K. WOODWARD PERSONAL FINANCE
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach

Random Thoughts

Is It Me Or Is Everyone Else Stark Raving Mad?

18/12/2011

6 Comments

 
PictureSource: thedigeratilife.com
Attitudes towards money and suitable clothing

Sometimes I think I live on a completely different planet to everyone else. 

We’re sat talking about shopping and my friend, Amelia, who lives in Dusseldorf complains about the lack of shopping variety there. She used to live in London and says she misses Karen Millen, Whistles and a couple of other (high-end) high street shops that she used to frequent. I have never even walked into any of the shops she’s just mentioned except Karen Millen where I bought a dress once in 2007; I still wear that dress. I see them as being too over-priced and plus, I have other priorities. £100 when shoes are on sale? No way. I could get three or four great quality shoes for that £100.

Amelia reminds me of that age-old argument about having to use your feet every day and hence the necessity of treating them well. 

I tell her that her reasoning doesn’t hold water. Billions of people on this planet have been wearing plastic shoes and in many cases no shoes at all for donkeys years with no orthopaedic problems to speak of.

Anyway, I digress. I know she comes to London a few times every year so I suggest she merges all her shopping into those trips.

“You only need to do a proper shop once or twice a year, right?”

“Umm, no, like once or twice every month.”

I’m quite astonished . Personally, I shop according to need most of the time: a wedding, a major party or my work clothes looking tatty. Then once a year I will do a major shop spending about half a months’ salary in one go and then no more. I didn’t even do one of those this year, I opted instead to invest in a fabulous wedding dress.

I rarely go clothes shopping outside of the event-driven and annual wardrobe upgrade. Weird, right? That’s what I am thinking right now. Lots of women seem to go shopping all the time and my question is, where is all that liquidity coming from?

Bernard overhears us and gets interested. He comes over to seek advice on which Louis Vuitton handbag he should get his new wife for Christmas. Hello? Louis Vuitton? I remind him of the several thousand pounds of debt he still has on his credit card from his wedding earlier in the year and he says he’ll ask his pa for a bit of dosh. Ask your father for money when you are not even in desperate need? ! I won’t even get into that. 

Another friend, Josephine, joins the conversation at this point and I confess to all three that I feel guilty when I spend too much on myself. I believe that coming where I come from (i.e. Malawi) I can only remain true to my roots and to the meaning of life with simplicity and generosity where I can afford it. I said that rather than buying a £600 Louis Vuitton handbag, if I had that cash sitting around, I would much rather call my mum and ask her to find me someone who needs secondary school funding.

You’re by now thinking, well, if they have the cash, why not? Thing is, I’m not sure that they do. Amelia asks why I have such a stark view on money management although I earn ‘loads’ more than her. 

It’s simple. I think what I value the most in life (besides friends and family) is freedom, the freedom from being tied down by a job or by bills or by a mortgage. Whatever excess money I have, I find some way to invest so that as soon as is possible, I will own my house outright and all bills will be paid for from unearned income - income from investments. 

Buying myself that freedom will mean more time to enjoy with family and to pursue hobbies and charitable causes. For me, this obsession with clothes and nice cushy things seems insane, absolutely crazy. 

Our conversation veers into Amelia’s dislike of non-natural materials. “I only wear cotton, wool, leather, viscose and other natural fibres. Nothing that starts with a P.”

“So you’re high maintenance, basically.” I chimed.

“No but if I can get the natural fibre, I will, they feel better.”

“I haven’t noticed any major difference in how I feel in different clothes.”

“Of course they feel different. If I find a really fabulous dress but it’s the wrong material, I won’t buy it.”

For the first time, I come to the realization that the material of clothing is a major factor in some people’s shopping decisions. I judge clothes visually. If the quality looks good visually, I’ll buy it. I have never even thought to check the label to ensure it’s natural! Is that just me? Please tell me it’s not. Geez, a whole other world has just opened to me. I’ve just had to check what my sweater is made from. It says 100% cotton Phew!, I’m not being judged. But even if I was, I have never cared, no point starting now.

Picture
6 Comments
Riddhi link
9/8/2016 09:00:45 am

I found it surprising to know of how much debt people are willing to carry around - personally it troubles me tremendously. But considering the material of clothing while buying - absolutely. Whether a vase is of plastic or of glass affects how it looks. The material is integral to the design. The creator has to consider the material when designing it. Clothing is the same.

Reply
Ethel
9/8/2016 09:02:58 am

Oh my..... Heather, I couldnt have said it better... I think I occupy the same planet as you lol...

Reply
Heather KW link
9/8/2016 09:08:58 am

Thanks Ethel! I feel a little more sane...

Reply
Tiamo
9/8/2016 09:09:26 am

Interesting.. It's always hard to draw the line.. Cos people might like to splurge on some things. like a Mercedes Benz and other people splurge on other things like clothes. But i always say.. spend money how you want but never spend money you do not have.. that is the one thing I will never understand!

Reply
Heather KW
9/8/2016 09:10:40 am

Hey you! What are you saying about my Merco!!

You're right it's the bit about spending money that's borrowed that I don't get but even more important: I don't understand the psychology behind spending all you earn when you earn enough to save.

Reply
hillz
9/8/2016 09:11:45 am

It's really not being weird. Weird is spending more than you earn.
I don't like owing anyone money b'coz it feels like putting a rope to my own neck, I only buy what and when I need. It can be tempting to buy what i sometimes want but the fear of loosing my job tomorrow and not having a cent in my pocket holds me back. And just like you I prefer to help, especial my 3 brothers with their fees, than to invest in things that at the end of the day, don't really matter.

Thanks for all the emails you send, i feel much encouraged to start something of my own as days go by, I mean who doesn't want to be a boss of their own. :)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    By Heather
    ​Katsonga-Woodward

    I'm always thinking, debating, considering and revising my views - some of those deliberations will be shared right here.

    Categories

    All
    6 Figure+ Business Course
    Baby
    Baby Shower
    Celebrity Lives
    Culture
    Days Out & Holidays
    Diy
    Economic Development
    Education
    Entrepreneurship
    Fashion
    Films
    Food
    Getting To Wealthy
    Healthy Weight
    I Just...
    Life Is...
    Malawi
    Moral Hazard
    Parenting
    Personal Finance
    Politics
    Productivity
    Property
    Psychology
    Retirement
    Social Progress
    Spirituality
    Technology
    Weight Issues
    Women Issues

    Archives

    June 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    November 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    November 2010
    October 2007
    January 2007

Picture

Podcast Links

Wealth Blog 

  • Children
  • Financial Independence / FIRE
  • Pensions
  • Retirement
  • Saving
Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee
Picture

© 2007 - 2021, The Money Spot™ ~ Make Money, Change Lives!
Heather Katsonga-Woodward, a massive personal finance fanatic.
** All views expressed are my own and not those of my employer ** Please get professional advice before re-arranging your personal finances.
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach