justification

[inlawsareasses]

I may sound a little bizarre here but, why do people on here seem to feel the need to justify their purchases?

I've noticed from lurking about that if someone says they've got something expensive they then feel the need to justify the expense by saying it was a gift or was second hand, I just don't understand?

Will their head explode if they admit they bought a brand new pair of ugg boots, or the latest faddy toy?
And I love bargains, but I never justify a purchase to anyone

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Since being rich is a cardinal sin these days and being ostentatious is social death, a lot of people are going out of their way to make themselves sound more careful with the brass than they possibly are in reality. FWIW I just bought myself a very self-indulgent, very expensive thing on Ebay.... but it was second-hand so that makes me down with the poor folk....

[catgirl1976]

My head would explode if I bought anything as tacktastic as ugg boots

[lalaland30008]

I'm not sure but I know what you mean.

There's this thing with my sister, where she is always horrified about how much I've paid for things. I'm not talking designer stuff, just usual high street but bit more expensive than say Primark or Home Bargains. She always pulls this horrified face and asks how on earth did I afford that. So I've found myself lying over time about how much I paid for things, playing it down pretending I've got it in a sale.

I put it down to people liking to play the martyr.

[nickeldaisical]

I know what you mean.

I only do it when I'm actually poor (and constantly go on about it)
like, I bought a coat from a charity shop this week.
I've been wearing a very old cagoule (good for rain, not so good for cold) all year, and it's horrible (it was the only thing that fitted me when I was pg), so I needed a coat.
I had been looking for a good one for about a month, and found one in the charity shop.
it was a Next coat, but slightly more expensive than I really wanted to pay (it was £12.50), but I knew that it was worth the extra money.

But when I wore it, I had to say it was a charity shop one, because I have no money how could I allow people to think I was lying about that?

[AbbyRue]

Possibly because in some cases people on here love to compare and make you feel guilty (the whole "oh you can afford that, someone hasn't even had food)

Obviously I'm not saying there isn't poverty but making people feeling guilty is a bit

(See, my last sentence is exactly the justification you talk about in case I get mobbed!)

[inlawsareasses]

I would like some uggs but couldn't realistically afford them nor could I justify them!
It does seem to be the climate that bargain hunting is 'in' so maybe they're bragging rather than justifying? My in-laws used to live in meadowhall but now they slum it in what they see as bargain shops buying named tat, but its 'bargain' tat so clearly better :)

[inlawsareasses]

Oh AbbyRue that's similar to being made to feel grateful for your job, we in this job are no strangers to redundancy but I am not grateful for my job I worked my bum off for it and they certainly get their moneys worth from me :)

[lisaro]

I think sometimes it's the hunter gatherer in us making us proud of getting a bargain, I know I love a bargain and feel smug and happy when i get one and will share that feeling, although I certainly don't feel the need to justify my other spending.

[inlawsareasses]

In this house that should say!