[Kasper]

the only time i feel guilty about buying clothes is when i buy stuff that i end up not likink and or not wearing. i just finished college so in the past years, i've spend much more than the average person, but i feel that there was always so much more that i would have bought so i only bought the stuff i really wanted and usually, i had been wanting it for a while so it was a well thought purchase.

now, waking up really hangover and realising how much i spent the night before....that's the real issue. i'm really stupid and carefree when i drink...

[wild_whiskey]

Yuck. I drink a whole bunch, spend too much money on Japanese food, AND I buy expensive clothes and semi-expensive furniture. I pay for it with student loans. Oh well.

[Aramyr]

Yeah, there is always just a hint of self loathing after I buy something ludicrously expensive that I do not really need. Which is just about everything I spend money on these days.

[Guest jeffvyain]

Yuck. I drink a whole bunch, spend too much money on Japanese food, AND I buy expensive clothes and semi-expensive furniture. I pay for it with student loans. Oh well.

now that's just fuckin dumb.... unless you're going to be a doctor or something

[maxpayne]

3 yrs Ago i didn't think about spending £100-£150 on a pair of jeans but 1 wife 1 child and baby on way i have to think, then ask wife then think more, then buy and get in trouble with wife. But eh ! I got a wicked pair of new jeans.

Morral- If you want it , BUY IT xxx