How do you afford your bags and how many per year? Credit debt or millionare lover?

[vilette21c]

I am 30 and a housewife. I have a graduate degree but since my husband (36 y/o) and I move a lot (he's in the military), I never had a chance to start a career. He understands my love for "bags" so he allots money ($800) for me every month that I am free to spend or save. He knows that I don't like asking. We are debt free and always paid our CC in full every month. We don't like installments either. Big purchases like cars, condos, land investments, etc., we paid in cash.

I'm also fortunate to have a mother and two younger sisters who share the same love for fashion esp. bags.

 

[ambicion6]

27, Full time grad student. prior to going back for my MBA, I worked full time in banking and did pretty good. I've never paid full price for ANY of my higher end bags. I think i paid full price for a dooney bourke (like $150) many many years ago before I began buying ferragamo, burberry etc.

Last bag I bought was in Nov 08 before I quit working and it was a MJ Blake for 50% off retail.

Havent bought anything since then because nothing has really caught my eye.

Debt free (minus student loan debt). I wont buy unless I can pay with cash. or with my cc but pay that off at month end.

 

[Mila_Pops]

I'm a 21 year old college student, one semester shy of graduating with my first bachelor's degree. I work part time, but I still make decent money for not having any college degree yet, which is the reason why I only need to work a few days a week--it evens out when compared to a crappy-paying job in which you'd have to work more hours.

I just barely got my one credit card yesterday, but I don't even know where it is because my daddy keeps it away from me so I can only buy bags with the money that I already have in my checking account.

I don't have bills or anything, even though I live away at college (parents help out a lot), so luckily I only need to budgetize for things like food, outtings, clothes/handbags, and such. Although I'd love to have a couple more bags, I'm not going to pay for it using a credit card and absolutely do not see the point in getting yourself indebted over unneccessary material possessions like that. I'd rather save up, which means less sushi and drinks for me, and that's very hard!!! LOL. That also explains my small handbag collection hehe.

 

[veggiegrlnc]

Most of my bags have been gifts. I have a few coach bags and about 4 wristlets. I like traditional leather ones, which seem to be less popular than the signature ones, and are pretty affordable in the outlet close to my home.

I have three 1154 Lill Studio purses. So cute, and custom made. I purchased two, one was a gift. These are my faves right now, they fit my boho personality.

I have one oooooollld Kate Spade bag-college graduation gift. Anything else that I purchase is usually cheap and trendy so I can throw it around.

 

[meganfm]

^I'm in a pretty similar situation to you, Mila_Pops! I'm 20 and 1 term shy of graduating university-I don't work many hours but I have a government subsidized job on campus and live at home so I am able to save up a lot.

I've only ever bought 1 purse for myself (a Treesje) as a belated 20th birthday present to myself. I can really only justify spending money when it's some sort of special occasion-for example right now I'm trying to save up for a Miu Miu as a university graduation present to myself. I don't have my parents or a boyfriend to help me-I would never want my boyfriend to buy me things that expensive. It feels so much better when I work hard for it myself.

 

[pquiles]

I only buy when there's a huge discount. I have what I consider a decent collection and only missing a few pieces that I'd love to own...but, I can be patient and wait until I can afford them. Really, how many bags can a woman own? I don't make purchases especially bags on credit any longer. If I don't have the cash I don't buy...PERIOD!

 

[pinkybear]

im 23 yrs/old, recently graduated with a BA in bio and health sci. im job-hunting but the market is pretty crappy right now. so for now i am jobless.
i have never had a real job. in high school i tutored part-time and in college i worked for a drugstore for 6 months but eventually quit since i get more money from my allowance than my paycheck. my parents are very generous so they give me everything that i want and need. i am the baby in the family so i guess you can say im spoiled. i have two cars, one given by my parents the other from my older brother.
i pay for my purses in cash (allowance from mom and dad) since i was in credit card debt once and my dad found out about it. he paid them off and confiscated all of the CC's. DF is also very generous. he's bought me my gucci, lv, miu miu and chanel purses and shopping trips to NM from time to time. he's 23 like me and has very generous parents as well. he owns several properties thats being rented out so that added income for him.
although we're already engaged we havent set a date to get married. we want to earn things on our own first. i feel like my whole life everything's been handed to me. i am very thankfull and i feel so blesses but at the same time i feel like i havent achieved anything. i would like to work and earn my own money and buy a car and house with it. i wanna show everyone including my parents that i can make it on my own.
oh! and i buy 2-3 bags a year. i love traveling and shopping for apparel more than purses!

 

[lalunia]

Great thread!

I just turned 21 and I'm a college junior (almost senior) pursuing a double major in economics and finance.

I'm currently unemployed for the first time since I was like 14. My parents always taught me to earn my own money and although they paid for my car, insurance, and some of my private university tuition, I tutored, did retail, administrative work and was a teller to earn my own spending cash. I did some internships as well and I'm hoping that my work experience will come in handy when I graduate next year.

I do have about 5k in student loans and about 3k on my CCs from a study abroad trip I just came back from. I put some of my air fare, travel and living expenses on it because my parents already paid for some of my tuition (scholarships cover the majority) and my savings weren't enough to cover all accommodation fees. I think it is reasonable, expecially since I had the chance to travel and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Thankfully, I do not buy any bags on credit and my parents have taught me to live within my means. The few designer bags (nothing crazy, mostly coach) I have gotten as second hand gifts from family or my boyfriend. I wold love to get a LV speedy but I need to get a job and pay some of that debt off first!

 

[shangvillaruel]

haha millionaire lover...doesn't everyone wish! i'm 18, unemployed and started a bachelor of commerce this year. my very generous parents fund my bag addiction.. my mum and i share our handbags of course! since january this year.. we've purchased 2 ferragamos, 1 versace and 3 lvs for ourselves.. and since we're going to hong kong for a holiday, i will try and convince them to add a goyard to our collection

i just realised, since there are still christmas sales and i have an interview at a french luxury handbag store tomorrow.. the bag total for the year will increase D:

 

[Alyanesse]

i am 28, married no kids. I have been working for 4-5 years. Making a decent living, no where near wealthy. Able to buy 1-2 bags a year. but this year was extremely carried away. I bought 5 bags since the start of this year. I don't dine out that often, except for occasions and galfren gatherings. I eat simply during lunch, preferring to save the money for clothes and bags. I save at least 50% of my pay monthly and so i use up about 10-20% come year end or some crazy sale to fund my purchases i pay by credit card but always pay off my bill immediately

I have no college debt, house or car debt. I have always bought my own bags, DH doesnt support me in my bag buying obsession. I believe in spending within my limits and won't buy if I have not catered for the expenditure

Thankfully or not, my sis is as much obsessed with bags as I am, between us we share around 30+ bags from gucci, LV, miumiu, prada, dior, tod and BV accumulated over the past 3-4 years. I put off my Chanel GST purchase after being ill-attended to at Selfridges. They were too busy serving the China tourists. acks. Hope to get one next year

 

[boomie]

I'm 34. I'm a PhD student with a stipend and 2 part-time jobs. I never have a day off, and if I see a bag I like, I buy it...I work hard for the $$, so I get what I like I have some credit card debt but I always pay it down on payday.

 

[Styleforever]

I do neither, I save until I can afford to get the bag I want. I don't care if it is no longer fashionable to carry it when I can afford to buy it. Trying to keep up with the Jones with have you broke all the time. My very first Louis Vuitton I saved a whole year for that bag. The same with my first Chanel. And if after a year, if I still can't afford it I forget it.

 

[axcelle]

I'm 33, married for eight years with no kids. We have student loans (just mine for grad school), two car payments, a motorcycle payment, and several credit cards. We paid off all our credit card debt and put money in the bank just in time for the economy to kill our income...he is in the automotive industry and his income has been cut about 40% over the last year; I teach, but my FT position was eliminated and I was only able to find a PT contract for next year.

In the past I alternated between buying bags on sale or on the bay, first CCs then cash only. In the last year the few bags I've purchased have mostly been charged. Admittedly I have not denied myself spending $100-300 on a bag every three or four months. Probably not the smartest thing but it's the only unsecured debt we have, plus most of my bags are investment pieces which pull anywhere from 75-150% of the price I paid when I sell them. I have sold several in the last month to pay for new bags and got very good money out of them.

 

[vinceee20]

16 year old student, unemployed but I still managed to get my first LV this year^^ content even though it took a year of saving haha

 

[meowcsj]

i am 28, married no kids. I have been working for 4-5 years. Making a decent living, no where near wealthy. Able to buy 1-2 bags a year. but this year was extremely carried away. I bought 5 bags since the start of this year. I don't dine out that often, except for occasions and galfren gatherings. I eat simply during lunch, preferring to save the money for clothes and bags. I save at least 50% of my pay monthly and so i use up about 10-20% come year end or some crazy sale to fund my purchases i pay by credit card but always pay off my bill immediately

I have no college debt, house or car debt. I have always bought my own bags, DH doesnt support me in my bag buying obsession. I believe in spending within my limits and won't buy if I have not catered for the expenditure

We are 95% alike for the above. Hi 5!

Except for that I normally eat at cafe, fast food restaurant or restuarant, but normally DH will foot the bills for the meals.

Due to time constraint, I normally travel by cab, rather than public transport.

I am always very prudent, until I went to Europe last month. I bought 9 LV items, 3 Chanel items, 3 Prada items, 1 gucci shoes, 2 Ferragamo shoes. I spent about 10kEURO. Then I regret, I should have bought Hermes then. Thus, I am intending to fly off to Paris month end for Hermes. I shall allocate another 10kEURO for Hermes shopping.

Well, I am just an employee with reasonable income. I guess at times we must pamper ourselves. The feeling of getting labels from their origins is simply cannot be describe. I felt like a shopping queen. I will be on bag ban after this Paris trip.

I think I will only buy certain buys like Hermes, Chanel & LV from now on, rather than a vast brand.

I believe everyone has the money, it is just their priority. Some will use the money to buy car, watch, jewellery but not bags. Some really save very long to earn their very first bag.

My mentality is once in a lifetime, must pamper myself.