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.
05/03/2010 at 12:11 pm
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!
05/03/2010 at 3:48 pm
Pretty cups! Yes, I often flip through the Garnet Hill catalog and think, "if I were rich…"
05/03/2010 at 3:57 pm
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.
05/03/2010 at 4:27 pm
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!
05/03/2010 at 6:36 pm
Oh, those are pretty. But I wouldn't pay $128 either. Love the sunny yellow though!
05/03/2010 at 11:01 pm
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.
05/04/2010 at 3:01 am
I would start drinking a higher class of rum I think.
05/04/2010 at 4:40 am
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?