Of Bags And Behavior

A story that was published just last Sunday about a Birkin scammer has been the talk of many netizens and people who are just about curious and furious to know the identity of the said scammer. She was a simple girl turned socialite in over a few years so it was definitely something that most mere ordinary people like me are intrigued about. Well I won’t talk about her here but instead I shall share with you all my two cents on designer bags.

I admit I am slowly loving designer bags. It was actually my sister who introduced me to the idea of owning and investing on these luxury items. It wasn’t a welcoming idea back when I was still in college since I was paying for my tuition and other daily expenses so owning designer or anything beyond a few thousand pesos worth of material things didn’t exactly cross my mind. Until after I graduated did I open up to the idea. The thing that triggered me to get convinced on having a decent designer bag more than the name of the brand is the quality it gives. Truly my sister was right. I have a lot of good bags ranging from brandless to the usual brands that I love and can afford. But then with only a few months or a year of use they eventually gave up on me. Loose stitching, holes, rips and tears from my daily usage were always the problem no matter how nice nor good the material of the bags were and these reasons always prompted me to buy new ones.

The idea of value for money was presented to me by my sister: Would you go for a 2,000 pesos bag that you will only get to use for a few months to a year or a 20,000 pesos bag that you can use everyday and even pass down to your daughter?

Of course my immediate reaction was that I’d go for the P2,000 bag! Because P20,000 for a bag is just too much! Again the idea of value for money was raised. A P2,000 bag that you can use for say a year  is equivalent to P166 pesos a month while a P20,000 bag that you can use for say 5 years is equivalent to P333 a month and can even last longer than five years. 10 years and it’ll seem like you pay about P166 pesos a month of usage, just the same as buying a P2,000 bag that will eventually give up on you in a year or two.

I was convinced. So I started with my very first “designer” bag which was a Ralph Lauren. That was designer enough for me back then because it was more than my few hundred peso bags. It was worth it. That started it all. Until I found myself shifting from RL to the coveted LVs and Guccis which of course were mostly bought second hand from friends, from trusted sellers while some I bought during our trips abroad (way cheaper). I also set a budget when buying designer bags, I spend way less on shoes and clothes and other material things. This way, I can balance my budget and still be practical without feeling guilty. My husband’s first thought about it is that it’s crazy! That the collective money I’ve spent can be put to a more reasonable investment. Until he realized that I don’t hoard on bags and instead buy only once a year, knowing that it’ll last more than a few years or so.

Although I have to admit I am quite careless when it comes to my bags. I still treat them as material things, I am not one that would give much fuzz about them. Sometimes, it’s the husband who’s more affected whenever he sees me not taking proper care of my bags. Well I couldn’t blame him after all, its not something that I could replace like its a pair of old socks once they’re destroyed or ruined.

You see more than the name and the brand and the number of bags, I consider quality as my topmost priority. I am not one of those girls who really save up (won’t spend a dime on other things, nor even eat a proper meal) so that they can buy the bags they lust  (but I think I’m starting to be one). I don’t plan on collecting (although the thought is quite inviting). I just buy because I want to invest on good quality bags that I know eventually I can give to Gabbie when she’s older (imagine it as heirlooms) and can be considered as vintage items. I think more than anything, what I consider now that I have a growing family is to keep the essentials and of course value for money. I may only have a few things but I make sure these few ones are great enough to last a lifetime. May it be bags, shoes, clothes (oh thrifted ones are hard to resist!) or even our household items. It has also helped that our home isn’t big enough to entertain hoarding. My priority now is quality over quantity and need versus want. It’s hard and challenging but it’s doable.

 As what I always say, it doesn’t matter if you can afford something or not. The real question is, do you need it more than you want it? Is there value for your money? Is it a good investment?  Bonus if what you want is something that fits your budget and your lifestyle.

Nonetheless, I still have a few bags that I’m currently lusting after. I WANT THEM! Hahahahay but it’ll take some time before I buy even one of these beauties. Oh well, time to save up! 🙂

*photos lifted from Google*

Material things are to be used and treated as what they are, remember that they are not as valuable as your life, your loved ones, your family and friends so never, ever think that they are and never treat them that way.

Here are some thoughts running through my head as I write this post:

– If you really want something, save up. If you can’t afford it then don’t even dare buy it.

-Know your priority. It’s okay to want but please consider if it’s really worth buying.

 – Most people think that what you have and what you own defines who you are. Are you one of those people?

– If you want something just to impress others then clearly you have the wrong behavior.

– I’m not generalizing, there are other things that have value for money without spending much and it really doesn’t have to be a luxury item or a designer one. Such examples are my thrift finds.

– Seriously, in this day and age social status isn’t a big of a deal.

-Real rich people never brag nor show off. They’ve got nothing else to prove.

– True friends won’t pressure you to own or do things you know you can’t have or do.

-Quality reins supreme over quantity.

-Work hard in getting what you want.

– It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get what you want.

– You won’t be judged based on what you have but on how you treat others. Not unless the one judging you is materialistic and shallow.

– Having a few good ones are far better than having tons that don’t last. That goes for material things and for people.

– Remember that cash is king. Invest only on things you know you can use even when you’re old and gray. Something you can even pass down to your kids or grand kids.

Because at the end of the day material things are just material things.

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