Tormented. Need advice if I should buy.

H

harley.quinn

Member
Jun 10, 2015
123
9
#1
As some of you may know, I'm very new when it comes to Louis Vuitton. I don't own a bag yet, but I'm shopping around. Never did I ever think I'd be interested in buying one of the brand's bag. Honestly, I use to dislike how the brand doesn't seem exclusive for the amount of money you dropped. Not saying it's not anymore. But what is making it difficult to buy my first bag now is just how much it costs.

The most I've spent on a bag was less than $200. A few months ago, I use to think that's a lot. I remember liking a bag for $400 but didn't get it despite it being from my fave brand, Kate Spade. Now to make the sudden jump and looking at bags that cost double to triple that? How did I get here?

I'll tell you what happened. I saw LV's ads for using Final Fantasy, and I became intrigued. (I'm a gamer.) I walked to the front display and liked the new designs and incorporating colors for contrast -- adding new flair. I went inside, and for the first time, I was treated nicely. I use to go in years ago, and I would notice SA's look at my bag and not help me because they could tell, at the time, it wasn't a brand bag but something from Target. Never liked the treatment, but the couple times I went to shop around recently, it's friendlier and empathetic.

I digress. It's not that I can't afford it, it's asking if I should buy it? I'm so used to feeling regret and torment when I spend money on bags now that I don't really need. I have an obsession and a way I stop myself is by thinking about how I can spend that on "better" things like food for my family, bills, emergencies, responsibilities, etc. And that's what's stopping me.

I guess I want to know how you all get over this feeling, if you have hesitation? Especially when it came to buying your first LV bag? How can I get to the point of being carefree, but not frivolous. (I like multiple bags and worry that I'll want to buy a new one right away -- How do you stop yourself in these instances?) Should I buy a bag? Why?

And though I'm looking at pre loved for much cheaper, it's still so much money than I'm use to spending.

I look forward to your advice! Thanks for reading my novel :smile:
 
#2
Sometimes when I buy new I feel guilty. I recently purchased an epi alma pm for £1200. To many people that isn't a lot if money but to me that's eye wateringly expensive. My car then started to play about and my engine light came on. I felt awful. I could have used that money towards a new car. Thankfully it's okay now and I do not need to replace my car but for that week I felt stupid. However I absolutely adore the bag and was able to buy it at the time so figured I shouldn't feel too bad. Unless you see a bag in store that you fall for, I wouldn't take the plunge just yet to go new if you are already feeling this way. I waited for a really long time before buying a bag new. Until I was ready :smile:

However, I always feel excited when I purchase preloved. I never buy unless it's a really good deal. Like, usually at least less than a third of retail (unless the bag is discontinued). Because of that, I feel no guilt at all ! I get the bag I want for a fraction of the price. Good news all round. Just make sure to get tons of pictures and ensure its authentic before buying so your first LV bag meets your expectations and it's a positive experience for you. Good luck!!!
 
#3
I think it comes down to wants versus needs. If you want it and as you said, you can afford it, you have to get over the torment and buy it. You have to feel you are important enough to treat yourself. If you feel it could have been earmarked for more important things, you are probably not ready to pull the trigger (so don't, you won't get the pleasure out of the bag then).
 
#4
When I made my first LV purchase I asked myself a few questions; have my bills been paid for the month, if something happens to my job (the banking industry can be crazy), do I have enough funds to fall back on for the few months to cover bills and unexpected situations. Like you, the most I had spent on a bag was around $200 - $275 (after tax) so spending anywhere from four to five times that amount made me feel guilty. I tried to justify spending that much money on an item that would essentially, hold my money. When I made my purchase I looked at how many times I would carry it, would the style and print work with my work clothes as well as jeans or active wear. Since I could answer yes to all of those questions, I didn't feel as guilty. On top of that I had been the recipient of two awards at work (one for busting fraud and one for being a quarterly star) and I knew that if I didn't make the LV purchase that I had been dreaming of, I would try to compensate with similar designs from other designers which I wouldn't necessarily be happy with in the long run. Therefore, my second purchase (first to keep) from LV was the Speedy B 30 and I couldn't be happier, I have three bags in one that work with every outfit I own. I told myself I cannot make another purchase until my birthday in a couple months so that I can enjoy my Speedy B before adding a new piece. If you like the bag, go for it; you have to be happy in the long run and if you've found an LV item that makes you happy, invest in it and carry it proudly! [emoji7]
 
#5
SoadyJones01 said:
Sometimes when I buy new I feel guilty. I recently purchased an epi alma pm for £1200. To many people that isn't a lot if money but to me that's eye wateringly expensive. My car then started to play about and my engine light came on. I felt awful. I could have used that money towards a new car. Thankfully it's okay now and I do not need to replace my car but for that week I felt stupid. However I absolutely adore the bag and was able to buy it at the time so figured I shouldn't feel too bad. Unless you see a bag in store that you fall for, I wouldn't take the plunge just yet to go new if you are already feeling this way. I waited for a really long time before buying a bag new. Until I was ready :smile:

However, I always feel excited when I purchase preloved. I never buy unless it's a really good deal. Like, usually at least less than a third of retail (unless the bag is discontinued). Because of that, I feel no guilt at all ! I get the bag I want for a fraction of the price. Good news all round. Just make sure to get tons of pictures and ensure its authentic before buying so your first LV bag meets your expectations and it's a positive experience for you. Good luck!!!
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As you can see, bigger purchases still make me feel guilty! I agree with the above poster. Do not buy if you think it will do more harm than good (in the sense that you will not enjoy the bag or you will regret using the money for that instead of for something else). I do think if you look you will find a preloved LV for a price that you are happy with though. If you do, I can't wait to see what you choose!
 
#6
The first is the worst. I un-boxed and re-boxed my first bag repeatedly. I'd un-box it in the brief moments the guilt subsided, but when it inevitably returned, I'd re-box it, lol. This went on for a week until my husband sat me down and, in a matter of sentences, convinced me I should keep it - that I deserved it.

...Then I fell down the rabbit hole...
 
#7
I jumped right into buying LV. It didn't feel like a big jump to suddenly spend so much. I just stopped buying multiple inexpensive bags and stuck to buying one "expensive" bag per year.
 
#9
I used to feel guilty and have buyer's remorse after some of my first splurge purchases. I would think just like you - the money could go to some payment/bill/savings account instead. But after a while I just loved how these bags make me feel. They gave me a great sense of confidence, oddly enough! And even though my outfit was simple, the bag would make me feel so stylish. After a few purchases I finally became comfortable spending the money on myself and now I honestly don't even give it a second thought. ;)
 
#10
I really think you are overthinking this and it's not good to feel so much torment over buying a purse because it's suppose to be fun! I think all you need to do is ask yourself these questions:

If I buy this bag will I not be able to feed my family?
Will I not be able to pay my bills?
If an emergency happens will I not have a reasonable amount in my savings to deal with it?
Can I not realistically afford this right now?

If you answer yes to any of these then you should not buy at this time in my opinion but if you answer no then go ahead and buy. I think anyone can say the money spent on pleasure no matter what that pleasure is could be spent in a better way but hey ya gotta live too ya know.
 
#12
ophousewife said:
I jumped right into buying LV. It didn't feel like a big jump to suddenly spend so much. I just stopped buying multiple inexpensive bags and stuck to buying one "expensive" bag per year.
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chiclawyer said:
+1. I now focus on quality rather than quantity.
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I would rather follow the proverb of "4 quarters equals the same as 100 pennies".
If you're interested in LV then buying pre-loved is most likely the best route to go, at least until you're sure that it's a brand that you genuinely love and that it fits your lifestyle...right now the pre-loved market is flooded with a generous selection and there are quite a few bags that are both in beautiful condition and very reasonably priced (around the $300-400 price point is fair). If such a purchase won't be a financial liability/burden then treat yourself...if it works out then great but if not then the demand is high and the bag could be resold for the same price you paid...at least you wouldn't lose anything or have to constantly think "what if?".
 
#13
I'm a Vuitton newbie, I only have two bags and two SLGs right now. I've got my first item (Neverfull MM DE) in May 2015. I remember I had a really hard time justifying the purchase for myself (i.e. if I get it later it will cost much more money or I can always sell it later and get the money back after price increases or I will use it for many years to come so considering the price per wear it's a good deal) and I was also hesitating about which bag to get first: the NF or the Speedy B 25 DE (which I've bought as my second bag, in November 2015). To me it was also a big step (before I've had a Kate Spade bag, MK bags, Longchamp bags and so on). I didn't want the purchase to affect my budget in any way, so I've created a separate one and I've saved up for the bag in about 3-4 months.

I really was making a big deal about it. I've travelled to the nearest store (5 hour journey) to finally get the bag and I was at first disappointed they had no "Made in France" bags, but the MIS ones (I live in Europe, I didn't think it would be difficult to get a MIF bag) and then I was a bit disappointed with the customer service (they didn't speak very good English). But the money thing hit me after I've left the store and I remember it was such a strange feeling. It's like when I've had that budget, I didn't really consider those money "mine", because it was supposed to be for the bag anyway, but leaving the store I felt like I could have had so many different uses for it. Then I came back home and I've noticed an imperfection and I've had a huge buyer's remorse! I was considering returning the bag, but the store was so far away it made it complicated.

I've slept on it, and I've decided that after all, it's just a bag, I can't expect it to be perfect (and seriously, it was SO minor that now something like that wouldn't bother me at all). I think I've escalated my expectations, because for me it was a lot of money and I've made it a big deal.

In the end - I've kept it and it was seriously the best decision I've ever made! I've used this bag every single day since I've got it and everytime I use it, it makes me smile. It's so practical and so versatile. I love the added pouch, I've used it inside other bags or on it's own as a clutch. Frankly, I've never been as happy with my previous bags and they shown wear much faster. To me this is money well spent, because I only pay for it once, but I get to carry if many times and enjoy it for many years to come!

Also - yeah, the first purchase kind of pushes the line (I know it did for me, the second purchase was much, much easier) and now I still keep that separate budget for bags (so I just easily save up for them - IMO it makes it more special to wait for the bag and it gives me time to make enough research to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting and at the same time I don't feel like it affects my budget or savings in any way).

To sum up: I think you get most joy when you actually use your items and there is no point making the first purchase a big deal, because you can easily escalate your expectations and oversee what a great thing you're getting! Don't be afraid to use the bag you get in fear it costed so much (I was actually worried at first I wouldn't use it, because I'd find it too special), because using the bags gives it the most fun! I think it's ok to treat yourself once in a while, especially when you've accomplished something or worked really hard.

But in the end, nobody else knows if you can really afford it or if it is something you get to use and enjoy a lot. So good luck with your decision and I hope you'll be happy with whatever you decide!
 
#14
One thing that you might want to consider is how long you'll keep your LV. I bought my first LV in 1989. It is a Speedy mono 25. That's a long time to have a bag! But I consider it to be a good purchase, because after all these years it is still functional and has held up well. Like others have said, I prefer buying quality over quantity.
 
#15
Honestly it really depends on the type of person you are in my opinion, if you're going to be too afraid to use it because you spent X amount of dollars on it, don't buy it or buy preloved. It would be a shame to buy a bag just for it to sit on a shelf because you're too afraid to use it. Personally I bought my first louis (with my own money) when I was 16. I am now 20 and continue to purchase LV bags and I absolutely adore them. Bottom line is, it all depends on what you're comfortable with spending.
 
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