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

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#1,261
I've turned 21 this year. Living at home (and have the feeling my parents don't want me to leave for a long time, for better or worse!), which means I don't need to pay rent/board/etc and basically, I can spend my money on myself after I put it aside for essentials (uni, petrol, insurance etc). I took time off studying for nearly two years - enough to build up decent savings - and blew a lot of it this year on expensive bags; the collection below has been amassed since August.

Next year I'll be good! :graucho:
 
#1,262
I went to college then I spent a year working in another city... after that I got home sick and moved back home with Mom.
I make a very good living, but because I live at home only a very small portion goes towards a minimal rent. A big chunk goes towards student loans... and the rest goes for purses. :)

My boy is getting ready to propose. That will be wonderful.
The downside is I'll probably have to stop buying so many bags.
 
#1,263
i didn't count or have a budget how much to spent every year, i started buying handbags when i started to work in my early 20's, couple of bags each year back then?
now i'm married do not work, as a full time mom, DH bought me gift few times a year, mostly he'll asked what i likes or gave me allowances and i pick my own bags, soooooo far i purchased most of the bags in my collection within the last two years, and i've also sold few bags that i do not use to fund others ;)
 
#1,264
I was very curious about this, too, so what an enjoyable thread. After getting married earlier this year, I haven't had to work so I try not to bother my husband with too many of my material desires. It's been interesting coming up with the funds for some of my purchases, and I really surprise myself sometimes. I do some social networking part time and have been selling a bunch of stuff now that we've consolidated our households. Moving from Northern Oregon to Southern California has left me with a lot of coats and such that I can afford to abandon.
 
#1,265
I work fulltime and I am usually able to buy two bags each year. This year I purchased an Hermes Garden Party and a Picotin. For each bag, I saved up for the purchase. DH and I have made it a rule to not use credit cards for things we can't pay for immediately. My thinking is, the less money I pay in finance charges, the more I have to spend on a new bag!
 
#1,266
I'm 23, a grad student living off P/T work & student loans. My parents funded my undergrad education, but I'm on my own for grad school. They may help me pay some of it off later, but they're paying for my brother's undergrad tuition now. Thankfully my P/T job has healthcare & dental benefits! I live with my boyfriend, so it's like paying half the rent without having an annoying roommate! He's a law student, so is by no means paying for my purses. I can't justify spending more than $250 on a bag at this point in my life, and I exercise a good amount of self control when it comes to purses. I love them to death, but I tell myself that one day I'll be able to have them all! (Ok, not ALL, but some!) However, I do spend more money than I should on clothes. What can I say, I like nice things! Haha :p I do like to bargain shop, and generally don't pay retail for anything. I shop A LOT and can always find a good deal. I've been pretty good at sticking to my motto: Don't buy it unless you LOVE it. Otherwise, I just won't be happy. Anyway, back to wandering the forum! (This is my first day, BTW!)
 
#1,268
I don't have any children, work full time as a professional, and buy all of my bags with cash (debit card). I refuse to pay retail, and sell absolutely anything that I do not use on a very regular basis to fund future purchases. No impulse bag buying allowed. ;)

Sometimes after hanging out on TPF for a while I wish that I had a CC just to buy bags with, though!!! :nuts:
 
#1,269
i'm a poor student who save money every month from the money that my parents give me. mind you before I meet this forum I'm a terrible in managing my money. I keep spending it on clothes and shoes, and some foods. Now I know what to spend and whats not, and I manage to save up every month.yay!
 
#1,270
I'm in college - my parents are wonderfully supportive and give me a monthly budget.. if I save enough, I can usually buy several bags a year. This year I have purchased a few, monogramouflage, LV dog carrier, JC Riki, Gucci Pelham, Gucci Jockey some from Ebay (obvi from reputable sellers) but also purchased a few retail. I am hoping santa will bring me a black balenciaga city with classic hardware (SANTA... CAN YOU HEAR ME? :hysteric:) heehee. But, other than that, I have a SO that is very supportive of my bag habit and always encourages me to treat myself, also he has purchased me some wonderful pieces. But I ALWAYS buy my items with a debit card - I dont even own a credit card... I know I would be DANGEROUSSSS :girlwhack: I also sell a bunch of my old things on ebay which helps fund the bag craze
 
#1,271
My bag obsession spurred a bag business. Now I get to pick and choose what I want to sell and which bags I want to keep for myself (trust me, I want to keep all of them, which is sooooo difficult).

Unfortunately, there are certain brands that I love that I simply cannot sell, such as Chanel, LV or Hermes.....
 
#1,272
I'm 29. I have a great job, and don't buy anything I can't pay off in full. I have no credit card debt. Before last year, the most high-end purse I had was Coach...I just really wasn't into handbags. I'm more of a shoe girl :smile1:. Last year I went a bit purse-crazy, but still mostly mid-end (Hayden-Harnett and Rebecca Minkoff for the most part. One vintage Chanel.). I refuse to count up the number of purses I bought (lol), but the sales were great, and I didn't pay retail price for any of them, so that eases the sting a bit!

But now my collection is pretty nicely rounded out, and I'm back to my usual 0-1 (very rarely 2) purses per year. This year I got all the way to the end of November without buying any, then finally caved on the black Balenciaga GGH City I'd been thinking about for over a year.
 
#1,275
I'm 36, moved to NL to be with my (now) husband, and am working and making a decent, but not extravagant living.

I afford bags by buying preloved when I find something I like, paying cash or debit instead of credit (um. except for that one time, but it was just a pochette. Could have been MUCH worse), and I save. I'm paying part of the household expenses, paying off my credit cards (the end is in sight now! Yay!) and student loans for undergrad and grad school.

After that, if I have my eye on something, I give myself an allowance (in cash) and don't let myself spend any more than that, which, since I'm strict, means I can have a new bag in just a couple of months.

The euro/dollar exchange rate doesn't hurt, either- my cc and student loan debt is still in $$
 
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