Hm. There are so many interesting points that have been brought up in this discussion!
I guess all I have to say has already been said but.. Here goes anyway.
I was 15 when I got my first "designer" purse. (Brown mini-sig coach hobo.. Still love it!) It happened after months of staring and -oohing- & -ahhing- silently over the computer screen. My mom finally got the hint and rewarded me after a series of events that exemplified how "good" I was. (One being winning a $8,000 scholarship. Haha, after that, I think she figured she could spend $200 or so to make me happy.)
That being said, now that I look back on it, I don't think a $200 purse is necessary for a 13 year old. Granted, I'm 18 now, looking at $600 - $1000 purses but.. at 13, I doubt that you would be able to fully appreciate the value of a Coach purse. I say this, not because I am underestimating your maturity, but because at 13, it's just hard. You're still a kid (heck, I'm still a kid in some ways), and there are just better things to do with your money. (and time, since you are obviously thinking about this a lot.)
Do you really understand what $200 is/means?
If you are truly willing to do whatever it takes to get this purse, than I think you should first work (in some of the various ways that has been suggested on this thread) to try to "earn" $200 first. Be fair and see how long it will take you to really earn that money. If you still want the purse when you are finished, then it is obvious that you are serious about your lemming. (As are so many ladies of this forum! I'll be the first to admit- I'm bag-obsessed! haha)
PS. I, too, do not think that money should be used to reward good grades. I was never rewarded for my grades (and without sounding arrogant, I had darn good grades). When I was younger, I was jealous of the kids who had their dads whip out hundred-dollar bills when they got straight As.. but now, I realize that, at least for me, it was better that I develop the mentality of -good grades- being something expected, rather than rewarded. Haha.. too bad college is.. a different story.
I guess all I have to say has already been said but.. Here goes anyway.
I was 15 when I got my first "designer" purse. (Brown mini-sig coach hobo.. Still love it!) It happened after months of staring and -oohing- & -ahhing- silently over the computer screen. My mom finally got the hint and rewarded me after a series of events that exemplified how "good" I was. (One being winning a $8,000 scholarship. Haha, after that, I think she figured she could spend $200 or so to make me happy.)
That being said, now that I look back on it, I don't think a $200 purse is necessary for a 13 year old. Granted, I'm 18 now, looking at $600 - $1000 purses but.. at 13, I doubt that you would be able to fully appreciate the value of a Coach purse. I say this, not because I am underestimating your maturity, but because at 13, it's just hard. You're still a kid (heck, I'm still a kid in some ways), and there are just better things to do with your money. (and time, since you are obviously thinking about this a lot.)
Do you really understand what $200 is/means?
If you are truly willing to do whatever it takes to get this purse, than I think you should first work (in some of the various ways that has been suggested on this thread) to try to "earn" $200 first. Be fair and see how long it will take you to really earn that money. If you still want the purse when you are finished, then it is obvious that you are serious about your lemming. (As are so many ladies of this forum! I'll be the first to admit- I'm bag-obsessed! haha)
PS. I, too, do not think that money should be used to reward good grades. I was never rewarded for my grades (and without sounding arrogant, I had darn good grades). When I was younger, I was jealous of the kids who had their dads whip out hundred-dollar bills when they got straight As.. but now, I realize that, at least for me, it was better that I develop the mentality of -good grades- being something expected, rather than rewarded. Haha.. too bad college is.. a different story.