I’m not ready to be rich.

I don’t honestly know what I would do if I suddenly became the next J.K. Rowling. I’m not so much talking about being a publishing phenom–more a billionairess. It’s possible I’d still be watching the Target ads, jumping on price adjustments, coupons, and sales. I’m not sure I could ever justify spending more than a reasonable amount on everyday walk-around clothes, housewares, shoes, etc. Because everybody must have their ‘ridiculous point’, past which they simply cannot go; it’s impossible to justify. But would it shift if the money were there?

Target has sold me probably 40% of what is currently in my house today. That’s just an estimate, but it seems accurate. Basically I’m wondering, how a person could go from spending $15-$30 on a piece of clothing to spending $75-$100. Now I’ve splurged–I’ve totally splurged–and it feels completely decadent, and I realize everytime I wear or feel or gaze at the splurged upon item that it’s better quality and is special partly because it was a splurge. (In the same vein, I can also look at an item and know that it’s special partly because I got an awesome deal on it.) But the fact that I splurged is in my head–so how would I feel if I was regularly splurging? Would my head be buzzing with calculations, regrets, and guilt? Would I ever be able to simply relax and indulge? I can’t say.

I will tell you that it was these undeniably lovely little teacups from Anthropologie (my retail nemesis) that got me thinking about this…four handmade porcelain teacups for $128. Beautiful, but unjustifiable (at least to me) at this point in time.

These Liberty of London for Target mugs, on the other hand, can be had for $19.99 a set.

Posted in splurging, Target on 05/03/2010 03:43 am
 

8 Comments

  1. I think you have to be born wealthy to never feel a twinge when splurging – and the wealthy probably never think of it as splurging!
    But never mind the little twinges – enjoy those beautiful teacups!

  2. Green Girl in Wisconsin

    Pretty cups! Yes, I often flip through the Garnet Hill catalog and think, "if I were rich…"

  3. I know what I would do if I suddenly became a billionairess: I would hire the best medical minds money could buy to figure out how I spontaneously changed gender. Then I would buy a really big pie.

  4. You're right about those teacups. My best friend is registering at Anthro and she was embarrassed to ask for those because they were so expensive!

  5. Oh, those are pretty. But I wouldn't pay $128 either. Love the sunny yellow though!

  6. I was wondering the same thing when I was watching people eat a $1,000 sundae on some reality show. It has gold in it. Seriously though, I don't care who you are, that should just feel wrong.

  7. Travis Erwin

    I would start drinking a higher class of rum I think.

  8. Ah, but it sneaks up on you. All of a sudden spending $200 on dresses at Anthro seems like a fine idea.

    Then you lose your job and you're back at Target. Contemplating chips verses Pine Sol. Because you cannot have both. Sigh. The Target/Anthro paradox, I believe it plagues many of us?

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