Comments on: Justifying Purchases…

By: LAL

LAL — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:58:24 +0000

Fengshui, there is nothing wrong with working if you want to. BUT the person driving the BMW? Wanna bet they say I can’t not afford to work because I have to pay for daycare and BMW?

Well I hate to point out, without a BMW and not working you don’t need a fancy car. So this mother is JUSTIFYING driving a fancy car and being jealous of a mom staying at home driving a 1999 corolla.

Um, priorities. Nothing wrong with prioritizing working or prioritizing staying at home.

You seem to think that many women want to work. Truth is many MEN and WOMEN I know don’t want to work. BUT they “think” they can’t afford to stay at home. Because they have a very expensive home and fancy car.

Again priorities. Nothing wrong with driving a fancy car, but if you want a BMW instead of staying at home, make sure you realize it. Or if you work because you like working, make sure you understand that’s why you are working.

NOT because you have to pay for a BMW.

By: fengshui

fengshui — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:22:45 +0000

No one really thinks that we are ever “justified” to spoil ourselves occasionally? When I graduated with my master’s degree I bought myself a pair of very small diamond earings as a “reward” for all of my lost sleep, writing papers, etc. I felt a sense of accomplishment and wanted to reward myself. Why is that so bad?

By: fengshui

fengshui — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:12:42 +0000

“We can’t afford a stay at home parent (Person drives away in BMW)”.

“I have to work or we can’t afford daycare”

This is sometimes a personal decision/ priorities rather than a financial one. Being a SAHP isn’t for everyone. I personally have no desire to ever be a full time SAHM. I would like to stay working part time, even if only 12-16 hours a week. If daycare is cost effective, then I would do that. I honestly don’t know how people in my city afford daycare. For young ones, the average cost is around $1,100 a month. After taxes and benefits, that is probably 50% or more of someone’s take home (if using the “average” salary for my county). So, working 80 hours a month to put your kid in day care seems counterintuitive, in my opnion….. ?

By: The place to be

The place to be — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:44:58 +0000

Hey hey…

Be sure to see mine……

By: Meg

Meg — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:29:08 +0000

And lot’s not forget, good ol’ “Keeping up with the Joneses” and “What will the other parents think?!”

I don’t get the “I deserve it” because the people I hear that from seem to deserve it less than anyone else I know. Good deals can be hard to pass up, but I try to stick to stuff that I already need/want.

I can understand “It makes me happy” — if it truly does, which seems rather rare. I have a friend that loves good smelling things. She has more scented lotions and potions than anyone I know, whereas I could care less about such things. Sometimes I’m tempted by the thought that she’d be better off to give them up, but I’ve spent a lot more money on things that didn’t bring me half as much pleasure — maybe a small reason why she’s better off financially than me. Since I’ve started focusing on those things that really bring *me* pleasure, I’ve found myself spending less in general.

By: Interest Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #4 | Our Fourpence Worth

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:14:34 +0000

[...] Living Almost Large gives us an amusing list of reasons people justify purchases. [...]

By: Mom @ Wide Open Wallet

Mom @ Wide Open Wallet — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:26:19 +0000

The kids are only young once is the only one I use. But it’s true!!! They are only young once.

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:15:23 +0000

“Lotto – you gotta play to win.” That’s my kryptonite. But “I deserve it” just drives me crazy. If you have to justify your purchase by saying that, it’s a pretty good sign that you don’t actually deserve it. (At least in my case!)