don't despair if you can't afford 'the best'

In_Search_Of_Me

Sooooo true! I used to be Mr advertising mans dream (Chanel packaging got me every time, or rather I got it!) but its amazing how quickly you adjust...having been nowhere near boots a big & beautiful boots for two months (one of my weaknesses...can blow £200 just like that!) was quite overwhelmed by lighting/displays/sound/smell the other day...didnt liek it at all!! Its a miracle...I'm cured!!! (Sorry getting over excited..just listed loads of stuff on ebay & I think what with that & sleep deprevation its getting to me!!)

Thriftylady

I read in Closer magazine this week (I know, very upmarket reading material !! but great for reading in the bath with a cup of tea in the other hand) about a couple who spent £15,000 a year on designer clothes for their children, despite having an average type income. They said they ensured the bills were paid first, but after that all their money went on clothes, and the family did without every other luxury in order to keep up with the clothes obsession. But the mum was proudly announcing that even her three year old twins knew their labels (their favourite was Dior) and would refuse to leave the house in anything from the high street. I can't believe the range of emotions I went through when I read it - disbelief, shock, rage (only alleviated when I reminded myself that it was their money and none of my business how they spent it) but my overwhelming feeling was pity.

ivyleaf

I think there's a TV programme about that this week. In fact I just looked at the TV guide - "I want it Now" on BBC1 at 7 o'clock on Tuesday. There's one on ITV1 on Friday at 9 o'clock as well - "Flash Families". One family lives in a small council house with their 5 children and the parents sleep on the living room floor ("to save money", I'm sure I read somewhere. though I can't think how!) in order to afford only designer clothing for the whole family. Duh!

Sweet_Pea_2

GreyPilgrim, I feel exactly the same as you with regards to designer labels. I just dont get it at all. There was a family wedding at the weekend which I didnt go to, and was told by a relative that all my other relatives where there in their designer outfits. This, I remembered is why I didnt want to go. There is no way I would buy designer outfits for OH, me and our 2 DD's, (not because I cant afford to but because I dont want to) My DD's will only wear something if they like it, despite the fact that DD1's friends now all wear branded sportswear for games etc at school, she doesn't like that kind of thing and has an M+S tracksuit instead!
Thriftlady, I agree with you, I feel sorry for those kids too. When they are old enough to pay their own way they will want designer everything because that is what they are used to. Hope they earn the designer salary or they will be heading for trouble. If you bring your kids up to be conscious of how they spend money then hopefully this will stand them in good stead if they ever hit financial dire straits themselves. (Hopefully?)
I've been trying really hard to cut back on spending, and have just managed to open a savings account for my long term savings. This has been a goal for a while - Im not bad with money and have savings for Xmas, holidays, decorating etc, but have never managed to save anything for the long term or emergencies. The high I felt by finally managing to save a bit for the long term would far outweigh buying a designer outfit that will be out of fashion in six months.

Thriftylady

Ivyleaf, now that you mention it, I think this is the same family that are on that programme. The thing about sleeping on the floor rings a bell. Heartbreaking and frustrating in equal measures!

roses

lynzpower wrote:

"This isnt just spag bol, this is scottish spendaholics luxury handmade spagetti bolognaise, made with rich tomato sauce, the freshest of ingredients and hand made to her own specific desires..."

I wouldn't worry about not being able to afford "the best". It's not like the old days anymore where you get what you pay for. Now it's about you paying for marketing, not a superior product.

I had some M&S gift vouchers so on Friday night I went & bought a chicken, yorkshire pudding, potatoes & salad. It all looked delicious but tatsed horrible! Never again, I am goinbg to stick with Lidl in future which is 1/3 the price but tastes far more superior & does not have "succulent water enhanced chicken".

lynzpower

Isnt all the chicken M&S use free range? their eggs are.

musicboy

I hate the M&S adverts .... my version is ...

'This is not just Expensive ... this is F***ing Expensive ... '

And that Fleetwood Mac soundtrack really gets me in the spending mood.

Spuds are spuds. Choc pud is choc pud. OK I like their salmon and broccoli lattice thingy but it's cos you can't get that kind of thing everywhere.

The OP is basically saying 'don't accept the crap you get told by people who are paid to give advice' - advice which suits them but not necessarily you.

calleyw

ivyleaf wrote:

There's one on ITV1 on Friday at 9 o'clock as well - "Flash Families". One family lives in a small council house with their 5 children and the parents sleep on the living room floor ("to save money", I'm sure I read somewhere. though I can't think how!) in order to afford only designer clothing for the whole family. Duh!

I saw that in my mums TV mag. And it said that the mother spends £500-£600 a month on designer clothes. And the dad lives around the corner as they don't have enough space and can't afford anywhere bigger. Because of all the money that is spent on clothes. And she only works part time as well.

It is all cash that spend. So no credit.

But looking at the picture they showed I thought it looked like all the clothes had come from wheelie bin around the back of the charity shop. As they where horrible. It might have a so called "designer name" on it but it looked just like tat to me.

But what a way to live sleeping on the floor in the living room with 3 children just so you can have so called designer names.

Think she needs a reality check. As she is spending a min of £6K a year just on clothes for the family :eek: I rather be paying £6K in mine and my husbands ISA a year. I wish we had that sort of money spare.


Yours


Calley

calleyw

waterbaby wrote:

My dad always made an effort to always buy unadvertised products, so that he wasn't paying for the advertising.

I know that is why people buy expensive as they assume

expensive = the best

Not always. Funny the way we seem to believe that if it is branded or very expensive it has to be so much better.

I mean I buy Aldi ravioli and its 29p a tin and I reckon it is as good if not better than the Heniz. The sauce is just as rich and thick.

But it is different strokes for different people.


Yours


Calley